IMPROVE- MENTS IN LOCKS FOR BAGS
Year: 1863

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Bernhard Steinmetz, of 97, Rue Notre Dame des
Champs, Paris, in the Empire of France, at present residing at 12,
Newgate Street, in the City of London, for the Invention of "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN LOCKS FOR BAGS."
Sealed the 22nd April 1864, and dated the 26th October 1863.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Bernhard Steinmetz at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
26th October 1863.
I, BERNHARD STEINMETZ, of 97, Rue Notre Dame des Champs, Paris, in
the Empire of France, at present residing at 12, Newgate Street, in the City
of London, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN LOCKS FOR BAGS," to be as follows:-
-
This Invention will be readily understood by reference to the annexed
Drawings, whereon Figures 1 and 1ª represent a side and front view of the
lock or clasp when the bag is closed; Figures 2 and 2 are a side and front
view of the lock when the bag is open. The lock is composed of a plate A-
of iron, copper, steel, or other metal, and of two pins C and C¹ riveted on the
frames B, B, serving as the pivot for the plate C¹ for the stop. The plate is
turned on the pin C when it is in the position represented in the Figures
1 and 1; the bag is then closed, for the second pin C¹ cannot separate from
the first, being retained by the anterior rib a, a, of the plate, consequently

page_text: the frames B and B resting against each other the bag is firmly closed.
When on the contrary the plate is drawn in the position represented in
Figures 2 and 2, the frame B¹ can be separated from the frame B, because
the pin C¹ then passes through the slip a¹ in the rim a, a, and the bag is
opened and that with great simplicity. In the inside and at the edge of the
slip a on the right side I turn up a little of the metal cut out in forming the
slit to make a stop over the pin c' in order that the plate may stop exactly
opposite the slip. I can also pierce the plate with a hole a for the introduction
of a small key, as is seen in Figure 3. When in the inside of the plate is
added a bar or bolt which the key shifts on turning this bolt will allow or
stop the movement of the plate, and thus will be constituted a key fastening
which may be used when found convenient. I can apply this lock not only
to bags, valises, baskets, and such like articles, but to porte-monnaies, porte-
cigars, and all similar small articles.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Bernhard Steinmetz in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
26th April 1864.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, BERNHARD
STEINMETZ, of 97, Rue Notre Dame des Champs, Paris, in the Empire of
France, lately residing at 12, Newgate Street, in the City of London, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-sixth day of October, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-three, in the twenty-seventh year
of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto
me, the said Bernhard Steinmetz, Her special licence that I, the said Bernhard
Steinmetz, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the
said Bernhard Steinmetz, my.executors, administrators, and assigns, should at
any time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times there-
after 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 FOR BAGS," upon the -condition (amongst others) that I, the said Bern-
hard Steinmetz, my executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing
under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals, should particularly describe

page_text: 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 Bernhard Steinmetz, do hereby declare
the nature of my 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, reference being had to the accompanying Drawings and to
the letters and figures marked thereon, that is to say :-
My Invention consists of apparatus constructed as follows:-I fit at one
side or jaw of the frame or mouth of the bag to be fastened or secured a
plate, cap, or piece turning or working on a pin or axis, and having a rim or
flange in which is an opening or slot. I fix a pin or stud at the other side
or jaw of the said frame or mouth. The engagement of this pin or stud with
the plate, cap, or moveable piece fastens together the sides or jaws of the
mouth or frame, that is to say, when the pin or stud is introduced through
the opening in the rim or flange and the plate or cap turned so as to bring
a part of its rim or flange, but not the opening therein, against or opposite to
the pin or stud, the sides or jaws of the mouth or frame will be held together
or secured. To open them the plate or cap is turned so as to present its slot
or opening to or opposite the pin or stud, so that the latter may be disengaged
from the plate or cap.
I sometimes modify or arrange the above-described apparatus in such manner
that it may be further secured by a key working a bar or piece which acts on
the cap or plate and prevents it from being turned or worked in the dis-
engaging or unfastening direction until released by the key.
In order that my Invention, and in what manner the same may be per
formed may be fully understood I proceed to describe the accompanying
Drawings, which represent apparatus constructed according to the Invention.
Figures 1 and 2 are side views, and Figures 3 and 4 plans of the apparatus
applied to a bag frame A, B; it is shewn in its closed position in Figs. 1 and 3,
and in its open position in Figs. 2 and 4.
a is a metal plate or cap shewn detached in side view, Fig. 6, having a
rim or flange in which is an opening or slot c. This plate or cap works or
d, fixed to one side or jaw
turns partially round horizontally on a pin or axis
A of the frame A, B; e is a pin or stud shewn in plan, Fig. 7, and in side
view, Fig. 8, fixed on the other side or jaw B of the frame A, B. When
the bag is to be fastened the plate or cap a is turned so as to present its.

