Improvements in Locks or Apparatus for Closing Receptacles for Coin or other Articles, which Improvements are Applicable also to Iron Safes as well as to other Analogous Purposes.
Year: 1887

page_text: Date of Application, 17th May, 1887
Specification Accepted, 16th Mar., 1888
Improvements in Locks or Apparatus for Closing Receptacles for
Coin or other Articles, which Improvements are Applicable
also to Iron Safes as well as to other Analogous Purposes.
I, FRANCIS JOSEPH JAMES GIBBONS, of Saint John's Works, Church Lane,
Wolverhampton, in the County of Stafford, Lock Manufacturer, 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 :—
My invention relates to improvements in locking devices for controlling the tills
and collecting bags of automatic sale and delivery machines; as well as in locking
devices generally adapted for use under conditions where it is advantageous or
desirable that the key of the ultimate lock should be concealed from the observation
of the person to whom it is entrusted for the purpose of locking or unlocking such
ultimate lock.
It has been proposed to fit the mouth of a bag, entrusted to a collector for the
purpose of collecting the respective contents of the tills of a series of automatic sale
and delivery machines, with a locking device adapted to fit closely up to the till, or to
a shoot leading therefrom.
A port has been formed through this lock, leading from the till, or the till-shoot,
into the cavity of the bag; but which port has remained closed by the bolt of the
lock until said bolt has been moved to one side by turning the lock round a fixed
key projecting from the machine at a point suitably near the till shoot. The bolt
being pivotted on a stud, and necessarily of a sufficient width to cover the port
above mentioned, it has been necessary to form a correspondingly large opening in
the rim of the lock-case for the purpose of allowing of the unlocking motion of
the bolt.
Such a construction is, in practice, attended with the following risk. It has always
been possible to introduce a pick-lock at the opening in the rim of the lock-case
and, with it, to disengage the tumblers from the bolt-stump, when a judicious lateral
pressure on the bolt, exerted upon it within the port-opening in the lock-case, would

page_text: suffice to open it, and to thereby afford free access to the contents of the collecting
bag.
Part of my invention relates to a method of preventing the risk above mentioned,
and part to an improved duplex locking arrangement to prevent fraud in connection
with the above mentioned work of collecting. This latter part of my invention is
also adapted for the prevention of fraud in connection with the locks and keys of safes
and analogous receptacles for valuables.
In order that my invention, and the means by which the same is to be carried into
practical effect, may be thoroughly understood, I will now describe it in detail, referring
in so doing to the accompanying drawings which are to be taken as part of this
specification and read therewith.
The first part of my invention is illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2, in which
Fig. 1 is a plan of the locking device, after the cover has been removed, of a
collecting bag as hitherto made; and
Fig. 2 is a plan illustrating my improved method of guarding the lock-tumblers
from being tampered with by means of a pick-lock.
The second part of my invention as embodied in the locks of the till-shoot of an
automatic sale and delivery machine and its collecting bag is illustrated in Figs. 3
to 8.
Fig. 3 is a plan of the underside of the lock of the till-shoot.
Fig. 4 is a plan of the lock after removal of the cover.
Fig. 5 is a plan of the underside of the collecting bag lock; and
Fig. 6 is a plan, after removal of the cover, of the said lock.
Figs. 7 and 8 are, respectively, plan and elevation illustrating the working of this
part of my invention.
Fig. 9 is a plan of the interior of a modified form of lock applicable to the locks
of either the said tills or collecting-bags.
Figs. 10 to 14 illustrate the application of the said latter part of my invention to
the lock of an iron safe.
Fig. 10 is a plan of a safe-key lock including the key by which the same is locked
and unlocked, but with the inner plate omitted.
Figs. 11 and 12 are plans of the inner and outer faces, respectively, of the said
lock.
Fig. 13 is a side elevation shewing the safe-key lock in the act of being applied to
the safe-door; and
Fig. 14 is an elevation illustrating the working of this application of my said
invention. The outer cover plate of the safe-key lock has been omitted from the
figure.
Referring to Figs: 1 and 2; A is the usual pear-shaped bolt; and, a, its pivot upon
which it is adapted to be moved outwards towards the left away from the stop, b, far
enough to uncover the port, B, in the lock case, indicated by the inner dotted circle
in Fig. 1. Now, if a suitably shaped pick-lock, introduced into the lock-case at the
opening in the rim thereof, which opening extends from c to c¹, be brought to bear
upon the lower edges of the tumblers, d, the latter can be all easily raised until the
gates, e, are aligned with the stump, ƒ, whereupon the bolt can be swung on its pivot
by pressing the fingers upon it through the hole in the cover-plate, and pulling or
pushing it open.
Now, according to my invention, I provide a ridge, g, which is of sufficient depth
to leave only room between it and the lock case enough for the bolt, A, to pass
through. The lower extremity of the ridge is turned inwards, and the upper
extremity is continued to nearly the top of the lock case so that no pick lock can be
brought to bear upon the tumblers even if it could be passed through the bolt opening
in the rim of the case.
I sometimes form a ring guard, gl, round the port, B, for the sake of more effectually
safe-guarding the tumblers.
Referring to Figs. 3 to 6, I wish to point out that these figures illustrate only one

