IMPROVEMENTS IN LOCKS AND KEYS
Year: 1879

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Righter Comings, of 9, New Broad Street, in the
City of London, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN LOCKS AND KEYS."
A communication from abroad by Henry Emanuel Russell, of New Britain,
Connecticut, United States of America.
Sealed the 5th September 1879, and dated the 1st April 1879.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Righter Comings at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 1st April 1879.
WILLIAM RIGHTER COMINGS, of 9, New Broad Street, in the City of London.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN LOCKS AND KEYS." [A communication from abroad by Henry
Emanuel Russell, of New Britain, Connecticut, United States of America.]
This Invention has for its object improvements in locks and keya
The front plates of mortice locks, which are usually of brass, are according to this
Invention formed and applied in the following manner :-The front of the lock case
is bevilled outwards on its edges, and the front plate is cast with flanges. at the
back. These flanges receive the front of the lock case between them, and by
pressure (applied by rollers or in other convenient manner), the flanges are closed
down upon the bevilled edges of the lock case.
The fore end of the cover or cap plate of the lock enters beneath the flange of the
front plate, and so is very securely held.
The latch bolt and parts in connection therewith are so arranged that the bevil
of the latch bolt is reversible, as in some locks at present in use, but according to
this Invention the reversal can only be effected when the key is in the lock. The
latch bolt is in two parts, and the fore end, on which is the bevil, is able to turn
when its corners are free from the rectangular guide hole in the front plate of the
lock. When the key is suitably placed the latch bolt or its fore end can be drawn
forward easily against the resistance only of a light spring, serving to prevent
accidental displacement, and when so drawn forward the fore end, on which is the
bevil, can be turned half round or reversed. When the key is not in place how-
ever, a stop formed upon a lever or tumbler, or part of the lock which is moved by
the key, prevents the latch bolt or its fore end from being drawn forward, but
this stop is moved out of the way when the key is inserted and partly turned.
The keys may be constructed by being cast and afterwards finished or brought
accurately to form by stamping between dies.
The same finishing process is applicable to keys made of wrought metal.

page_text: ९
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said William Righter Comings in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 30th
September 1879.
WILLIAM RIGHTER COMINGS, of 9, New Broad Street, in the City of London.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN LOCKS AND KEYS." A communication from abroad by Henry
Emanuel Russell, of New Britain, Connecticut, United States of America.
This Invention has for its object improvements in locks and keys.
The first part of the Invention relates to the front plates of mortice locks.
The front plates of mortice locks, which are usually of brass, are according to this
Invention formed and applied in the following manner:-The front of the lock case
is bevilled outwards on its edges, and the front plate is cast with flanges at the
back. These flanges receive the front of the lock case between them, and by
pressure (applied by rollers or in other convenient manner) the flanges are closed
down upon the bevilled edges of the lock case.
The fore end of the cover or cap plate of the lock enters beneath the flange of the
front plate, and so is very securely held.
The second part of the Invention relates to latch bolts and parts in connection
therewith.
The latch bolt and parts in connection therewith are so arranged that the bevil
of the latch bolt is reversible, as in some locks at present in use, but according to
this Invention the reversal can only be effected when the key is in the lock. The
latch bolt is in two parts, and the fore end, on which is the bevil, is able to turn
when its corners are free from the rectangular guide hole in the front plate of the
lock.
When the key is suitably placed the latch bolt or its fore end can be drawn
forward easily against the resistance only of a light spring, serving to prevent
accidental displacement, and when so drawn forward, the fore end, on which is
the bevil, can be turned half round or reversed. When the key is not in place
however, a stop formed upon a lever or tumbler, or part of the lock which is
moved by the key, prevents the latch bolt or its fore end from being drawn
forward, but this stop is moved out of the way when the key is inserted and partly
turned.
The third part of the Invention relates to the manufacture of keys.
The keys are constructed by being cast and afterwards finished or brought accu-
rately to form by stamping between dies.
The same finishing process is applicable to keys made of wrought metal.
In order that the said Invention may be most fully understood and readily carried
into effect, I will proceed to describe the Drawings hereunto annexed.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS."
Figure 1 is a side elevation of a lock case provided with a front plate, which is
cast to the form required and has flanges embracing the front of the lock case;
Figure 2 is an horizontal section of the same; Figure 3 is a transverse section on the
line 1, 1, in Figure 1; and Figure 4 is a transverse section on the line 2, 2, in
Figure 1. a is the lock case; the front a¹ thereof is bevilled on the two sides, and
the cast front plate b fits over it, and by the bending inwards of its flanges is made
to embrace the bevilled edges, and then becomes firmly attached to the lock case; c
is the cover of the lock; its fore end enters beneath the flange of the cast front plate,
and so with the aid of a single screw is securely held in its place.
Figure 5 is an elevation, with the cover and some of the tumblers removed, of a
latch lock having a reversible bolt controlled by a stop in such manner that the
reversal can only be effected when the key is in the lock and suitably turned ;

