VEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF LOCKS AND OTHER FASTENINGS LOCKING BY PISTON CATCH
Year: 1877

page_text: IM-
LETTERS PATENT to Jules Théophile Lemaire, Mathematical Instrument Maker,
of the City of Paris, in the Republic of France, for the Invention of
PROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF LOCKS AND OTHER FASTENINGS LOCKING
BY PISTON CATCH."
Scaled the 6th November 1877, and dated the 10th May: 1877.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Jules Théophile Lemaire at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 10th May 1877.
JULES THÉOPHILE LEMAIRE, Mathematical Instrument Maker, of the City of
Paris, in the Republic of France. "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF
LOOKS AND OTHER FASTENINGS LOCKING BY PISTON CATCH."
The object of this Invention is to entirely do away with ordinary locking
mechanism, so as to avoid internal and external friction caused by the entry and
exit of the bolt in the box or other staple, especially in relation to spring bolts.
With this view I make use of a piston (so called from its action) sliding between
two plates, of which the sides of the lock are composed, and reaching a little beyond
the side on which the piston is pressed as hereafter explained.
The piston is hollow and cylindrical for the passage therein of the piston shaft,
at whose extremities are two knobs, one of which is furnished with a pin for fixing
and removing them and the shaft when necessary.
on one of the knobs and by drawing on the other.
The door opening by pressing
On each side of the piston a
stud is fixed resting on a plate, open in its centre for the passage of the piston.
The end of this plate (fitting a second or locking shaft) is bent to facilitate internal
development, but when the 'lock is thicker it may be placed in the centre of this
shaft, so that in reversing the lock the drawing side becomes the pressing side.
The locking shaft placed horizontally is sustained on axes extending beyond the
lock, to allow the support of the catch to be fashioned like a tooth, the inside of
which is flat and the outside round, to facilitate locking.
A spring is placed horizontally or vertically, as desired, for acting on an eccentric
adapted to the shaft.
The door is opened as above mentioned by pressing on one knob and by. drawing
the other, this 'movement acts on the piston, drawing along the two studs, and
しょ

page_text: causes the snart of the bolt to turn on its axis by means of the plate above
mentioned.
The closing occurs when the two external rounded parts are in contact ;
drawing or pushing the door the same rotation of the shaft occurs.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by the
said Jules Théophile Lemaire in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 7th
November 1877.
66
JULES THÉOPHILE LEMAIRE, Mathematical Instrument Maker, of the City of
Paris, in the Republic of France. IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF
LOCKS AND OTHER FASTENINGS LOCKING BY PISTON CATCH."
My Invention consists specially in substituting for the ordinary locking mechan-
ism, where the spring bolt slides in a rectilinear manner into the box staple, a
mechanism totally different, whose principle is characterized by the rotation of the
head of the bolt either for catching in the staple or for detaching itself therefrom.
For this purpose, the bolt is a kind of hook or catch mounted on an axis turning
in the rims. of the box of the lock, and which locks in a staple of special construc-
tion, either by pushing or drawing a handle or knob which causes a piece to slide
like a piston, for which reason I have named the system "the piston catch." Thus
comparing it with the present known methods, the head of the bolt instead of
sliding turns to fasten in the staple or release itself, and on the other side the
actuating knob, instead of turning slides to impart the necessary rotation to the
axis of the bolt. In bolt locks the new bolt is actuated either by a knob or key.
The results of the application of my system are,-
1st. The substitution of the spring bolt and box staple for a bolt catch and
special staple.
2nd. Simplicity of mechanism applicable to all kinds of locks with or without
keys, with fixed guards with dormant bolt with one turn, or with movable guards
and bolt with several turns.
3rd. Diminution of friction, suppression of sliding motion of the bolt by its trans-
formation into a rotary movement, effected by drawing the knob or pressing on it.
The staple is so constructed that once fixed it is ensured from derangement
consequent on any variations that may affect the stiles of the door.
I will now by the aid of the accompanying Drawings explain as examples of my
principle several modes of realizing my system, which will illustrate the new features
on which I base my claims.
Fig. 1 shows a lock front elevation supplied with my improved bolt; the movable
guards are not shown, that the other parts may be more clearly seen; Fig. 2 is an
end view Fig. 3 is a vertical section following the line A, B.
'
Fig. 4, a front view of the side where the knob is pressed on, the knob being
removed.'
Fig. 5 shows the inside of a lock with movable guards, where the lock is above
the bolt or latch instead of below it as in the preceding Figure.
Figs. 6, 7, and 8 are modifications in the governing parts of the latch movement.
Fig. 9 is an end view of the staple.
Figs. 10 and 11 are a front elevation, and a profile of a modified staple.
Fig. 12 is a side view of a knob for special purposes.
Fig. 13 is a front view of the knob with the word push or draw printed
thereon.
Fig. 14 shows a front view of a lock, with my improvements reduced to the
smallest dimensions.
Description of the lock, Figs. 1, 2, 3, 4.-The plate a is quite unaltered, and the
mechanism of the latch or bolt p, the rims b and c, serve as support to the axis d of