page_text: opening to the pine which (the jaws A, B, being brought together) is
passed through such opening, the plate or cap a is then turned into the
position shown in Figures 1 and 3, so that the opening c is brought away
from the pin e, and a part of the rim or flange b, that is, part of the inside
surface thereof, is brought to or opposite the pin or stud e.
In this position
the pine and cap a are engaged and the jaws A, B, are secured together,
for if an effort were made to separate or open them the rim would retain
the pin e and would prevent the jaw B to which it is attached from moving
or opening. To open the bag the plate a is turned to the position shown in
Figures 2 and 4 so as to bring the opening c to or opposite to the pin e, so
that the pin may pass freely through the opening and be disengaged, from
.the cap or
plate a, thereby allowing the jaws to open; f is a plate fixed to the
jaw A for the cap a to work on, it is recessed at f¹ for the passage of the
pin e. Figure 5 is a plan of this plate f. A stop is provided to stop
the plate when its slot c comes to the pin e. This stop is sometimes formed
by turning up a portion of the edge of the slot c to abut against the pin.
Also it may consist of a tooth g cut in the rim b abutting on a notch in
the plate f.
Figures 9, 10, 11, and 12 represent one mode of modifying or arranging
the above apparatus so that if thought desirable it may be further secured
by a key; Fig. 9 is a plan, and Fig. 10 section of the same; Figs. 11
and 12 are plans with the top plate a removed.
The parts A, B, a, b, c, d, e, f, g, are similar to those marked with like
letters in the previous Figures; h is a plate attached to and forming the
bottom of the cap a; i is a bar or tongue of springy metal which when
moved by a key works horizontally on a pin j fixed to the plate h; is a pin
fixed to the plate h to receive the barrel or hollow shank of a key introduced
through a keyhole in the plate a. Supposing the parts a and e engaged
they may be further secured in that position by turning the key so that its
bit may work against the free end of the tongue i and force it into the
position shown in Fig. 11, in which one extremity abuts against the pin e and
the other against a stud m on the plate h, and thus prevents the cap a from
being turned to the disengaging position shown in Figures 2 and 4. When
the key works the tongue i in the reverse direction shewn in Fig. 12 the
tongue i clears the pin e and the abutment m, and the plate a is released.
My fastening apparatus may be applied in like manner to porte-monnaies, cigar
cases, baskets, valises, and other similar articles.
Having now described the nature of my said Invention, and in what

page_text: manner the same may be performed, I declare that 1 claim the apparatus
in which a fixed pin or stud is combined with a rimmed or flanged cap, plate,
or piece, turning or working on an axis or pin, and having a slot or opening
in its rim or flange, substantially in the manner described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Bernhard Steinmetz, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Twenty-first day of April, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-four.
Witness,
BRESSONF,
Ingénieur Civil,
BERNHARD STEINMETZ. (L.S.)
Mecanicien,
97, Rue Nôtre Dame des Champs, à Paris.
Rue de Malte, 51.