Improvements in Alarm Locks.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 16th July, 1898-Accepted, 3rd Sept., 1898
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Alarm Locks.
I, EDWARD NEWELL CASE, of Dearborn Street, Chicago, Illinois, U.S.A., Doctor
of Medicine, 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: -
This invention relates to improvements in alarm locks of that class in which
an alarm device is placed within the lock and so constructed that when the lock
is being tampered with. by an unauthorised person the alarm device will be
actuated without releasing the locking mechanism. The lock hercin shewn and
described is adapted to be used upon trunks, boxes, chests, sliding doors and the
like, wherein the operative parts of the lock are contained within a casing which
is adapted to be pivotted to the stationary part of the device to be locked and to
have detachable connection with the movable part thereof or vice versa.
The invention relates also to improvements in locks of this description, in
which force applied to separate the movable and stationary parts of the device,
when locked, will actuate the alarm device. As herein shewn, the alarm device
consists of a cartridge and means for exploding the same, but it will be under-
stood that other forms may be used, if desired.
For convenience of description and illustration the lock is herein shewn as
applied to a trunk.
In the drawings:
Fig. 1 illustrates a fragmentary view of the front wall and lid of a trunk with
my improved lock applied thereto, shewing the same in its unlocked position.
Fig. 2 is a rear elevation of the lock with the rear plate removed therefrom.
Fig. 3 is a front elevation of the lock on a small scale.
Fig. 4 is a rear elevation of the casing in which the locking mechanism is
contained, with a portion of said mechanism removed.
...
Figs. 5 and 6 are plan views of the two forms of tumblers used in my lock.
Fig. 7 is a top plan view of the key actuated locking cylinder.
Fig. 8 is a side view thereof.
Figs. 9 and 10 respectively a top plan view and side elevation of the ball
crank lever t.
Fig. 11 an inside face view of the rear plate of the locking casing.
Figs. 12 and 13 detail views of the alarm hammer.
Fig. 14 a plan view of the cartridge retaining plate.
Figs. 15 and 16 are views of the key taken in planes at right angles to each
other.
C is the casing within which the locking apparatus is contained and B a shank
which has yielding engagement with said casing. The casing and shank con-
stitute in effect a hasp which is pivotally connected at its lower end with a
plate E adapted to be secured to the adjacent part edge of the wall of the trunk,
said plate being secured in place by rivets passing through holes 9. A is a
locking plate or keeper adapted to be mounted on the lower edge of the lid of the

page_text: trunk, and to which the upper end of the hasp formed by the casing C and
shank B has detachable locking connection. The locking plate A has a central
depression or recess. 16 adapted to receive a projecting part of the casing C.
Dis the rear plate or wall of the casing, secured in place by screws or rivets
passing through openings 34 (Fig. 11) therein..
Referring now to the locking mechanism contained in the casing, these parts
are constructed as follows:-The wall of the casing C is provided with an
aperture (Fig. 4) in which is located a key actuated locking cylinder which
extends through the casing and through an aperture 28 (Fig. 11) into the opposite
wall or plate D of the casing. Said cylinder is provided with an axial
aperture 14, and with a slot 13 intersecting said aperture, and adapted to receive
the lip of the key when this is inserted therein. Said cylinder is also provided
on one side with a cutaway portion or recess in open communication with the
slot 13 and forming on the opposite sides of the axial bore, shoulders 24, 25,
adapted to be engaged by the lip of the key in turning the cylinder in either
direction. Said cylinder is slightly reduced in that portion engaging the
aperture 28 of the plate D to form a bearing 27 outside which is a reduced rect-
angular part 23 upon which is mounted a cross bar 10 (Fig. 1) held in place by a
suitable screw or rivet 11 between which and the bar is interposed a washer 12.
