IMPROVEMENTS IN CERTAIN DESCRIPTIONS OF LOCKS, LATCHES, AND OTHER MEANS FOR CLOSING DOORS AND FOR SIMILAR USES
Year: 1864

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Henri Adrien Bonneville, of the British and Foreign
Patent Offices, 24, Rue du Mont Thabor, Paris, in the Empire of France,
and 38, Porchester Terrace, Bayswater, in the County of Middlesex,
Patent Agent, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN CERTAIN DESCRIPTIONS
OF LOCKS, LATCHES, AND OTHER MEANS FOR CLOSING DOORS AND FOR SIMILAR
USES." A communication from Auguste Casimir Lehot, residing at Paris,
in the Empire of France.
Sealed the 28th March 1865, and dated the 5th October 1864. .:.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Henri Adrien Bonneville
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 5th October 1864. .
I, HENRI ADRIEN BONNEVILLE, of the British and Foreign Patent Offices,
24, Rue du Mont Thabor, Paris, in the Empire of France, and 38, Por-
chester Terrace, Bayswater, in the County of Middlesex, Patent Agent, do
hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
CERTAIN DESCRIPTIONS OF LOCKS, LATCHES, AND OTHER MEANS FOR CLOSING DOORS
AND FOR SIMILAR USES," communicated to me by Auguste Casimir Lehot, a
person residing at Paris, in the Empire of France, aforesaid, to be as
follows:
These improvements consist in placing above or below the bolts of bocks,
closing with or without key, and those of latches, and similar means of closing,

page_text: a lever turning upon its axe, and acted upon by a spring, on which is fixed a
point or stud, which enters a notch in the bolt, and holds the latter in place
when pushed or drawn back. The end of said lever projects beyond the end
of the lock, and strikes against the door post or staple when the door is
closed, thus disengaging the pin fixed to the lever from the notch formed in
the bolt, and allowing the latter under the pressure of its spring to enter the
staple. The bolt may be made with square end, instead of being bevelled, and
may by the above means be made to enter the staple or bolt hole without its
being necessary, as is often the case at present, to use a violent effort in
shutting the door.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Henri Adrien Bonneville in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 31st March 1865.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, HENRI
ADRIEN BONNEVILLE, of the British and Foreign Patent Offices, 24, Rue de
Mont Thabor, Paris, in the Empire of France, and 38; Porchester Terrace,
Bayswater, in the County of Middlesex, Patent Agent, send greeting.
WHEREAS. Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Fifth day of October, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-four, in the twenty-eighth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said Henri Adrien Bonneville, Her special licence that I, the said Henri
Adrien Bonneville, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others
as I, the said Henri Adrien Bonneville, 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
"IMPROVEMENTS IN CERTAIN DESCRIPTIONS OF LOCKS, LATCHES, AND OTHER MEANS.
FOR CLOSING DOORS AND FOR SIMILAR USES," communicated to me by Auguste
Casimir Lehot, a person residing at Paris, in the Empire of France, afore-
said, upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Henri Adrien
Bonneville, 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.

page_text: Seal Patent Omice within six calendar months next and immediately after the
date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Henri Adrien Bonneville, 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:―
These improvements; consist in placing above or below the bolts of locks,
closing with or without key, and those of latches, and similar means of closing,
a lever turning on its axe, and acted upon by a spring; on which is placed a
point or stud, which enters a notch in the bolt, and holds the latter in place
when pushed or drawn back.. The end of said lever projects beyond the end
of the lock, and, strikes against the door post or staple when the door is
closed, thus disengaging the pin fixed to the lever: from.the notch formed in
the bolt, and allowing the-latter under the pressure of its spring to enter the
staple. The bolt may be made with square end instead of being bevelled,
and may by the above means be made to enter the bolt hole or staple without
its being necessary, as is often the case at-present, to use a violent effort in
shutting the door.
In my improved system, the disengaging levers (détente) of locks, latches,
catches, and other means of fastening and closing doors of houses, apartments,
enclosures, furniture, strong chests, carriages, wagons, and other constructions
are composed of a metal piece oscillating on a centre fixed on the side plates
of the lock, and influenced by a spring. This piece may form its own spring
when it is made of flexible steel, in which case it is fixed to the lock box or
foundation plate, and its centre of motion is reduced to a simple fixed point
and its movement to a deflection.
The use of the disengaging lever is, in the locks and catches, to prevent
the bolt forced into the lock from starting out beyond the plate or partition of
the lock or latch after each pressure. The disengaging lever retains the bolt
because it carries a small metallic piece or pin serving as a stop, and stopping
or checking the bolt by entering a notch made in it for the purpose. But
when the door is again closed the disengaging lever meets the staple of the
lock or latch, or the door post, or even a bearing prepared in the staple or in
the door post; then the disengaging lever retires from the bolt, the stop piece
quits the notch made in the bolt, and the latter thus liberated is shot from the
lock by the action of the spring and enters the staple or other opening
prepared for it.
The advantage of the disengaging lever is to facilitate closing doors, pieces
of furniture, and similar constructions. The advantage is the same for the

page_text: latches as for the locks.
In these latter it retains raised. the swing of the
latch in the same way that it retains the bolts, of half-turn locks in the lock
box. And when the door is closed it liberates the latch by the same means
as those by which it frees the bolts of locks.
Having thus described the nature of the Invention communicated to me,
what I claim is, the application to locks, latches, and catches, and similar
means of closing or fastening of a lever actuated by a spring, and placed above
or below-the-bolt-or-swing, carrying a point or stud which enters an opening
made for the purpose in said bolt or swing, substantially in the manner and
for the purpose above specified.
In witness whereof, I, the said Henri Adrien Bonneville, have hereunto
..set my..hand and. seal, this Thirty-first day of March, in the year
of our Lord. One thousand eight hundred and sixty-five.
BONNEVILLE
JH BONNEVILLE. (L.S.)