A New or Improved Automatic Combined Catch and Bolt for Double Doors.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application. 30th Sept., 1889.
Complete Specification Left, 14th Feb., 1890-Accepted, 29th Mar., 1890
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
A New or Improved Automatic Combined Catch and Bolt for
Double Doors.
We SAMUEL HILL of No. 57 Hockley Hill Birmingham in the County of
Warwick Cabinet Bar Fitter and ROWLAND HODGES of No. 12 Frederick Street
Birmingham aforesaid Brassfounder do hereby declare the nature of this Invention
to be as follows:-
The said invention consists of a new or improved automatic combined catch and
bolt for double doors the said catch and bolt being constructed and operating
substantially as hereinafter described.
Automatic combined catches and bolts constructed according to this invention are
specially applicable to the double doors of book cases wardrobes cabinets and other
like articles but are applicable generally to the fastening of double doors.
We will describe the said invention as applied to the double doors of a cabinet or
wardrobe.
The automatic combined catch and bolt consists of a quadrant shaped rod or bolt
each end having a rounded or hemi-spherical figure. The said bolt works in an
angular box or case that is the sides of the box or case. are at right angles to one
another. The top end of the quadrant bolt projects through a hole in the vertical side
of the box or case and the lower end of the quadrant bolt projects through a hole in
the horizontal side of the box or case a double arm spring bearing against shoulders
near the ends of the bolt maintaining. the bolt in its normal position with its ends
projecting from the sides of the case. When the bolt is pressed inwards by acting on
its top projecting end one of the arms of the spring is compressed and when the
bottom, projecting end of the bolt is pressed. inwards the other arm of the spring is
compressed.
The case or box containing the quadrant bolt is fixed to the lower corner of the left
hand door of the double door that is the lower end of the quadrant bolt projects from
the horizontal bottom edge of the door and. the top of the quadrant bolt projects from
the vertical edge of the said door.
On the bottom frame of the double door is. a striking plate having in it a hole or
staple for the lower end of the quadrant bolt to snap into the said hole being fixed
concentrically with a hole in the frame.
On the vertical edge of the right hand or second door is a striking plate for
operating upon the upper end of the quadrant bolt. projecting from the vertical edge
of, the left hand door:
The action.of the automatic.combined catch and bolt is as follows:-On the left
hand door being closed the bottom projecting end of the bolt is pressed inwards and
raised and the spring compressed the opposite or top end of the bolt-being thereby
pressed further outwards. When the left hand door is completely closed the bottom
end of the bolt snaps into the hole in the striking plate on the door frame and catches
or, secures the said door. in its place.
On closing the second or right hand door its striking plate, bearing against the
projecting top end of the bolt at the vertical edge of the left hand door presses that
end inwards thereby, shooting the bottom end of the bolt further into its hole or
staple in the door frame and thus securely bolting the door. The quadrant bolt thus
acts first as a catch to secure the closed left hand door and afterwards on the closing of
the second or right hand door is fully shot forward and acts as a bolt to bolt the left
hand door in its closed position the said shot bolt being maintained in its fully shot
position so long as the second door is closed. In order to unfasten the first or left
hand door it is necessary to open the second or right hand door. The bolt being now

page_text: at liberty to move resumes its normal position that is its top end now projects from
the vertical edge of the first or left hand door and the lower end of the bolt now acts
only as a catch which can be pressed back and raised out of its staple by opening
the said first or left hand door. The striking plate on the second door may be furnished
with a shallow concavity for the top end of the quadrant bolt to snap into and catch
or secure the second door in its closed position.
The box or case described may he dispensed with and the bolt and spring, carried
by an angle plate.
Dated this 30th day of September 1889.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
A New or Improved Automatic Combined Catch and Bolt for
Double Doors.
We SAMUEL HILL of No. 57 Hockley Hill, Birmingham in the County of
Warwick Cabinet Bar Fitter and ROWLAND HODGES of No. 12 Frederick Street
Birmingham aforesaid Brassfounder do hereby declare the nature of tho said
invention and the manner in which the same is to be performed to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement:-
-;
The said invention consists of a new or improved automatic combined catch and
bolt for double doors, the said catch and bolt. being constructed and operating
substantially as herein after described.
Automatic combined catches and bolts constructed according to this invention are
specially applicable to the double doors of book cases wardrobes cabinets and other
like articles but are applicable generally to the fastening of double doors.
We will describe the said invention as applied to the double door of a cabinet or
wardrobe.
