IMPROVEMENTS IN LOCKS OR FASTENINGS FOR THE DOORS OF RAILWAY AND OTHER CARRIAGES, AND FOR OTHER DOORS
Year: 1877

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Ernest Rocher, of Brussels, in the Kingdom of Belgium,
Civil Engineer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN LOCKS OR FASTENINGS
FOR THE DOORS OF RAILWAY AND OTHER CARRIAGES, AND FOR OTHER DOORS"
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PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Ernest Rocher at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 12th December 1877.
ERNEST ROCHER, of Brussels, in the Kingdom of Belgium, Civil Engineer.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN LOCKS OR FASTENINGS FOR THE DOORS OF RAILWAY AND OTHER
CARRIAGES, AND FOR OTHER DOORS."
This Invention relates to that class of locks or fastenings used for the doors of
railway carriages (but also applicable to other doors) which act automatically on the
closing or slamming of the door.
My improved locks, which may fasten at one or more places, are constructed with
a spring and tumbler box or caso placed in the thickness of the door, and provided
with the pin or axis of the handle by which the door is opened, and a striking plate
provided with an inclined plane, a slot, and also a guide for always keeping the door
at the same height.
The spring and tumbler box or case consist of a horizontal spring, which takes
into an inclined alot in the striking plate; this spring is provided with a safety or
stop catch. The cam or tumbler is keyed on the axis of the handle which serves
for opening the door; this cam (which may also consist of a simple lever) is also
provided with a safety or stop catch. A lever rests on the cam of the tumbler, the
object of which is to diminish the play of the spring operating the tumbler, and thus
lessen the risk of breakage I employ a multiple-bladed or other spring for pushing
the tumbler into its alot and the latch into its catch or staple when it is fixed on
the same axis as the tumbler.

page_text: When the lock is to fasten at two different points, the two fastenings are con-
nected together by a rod on which is placed a spiral spring, which takes the place
of the spring herein-before described. In this case also the tumbler is replaced by
a lever jointed to the upper fastening; the tumbler could however be retained and
be jointed by means of a rod to the upper fastening, whereby three different 5
fastenings would be obtained, acting automatically and simultaneously.
The latch may be placed either above or below, or both.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Ernest Rocher in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 11th June
1878.
ERNEST ROCHER, of Brussels, in the Kingdom of Belgium, Civil Engineer.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN LOCKS OR FASTENINGS FOR THE DOORS OF RAILWAY AND OTHER
CARRIAGES, AND FOR OTHER DOORS."
This Invention relates to that class of locks or fastenings which act automatically
on the closing or slamming of the door, and are applicable to railway and other
carriage doors, tram car doors, and other doors.
My improved locks, which may fasten at one or more places, are constructed with
a spring and trigger or tumbler box or case placed in the thickness of the door, and
carrying the pin or axis of the handle by which the door is opened, and a striking
plate provided with an inclined plane, a slot, and also a guide for always keeping
the door at the same height.
But to make my Invention better understood I will describe the same by reference
to the accompanying Drawing, in which,―
Figure 1 is a front sectional view of my improved lock for railway or other
carriage doors; Figure 2, front view of the striking plate of same.
Figure 3, exterior front view of the lock when applied to a railway carriage, the
lock being shewn opened.
Figure 4, vertical transverse section of a lock having two bolts or fastenings;
Figure 5, clevation of the striking plate of same.
Figure 6, front sectional view of my improved lock arranged for the sliding door
of a tram car or other sliding door; and Figure 7, front view of the striking plate
for the same.
I will first described the lock or fastening for railway and other carriage doors,
shewn in Figures 1, 2, 3, and 4.
The spring and trigger or tumbler box or cuse consists of a horizontal spring A,
the projecting end a of which takes into an inclined slot B in the striking plate B₁;
this spring A is provided with a safety or stop catch or notch G. The cam trigger D
is keyed on the axis D' of the handle J, which serves for opening the door; this
trigger D (which may also consist of a simple lever) is also provided with a safety