page_text: embodiment of my invention, namely in the locks of the till-shoot and collecting bag
of an automatic sale and delivery machine, and are to be taken only as illustrations of
one application of the said invention and not as limiting it to the precise constructional
details illustrated therein.
H is the case of the till-shoot, or ultimate, lock; that is, the last lock to be opened
before the contents of the till can be got at.
H'is the lock bolt; H³, the cover of the lock-case; and H³, the port. His a shield
adapted to close the mouth of the collecting bag as its port opens.
I is the keyhole at which the ultimate key, concealed within the case of the lock
of the collecting bag, is introduced into the till-shoot lock; and i, its circuit in the
bolt, H¹.
J is a key-bit projecting from the cover, H2; and is the key by which the bolt of
the collecting bag lock illustrated in Figs. 5 and 6 is moved. The projection of the
said bit from the cover, H³, is only sufficient to allow of the lock of the collecting
bag being passed over it, and turned about it.
K is a projection having a slot, k, formed in it; and adapted thereby to receive a
corresponding projection, k³, on the case of the bag lock, which is provided for the
purpose of holding the latter firmly during the act of collection; thereby preventing
either lock being strained.
Lis the lock case of the collecting bag lock; L', its bolt; L³, its cover; and L³, the
port.
M is the keyhole at which the key, J, is introduced; and m, its circuit in the lock-
bolt L¹.
N is the ultimate key; n, the keyhole in the cover through which it is passed into
the lock of the till-shoot; and n', the slot in the lock bolt, L', by which it is
moved opposite the key hole, n, and back again into the position illustrated in Figs..5
and 6.
Both bolts, H' and L¹, are cranked to adapt them to the presence of the guard
rings, g', round the ports H³, L'. They turn upon their respective pivots h, l.
It will be noticed that so long as the bolt, L', remains in the position illustrated,
the bit of the key N is held by the slot, n', concealed within the case; and can neither
be drawn therefrom, nor pushed through the keyhole, n.
The method of working this part of my invention is illustrated in Figs. 7 and 8,
which represent the relative positions of the parts at the moment when the lock of the
collecting bag has been half unlocked; and is as follows.
The lock of the collecting bag is held up to the till-shoot lock; and the key-hole, M,
passed over the key-bit, J.
The bag lock is then moved over towards the right, about the key, J; and by the
time the projection, k, has entered the slot, k, the bolt, L', will be unlocked.
The motion of the said bolt has brought the bit of the key, N, opposite the key-
hole, n; and the motion of the bag lock about the key, J, has brought the keyhole, n,
opposite the key hole, I. The key, N, is then passed up into the till-shoot lock, and
its bolt opened. The coin drops from the till through the ports H³, L', into the
collecting bag the several acts above described are repeated in their reverse order,
and the collector goes away with his bag; both the latter and the till-shoot lock
having been locked against him by his own act during the transference of the coin,
and without his having had an opportunity of seeing the bit of the ultimate key, viz.,
that which unlocked the lock of the till-shoot.
Any suitable guides, stops, and supports, may be provided for the purpose of
facilitating the placing of the bag lock in the correct position, moving it in the proper
plane, and checking said movement.
I provide a loose key by means of which the collecting bag can be opened by the
cashier on the collector's return from his round.
In the modified form of lock illustrated in Fig. 9, the bolt is made in two
pieces, O and P, connected by a link o. The former piece is pivotted at o¹, and the
latter at p².