The automatic combined catch and bolt consists of a quadrant shaped rod or bolt
each end having a rounded or hemi-spherical figure. The said bolt works in an
angular box or case, that is, the sides of the box or case are at right angles to one
another. The top end of the quadrant bolt projects through a hole in the vertical
side of the box or case and the lower end of the quadrant bolt projects through a hole
in the horizontal side of the box or case, a double arm spring bearing against
shoulders near the ends of the bolt maintaining the bolt in its normal position with
its.ends projecting from the sides of the case. When the bolt is pressed inwards by
acting on its top projecting end, one of the arms of the spring is compressed and
when the bottom projecting end of the bolt is pressed inwards the other arm of the
spring is compressed.
The case or box containing the quadrant bolt is fixed to the lower corner of the
left hand door of the double door, that is, the lower end of the quadrant bolt projects
from the horizontal bottom edge of the door; and the top of the quadrant bolt
projects from the vertical edge of the said door. On the bottom frame of the double
door is a striking plate having in it a hole or staple for the lower end of the
quadrant bolt to snap into, the said hole being fixed concentrically with a hole
in the frame.
On the vertical edge of the right hand or second door is a striking plate for
operating upon the upper end of the quadrant bolt projecting from the vertical edge
of the left hand door.
The box or case described may be dispensed with and the bolt and spring carried
by an angle plate.
In place of a curved or quadrant shaped bolt, a straight spring bolt may be used.
In this case the striking plate on the second door has to be modified for fully shooting
the bolt when the second door is closed.
We will now proceed to describe with reference to the accompanying Drawings the
manner in which the said invention is to be performed.

page_text: Figure 1 represents in front elevation partly in vertical section, and Figure 2 in
horizontal section the lower part of the double door of a cabinet or wardrobe
containing an automatic combined catch and bolt constructed according to this
invention, the second or right hand door being open; Figure 3 represents the
same view as Figure 1 after the second or right hand door has been closed and the
bolt fully shot for bolting the first door; Figure 4 represents the bolt and its case
and the said bolt without the case.
The same letters of reference indicate the same parts in Figures 1, 2, 3 and 4.
a is the first or left hand door and b the second or right hand door of the double
door of the cabinet or wardrobe; c is the lower part of the frame of the cabinet or
wardrobe; d is the angular box or case consisting of an angle plate carrying the
quadrant shaped or curved bolt e the said box or case d being fixed to the lower
corner of the first or left hand door a of the double door as represented. The ends
of the quadrant bolte are both rounded and its top end projects through a hole in the
vertical side of the box or case d and the lower end of the said bolt projects through
a hole in the horizontal side of the said box or case d. On the bottom frame c of the
double door is a striking plate having in it a hole or staple for the lower end of the
quadrant bolt e to snap into, the said hole in the striking plate of being fixed
concentrically with a hole g in the frame c. On the vertical edge of the right hand
or second door 6 is a striking plate for operating upon the upper end of the
quadrant bolt e projecting from the vertical edge of the first or left hand door a.
said plate may have a shallow concavity made in it for the upper end of
the bolt e to snap in when the second door is closed; i, k is a double arm spring
bearing against shoulders 1, 1 near the ends of the bolt, the said spring by its action
maintaining the bolt in the normal position represented in Figure 1, that is, with its
rounded ends projecting from the sides of the bolt box or case.
The
By means of the tubular stops m, m on the box or case d the outward motion of the
arms i, k of the spring is limited.
It will be seen that when the quadrant bolt e is pressed inwards by acting on its
top projecting end the armi of the spring is compressed (see Figure 3) and when
the bottom projecting end of the said bolt is pressed inwards or upwards the other
arm k of the spring is compressed, the ends of the bolts being prevented from being
projected by the action of the spring arms beyond the positions represented in
Figure 1 by the angle ends of the said spring arms bearing against the fixed
stops m, m.
The action of the automatic combined catch and bolt is as follows; On the left
band door a being closed the bottom projecting end of the bolt e is pressed inwards
and raised by coming against the striking plate and the spring arm k is compressed;
the opposite or top end of the bolt is thereby pressed further outwards leaving the
spring bearing against the upper stop m. When the left hand door a is completely
closed the bottom end of the bolt e snaps into the hole in the striking plate on the
door frame c and catches or secures the said door in its place as represented in
Figures 1 and 2. On closing the second or right hand door bits striking plate h
bearing against the projecting top end of the bolt e, at the vertical edge of the left
hand door u, presses that end inwards thereby shooting the bottom end of the bolt
further into its hole or staple at f in the door frame c and thus securely bolting
the said door a as represented. in Figure 3. The quadrant holt e thus acts first as a
catch to secure the closed left hand door a and afterwards on the closing of the second
or right hand door b is fully shot forward and acts as a bolt to bolt the said left band
door a in its closed position, the said shot bolt being maintained in its fully shot
position so long as the second door b is closed.