page_text: Figure 6 is a similar view, but with the whole of the tumblers and the lock bolt
removed. The latch bolt is made in two parts d and e. The fore ends & consist of
the bevilled head and a stem having at its inner end a flange or collar d¹. The
hinder part e of the latch bolt is forked at its fore end, and it embraces the stem of
the part d. Immediately behind the fork a recess is provided in the part e, into
which the flange or collar d' is received, leaving room for a small amount of move-
ment sufficient to allow the bevilled head of the part d to project out from its hole
in the front plate of the lock, so as to become free to turn. fis one of the tumblers
of the lock, and f¹ is a stop upon it, which except when the tumbler is lifted by the
key stands just in front of the collar or flange d', and prevents it moving forward
in the recess in the part e. But when this tumbler is raised the part d is retained
only by the light spring g, which is easily overcome, permitting the head of the
latch bolt to be drawn forwards, but it suffices to prevent any accidental displace-
ment of the bolt, and it restores the latch to its proper position after reversal. The
hinder part e of the latch bolt is operated by the follower in the usual way, but it
has a somewhat longer movement, as the fore part d of the bolt is not carried back
with the part e until the fork at the front of the part e comes into contact with the
flange or collar d¹.
Figure 7 is an elevation with the cover removed of a lever latch with a reversible
latch controlled by a stop influenced by the key; Figure 8 is a similar view, but
with the lock bolt removed.
The latch bolt is, as before, in two parts d and e, so that the bevilled head can
be turned round, but in this case there is no freedom in the recess which receives
the flange or collar d'. The entire bolt is so arranged in regard to the follower that
it can be drawn forward the requisite distance to free the bevilled head of d from
the hole in the lock plate, but except when the lever or tumbler h is raised by the
key the stop h¹ upon it prevents this forward movement. The spring g serves to
prevent accidental displacement and to restore the latch to its proper position after
reversal.
Thus in these locks the bevil of the latch bolt can be reversed without opening
the case of the lock by suitably placing the key in the lock.
Where very easy movement is required in the working of these lever latches, a
double lever and double spring is employed in such manner that the latch bolt is
able to recede without affecting the handle and follower. This arrangement is repre-
sented in Figure 9.
i is the tail of the latch bolt it is jointed to the under portion of the double
lever k. Both parts of the double lever are capable of turning upon the fulcrum
pin 7, and the divided spring m, acting against arms on the levers, presses them both
forward towards the follower n. The upper portion of the double lever k has a
projection on its under side, indicated by dotted lines at k¹, by which when it is
forced back by the follower it carries with it the under part of the double lever
and the latch bolt, but the latch bolt and its portion of the lever is able to recede
without affecting the upper part of the lever and the follower.
In producing keys according to this Invention they are cast usually in malle-
able iron and annealed, or they may be made in wrought metal; they are then
placed between dies in which cavities corresponding to the form of the key are
engraved or sunk, and by a blow with these dies the finished form for the key
blank is accurately given, and a smooth hard finish imparted to the surface.
Having thus described the nature of the said Invention and the manner of per-
forming the same, I would have it understood that I claim,-
First. The construction of locks with cast front plates having flanges embracing
the front of the lock case, substantially as described.
Second. The construction of latch locks with the latch bolt reversible and con-
trolled by a stop which can be removed by the action of the key, substantially as
described.
Thirdly. The construction of latch locks, substantially as described and repre-
sented in the annexed Drawings.

page_text: Fourth. The manufacture of stamped key's either cast or wrought, substantially
as described.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Righter Comings, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twenty ninth day of September, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-nine.