Improvements in Locks for Purses, Satchels, and the like.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 6th Feb., 1897-Accepted, 3rd Apr., 1897
Improvements in Locks for Purses, Satchels, and the like.
I, EDWARD LANGRIDGE, 51, New Oxford Street, in the County of London, Manu-
facturer, 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 locks for purses, satchels and the like, and in particular
to locks of the kind or class known in the trade as "slide" locks. In locks of this
class one portion of the lock is fastened to a flap which, when the purse or satchel
is closed, covers the other portion of the lock which is secured to the body of the
purse or satchel. The part of the lock which is secured to the flap usually consists
of two pieces one of which is firmly attached by pins to the flap, the other piece
sliding upon the first named piece. The two pieces are provided with holes and in
one position of the movable piece said holes coincide while in another position the
holes are not coincident. The part of the lock which is attached to the body
of the purse or the like consists of a stud which has a nick or undercut portion
near its end, and in order to lock the purse the two portions of the lock are
brought together, the sliding part being adjusted so that the holes in the two parts
attached to the flap are coincident and the stud passes through both holes, then the
sliding part is moved so that the edge of the hole therein enters the nick in the
stud, thereby preventing the flap from being raised again.
According to my invention I improve the construction of locks such as above
described by, firstly, inserting a spring or springs in the portion of the lock which
is attached to the flap, by means of which springs the sliding piece is maintained in
such a position relatively to the fixed piece that the holes are not coincident, so that
when once this portion of the lock is closed upon the stud a certain amount of force
is required to move the parts so as to bring the holes into coincidence and release
the stud. I further provide a spring in this portion of the lock which acts to press
the stud out of engagement with said portion as soon as the two holes have been
brought into coincidence.
In order that my invention may be clearly understood I will now proceed to
describe the same with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which
Figure 1 is a front elevation partly sectional of my improved fastener.
Figure 2 is a section on the line 2-2 Figure 1 exhibiting the lock applied to a
purse or satchel.
Figure 3 is a rear elevation of the portion of the lock which is attached to the
flap of the purse or satchel.
Figures 4, 5, and 6 are sectional views shewing details hereafter referred to.
Figure 7 is a side elevation of the stud which is secured to the body of the
purse or satchel, and
Figure 8 is a front elevation of the same.
Like letters of reference denote the same parts throughout the drawings.
In Figure 2 A is the flap of the purse or satchel and A¹ denotes a portion of the
body of said purse or satchel. The portion of the lock which is secured to the flap A
consists of three parts shewn separately in Figures 4, 5, and 6. The front or sliding
part has the form of a box B provided with longitudinal ribs B₁ and having projecting
at the rear a cross piece B2 in which is formed an orifice B³. The flap A is
enclosed between two plates C and D of which the plate D shewn in Figure 6 is
provided with an orifice D¹ of the same size as the orifice B³ above mentioned. The

page_text: plate C is located between the cross piece B2 and the box B of the sliding piece so
that said piece can slide up and down on said plate. For this purpose the said plate
is provided with an orifice preferably cruciform in shape as shewn at C¹ Figure 3 so
that if the box B be moved down, the piece B2 may be caused to coincide with the
orifice C¹ and pass through the same, and if the plate B be now moved up again the
plate C will he clasped between the side portions of the piece B2 and the edge of
the box B. The plate C is provided with projecting pins or horns C2 which enter
the ends of the spiral springs E located in the box B, and it will readily be seen that
when the said box is moved in the direction of the arrow the springs will be placed
in compression and resist the movement. The stud F which is secured to the body A¹
of the purse by means of pins passing through the plate F' is shewn in Figures 7
and 8 and is provided with a nick F2 with which the edge of the orifice B³ of the
cross piece B³ can engage. G is a leaf spring provided in the box B which is
deformed when the stud F is pressed into the said box.
The action of the device is very simple, and is as follows:-The normal position
of the various parts of the_lock is shewn in Figures 1, 2, and 3 in which owing to the
pressure of the springs E the holes B³ and D' are not coincident. In order that
the purse or satchel may be locked the sliding part B of the lock is forced down in the
direction of the arrow so as to compress the springs E and bring the holes B³ D' into
coincidence, in which position the flap A of the purse or satchel may be pressed
against the body A¹ of the said purse, the stud F passing through the holes D' and B³
and compressing the spring G. If now the sliding part B is released the springs
act to force it upwards and cause the lower edge of the hole B³ to engage the nick Fa
of the stud F thereby securely locking the purse. To open the lock the sliding part B
is pressed down, and as soon as the holes B³ and D' are brought into coincidence the
spring G acts to press the stud F out of the lock, and the flap A away from the
body A' of the purse.
It will be clear that the application of my invention is not confined to purses and
satchels but that it may be used for writing and music cases and other articles in
which it is desirable to secure a flap or similar loose piece to the body of the
article.
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. For a purse, satchel, or the like a slide lock having the movement of its sliding
portion controlled by a spring or springs, substantially as described.
2. A slide lock constructed as described with reference to the accompanying
drawings, either with or without the spring G or its equivalent, and operating as
specified.
· Dated this 5th day of February 1897.