On the closing of the second door b. the top end of the bolt e snaps into the
shallow concavity in the striking plate and catches or secures the second door
in its closed position.
In order to unfasten the first or left hand door a it is necessary to open the second
or right hand door b.
The bolte being. How at liberty to move resumes its normal position by the

page_text: action of the compressed spring arm i, that is, its top end now projects from the
vertical edge of the first or left hand door a as represented in Figures 1 and
and the lower end of the holt now acts only as a catch which can be pressed back
and raised out of its staple by opening the first or left hand door a.
Figure 5 represents in front elevation (partly in vertical section) and Figure 6'in
horizontal section the lower part of a cabinet or wardrobe to the double door of
which a modified automatic combined catch and bolt constructed according to this
invention is applied, the second or right hand door being represented open; Figure 7
represents a front elevation (partly in section) of the same after the second or
right hand door has been fully shot and Figure S represents in elevation a part of the
case or box of the catch and bolt.
In this modification the bolt is made straight and has a slitling motion parallel
to the vertical face or edge of the first or left hand door a instead of a curvilinear
motion is the straight bolt having a rounded bottom end for snapping into the
staple plate on the door frame c. The said bolt p slides in the fixed guiding
collars 2, p on the angular box or case d and is maintained in the normal position
represented in Figure 5 by the coiled spring g, the ends of which bear against
the washers or abutments r, r on the bolt and the said washers bear against the
collars p², in which the ends of the bolt slide. On the head of the bolt p is a
cross pin s which works in and projects through a longitudinal slot d² (see Figure 8)
in the vertical part of the angular box or case d. On the projecting end of the
crosspin is an anti-friction roller t. The striking plate u on the vertical edge
of the second or right hand door has an opening, in it of the form represented
in Figure 5 for receiving and operating upon the roller of the bolt when the
second door is closed. That is to say, the opening in the striking plate i has
a wide inclined mouth 2 with a nearly semi-circular, récess át back for the greater
part of the roller / to enter:
с
The action of this modified catch and bolt is. substantially the same as that of the
catch and bolt first described. That is to say; on closing the first or left hand door a
the rounded end of the bolt snaps into the staple f on the door frame e and catches
the said door a as represented in Figure 5. On shutting the second or right hand
door the incline 22 on the top of the striking plate on the said door b bears against
the roller t and thereby further depresses the. bolt pinto its staple and fully bolts
the first door a as represented in Figure 7 and so long as the second door bis shut the
first door a cannot be opened. When the door a is fully bolted by the shutting of
the second door b, the roller t passes into the nearly semi-circular recess in the
striking plate on the second door and the said second door is thereby held firmly or
catched in its closed position, the upward pressure of the spring bolt holding the
said roller in the recess a. On pulling outwards the second door to open it the
staple plate is withdrawn from off the roller t slightly depressing it so as to release
the said second door. On the opening of the second door the coiled spring
14
raises
the bolt p into the position represented in Figure 5 and the raised bolt can be pressed
back or upwards on the opening of the door a as herein before described.
Although we have only described the said invention in connection with the double
door of a cabinet or wardrobe yet it may be applied to the fastenings of double doors
generally.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said. inven-
tion and the manner in which the same is to be performed we declare that we claini
as the said invention ;-.
First The new or improved automatic combined catch and bolt for double doors
herein before described and illustrated in Figures 1, 2, 3 and 4 of the accompanying
Drawings, ther said "combined catch and bolt consisting essentially of a quadrant
shaped rod or bolt having rounded ends and maintained in its normal position by a spring
the said bolt being so constructed and arranged that when the first door of the double
door is closed and fastened by the snapping of the lower end of the bolt in its staple
the upper end of the bolt:: projects: from the vertical: edge of that door and on the

page_text: closing of the second door of the double door the said projecting upper end of the
bolt is pressed inwards by that door and the lower end of the bolt further shot into
its staple for bolting the first door, the said first door being bolted and incapable of
being opened so long as the second door is closed substantially as described and
illustrated.
-
Secondly The modified automatic combined catch and bolt herein before described
and illustrated in Figures 5, 6, 7 and 8 of the accompanying Drawings in which
modified combined catch and bolt, a straight spring bolt with a rounded bottom end
is used, which bolt after the first door has been fastened by it is by the shutting of the
second door further shot into its staple in the door frame to bolt the first door by the
operation of the striking plate on the said second door upon a roller situated at
the vertical edge of the said first door and connected with the upper end of the bolt
substantially as described and illustrated.
Dated this Twelfth day of February 1890
SAMUEL HILL.
ROWLAND HODGES.