An Improved Door Latch.
Year: 1896

page_text: An Improved Door Latch.
I DANIEL SMITH of 22 Pendle Street, Blackburn, in the County of Lancashire,
Grocer do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
The object of this invention is
1st. To dispense entirely with the staple at present used to keep the latch from
falling out of position. This is done by inserting in the latch, about the place
where the staple was formerly fixed, one, two, or more vertical radial slots, in
which screws are driven to keep the latch in position. The latch must be made
wider having as it were two wings, each wing having one or more slots; or the
slots may be made in the centre, the wings being simply to give strength to
the place where the slots are made. In the centre of the latch between the wings
the latch may be made to project a little to reduce friction, & keep the greater
part of latch from the door, the fulcrum end projecting a little also.
2nd. To enable the fulcrum end to stand more strain I place at right angles two
ears or wings one above and another below the centre, each wing or ear having an
horizontal radial slot to receive a screw, thus giving three centres acting
simultaneously together. The latch must be made from a casting of some
suitable metal.
Dated this 27th day of April 1896.
DANIEL SMITH,
22 Pendle Street, Blackburn.
An Improved Door Latch.
DANIEL SMITH of No. 22 Pendle Street, Blackburn in the County of
Lancashire Grocer 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 :-
The object of my invention is
First. To dispense with the use of the staple.
Second. To make the fulcrum end capable of withstanding greater strain.
I effect my object in the following way, but for simplicity, understand me to
describe the latch as if in working position.
Then to dispense with the staple the latch is made with a pair of ears or wings
(call them wings) about the place where the staple is commonly fixed.
One on its upper edge, the other on its edge below A. A¹ Fig. 1.
In each wing is inserted one, two, or more vertical curvilineal slots, B B¹ Fig. 1.
radiating from a point about the base of the wings, and open at the tip of the
wings. The slots may also be placed in the middle, the wings simply giving
strength to the place where the slots are made.
This latter method is only applicable to ordinary latches, operated by a thumb

page_text: piece C Fig. 2 from the outside, or self locking latches, when no means are used
for lifting them outside, and which can only be liberated from the inside, while the
former method of making the slots open at one end, enables the latch to answer
a more general purpose.
Namely, an ordinary door latch, Fig. 2. or an occasional, Fig. 1. or regular self
locking latch Fig. 2.
When the first named method is applied to ordinary latches, or regular self
locking latches, screws must be inserted in both upper & lower wings, D. D' Fig. 2.
in the upper wing near the tip, to give the latch play, but in the lower wing at the
base, on which the latch will rest.
But when used as an occasional self locking latch, no screws must be inserted in
the upper wing, so, that when the latch is not required, it can be turned over, and
allowed to hang in a pendulum fashion. As indicated by dotted lines Fig. 1.
Secondly. To make the fulcrum end capable of withstanding greater strain,
I add another pair of wings, E. E' Fig. 1. one above, and another below the centre,
each wing having, an horizontal curved slot F. Fi Fig. 1 placed exactly in the
middle of each wing, not on one side, radiating from the centre, as first intended.
In the middle of each slot is placed a screw, G G Fig. 2. in a vertical line
with that in the centre H, thus securing three ceutres acting simultaneously
together.
In the case of those occasional self locking latches, these wings at the fulcrum
end F. F' Fig. 1. cannot be employed.
When fixing in position the latches must be made to project from the door a little
so as to come in contact with the incline of a catch 1, on which after rising will
fall and secure themselves.
The latches may be made from such metal as malleable iron, cast steel or
brass &c. and may be varnished, painted, or in a natural state.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is.
First. The method of applying slotted wings to the kind of latch described,
which said slots are curved and having a free passage at the tip of the wings, as
a means of dispensing with the staple.
Second. The method of applying slotted wings at the fulcrum end, as described,
for the purpose mentioned.
Dated this 10th T
1007
DANIEL SMITH.