When the lock is in its locking position with the plate A, said reduced rectangular
part of the cylinder is adapted to pass through a slot 15 in said plate, and when
the cylinder with the cross bar 10 attached thereto, is rotated so that the cross
bar extends in a plane at right angles to the line of the greatest length of said
slot, said parts will be locked together. It will be noted that the cylindric
bearing part 27 is of such length as to extend beyond the rear of the plate D of
the casing a distance equal to the thickness of the plate A, to permit the cross
bar 10 to pass beyond the rear face of said plate A.
r, r2, are tumblers located in the rear of the casing. They are provided at one
end with apertures 21 by which they are pivotted to a lug f in the upper end of
the casing, the lug being provided with an aperture 2 (Fig. 4) adapted to be
engaged by a screw or rivet 1 (Fig. 2) by which the tumblers are pivotted upon
the lug, a washer 2 being interposed between the head of the screw or rivet and the
tumbler. The tumblers extend at their ends opposite the pivotal connection
adjacent to the key actuated cylinder. At these ends they are provided with
curved slots 20 which serve as guide slots for a pin 8 carried by the cylinder as
usual in such constructions. As shewn, the pin is mounted upon a lip 17 pro-
jecting from a flange 3 formed integral with the inner end of the cylinder 4. The
tumblers are provided with springs 5 to hold them yieldingly against the key
when pressed thereby. They are rigidly attached to the tumblers near their
pivotal connection with the lug f and engaging at their opposite ends a stud j
which, in the present instance, serves as a means for receiving one of the screws
or rivets by which the plate D is held in place.
The key H is shewn as adapted for use with three tumblers. The arrange-
ment shewn is such that the slots 20, of the outside tumblers, stand normally
out of line with the pin 8 while the slot of the intermediate tumbler stands almost
opposite said pin. With this construction the pin 8 normally engages shoulders
on the adjacent outer ends of the tumblers r, so that the cylinder which carries
said pin cannot be rotated until said outside tumblers are moved to carry the slots
therein opposite said pin. As will hereinafter appear, this particular arrange-
ment of the tumblers is not essential, nor the number shewn. For instance, the
arrangement may be reversed, or a larger number of tumblers used, in which case
the keys will be changed to meet the different requirements.
Referring now to the alarm device and the connections between the same and
the construction described, these parts are made as follows:-The casing C is
provided upon one side with a barrel 7 in which a cartridge or other alarm
device T is adapted to be inserted. a is a spring pressed hammer, pivotally.
mounted, at one end upon a stud or pin i located centrally in the casing and
rj

page_text: extending from the front to the rear wall thereof. Said stud is provided with
an axial aperture 7 adapted to receive one of the screws or rivets which hold the
plate D in position. The hamme a is of such length as to strike the cartridge T
when it is oscillated in one arc of its curved path of movement, and is bent to
give the proper impact upon the cartridge in a manner common in such con-
structions. The hammer is provided upon its outer end with a firing pin m adapted
to strike the cartridge, and is also provided with an operating stud or handle n,
by which it is conveniently forced back into its retracted position. The spring
shewn as applied to force the hammer against the cartridge is a curved leaf
spring d secured to the wall of the casing adjacent to the locking cylinder 4, and
connected at its upper end by means of a suitable connecting link c, with a lug b
mounted upon or formed integral with the inner end of the hammer a.
6 is a stop pin mounted on the flange 3 of the locking cylinder 4 and adapted
to engage the inner end of the hammer a when said cylinder has been rotated to
release the locking mechanism, and to thereby limit the rotation of the cylinder.
In order to release the key from the lock it is necessary to turn the cylinder back
to its starting point, thereby fastening the lock.
The means for locking the hammer in its retracted position against the tension
of the spring d are as follows:-A detent t having the form of a lever is pivotted
to a più or stud s located adjacent to the locking cylinder 4, and between the
tumblers and the outer wall of the casing C. This detent is provided on its arm
nearest the hammer, with a tooth o adapted to engage a lug e on said hammer and
when so engaged, to hold the hammer in its retracted position as shewn in Fig. 4.
A spring is applied to the detent t to maintain it in its locking position. The
spring shewn is a leaf spring g which at one end is attached to the lug f, its
opposite end engaging the detent. With this construction the hammer a will
be maintained in its retracted position until the detent t is moved against the
resistance of the spring g so as to disengage the tooth from the lug e.
