Improvements in or connected with Spring Catches for Boxes and the like.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 8th Oct., 1897
Complete Specification Left, 8th July, 1898-Accepted, 3rd Sept., 1898
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or connected with Spring Catches for Boxes and the
like.
I, ARTHUR ALLEN DOWNER, of Drayton Manor, Chichester, in the County of
Sussex, Farmer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
:-
My invention relates to spring catches for boxes for the transport of butter
and other agricultural produce and for other purposes, the object of my invention
being to combine with a spring catch means for unlocking the same by means
of a key.
or
a
A catch constructed according to my invention is in the form of a spring plate
which at one end is secured to the body of the box to be closed whilst the other
or free end is adapted to engage with a keeper plate on the hinged lid or cover.
To the under inner side of this spring plate I fix
second
plate between which and the spring plate is space for the bit of a key,
and in the said spring plate I form a key hole of any desirable shape through
which a key can be inserted into the said space from the outer side of the box,
in such a manner that when the key has been passed through the key hole and
turned more or less upon its axis the spring plate can be pulled to spring the
catch out of engagement with the keeper.
In practice I find it advantageous to fix to the plate affixed to the spring a
pintle or pin which projects through the key hole and to form the shank or stem
of the key tubular to fit over the pin.
I find it advantageous to use a keeper plate adapted to be screwed to the inner
face of the lid and provided with an angle plate which projects beyond the edge
of the lid and covers or conceals the end of the catch when the box is closed.
Dated the 8th day of October 1897.
G. F. REDFERN & Co.,
4, South Street, Finsbury, London, Agents for the Applicant.
Improvements in or connected with Spring Catches for Boxes and the
like.
I, ARTHUR ALLEN DOWNER, of Drayton Manor, Chichester, in the County of
Sussex, Farmer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what
manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement:-
-
My invention relates to spring catches for boxes for the transport of butter

page_text: and other agricultural produce and for other purposes, the object of my invention
being to combine with a spring catch means for unlocking the same by means
key.
of
22
A catch constructed according to my invention is in the form of a spring plate
which at one end is secured to the body of the box to be closed whilst the other
or free end is adapted to engage with a keeper plate on the hinged lid or cover.
To the under or inner side of this spring plate I fix second
plate between which and the spring plate is space for the bit of a key,
and in the said spring plate I form a key hole of any desirable shape through
which a key can be inserted into the said space from the outer side of the box,
in such a manner that when the key has been passed through the key hole and
turned more or less upon its axis the spring plate can be pulled to spring the
catch out of engagement with the keeper.
In practice I find it advantageous to fix to the plate affixed to the spring a
pintle or pin which projects through the key hole and to form the shank or stem
of the key tubular to fit over the pin.
To enable my invention to be fully understood I will describe the same by
reference to the accompanying drawing, in which:—
Figure 1 is a sectional side elevation of a box having my improved spring
oatch applied thereto :
Figures 2 and 3 are an elevation and plan respectively of the spring catch
proper; and
Figures and 5 are respectively a side view and a rear view of the keeper
plate with which the spring catch engages:
Figure 6 is a plan of part of the box shewn in Figure 1 and illustrating the
arrangement of the escutcheon plate and key hole:
Figure 7 is an elevation of the key for operating the catch; and,
Figure 8 is an underside view of the same:
Figures 9 and 10 are respectively an elevation and a sectional view shewing the
application of my invention to a slightly different form of box from that shewn
in Figure 1.
Figure 11 is a view illustrating a slight modification.
Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the several figures.
a is the body of the box and b is the hinged side or cover of the same, c is the
spring plate which at one end is fixed to the box a and at the other end formed
with a hook or catch d and e is the keeper plate with which the catch engages.
f is the hole formed in the plate e for the reception of a key the said hole being of
such a shape, for instance of the shape shewn in Figure 3, that when a key of the
corresponding shape, shewn in Figures 7 and 8, is introduced into the hole and
then turned upon its axis the spring plate can be moved in the desired manner.
is the pintle or pin which is arranged in connection with the hole f and which
is attached to the plate fixed to the spring e the key being provided with a
hole to fit over the said pintle in the usual manner.
In the box shewn in Figure 1 one side of the same is hinged and adapted to
open, the said hinged side being represented fitting within the sides of the box;
in this case a notch i is cut out of the top edge of the said hinged side to receive
the hook end of the catch and the keeper plate e which is screwed on to the inner
face of the hinged side is provided with an angle plate j which projects beyond
the edge of the said hinged side, as indicated in Figure 1, and serves to cover the
notch and also the recess k which is formed behind the spring catch for allowing
the latter to be moved to disengage the same from the keeper plate, the said angle
plate serving to conceal the end of the catch and prevent the same from being
tampered with.
Z is the key hole formed in the top of the box opposite to the hole f and m is
the escutcheon plate which is preferably formed with a hole of the same shape as
the hole f as clearly shewn in Figure 6.
In Figures 9 and 10.I shew the arrangement of the catch as applied to a box

page_text: the lid or movable side of which instead of fitting within the sides of the box fits
on the top of the same. In this arrangement instead of forming the notch in
the lid I form a recess which receives the end of the spring catch and renders
unnecessary the use of the angle plate in connection with the keeper plate. Or
instead of cutting away the lid the keeper plate e may be formed with a hook n
as shewn in Figure 11.
In all the foregoing arrangements it will be obvious that to open the box it is
only necessary to insert the key and after turning the same to pull the catch so
as to disengage it from the keeper plate.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is:
1. A spring catch of the kind wherein a spring plate engages with a keeper-
plate or the like, forming the said spring plate with a key hole adapted to receive
the end of a key by means of which the said spring plate may be pulled to dis-
engage it from the keeper-plate, substantially as described.
2. In a spring catch adapted to be disengaged by a pull through the medium
of a key inserted into a key hole in the said plate the combination with the said
key hole of a pintle or pin carried upon an independent plate, substantially as
described.
3. The manufacture and use of spring catches for boxes and the like substan-
tially as herein before described and illustrated in the accompanying drawing.
Dated the 8th day of July 1898.
G. F. REDFERN & Co.,
4, South Street, Finsbury, London, Agents for the Applicant.