IMPROVEMENTS IN PERMUTATION OR TYPE LOCKS
Year: 1880

page_text: A
LETTERS PATENT to Jacob Merzbach, of Snow Hill, in the City of London, for
an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN PERMUTATION OR TYPE LOCKS."
communication from abroad by Moses Merzbach, of Berlin, in the German
Empire.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION filed by the said Jacob Merzbach at the Office of
the Commissioners of Patents on the 25th May 1880.
JACOB MERZBACH, of Snow Hill, in the City of London. "IMPROVEMENTS IN
PERMUTATION OR TYPE LOCKS." A communication from abroad by Moses
Merzbach, of Berlin, in the German Empire.
The Invention relates to permutation or type locks for trunks, albums, boxes,
frames of travelling bags, ladies' bags, or similar receptacles. The Invention
consists in the general arrangement and in the construction of details as illustrated
by the accompanying Drawings, in which Figures I-IV. show the general arrange-
ment of such an improved permutation or type lock for frames of bags, while
Figures VII. to VIII. show the construction of details. It will be seen that the lock
is placed parallel with the frame M and entirely on one half of the latter, while the
other half of the frame carries only the locking hook A. As the lock is arranged
parallel with the frame, the number of its permutation or type rollers is made
independent of the width of the frame, and by the construction of details, herein-
after described, an easy opening and closing of the lock is attained. A particularity
of this permutation lock is that the key c need not be removed from the lock, as is
the case in ordinary permutation locks, but remains always in the lock. A further
particularity of this lock is that the key c does not directly close or open but
indirectly by acting on a tumbler placed under the key in the box B and
moving parallel with the key, which arrangement constitutes the principal feature
of this Invention, because, besides its compactness, it enables by the indirect
connection of the key c with the locking hook A by means of the tumbler b the
closing of the frames in every position of the permutation rollers. In order to easily
obtain the correct position of the permutation rollers, which may be turned round
upon the axle x, the rollers are not left to themselves but pressed at their lower
side by the plates e at the end of the springs f. By this compression the prismatic
rollers tend to place themselves with one side against the top plate e of the springs f,
whereby an easy and accurate adjustment of the rollers is obtained. When turning
the rollers a slight pressure is sufficient to overcome and press down the springs f

page_text: It is evident that instead of spiral springs, as shown, other suitable and known
spring devises may be applied. The Drawings show an improved type lock as
applied to frames of bags, Figure 1 being a side view; Figure 2, a plan; Figure 3, one
half of the frame which bears the locking hook A; Figure 4 is a longitudinal section
through the rollers when the lock is closed, showing one roller (nearest to the
button c) with its slot (1) turned downwards so as to be ready for opening, while
the other rollers are not in the correct position for opening; the middle roller is
placed with one of its sides against the plate e and the other with one of its edges.
Figure V. is a longitudinal section of the opened lock, the key chaving been pressed
inwards, the rollers taking their correct position, and the bits d of the key c having
entered the slits in the covers p¹ of the rollers. The tumbler b is likewise moved
inwards so as to release the locking hook A from the lock box B. Figure VI. shows
a cross section of lock and frame ends; Figure VII. shows the tumbler b; and
Figure VIII., the permutation roller in detail. The lock, as illustrated by the
Drawings, is constructed as follows:-The lockbox B is fastened upon the frame M
of the bag and carries two projecting plates or brackets a supporting between them
the immovable axle or socket x provided with a longitudinal slot. The slot is placed
at the lower side of the axle or in the direction or in the direction of the lock box B.
On this axle are mounted the permutation rollers, which may be moved independently
These rollers are
of each other, and the flat sides of which are marked with types.
made hollow and provided with covers p¹, shaped as shewn by Figure 8. If all the
rollers are placed with their slots p" downwards, as shewn by Figure IV., then the
lock may be opened by the key c. The latter is movable in the axle or socket x
It is connected with the tumbler b
and is always pressed outwards by a spring o.
by a pin e¹ and has projections & which are enclosed in the hollows rollers without
preventing the turning of the latter. As long as the slots p¹¹ of the rollers are not
directed downwards every axial movement of the key cis prevented and the lock
is closed; but if the slots are directed downward the key may be pressed inwards,
thereby pushing back the tumbler band opening the lock. It is evident that
instead of applying the spring o direct to the key c the spring action may be
applied indirectly, for instance, by causing a spring to act on the tumbler b.
Although the opening of the lock can only be effected in a given position the
frames can be closed in every position of the permutation rollers, because the
hook A will press back the tumbler b sufficiently to fall in behind the nose g of
the latter, the connection between the key and the tumbler by means of the pin e¹
being sufficiently elastic to permit a small displacement of the tumbler against the
key. For boxes, trunks, albums, and for similar receptacles the construction of
the lock is substantially the same, only the form of the lock box must be adapted
to the receptacles. Claims. 1. The general arrangement and construction of
permutation or type locks for boxes, trunks, albums, and for the frames of travelling
bags, ladies bags, or of similar receptacles, substantially as described; 2, in
permutation locks, a key c having a spring action applied to it either direct, as
shewn, or indirectly, as described; 3, in permutation locks, the combination of a
key c with a tumbler b placed below or at the side of the latter for closing or
opening the lock; 4, in perniutation locks, the application of permutation rollers
retained at the desired angle by spring action, the whole substantially as described
and illustrated.
In witness whereof, I, the said Jacob Merzbach, have hereunto set my
Manta fifth day of May AD 1880