construction of the locking mechanism is such, as will be hereinafter described,
that a key of proper form will rotate the locking cylinder 4 and thereby release
the locking mechanism without moving the detent t, while a key of improper
form will move the detent out of engagement with the hammer, but will not
release the locking mechanism. The construction by which this result is obtained
is as follows:
The
A pin u shewn mounted upon the rear face of the detent t is adapted to engage
apertures 19 in the tumblers r, 2, which have a variable movement relatively
to one another, and the key, by which they are to be actuated to release the
locking mechanism, is so formed that when it actuates the tumblers, these are
oscillated a sufficient distance from the key actuated locking cylinder 4 to bring
the slots therein opposite the pin 8, but neither of the tumblers will be moved
against the pinu, so that such movement thereof will not act through said pin
and detent to release the alarm device. If however the tumblers be engaged by
a key of another form, one or more of the tumblers will be moved against the
pin u which will act through the detent to release the alarm device, without
however, releasing the locking mechanism. The key H, shewn as adapted to
be used with a lock containing three tumblers, has its bit provided with pro-
jections 31, 33, and an intermediate recess 32. The projection 31 is of slightly
greater length than the projection 33, so that the tumbler engaged by the first
mentioned projection will be moved a greater distance than the tumbler engaged
by the projection 33, while the intermediate tumbler which is designated by 2
will, in the construction shewn, normally stand with the slot 20 thereof almost
opposite the pin 8 carried by the locking cylinder, when said pin is in the
position shewn in Fig. 2, so that when the tumblers are moved with their slots
opposite the pin, this latter will be free to enter therein when the cylinder 4 is
rotated by the key. In the construction shewn, the aperture 19 in the inter-
mediate tumbler 2 is made of less length laterally than said apertures in the
tumblers r, so that- relatively but slight movement of said tumbler will be

page_text: required to move it into contact with the pin u and to thereby release the locking
mechanism. On the other hand, if a key having the proper shaped recess 32, be
inserted into the lock, but having one of the projections 31, 33, longer than herein
shewn, the tumbler engaged by said longer projection will be moved such a dis-
tance as to engage the pin u and thereby actuate the alarm device whilst moving
said tumbler, so that the pin 8 will not enter the slot therein. The particular
form of the key and arrangement of the tumblers have been shewn and described
merely for convenience in illustrating the operation of the lock. It will how-
ever be obvious that this particular construction and arrangement is not essential,
so long as the general arrangement in the tumblers is preserved, and that the
tumblers may be used interchangeably. It will also be obvious that in such
variation of arrangement and by the use of a number of tumblers, a large number
of combinations may be made, a different key being, of course, provided for each
combination and for each variation in the arrangement. The operative con-
nections between the detent and the tumblers may be of other form than that
shewn.
Describing the means for releasing the alarm device when force is applied to
open the trunk without releasing the locking mechanism, these parts are con-
structed as follows:-As before stated, the shank B has a yielding engagement
with the casing C, said yielding engagement being by means of a suitable spring.
As shewn, the shank is made hollow and is adapted to receive a guide rod I
which, at one end, is rigidly secured to the casing C. This rod is provided on its
outer end with a collar L, which in the present instance consists of a nut screwed
on to the rod I, and between said collar and a shoulder on the inner end of the
shank is interposed a spring F, here shewn as a spiral spring surrounding the rod.
w is a connecting rod which is rigidly attached to the inner end of the
shank and passes through a suitable opening in the circumferential wall of the
casing. The detent is, for this purpose, made in the form of a bell crank lever,
and the connecting rod w passes at its inner end through that arm of said detent
opposite the tooth o, and is provided on its inner end with a suitable shoulder
consisting of a pin by which it is prevented from being disengaged from said
detent. The rods I and w serve as guides between the shank and casing, and
in order to provide a more rigid connection between the same, a guide rod w³ is
provided on the side of the rod I opposite the connecting rod w. With the
construction described, it will be seen that when force is applied to open the lid
of the trunk, the shank Band casing C being yieldingly connected together,
such force will act through the connecting rod w and detent t to disengage said
detent from the hammer a and thereby give an alarm. The collar L is adjust-
able on the rod I so that the tension of the spring F may be regulated as desired,
and the force required to actuate said alarm device against the tension of the
spring, increased or diminished.
