IMPROVEMENTS RELATING TO DOOR-LATCHES
Year: 1881

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Samuel Lilley Coales, of Newport Pagnell, in the
County of Buckingham, for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS
RELATING TO DOOR-LATCHES."
IN AND
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Samuel Lilley Coales at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 24th June 1881.
SAMUEL LILLEY COALES, of Newport Pagnell, in the County of Buckingham.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN AND RELATING TO DOOR-LATCHES."
The object of this Invention is to provide an improved door-latch so constructed
that the bolt thereof may in a very simple manner be withdrawn, and conse-
quently the door released, by lifting, pulling, or pushing a handle in connection
with the bolt, instead of turning the same to the right or left hand in the ordinary
manner, and my improved latch may or may not be furnished with mechanism for
locking the bolt by means of a key.
In carrying the said Invention into practice I provide a bolt arranged to slide
in a case or box, one end of which bolt has an inclined surface and extends outside
the case and within the door frame or post in the usual manner to keep the door
closed. The other or inner end of the said bolt is provided with a rectangular
opening which extends completely through the metal. At the rear end of the bolt,
and preferably formed in one piece therewith, there is a rod or spindle which fits
into an aperture in the rear wall of the box or case, and when the bolt is with-
drawn slides backwards through the said aperture into a space which has to be
provided for it in the wood of the door when the latch is fitted. Around this
rod or spindle there is a coiled spring, one end of which abuts against the inner
surface of the rear wall of the box, and the other end against the rear end of the
bolt, the spring being so arranged that it keeps the bolt continually shot forward,
excepting when compressed in withdrawing the bolt, as hereinafter explained.
Within the aforesaid rectangular opening in the bolt, and at the rear end thereof,
I provide a small friction-roller, upon which works a sliding piece constructed as
follows, that is to say, this sliding piece is formed with two precisely similar

page_text: inclined surfaces which are slightly curved and extend from a central point in
opposite directions, the incline at each end terminating at such a point as to leave
a solid portion of metal, which forms a shoulder, serving as a stop to limit the
movement of the said sliding piece to such a distance as is necessary for completely
withdrawing the bolt. The opposite side of the said sliding piece is perfectly
straight and slides against the metal, forming one end of rectangular openings in
the front and rear walls of the box or case of the latch. The inclined surfaces
slide over the aforesaid friction-roller when the sliding piece is pushed or pulled
and the bolt is thus withdrawn, the rod or spindle being forced rearward and the
spiral spring being compressed. As soon, however, as the sliding piece is released
the said spring operates and pushes the bolt forward into its normal position. In
some cases the said rod or spindle may be arranged to work entirely within the
case or box instead of extending beyond the same. The aforesaid sliding piece is
provided with apertures into which fits the end of a lever or projection forming
part of or connected with a handle to be attached to the door in such a position
that when the said handle is lifted it will pull the sliding piece forward and thus
withdraw the bolt and allow the door to be opened. The handle may be made in
various styles of ornamentation, and in any desired shape. It may if desired serve
also as a door knocker, or be connected with a gong or bell, and when the door is
to be unlatched from both sides thereof two handles must necessarily be employed,
one on each side. If it is desired to provide means for locking the bolt I prefer
to arrange mechanism as follows, for this purpose, that is to say, I provide a small
sliding plate which works in a direction at right angles to the path of movement of
the aforesaid bolt. This sliding plate is arranged within and at the rear of the
box or case, and when raised provides a stop at the rear of the bolt, thus preventing
the latter from being withdrawn. This sliding plate is provided with suitable
notches with which the key and two tumblers or holding or detaining pieces may
engage. The said tumblers or holding or detaining pieces are connected with
separate springs which keep them in their proper position for holding the sliding
plate from movement, excepting when the key is used, which key is so made that
it pushes back the said detaining pieces, and thus allows the plate to move when
the key operates upon the same.
A latch constructed as above described is very simple in its construction and in
its operation, and is very durable.
My said Invention is particularly applicable to mortise latches, but may with
obvious alterations be applied to other kind of latches, and the bolt may be arranged
to be withdrawn either by lifting, pulling, or pushing the handle in connection
with the sliding piece which operates the bolt.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Samuel Lilley Coales in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
23rd December 1881.
SAMUEL LILLEY COALES, of Newport Pagnell, in the County of Buckingham.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN AND RELATING TO DOOR-LATCHES."
The object of this Invention is to provide an improved door-latch which is so
constructed that the bolt thereof may in a very simple manner be drawn back to

