IMPROVEMENTS IN LOCKS
Year: 1868

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Louis Jules Marechal, of 43, Bishopsgate Street,
With, E.C., London, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN LOCKS."
Scaled the 25th May 1869, and dated the 3rd December 1868.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Louis Jules Maréchal
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 3rd December 1868.
I, LOUIS JULES MARECHAL, of 43, Bishopsgate Street, With', E.C.,
London, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "Iм-
PROVEMENTS IN Locks," to be as follows:-
Instead of the ordinary key I use a special stock furnished with bits
or teeth of different length according to the combinations of the blades of
the interior of the lock, which teeth place upon a level a number of slots
cut in the blades of the interior portion of the lock and allow, when in
an equal line, of the free passage of a comb or ratchet fitted on to the
bolt, which in any other position of the blades is immoveable. The slots
on the blades are cut at different distances and hence the different lengths

page_text: of the bits or teeth composing the special key. The blades are enclosed
in a chamber, access to which can only be had from the interior and in a
certain position of the bolt; these blades can be changed at pleasure so
as to give the different and numerous combinations of the lock. The
lock can be adapted to any purpose for which fastenings combining
solidity and security can be applied.
I claim a lock in which the key is replaced by a special stock, with bits
or teeth acting by pressure and not by rotation, placing upon an equal
line a series of slot holes cut in a series of blades and forming a groove
to allow of a comb or ratchet fastened on to the bolt to pass. The teeth
of the key, those of the comb, and the number and positions of blades,
being variable at pleasure to give the different combinations as required.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent
filed by the said Louis Jules Maréchal in the Great Scal Patent
Office on the 2nd June 1869.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, LOUIS
JULES MARECHAL, of 43, Bishopsgate Street, Without, E.C., London,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her.
Letters Patent, bearing date the Third day of December, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-eight, in the thirty-
second 1 year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give.
and grant unto me, the said Louis Jules Maréchal, Her special licence
that I, the said Louis Jules Maréchal, my executors, administrators, and
assigns, or such others as I, the said Louis Jules Maréchal, my executors,
administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree with, and no otliers,
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 Ircland, the Channel
Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN LOCKS,"
upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Louis Jules
Maréchal, 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

page_text: nanner the same was to be performed, and cause the same to be filed
n the Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar months next and
mmediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Louis Jules Marechal, do hereby
eclare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same.
to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and
y the following statement thereof, that is to say :-
Instead of the ordinary key I use a special stock furnished with bits or
ceth of different lengths according to the interior combinations of
lic lock so as to permit of the free movement of the bolt or bolt
nd latch
The action of the teeth or bits by pressure places upon an equal line
series of slots cut in many moveable blades in proportion to the
umbers and lengths of the different bits or teeth, so as to permit of a
cc passage within these slots of a comb fastened on to the bolt, which
omb in any other position of the blades is immoveable.
In order to understand the true nature of my Invention I have
nnexed a Drawing explaining the same in all its details.
Figure No. 1 is an exterior view of a lock.
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2 is the side view with the plate a removed.
3 is the plan with the plate b removed.
4 is the under plan with the plate c removed.
5 is the inside view of the back part of the lock with the
plate d removed.
6 is a cross section through a, b.
7 is the back and front view of a key or stock and bits.
The bolt e has fastened on to it a comb with teeth of a suitable size
ad shape to allow of or oppose the passing of the comb attached to the
blt through the groove formed by the slot holes y cut in the blades h,
ad which, when brought to a level with the groove in the chamber
allow of the free passage of the comb with it the bolt. The blades
n be acted upon direct or indirectly as shewn by the conductors i
hich are enclosed in a box which is allowed to project from the surface
as to serve as a guide for the insertion of the key; k are levers one
orking on or in the blades and the other free to to be acted upon by
e key; the levers are kept in position, as also the blades / by a spring,

page_text: as at 1, of some convenient, form. When the slots in the blades, are
brought upon a level with the groove in the chambers enclosing the
blades by the introduction of the before specified key the bolt e is then at
liberty to be worked backwards and forwards by the slotted crank m
working on the bolt through the pin n and communicating, with the
exterior by some suitable and convenient appliance. The latch o by
means of the arm p communicates with the bolt e, and is therefore
completely under the control of the rest of the system. Access can be
had to the grooved chamber g enclosing the blades by the shifting piece
b, which can only be moved when the bolt is in a certain position, being
otherwise closed by a pin held in its place by a spring and the two
cams fastened on to the comb. The blades as also the bits or teeth of
the key can be changed and varied at pleasure, thus forming numerous
combinations according-to-the-number of blades and teeth.
I do not bind myself down to any particular manner of constituting
my lock as shewn in the Drawings, as they are merely given with a
view of illustrating the principle of my Invention, which by suitable
alterations can be made for and adapted to any use for which locks or
fastenings are now required. But I do claim as my Invention a lock in
which the ordinary key is replaced by a special stock fitted with teeth-
or bits acting by pressure and not rotation, the teeth of which place on
a level a series of slots cut in so many moveable blades forming a groove
to allow of a comb fastened on to the bolt to pass through. The teeth
of the comb, as those of the key, and the number and positions of the
blades, being alterable at pleasure to suit the various combinations.
I further claim the arrangement of the slots cut in the blades, which
when on a level do not rest upon the back of the chamber, and therefore
give no indication of the arrival of the blade in a position with the groove
in the chamber, thus rendering the lock impossible to be opened save
with the proper and special key before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Louis Jules Maréchal, have here-
unto set my hand and seal, this Second day of June in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-nine.
LOUIS JULES MARECHAL. (L.S.)