In order to prevent the cartridge from falling out of the barrel when the lock is
thrown downwardly, as shewn in Fig. 1, the casing is provided with a stop plate p
shewn as pivotted upon a pin a mounted in the outer circumferential wall of the
casing and passing through an aperture a in said plate, which when swung
inwardly, closely engages the inner end of the barrel, and a lug k is provided in
the casing for engaging the face of said plate opposite the barrel, and preventing
it from moving away from said inner end of the barrel. In order to prevent the
plate from being accidentally swung outwardly when the lock is in the position
shewn in Fig. I, a stop 18 is provided, shewn as consisting of a spring and as
mounted upon the rear wall or plate D of the casing in such position as to engage
said plate to hold it in its innermost or normal position. Said stop plate is pro-
vided opposite the cartridge with an aperture 36 (Fig. 14) through which the
firing pin of the hammer may project when the alarm device is actuated. A
lug 30 is formed on the plate D (Fig. 11) which serves to limit the movement
of the stop spring 18. The stop plate also serves the purpose of a breech block
to receive the impact of the recoil of the cartridge when exploded.

page_text: Many of the novel features herein described and claimed may be applied to
locks other than of the special form described, as for instance, a lock embodying
the main features of my invention may be without the rotating locking cylinder
illustrated, or the lock case and keeper may be arranged, with respect to the
parts to which they are connected, differently from that shewn.
A main feature of my invention is embraced in the construction described,
wherein a lock case is provided with an alarm device, and has attached to it a
yieldingly connected piece or part, such as the shank described, through the
medium of which the lock case is connected with one of the parts to be joined
by the lock, such yielding part having operative connection with the alarm
device, so that if an effort be made to open the lid, door, or other part which is
held closed by the lock, a strain will be brought on the yieldingly connected piece
or part in a manner to move the same with respect to the lock case, and thereby
set off the alarm. A lock embracing these general features of construction may
be constructed otherwise than in the form of the trunk lock described, and I
desire to claim such a construction without limitation to the details illustrated
except so far as the latter may be herein specifically claimed.
Another important feature of my invention which is separately claimed herein,
is embraced in the construction set forth, wherein the lock case is provided with
an alarm device embracing a spring pressed hammer which is held in its
retracted position by a detent, a key actuated locking member, tumblers which
control the movement of the key actuated locking member, by preventing the
action thereon of any but the proper key, and which act on said detent if moved
otherwise than by the proper key, and a part, such as the connecting shank B
yieldingly connected with the lock case and subject to strain when an effort is
made to separate the locked parts without the use of a proper key, and which has
positive engagement with said detent, so that strain on the said connecting part
will actuate the alarm device.
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:-
1. The combination with a lock case, of a part which is yieldingly connected
with and movable away from and toward the lock case, and through the medium
of which the lock case is connected with one of the two parts to be joined together
by the lock, an alarm device within the lock case, and actuating connections
between the said part which is yieldingly connected with the lock case and alarm
device, substantially as described and shewn.
2. The combination with a lock case, a keeper for attachment to one of the
parts to be joined by the lock, and a locking means on the case detachably engag-
ing the keeper, of a connecting part or plate which is yieldingly joined to the
lock case and through the medium of which the case is connected with the other
of the parts to be joined by the lock, and actuating connections between said
connecting part and the alarm device, whereby the alarm device will be operated
when strain is brought on the case thus tending to separate it from the connect-
ing part, substantially as described and shewn.
3. The combination with a lock case provided with an alarm device, of a
keeper, a locking member engaging the keeper, a tumbler or tumblers which
control the actuation of the locking member, and operative connections between
the tumbler or tumblers and said alarm device, substantially as described and
shewn.
4. The combination with a lock case and a keeper, adapted for attachment to
one of the parts to be secured together by the lock, of an alarm device in the lock
case, a rotative locking member which engages the keeper, and a tumbler or
tumblers which control the actuation of the locking member, said tumbler or
tumblers having operative connection with the alarm device, substantially as
described and shewn.

page_text: 5. The combination with a lock casc, a keeper, a key actuated locking member,
tumblers which control the action of the locking member, an alarm device
embracing a spring pressed hammer, a detent for holding the hammer in its
retracted position, said detent being constructed for actuation by either of said
tumblers, and a connecting part or shank which is movably connected with the
lock case and is adapted to act on said detent and release the hammer when ten-
sion is brought thereon in a direction to withdraw it from the case, substantially
as described and shewn.
6...The combination of a casing containing a locking device, and a shank, said
parts having a constant yielding engagement with each other, substantially as
described and shewn.
7. The combination of a casing containing a
locking and an alarm device,
and a shank, said casing and shank having a constant yielding engagement, and
the shank having a positive engagement with the alarm device, substantially as
described and shewn.
