AN IMPROVED LOCK OR FASTENING FOR BAGS, SATCHELS, AND OTHER LIKE ARTICLES
Year: 1872

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Ernst Pfeiffer, of Walbrook Buildings, in the
City of London, Merchant, for the Invention of "AN IMPROVED
LOCK OR FASTENING FOR BAGS, SATCHELS, AND OTHER LIKE ARTICLES."
A communication from abroad by Messieurs Huppe and Bender, of
Offenbach-on-the-Maine.
Sealed the 16th May 1873, and dated the 21st November 1872.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Ernst Pfeiffer at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
21st November 1872.
I, ERNST PFEIFFER, of Walbrook Buildings, in the City of London,
Merchant, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "Ar
IMPROVED LOCK OR FASTENING FOR BAGS, SATCHELS, AND OTHER LIKE ARTICLES,”
to be as follows, that is to say :—
The Invention communicated to me consists in an improved con-
struction of lock for bags, satchels, and other like articles, whereby the
fastening is rendered more secure than those of the ordinary construction.
The lock case is fixed to the front of one of the metal parts of the
frame. The key bolt of the lock moves upon two pins on its under side,

page_text: against which it is kept by the pressure of the short arm of a spring.
The long arm of the spring presses against the catch bolt and keeps it
against the under side of the top of the lock. One end of the catch bolt
is turned upwards, and passes through the top of the lock case, and is
connected to or forms part of a nave or boss, which pivots on a fulcrum
fixed to the top of the lock case.
From each side of the nave or boss
projects a small rod or bar, carrying a ball or knob at the end, the two
thus forming a horizontal bar or lever. From the back of each ball
projects a hook or catch, forming the hasp of the lock; one of these
hooks is turned upwards, and the other downwards. The catch plate 1
forms the front of a small ornamental box, fixed to the top of the metal
frame of the bag or other article. In the plate are two holes to receive
the catches of the hasp.
The action of the lock is as follows:-If the two parts of the metal
frame of the bag or other article be pressed together the hooks or catches
of the hasp will press against the edges of the holes in the catch plate,
and cause the nave or boss of the horizontal bar to slightly move on its
axis, and thereby raise one catch and depress the other, and allow them
to pass into the holes of the catch plate, when they will be brought to
their normal position, and catch against the plate by means of the spring
acting on the catch bolt. To lock the spring catch the bolt of the lock
must be shot by the key, and as the end of the key bolt is taper it will
wedge the catch bolt against the top of the lock case. To open the lock
the bolt must be shot back. By pressing down one of the balls or knobs,
and at the same time raising the other, the catches will be moved free of
the catch plate, and the bag can be opened. These knobs serve as a
handle in opening the bag, thus allowing of the ordinary ring, loop, or
strap usually attached to one of the parts of the metal frame being
dispensed with.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Ernst Pfeiffer in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 21st May 1873.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, ERNST
PFEIFFER, of Walbrook Buildings, in the City of London, Merchant,
send greeting.

page_text: WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twenty-first day of November, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-two, in the
thirty-sixth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said Ernst Pfeiffer, Her special licence, that
I, the said Ernst Pfeiffer, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or
such others as I, the said Ernst Pfeiffer, my executors, administrators,
and assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others, from time to
time and at all times. thereafter during the term therein expressed, should
and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend, within the United
Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle
of Man, an Invention for "AN IMPROVED LOCK OR FASTENING FOR Bags,
SATCHELS, AND OTHER LIKE ARTICLES," (a communication to me from
abroad by Messieurs. Huppe and Bender, of Offenbach-on-the-Maine),
upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Ernst Pfeiffer,
my executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under my,
or their, or one of their hands and seals, should particularly describe and
ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the
same was to be performed, and cause the same to be filed in the Great
Seal Patent Office within six calendar months next and immediately
after the date of the said Letters Patent.
· NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Ernst Pfeiffer, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to
be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by
the following statement, reference being had to the Drawing hereto
annexed, and to the figures and letters marked thereon, that is to say :-
The Invention communicated to me consists in an improved construc-
tion of lock for bags, satchels, and other like artiales, whereby the
fastening is rendered more secure than looks of the ordinary construction.
The lock case is fixed to the front of one of the parts of the metal
frame. The key bolt of the lock moves upon two pins on its under side,
against which it is kept by the pressure of the short arm of a spring.
The long arm of the spring presses against the catch bolt, and keeps
it against the under side. of the top of the lock case. One end of the
catch bolt is turned upwards, and passes through the top of the lock
case, and is connected to or forms part of a nave or boss which pivots on
a fulcrum fixed to the top of the lock case. From each side of the nave