page_text: the latch in the following manner :-The rim c receives by screwing the point e,
on which the end of the shaft d is adjusted and rests, and the rim b is pierced for
the passage of the shoulder f¹ of the latch or bolt; this latter may be of a single
piece with its shaft, or may be fixed to it by pin or otherwise.
The latch may take any desired shape, the sole condition being that it should
combine with that of the staple catch g, Figs. 9, 10, 11, so as to fasten with this
catch in the most simple manner possible, or detach itself with the greatest facility
and without appreciable friction. The necessary rotary motion is given to the shaft
d by means of a fork h fixed on this axis, and which is mounted on the piston part
K, which consists of a square tube pierced with a square hole, in which the shaft i
is adjusted, of the knobs m and n square at this part to its end, which is buried in
and pinned to the knob n, and is cylindrical from the opposite exit of the tube K
as far as the knob m, with which it is pinned, or cast in iron, or forged with it.
The tube K is guided through the plate a and the closing plate a¹ by guides, if
necessary; internally it is furnished with two studs or arms K¹, K¹, which, in
The shaft i of
pushing, encounter the branches of the fork h fixed to the shaft d.
the knobs m and n which form part with the piston K arrested as it is at one side
by the base of the knob n, and at the other by the shoulder of the cylindrical part,
is guided through the stile of the door A, by means of the plate l, with socket o,
which latter is supplied with a tongue o¹ to deaden the shock in shutting or pressing
on the knob m, Figs. 3 and 4. This socket may be of any other shape, and not
project so much from the upright or stile of the door. The shaft d of the latch or
bolt is continually submitted to the repulsive power of the spring r, which acts by
means of the projection s fixed to the axis d..
Action of the lock.--In the position shown by the Drawings the latch is closed
or locked with the catch g of the staple, as shown in dotted lines, Fig. 9, it
suffices to press on the knob m, or draw the knob n, the effect being to impart to
the piston K a rectilinear displacement, which is transformed by the studs or arms
K and fork h in a rotary motion of the shaft d, or a turning of the latch head f,
which then takes the position shown by the dotted lines, Fig. 2. As soon as the
external action ceases on either of the knobs m or n, the spring r returns all the
mechanism, latch and knobs, to the closed position. When the lock has a bolt p, as
shown in the Drawing, the key works the latch, when the bolt is shot and its
barbes are out of the reach of action of the key: For this purpose the shaft d has
a stud t, which lifts the forked end of a small lever q fixed with a rotary motion on
the bolt, and which is acted on by the key head at the projection g¹, which presents
itself to the key when the bolt is shot. j is a bolt, with knob j¹ sliding by drawing
the knob so as to place itself between the plate a and behind the fork h, and so
nullify any action on the knobs m or n.
The staples, Figs. 9, 10, and 11, differ in that the staple, Fig. 9, is fixed to the
jamb of the door, whilst those, 10 and 11, although similarly fixed, allow the catch
g to be raised or lowered by the combination of the screws v, in accordance with
the variations in or movement of the door. This mobility may also be produced by
lengthening the slots v¹ shown by dotted lines, Figs. 9, 10, and 11, to allow of
In this
sliding the whole staple without removing the screws from the slots vt.
case the catch g, Figs. 10 and 11, is invariable in position.
In Fig. 5 there is little difference to Fig. 1, except that the position is reversed.
The piston K cast in iron with the arms K' is guided by the plate a, and the closing
plate of the lock and two guides K11, which traverse the arms, studs, or projections
K. This arrangement may be employed in the mechanism of the Fig. 1 and latch
Fig. 14. These two guides K11 which traverse the arms K' of the piston K admits
of suppressing one of the knobs m or n, so that the door can only be opened from
one side either by drawing or pressing. I may also remark that the shaft i of the
knobs may be of a piece with the piston K, or form a piston itself.
The lever q renders the bolt p solid with the shaft d by the hook t. x are the
guards moving on the guide x¹ of the slot which the tail of the bolt bears. 211 are
springs of the guards.

page_text: Fig. 14, which is a simple latch, easily comprehended from what has already been
mentioned; the slight difference consists in the spring r, which directly attacks the
fork h.
I will now mention modifications in the motion of the shaft of the latch.
In Fig. 6 it is a lever 1, oscillating round an axis K which bears upon one or
other of the projections h, with which the shaft is supplied by means of the feet
K¹, K¹, solid with the movement of the lever l.
In Figures 7 and 8 the piston K forms a rack to gear with the teeth made round
the shaft d.
Beyond these modifications it is clear that all other solutions conducing to the
same end, the rotary motion of the shaft of the latch enter completely into the
privileges I desire to secure.
Figs. 12 and 13 show an arrangement of knob m fitting when closed in the
socket o, hollowed for its reception, which is preferable to that of Fig. 3.
In applying the principle to closing carriage and wagon doors, it is advantageous
to arrange the knob in the mouth or funnel o, and assure therein its course requisite
for the closing.
I claim as my Invention,―
1st. All locks whose bolt or latch hooks or catches in or on the staple, or is
freed therefrom by a rotary motion imparted to the axis, at the end of which it is
mounted.
2nd. The mode of construction combined with the movements of the bolt, as
represented, Figs. 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 of the accompanying Drawings.
3rd. The combination of the movement, Figs. 6, 7, and 8.
4th. The staples, Figs. 9, 10, 11, and the reservations herein-before mentioned.
6th. The action of the knob within the funnel for actuating the mechanism,
Figs. 12 and 13, so that the acting knob is concealed or sunk in the cup, funnel, or
otherwise, the dimensions, form, and material of construction of the parts varying
according to necessity, taste, or desire to render them applicable to the various uses
to which they are to be employed.
In-witness-whereof, I, -the-said-Jules-Théophile Lemaire, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Fifth day of November, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and seventy-seven.
JULES THEOPHILE LEMAIRE. (L.S.)