page_text: or stop catch or notch G¹. E is a lever which rests on the cam of the trigger, the
object of which is to diminish the play of the spring operating the trigger, and thus
lessen the risk of breakage. I employ a multiple-bladed spring F for pushing the
trigger into its slot and the lutch Linto its catch or staple K when it is fixed on the
same axis D' as the trigger
The multiple-bladed spring F may be replaced by a spiral spring pressing on the
intermediate lever E, or even directly on the cam of the trigger when there is not
much play.
The action of the improved lock or fastening is as follows:- When the door is
opened the notches or catches G, G³, face cach other, as shown, and the triggers are
kept free from their grooves and the latch from the staple; in this position there is
nothing to prevent the shutting of the door, as shewn in Figure 1. If however the
door be pushed, the end a of the spring A takes into the groove B; the stop
notch G is raised and disengaged from the notch G'; the spring F then pushes the
trigger, which takes into the vertical groove B of the striking plate B', as shown by
the dotted lines. The latch L, keyed on the axis D' of the handle, enters into its
staple K, and the locking is complete, as shewn by the dotted lines, Figure 1.
To open the door it is merely necessary to turn the handle J upwards, when the
notch G will act like a cam on the notch G and raise it, when it will redescend,
being pushed by the spring A, which tends to recover its horizontal position. When
the trigger is vertical and the lever A horizontal the two safety notches G, G², are
locked, and all the parts of the lock are opened and cannot project beyond the odgo
of the door.
When the door is opened the handle J is horizontal, and the latch L at an angle
of forty-five degrees thereto; when, on the contrary, the door is closed the latch is
horizontal, and the handle at an angle of forty-five degrees. Those parts being out-
side, it is easy to see whether the door is closed or not. If there were no handle
the latch alone would be a sufficient indicator. Besides which, in case of the lock
not closing, the horizontal spring A, sliding on the inclined plane, places the door
ajar in such a manner that it can always be seen if the door is not closed. In this
case the passenger has only to draw the door towards himself to effect the immediate
closing of the door, and thus avoid accidents.
When the door is fastened in two points, as shewn on the Drawing, half size scale,
at Figures 4 and 5, the two fastenings are connected by a rod C, around which is
placed a spiral spring F, which replaces the multiple-bladed spring of the former
fastening. The rod C is jointed to the trigger at one end, and to a small lever N at
the other; this lever is fitted on the same spindle as the latch L, which is no longer
on the handle, which handle can be omitted.
A stop P, on which rests a spring Q, keeps the latch L raised when the door is
open; this stop is put in action by prolonging the rod C, which is hollow, and
renders the top fastening independent of the lower one, so that a passenger can only
open the door by leaning out of the window, but the guard to effect the same has
simply to lift the latch L.
The two fastenings act at the same time, either by pushing the door from the out-
side, or pulling it to on entering the carriage.
The action of this lock is the same as that herein-before described.
The lock for the sliding doors of tram cars and other sliding doors is shewn in
Figures 6 and 7. This lock is exactly the same as that herein-before described and
shewn in Figures 1 and 2, except that the cam trigger is provided with a notch M',
which prevents the door being opened from the shocks produced by motion of the
vehicle. The striking plate is also modified. The inclined plane B parallel with
the face of the plate is replaced by one perpendicular thereto.
It will be sceu that the action of this lock is similar to that herein-before
described.
Having thus described my said Invention, and the best means of carrying the
same into effect, I wish it to be understood that I do not confine myself to the

page_text: precise details herein laid down, as the same may be modified without departing
from the peculiar features of my Invention, but what I do claim is,--
Firstly. The general arrangement and construction of locks or fastenings for the
doors of railway and other carriages, and for other doors, operating substantially as
herein-before described, and represented in Figures 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7 of the
accompanying Drawing.
Secondly. The horizontal spring A, with its safety notch G.
Thirdly. The interior trigger D, with its safety notch and cam.
Fourthly. The intermediate lever E for diminishing the play of the spring F, as
and for the purposes described.
Fifthly. The multiple-bladed spring F.
Sixthly. The striking plate B', with inclined plane forming a groove, and pro-
vided with the guide.
Seventhly. The application of the guide of the door on the lock itself.
Eighthly. The modification of the lock to adapt it for the sliding doors of tram
cars and other sliding doors, as herein-before described, and shewn in Figures 6 and 7
of the accompanying Drawing.
In witness whereof, I, the said Ernest Rocher, have hereto set my hand
ALLth day of Tuno One thousand eight hundred and seventy-