page_text: may or may not be furnished with mechanism to permit the locking of the bolt by
means of a key.
The said Invention is illustrated in the accompanying Drawing in which
Figure 1 is a side view.
Figure 2, a front view, and
Figure 3 a plan or top view of my improved apparatus.
Figure 4 is a side view of the said apparatus with the cover and also the sliding
piece hereinafter described removed therefrom.
Figure 5 represents a top view of the sliding piece shewn in Figures 1 and 3,
and
Figure 6 is a similar view of a slightly modified form of the same.
Figure 7 is a front view of my improved apparatus inserted within a door, and
represents the combination therewith of two handles (one on each side of the said
door) for operating the bolt.
Like letters indicate the same parts throughout the Drawing.
:
a represents the case or box of my improved latch, and b is the bolt arranged to
slide or travel within the said case or box a; one end of this bolt b has the usual
inclined surface b¹, which when projected forward extends outside of the aforesaid
case and into the door frame, post, or lintel in the usual manner to keep the door
closed. The inner portion of the said bolt is provided with an aperture or slot b³
which extends completely through the metal of which the said bolt is formed.
At the rear end of the latter, and preferably forined in one piece therewith, is a rod
or extension c which fits into an aperture at a¹ in the rear wall of the box or
case a, and when the said bolt is withdrawn slides rearward through the said
aperture into a space which is formed or provided in the wood of the door before
securing the latch in position. Upon this rod or spindle is placed a coiled spring d,
one end of which abuts against the inner surface of the rear wall of the box a and
the other end against the rear end of the bolt as shewn, the said spring being so
arranged that it constantly tends to shoot or force the said bolt forward. This
spring is compressed when the bolt is drawn back, as hereinafter explained.
Within the aforesaid aperture 62 in the bolt band at the rear end thereof I
provide an anti-friction-roller e, against which works the sliding piece of constructed
as follows, that is to say, this sliding piece is formed on one side with two precisely
similar inclined surfaces f¹, f¹, which are slightly curved and extend in opposite
directions from the central part f² of the said piece f. These surfaces terminate in
shoulders that serve as stops to limit or arrest the transverse movement of the said
sliding piece when the same has been moved in either direction a sufficient distance
to complete the drawing back of the bolt. The opposite side of the said sliding
piece is straight and slides against the forward edge of the rectangular slots g in
the walls of the box or case a. One of the inclined surfaces f¹ slides over the
friction-roller e when the sliding piccef is pushed or pulled in one direction, and the
other surface when the said piece is pushed or pulled in the other direction,
the bolt being thus withdrawn and with the spindle c forced rearward so as to
compress the spiral spring d. As soon however as the sliding piece f is released,
the said spring comes into action and pushes or projects the bolt b forward into its
normal position. In some cases the rod or spindle c may be arranged to work
entirely within the case or box instead of in a recess in the door beyond the said
case.
In order to impart the desired transverse movement to the aforesaid sliding
piece f, I provide the same with apertures h, into each of which projects one end of
one of the levers or projections i forming part of or connected with the handles j.
The outer surface h¹ of these apertures may be straight, but is preferably rounded,
as will be understood by reference to Figure 6. One of the said handles is
preferably arranged on each side of the door, as shewn in Figure 7, and the levers i
are pivoted at i¹ to suitable plates / attached to the said door, so that when one of

page_text: the said handles is lifted, as shewn in this Figure, it will pull the sliding piece f
outward and thus withdraw the bolt and allow the door to be opened. The said
handles may be made of any desired shape, and ornamented or decorated in any
style. The handle may moreover if desired serve also as a door knocker, or be
connected with a gong or bell. When it is desired that the door should be
unlatched from one side only one handle only need be employed.
When it is desired to provide means for locking the bolt b I prefer to arrango
mechanism within the box or case a for this purpose as follows, that is to say, I
provide a small sliding plate which works in a direction at right angles to the
path of movement of the bolt b. The part of this sliding plate when raised
serves in combination with the shoulder 6* as a stop to prevent the inward move-
ment of the bolt 6. The said sliding plate is provided with a suitable notch with
which the key engages, and with preferably two tumblers or detaining pieces m
which fit over a projection 2 on the said piece l. The said tumblers are connected
with separate springs at n which retain them in their proper position to prevent
the movement of the sliding plate excepting when the key is used; this key is so
formed that it pushes back the said tumblers and thus disengages the projection 1,
and allows the plate to be moved on the turning of the key.
The latch above described is very simple in its construction and operation, and is
very durable. Moreover, if the key should be left in the door, no injury to the
knuckles can accrue in the opening of the said door, and the latch can be drawn
back very easily.
Furthermore, the bolt may be readily reversed so as to suit a right or left hand
door, and the sliding piece f for one thickness of door may be easily replaced by
another piece of different length to suit a door of greater or less thickness.
My said Invention is particularly applicable to mortise latches, but may with
obvious modifications be applied to other kinds of latches, and the bolt may be
arranged to be withdrawn either by lifting, pulling, or pushing the handle in
connection with the sliding piece f which operates the bolt.
Having thus fully described my said Invention, and the manner of performing
the
same, I wish it understood that I claim,--
First. A door-latch provided with a longitudinally sliding bolt projected forward
by a spring, and drawn back by the movement of a transversely sliding piece
having inclines which engage with the bolt or with a roller arranged within a slot
in the said bolt, substantially as above set forth.
Second. The combination with the sliding piece of the handle or handles, having
connected therewith or formed thereon a lever for effecting the transverse move-
.ment of the said sliding piece, substantially as above set forth and for the purpose
specified.
Third. The combination with the bolt and its operating devices of the locking
mechanism, substantially as above set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said Samuel Lilley Coales, have hereunto set my
band and seal, this Twenty second day of December, in the year of our
Lord. One thousand eight hundred eighty one.
SAMUEL LILLEY COALES. (L.S.)