IMPROVEMENTS IN DOOR KNOBS AND MECHANISM RELATING THERETO
Year: 1878

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Theodore Sedgwick Ransom, of the State of Massachusetts,
of the United States of America, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
DOOR KNOBS AND MECHANISM RELATING THERETO." A communication from
Alonzo Edward Young, a person resident in the State aforesaid.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION filed by the said Theodore Sedgwick Ransom at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 18th March 1878.
THEODORE SEDGWICK RANSOM, of the State of Massachusetts, of the United
States of America. "IMPROVEMENTS IN DOOR KNOBS AND MECHANISM RELATING
THERETO. A communication from Alonzo Edward Young, a person resident
in the State aforesaid.
Figure 1 is a side view, and Figure 2 a longitudinal section of a pair of knobs
constructed and provided with connecting mechanism in accordance with my
Invention.
Figure 3 is a side view, and Figure 4 an end view of their spindle.
Figure 5 is a side view, and Figure 6 an inner end view of the knob having a
prismatic shank and a female screw within such.
Figure 7 is a side view, and Figures 8 and 9 end views, and Figure 10 a
longitudinal section of the adjustable sleeve for so clutching or connecting one of
the knobs to the spindle as to prevent such knob and spindle from being revolved
independently of each other.
The first part of my Invention relates to an improvement in the knob as well as
to its mode of construction.
A well known mode of connecting a metallic shank to the chambered glass or
mineral head of a door knob has been to fill the chamber of the head with cement,
and while the latter was in a plastic state to force the shank into the mouth of

page_text: the head and into the mass of cement, the latter being allowed subsequently to set
or harden upon the shank. By this mode of operation the entire cavity of the
head became filled with the cement, which in case of the head being exposed to the
heat of the rays of the sun, would expand and be liable either to rupture the head
or impair its adhesion to the shank. To avoid such is the object of the said first
part of my Invention, in the carrying out of which I partly or about half fill the
head a of the knob with the cement b, and next, and while the cement is soft or
fluent, insert the tenon c of the knob shank d into the head until the shoulder e of
the shank may rest against the head. This having been done the knob is to be
inverted so that the head may be uppermost, and the cement be caused to descend
and settle around the tenon so as to leave in the head and over the cement a
cavity in which there may be little or none of the cement. This cavity will
admit of expansion of the cement from the cause above stated, and thereby will
prevent injurious consequences as mentioned.
The cement I prefer to employ for the purpose I usually compose of equal or
about equal parts of rosin and calcined plaster of Paris, which should be heated and
thoroughly stirred together; it generally compactly and strongly adheres to the
parts to be connected by it. The portion of the shank which enters the head
should be properly scored or roughened to enable the cement to suitably adhere to
it, the said portion.
The second part of my Invention has reference to a pair of knobs and their
connecting shank, and is for the purpose of enabling one knob to be adjusted nearer
to or farther from the other, and to be so fixed to the spindle as to be capable of
revolving it as occasion may require, to cause it to effect or aid in effecting the
movement of the bolt or other part of a lock. This second part of my Invention
renders a pair of the knobs universally applicable to or capable of being adjusted
and fitted to doors varying in thickness relatively to each other.
In carrying out the said second part of my Invention as represented in the
Drawings, I proceed as follows, that is to say: I form the shank d of one of the
two knobs A, A³, with a prismatic hole or socket g to fit to and receive the a
prismatic spindle B for connecting the knobs, and such shank I furnish with a set
screw h to screw laterally into it and against, or into the part of the spindle that
may be within the socket.
On the spindle at its outer end and to a suitable distance back therefrom I form
a male screw i, the spindle being prismatic from end to end as shown. This screw 3
is to engage with or screw into a female screw k, cut longthwise in the bore of the
shank of the knob A'. The said shank is eight-sided or prismatic, and there is
placed concentrically on it and the spindle a sleeve C, whose bore for a short
distance is prismatic like, and loosely fits the spindle, while for the remainder of its
length such bore is prismatic like, and loosely fits the shank of the knob A'. The 4
sleeve is neither to revolve on or about the spindle, or on or about the said shank,
but is to slide freely lengthwise on each.
The sleeve and the shank of the knob A, I usually provide near their inner ends
with circular shoulders m, m, arranged as represented, these shoulders being to
work against metallic bearing discs fixed to the door, one of which is shown in side 4
view in Figure 11, and in transverse section in Figure 12.
In order to apply or adjust the spindle and knobs to a door and its lock, the
knob A should first be separated from the spindle; this having been accomplished
the knob A' should be screwed upon the spindle until the latter may project from
the knob the required distance, after which the sleeve should be slipped upon the 5
spindle and shank of the knob up to the shoulder of such shank. The spindle
then will be clutched to the knob; next the spindle is to be inserted through
the door and its lock, after which the other knob should be applied and fastened to
the spindle.
Having thus described my Invention, what I claim as such is as follows:-
First. I claim the improvement substantially as described in the mode of fixing

page_text: Second. I claim as an improved manufacture a knob having its shank and head
fixed together by cement in the new manner, substantially as described.
Third. I claim the separable spindle and sleeve constructed, applied to each
other and to the knob shanks, substantially in manner and to operate as set
forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said Theodore Sedgwick Ransom, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Sixth day of March, A.D. 1878.
THROPODn
ARRARIAZ DAY