8. An alarm lock comprising a casing, an alarm device therein, a spring
pressed hammer in said casing, a tumbler, a detent engaging said hammer to hold
the latter in its retracted position, and a pin on said detent engaging said tumbler,
substantially as described and shewn.
9. An alarm lock comprising a casing, a locking member therein, an alarm
device in said casing embracing a spring pressed hammer pivotally mounted in
said casing, tumblers in the casing controlling the actuation of said locking
member, means for locking said hammer.in its retracted position, and operative
connections between said tumblers and locking means, substantially as described
and shewn.
10. An alarm lock comprising a casing, an alarm device therein, a spring
pressed hammer in said casing, a key actuated locking cylinder, a tumbler
adjacent to said cylinder, a lever engaging said hammer to hold it in its retracted
position, and a pin on said lever engaging the tumbler, substantially as described
and shewn.
11. An alarm lock comprising a casing, an alarm device therein, a hammer
pivotted in said casing, a lug on said hammer, a spring attached rigidly at one
end in the casing and connected at its free end with said lug, means for locking
said hammer in its retracted position, key actuated tumblers in said casing, and
operative connections between said tumblers and locking means, substantially
as described and shewn.
12. An alarm lock comprising a casing, an alarm device therein, a spring
pressed hammer pivotally mounted in said casing, a rotative key actuated
cylinder in said casing, means for locking said hammer in its retracted position,
and operative connections between said cylinder and locking means, said operative
connections being constructed to permit the cylinder to rotate without releasing
the hammer when a key of proper form engages the same, and to release said
hammer and prevent the cylinder from rotating when said cylinder is engaged
by a key of other form, substantially as described and shewn.
13. The combination with a stationary and a movable part of a lock comprising
a shank and casing constituting a hasp, which is pivotted to one of said parts,
an alarm device in said casing, locking mechanism also in the casing, and a
keeper attached to the other of said parts and adapted to have locking engage-
ment with said locking mechanism, said shank being so connected with the alarm
device as to release the same when force is applied to separate said parts, sub-
stantially as described and shewn.
14. An alarm lock comprising a casing, an alarm device therein, a spring
pressed hammer pivotally mounted in said casing, means for locking said
hammer in its retracted position, a spring pressed rod projecting into said casing
and engaging said locking means and acting to release the same, when tension is
brought thereon, to withdraw the rod from the casing, substantially as described
and shown.

page_text: 15. An alarm lock comprising a casing, an alarm device therein, a spring
pressed hammer pivotted in said casing, means for locking said hammer in its
retracted position, a rod projecting into said casing and engaging said locking
means and acting to release the same, when tension is brought thereon, to with-
draw the rod from the casing, a spring applied to said rod and acting to thrust
the same into said casing, and means for adjusting said spring to vary the tension
of the same, substantially as described and shewn.
16. An alarm lock comprising a casing, an alarm device therein, a spring
pressed hammer pivotted in said casing, means for locking said hammer in its
retracted position, a shank yieldingly connected with said casing, said connec-
tions consisting of a guide rod rigidly attached to said casing and extending into
said shank, a spring applied to said rod to hold the shank in yielding engagement
with the casing, and an actuating rod connected with said shank and operating
to actuate said alarm device, when force is applied to the shank, to withdraw the
same from the casing, substantially as described and shewn.
17. An alarm lock comprising a casing an alarm device therein, a spring
pressed hammer in said casing, a detent engaging said hammer to hold the same
in its retracted position, a rod projecting into said casing and engaging said
detent, and a spring applied to normally thrust said rod into said casing, said
rod acting, when tension is brought thereon, to withdraw it from the casing, to
disengage said lever from the hammer, substantially as described and shewn.
18. An alarm lock comprising a casing, an alarm device therein, a hammer
pivotted in said casing, a lug on said hammer, a spring attached rigidly at one
end of the casing and connected at its free end with said lug, a detent engaging
said hammer to hold the same in its retracted position, and a spring pressed rod
engaging said detent and acting to disengage the same from the hammer when
force is applied to withdraw it from the casing, substantially as described and
shewn.
THOMAS R. SHILLITO
15, Tooks Court, London, E.C.,
Agent for the Applicant.