page_text: or boss projects a small rod or bar, carrying a ball or knob at the end,
the two thus forming a horizontal bar or lever. From the back of each
ball projects a hook or catch forming the hasp of the lock; one of these
hooks is turned upwards and the other downwards. The catch plate
forms the front of a small ornamental box fixed to the top of the metal
frame of the bag or other article. In the catch plate are two holes to
receive the catches of the hasp.
I will now proceed to describe the Invention communicated to me, by
reference to the accompanying Drawing, in which Figure 1 is an eleva-
tion of part of the metal frame of a bag with the improved lock applied
thereto; Figure 2, a similar view, the front of the lock case being
removed; Figures 3 to 9, details. Similar letters in all the Figures
represent similar parts.
a is the lock case fixed to the front b of the frame of the bag; c is the
key bolt; and d and e, the two pins on which the bolt works. Figure 3
is a detached view of the bolt. ff¹, is the spring, shewn in a separate
view at Figure 4. fis the short arm of the spring, keeping the bolt c.
against the pins & and e; and f' is the long arm of the spring pressing
against the catch bolt g, one end of which passes through the top of the
lock, as shewn in Figure 2, and terminates in a nave or boss h, pivotting
on the pin or fulcrum i in the bearings on the front and back of the
lock case. j,j, are the rods or bars on the nave or boss h, each having
a ball k at the end. 1, 1, are the hooks or catches on the back of the
balls. Figures 5, 6, 7, and 8 are front, back, and side elevations of the
catch bolt g, boss h, balls k, and catches 1, 1; m is the catch plate fixed to
the top o of the frame of the bag; it is shewn in a separate view at Figure 9.
n, n¹, are the holes in the catch plate to receive the catches 1, 1.
The action of the lock is as follows:-If the two parts of the metal
frame of the bag be pressed together in the usual manner the hooks or
catches 1, 1, will press against the edges of the holes n, n', in the catch
plate m, and cause the nave or boss h to move slightly on its axis, and
thereby raise the catch A, and depress the other catch 2, thus allowing
them to pass into the holes n, n³, and will be brought to their normal
position, and catch against the back of the plate m by the action of the
spring ƒƒ³, on the catch bolt g. To lock the spring catch the bolt c
must be shot by the key in the ordinary manner, and as the end of the
bolt is taper it will wedge the catch bolt g against the top of the lock
case, as shewn in Figure 2. To open the bag the bolt c must be shot

page_text: back by the key. The ball of the catch 2 must then be pressed down,
the other ball being at the same. time raised, by which motion the
catches 1, 4, will be moved free of the catch plate, and can be withdrawn
therefrom, and the bag opened.
The balls or knobs k, k, serve as a handle in opening the bag, thus
allowing of the ordinary ring, loop, or strap usually attached to one of
the parts of the metal frame to be dispensed with.
Having now described the Invention communicated to me, and the
best means or manner of carrying the same into effect, I would have it
understood that I do not confine myself to the precise details of construc-
tion herein laid down; but what I claim is, the construction of looks or
fastenings for bags, satchels, and other like articles, with two hooks or
catches, one of which is turned upwards, and the other downwards, and
fixed at opposite ends of a horizontal bar or lever pivotting on a central
axis, arranged and operating substantially as herein-before described and
represented in the accompanying Drawing.
In witness whereof, I, the said Ernst Pfeiffer, have hereto set
my hand and seal, this Fourteenth day of May, One thousand
eight hundred and seventy-three.
Witness,
W. A. GILBEE,
4, South St.,
Finsbury.
ERNST PFEIFFER. (L.S.)