Year: 1885

page_text: I WILLISTON ISAAC ALVORD, residing at 167 Maple Street, Bridgeport, in the
County of Fairfield and State of Connecticut, in the United States of America,
gentleman, 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 certain new and useful improvements in knob attach-
ments and has for its object to provide a simple device whereby the knob shanks
may be readily inserted and held within the lock and with these ends in view my
invention consists in the details of construction and combination of elements herein-
after fully explained and then specifically designated by the claims.
In order that those skilled in the art to which my invention appertains may
fully understand its construction I will describe the same in detail referring by
letter to the accompanying drawing forming a part of this specification in which
Fig. 1 is an end elevation of the latch hub.
Fig. 2 a central cross section showing the arms in elevation.
Fig. 3 a central longitudinal section of the hub, Fig. 4 a perspective view of the
knob shank, Fig. 5 a central longitudinal section of the hub, having the shanks
therein and shown with the hub arms in elevation.
Fig. 6 a view showing a portion of a lock shell with the yoke hub etc in
operative position thereon, the hub being in cross section and the other parts
in elevation.
Fig. 7 a longitudinal section through the hub and tongue and
Fig. 8 a section showing a different form of head and recesses in the hub.
Similar letters denote like parts in the several figures of the drawing.
A is the latch hub having the arms B projecting therefrom, This hub is journaled
as are ordinary hubs in the two shells of the lock and the arms engaging with lugs
upon the yoke at the rear of the latch bolt, retract the latter when the hub is
turned. This retraction of the bolt by the contact of the arms with the yoke lugs
forms no part of my invention whose purpose is to provide simple and efficient
means for the attachment of the knobs. The opening through the hub is irregular
and its peculiarities are as follows-In the centre of the hub is a recess C circular
in cross section and concentric with the outside contour of the hub. Upon either
side of this central recess and formed in the inner surface of the hub are eight
triangular cavities D so that the opening at these points of the hub is in shape an
eight pointed star.

page_text: At either end of the hub, the opening outward is a square the corners of which
are coincident with four alternate points of the star-shaped orifice just mentioned.
The peculiarities of contour just described will be readily understood by
reference to Figs. 2 and 3 and the purpose of said peculiarities will be presently
explained F is the shank square in cross section, but turned to cylindric form
at G, so as to leave the extremity square as at H. In adjusting the knob shank
its head is inserted within the opening whose interior contour has been set forth.
In its entrance it passes through the square and through the star shaped opening
behind it into the circular recess in the centre of the hub, It is then turned one-
eighth of a turn and withdrawn into the square recess made by the four alternate
cavities which do not coincide with the corners of the square opening E.
By the withdrawal of the head into the square just mentioned the central recess
is left clear so that the opposite shank head may be inserted, turned and withdrawn
in the manner just explained.
The square heads fit tightly within the recesses and the hub is readily turned by
the turning of the shank.
In Fig. 8 I have shown another form of head X which I am able to use equally
well with the square by changing the internal contour of the hub to correspond
with its peculiar shape Any ordinary means for keeping the respective heads of
the shanks apart may be used as a spring or pivoted lug adapted to fall between
them when withdrawn but as the heads bind in their recesses it is not absolutely
necessary that any such precautionary measures should be adopted. In Fige. 6
and 7 I have shown my device in its relation to the parts of an ordinary latch
J is a tapering slot cut from the outside of the hub into the recess C. The shape
and size of this slot may be readily seen from the drawing Figs. 6 and 7. Across
the extremities of the arms of the yoke K is cast a bar L which at its centre is
provided with a tongue M in size adapted to exactly fill the space between the
heads of the shanks when in position, N are stops cast upon the lock shell and
against either of these, the arms B upon the hub may abut when the latter is
turned by the knob, Tongue M is of such length that when the arm is arrested
by one of stops N it will not have been entirely withdrawn from between the
shank heads H. The bolt is so adjusted relative to these stops that it will have
been withdrawn flush with the face plate when the contact of the arm with the
stop takes place.
To attach the knobs it is only necessary to press the bolt backward by means of
the finger below the surface of the face plate when the yoke and bar will have
been retracted further than by the arms of the hub, and the tongue will have
entirely left the recess C.
The shank heads may then be inserted, turned and withdrawn into place as
before explained.
The pressure of the finger is then released and the tongue by means of the
spring common to latches and not shown in the drawing enters between the ends
of the shank heads rendering their displacement or withdrawal impossible except
by a reversal of the system of assemblage just set forth.
In my invention I do not wish to be confined to the exact shape of the head and
recessos shown and described for I can employ any form of head other than round
as elliptic or triangular, together with an interior contour of the hub to correspond
therewith.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim
1. In a knob attachment, the combination with the shanks provided with heads
as described, of a hub whose central longitudinal opening is as follows:-in the
centre, a recess within which one of the heads may turn, upon either side thereof,
a second recess formed by cavities in the walls and corresponding with said heads
and upon either side of the last named recesses, openings out through the ends of

page_text: the hub also corresponding in shape to the heads and having angles or corners,
coinciding with each alternate corner of the recess next within substantially as set
forth.
2. In combination with the hub having the central recess, the star shaped recess
upon either side thereof, and the square openings outward through the ends of the
hub, and whose angles are coincident with alternate angles of the stars within the
knob shanks provided with a head corresponding to the outer opening in shape and
adapted to be inserted and secured substantially as set forth.
3. The combination with the knobs having spindles provided with heads as set
forth of the latch hub recessed as shown and adapted to receive said spindles and
hold them against retraction substantially as specified.
4. In combination with the hub recessed as described, of the shanks adapted to
fit therein, said hub having a slot cut from the outside to its central recess, the
latch yoke having the extremities of its arms connected by a bar bearing a tongue,
the latter adapted by the resiliency of the latch spring to be held between the heads
of the shanks within the recess substantially as described.
5. In combination with the slotted and recessed hub and the headed shanks a
lug or tongue formed upon the bar connecting the yoke arms and adapted in its
normal position to rest between the shank heads as set forth.