IMPROVEMENTS IN LOCKS.
Year: 1855

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Thomas Butler, of Willenhall, Staffordshire; for the
Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN LOCKS.".
Sealed the 22nd January 1856, and dated the 13th August 1855.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Thomas Butler at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 13th
August 1855.
I, THOMAS BUTLER, of Willenhall, Staffordshire, do hereby declare the
nature of the Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN LOCKS" to be as follows:-
This Invention consists in affixing a number of stumps to the bolt of a lock,
which stumps bear against circular pieces of metal revolving on centres con-
nected with the upper plate of the lock; these circular pieces form stops
against which the stumps bear. In the revolving stops are formed grooves,
through which the stumps pass when the bolt is shot in or out. Thus it will
be seen that the bolt cannot be moved until each of the stops is arranged with
its groove opposite to the stump on the bolt which is to pass through it. The
stops may be turned by hand from the exterior of the lock, but I prefer so to
arrange them that they can only be turned by a key introduced through key-
holès arranged round the main keyhole on the face of the lock. I also arrange
the front plate of the lock with hooks, which catch into the bolt, so that the
plate of the lock can only be removed when the bolt is half shot, or in some
other previously arranged position.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Thomas Butler in the Great Seal Patent Offico on the
13th February 1856.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, THOMAS
BUTLER, of Willenhall, Staffordshire, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Thirteenth day of August, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-five, in the nineteenth year of Her reign,
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said
Thomas Butler, Her special licence that I, the said Thomas Butler, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Thomas
Butler, 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
Locks," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Thomas Butler,
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 Seal Patent Office
within six calendar months next and immediately after the date of the said
Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Thomas Butler, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement thereof, that is to say:-
This Invention consists in affixing a number of stumps to the bolt of a lock,
which stumps bear against circular pieces of metal revolving on centres con-
nected with the upper plate of the lock; these circular pieces form stops
against which the stumps bear. In the revolving stops are formed grooves,
through which the stumps pass when the bolt is shot in or out. Thus it will
be seen that the bolt cannot be moved until each of the stops is arranged with
its groove opposite to the stump on the bolt which is to pass through it. The
stops may be turned by hand from the exterior of the lock, but I prefer so to
arrange them that they can only be turned by a key introduced through key-
holes arranged round the main keyhole on the face of the lock. I also arrange
the front plate of the lock with hooks, which catch into the bolt, so that the

page_text: plate of the lock can only be removed when the bolt is half shot, or in some
other previously arranged position.
Having thus stated the nature of my said. Invention, I will proceed more
fully to describe the manner of performing the same.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Figure 1 is a longitudinal section of a lock constructed and combined
according to my Invention; Figure 2 is a side view of the same, with the front
plate removed; and Figures 3, 4, & 5 shew some of the parts separately.
This lock is arranged to shoot the bolt with a knob or handle, but it will
readily be understood that it may be arranged in such manner as to be moved
with a key. The lock is arranged with three revolving stops; but this may be
varied, and locks may be made according to my Invention with a greater or
less number of such revolving stops, and these revolving stops are arranged
to be acted on by a key, but in place thereof the revolving stops may each be
arranged to be operated on and set by a handle fixed to the revolving stop.
A is the bolt of the lock; and B is a handle by which the same is shot;
C, C, C, are stumps formed on the bolt, which bear against the revolving stops
D, D, D. In the revolving stops D, D, D, grooves or passages E, E, E, are
formed, and it will be seen that the bolt A cannot be shot or withdrawn until
the passages E, E, E, are brought opposite to the stumps C, C, C. On the
same axes with the revolving stops D, D, D, discs F, F, F, are fixed, and on
these discs are formed projections G, G, on which a key acts to rotate the discs
F, F, F, and the revolving stops D, D, D, attached thereto, step by step. On
the discs F, F, F, are also formed upright pins or teeth H, H, into which pro-
jections and on the tumblers I, I, lock, so that the discs F, F, F, cannot be
rotated unless all the tumblers working therewith be raised by the key to a
correct height, so as to clear the projections on the tumblers from the teeth on
the discs. K, K, K, K, are four pieces attached to the bolt, which catch into
hooks L, L, L, L, on the front plate of the lock. From the form of these
instruments as shewn in the Drawing, it will be clearly seen that the front
plate of the lock cannot be removed except when the bolt is half shot,
that is to say, until the passages in the revolving stops D, D, D, are brought
to range.
Having thus described the nature of my Invention, and the manner of per-
forming the same, I would have it understood that I do not confine myself to
the exact details described; but what I claim is, the use of rotating stops
D, D, D, in combination with a bolt, arranged so as to be shot or withdrawn
by the rotation of a key or handle; also the so arranging the rotating stops

page_text: D, D, D, that they can only be turned by the application of a suitable key;
and, lastly, the manner of attaching the front plate of the lock so that it
cannot be removed except when the bolt is placed so as to permit of such
removal.
In witness whereof, I, the said Thomas Butler, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Eleventh day of February, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-six
THOMAS BUTLER. (L.S.)