page_text: The full lines shew the relative positions of the parts when the lock is locked, and
the dotted lines the relative positions of the parts when the lock has been unlocked.
The improved guard illustrated in Fig. 2 and described therewith may be applied to
any of the locks illustrated in Figs. 3 to 9.
It will be gathered from a study of the invention described with reference to Figs. 3
to 8, that it consists, essentially, of two locks; one a portable one, which contains
and therefore conceals the ultimate koy, i.e., the one which controls the lock of the
safe or analogous receptacle, and the bit of which is therefore never exposed to the
observation of the individual entrusted with the use of it; and the other, the fixed
lock.
Referring to Figs. 10 to 14, Q is the case of a safe-key lock the construction of
which is only an adaptation of the constructional devices illustrated in Fig: 6 and
described therewith, without any substantial change in respect of their relative
functions. The bolt, q, moves on suitable guides, q¹; and is controlled by tumblers, q³,
of the ordinary construction.
R is the bit of the key projecting from the safe door, T¹, in which it is fixed. It
corresponds, in respect of function, with the key, J, of Fig. 3. A circuit, r, is formed
for it within the bolt, q; and corresponds with the circuit, m, in Fig. 6.
S is the key of the safe; the bit, s, of which is engaged by a notch, s¹, in the
bolt, q, in the same way, and for the same purpose, as the bit of the key, N, of Fig. 6,
is engaged by the slot, n¹.
Tis the key hole in the safe door, T¹.
The action of the above described application of the said second part of my invention
is as follows.
The lock is placed over the key, R, at the key hole, 71; and turned in the direction
of the arrow in Fig. 14 upon the pin of the key, R, as a centre; thereby shooting
the bolt, q, and bringing the bit, 8, of the safe-key, S, opposite the key-hole, s¹;
and the latter opposite the key-hole T in the safe door, at the same moment. The
dotted lines of Fig. 14 indicate the relative positions of the several parts at this
moment.
The key, S, can then be pushed into the lock of the safe-door and turned therein;
but its bit, s, must. be withdrawn into the safe-key lock; and moved by the reversal of
the bolt, q, away from the key hole, s¹, before the said safe-key lock can be removed
-from the safe-door.
In Fig. 14, the key-hole T is shewn as inverted. This is a matter of no importance,
as far as my present invention is concerned, inasmuch as a safe-key lock, as illustrated
in Figs. 10 to 14 and described therewith, can be adapted to any safe, no matter what
inay be the position of the keyhole in the door thereof.
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 of lock-case; bolt opening; and ridge; substantially as described
with reference to the accompanying figures 1 and 2.
2. The combination of cranked bolt; port; ring guard; and lock-case; substantially
as described with reference to the accompanying figures 2, 4 and 6.
3. The combination of a two-piece bolt; link connecting the said two pieces; and
pivots upon which the said pieces may be moved; substantially as described with
reference to Fig. 9.
4. The combination of ultimate lock; key projecting therefrom; portable lock
adapted to be opened by said projecting key; an ultimate key, the bit of which is
concealed within the said portable lock, and is adapted to be moved therein opposite a
keyhole in the case thereof by the unlocking motion of the bolt of said portable lock,
and to be moved away from the said key hole by the locking motion of the same
bolt and a keyhole in the ultimate lock, so placed that the unlocking motion of the
portable lock shall bring the keyhole therein through which the bit of the ultimate

page_text: key may pass, opposite the said keyhole in the ultimate lock; substantially as described
with reference to the accompanying drawings.
5. The combination of fixed key projecting from the door of a safe; a portable
lock, the bolt of which is adapted to be moved in either direction by a circular motion
of said portable lock about said projecting key as a centre; the key of said safe the
bit of which is concealed within said portable lock, and is engaged by the bolt
thereof; a key-hole in the portable lock so positioned that the said circular motion of
the portable lock shall bring it opposite the keyhole of the safe lock when the bit
of the key of said safe-lock is moved by the bolt of said portable lock opposite the
koy hole in said lock; substantially as described with reference to the accompanying
figures.
Dated this 92nd day of Jonne 1898