Improvements in Spindles and Knobs for Door Locks.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 23rd Jan., 1896-Accepted, 29th Feb., 1896
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Spindles and Knobs for Door Locks.
We JOHN CHARLES HUGHES of Sumner, Pianoforte Tuner, and JOHN
PREECE of Christchurch, Tailor, both in the Colony of New Zealand, 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 spindles and knobs for door locks,
the object being to simplify the means of adjusting the knobs upon the spindles to
suit the thickness of the doors to which they are fitted. To attain this object we
fix in the knob at one or both ends of the spindle a collar (preferably flush with
the outside of the knob or knobs) through which a screw is loosely passed having
a washer fixed thereto fitting close up to the inside of said collar; a tapped or
threaded hole is formed in the centre of the spindle longitudinally at one or both
ends any desired length into which hole the said screw enters. As this screw is
turned to the right or left so the knob is caused to slide forward or backward
upon the spindle, thus enabling the knob to be adjusted to suit the thickness of
the door to which the spindle is fitted. The knob is in this manner securely held
upon the spindle and cannot become.detached unless the said screw is withdrawn,
neither can the knob become loose. No other screws are required to secure the
knob.
Our improvements are applicable to the spindles of either mortice or rim
locks. Either one or both knobs may be secured in this manner although it is
not necessary for both knobs to be so fastened as the other may be permanently
secured to the spindle by any suitable means. By this arrangement spindles may
be made one uniform length for all ordinary doors but may be applied to doors of
different thicknesses without requiring to be cut as is frequently the case with
spindles in general use.
Our invention will be readily understood by reference to the annexed sheet of
drawings wherein
Figure 1 is a section of a spindle and a pair of knobs in position on a door
shewing our improvements applied to one knob only.
Figure 2 is an enlarged section of one end of a spindle and one knob fitted
thereon.
Figure 3 is a front view of a knob.
Figure 4 is a section of a knob formed of two parts, the outer part answering
the
purpose of the collar shewn in Figures 1, 2, and 3.
Referring to Figures 1, 2, and 3, A is the door; B the knob into which a
collar a is fixed (preferably flush with the outside) by any suitable means depending
upon the material of which the knob is constructed, the said collar being of such
material as is best suited to the knob. A screw b passes loosely through the
collar a and bas a washer c fixed thereon close up to the inside of said collar, the
thread of the screw ceasing at said washer. The threaded part of the screw
passes into a tapped or threaded hole d formed in the spindle C longitudinally
either at one or both ends as may be desired, or it may run through the whole
length of said spindle if required. The screw and washer must be fitted to the
collar before the latter is fixed into the knob.
It will be readily seen that as the screw b is turned either to the right or left
so the knob is caused to slide forward or backward upon the said spindle, thus the

page_text: knob can be adjusted to any desired position upon the spindle. The collar a may
be made either round, square hexagonal, octagonal, or any other desired shape
and the screw b may be of any suitable material with countersunk head, cup head,
cheese head, or an ornamental head according to requirements. The screw b may
also be used without a collar and washer, the plain part of screw working
loosely in the knob while the threaded part enters the spindle as before described,
but in this case the said screw would be liable to become detached and probably
in some cases lost.
Referring to Figure 4, the knob is shewn in two parts B1 and B2 the plain part
of screw working loosely in the outer part B of knob (which answers the
purpose of the collar a shewn in Figures 1, 2, and 3) the washer c¹ being fixed on
said screw close up to the inside of the outer part B2 of knob, the threaded part
of screw passing into the tapped or threaded hole d' in spindle. In this case the
screw and washer must be fitted into the said outer part of knob before it is
secured to the inner part.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what we
claim is :-
1.. In spindles and knobs for door locks, the knob at either or both ends of the
spindle. having a collar a fixed therein into which a screw b is loosely fitted having
a washer.c fixed thereon close up to the inside of said collar, the threaded part of
said screw passing into a tapped or threaded hole d formed in spindle at either or
both ends or through the whole length substantially as and for the purpose
described.
2. In spindles and knobs for door locks, the screw b being fitted loosely into
the knob without having a collar or washer, the threaded part of screw passing
into the tapped or threaded hole in spindle substantially as and for the purpose
described.
3. In spindles and knobs for door locks, the knob being constructed in two
parts B1 and B2 (Figure 4) the screw b¹ passing loosely through the outer part B2
and having a washer c' fixed thereon close up to the inside of said part B2 of knob,
the said screw passing into the tapped or threaded hole din said spindle sub-
stantially as and for the purpose herein described and illustrated in the annexed
drawings.
Dated this 23rd day of January 1896.
A. M. & WM. CLARK,
53, Chancery Lane; London, Chartered Patent Agents.