IMPROVEMENTS IN LOCKS, IN SPRINGS, AND IN THE MEANS OF FASTENING AND SETTING UP THE RIGGING OF SHIPS
Year: 1848

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, ROBERT
STIRLING NEWALL, of Gateshead, in the County of Durham, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her present most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Royal Letters Patent under the Great Seal of the United Kingdom of Great
Britain and Ireland, bearing date at Westminster, the Twenty-eighth day of
September, One thousand eight hundred and forty-eight, in the twelfth year
of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto
me, the said Robert Stirling Newall, my exors, adñors, and assigns, Her
especial licence, full power, sole privilege and authority, that I, the said
Robert Stirling Newall, my exors, adññiors, and assigns, or such others as I,
the said Robert Stirling Newall, my exors, adñññors, or assigns, should at
any time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times during
the term of years therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use,
exercise, and vend, within England, Wales, and the Town of Berwick-upon-
Tweed, and in the Islands of Jersey, Guernsey, Alderney, Sark, and Man, and
in all Her said Majesty's Colonies and Plantations abroad, my Invention of,
"IMPROVEMENTS IN LOCKS, IN SPRINGS, AND IN THE MEANS OF FASTENING AND
SETTING UP THE RIGGING OF SHIPS;" in which said Letters Patent is contained.
a proviso that I, the said Robert Stirling Newall, should cause a particular
description of the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same
is to be performed, by an instrument in writing under my hand and seal, to
be inrolled in Her said Majesty's High Court of Chancery within six
calendar months next and immediately after the date of the said in part

page_text: recited Letters Patent, as in and by the same, reference being thereunto
had, will more fully and at large appear.
NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, I, the said
Robert Stirling Newall, do hereby declare that the nature of my said Inven-
tion, and the manner in which the same is to be performed, are fully
ascertained and set forth in and by the following Specification thereof,
reference being had to the Drawings hereunto annexed, that is to say:-
First, my improvements in locks consist of the following arrangements:-
Figures 1 and 2 represent plans of the works of the lock in different posi-
tions, with the bolt left out; and Figures 5 and 6 shew the bolt in correspond-
ing positions. I prepare two metal rings a and b, of the shapes shewn in plan
Figure 1, and sections Figures 3 and 4, the one ring a, which I call the key
ring, being accurately fitted and ground into the other. I then bore in these
rings two holes, exactly of the same size, and exactly opposite to each other,
leaving a shoulder in the inner or key ring, against which the key bolts are
pressed by a vulcanized india-rubber or other suitable spring e.
These key
bolts are made of steel, each in two pieces, and are accurately fitted to slide in
the holes bored in the rings a and b, the thick part of them d, d', being longer
than the length between the shoulder of the hole in the key ring and the outer
circumference of the ring b, and the thin part de projecting into the keyhole to
be acted upon by the key, as hereafter described. The key is formed as
shewn in Figures 3 and 4. Two grooves f are cut on opposite sides of it, as
shewn in cross section Figure 3ª, by a rotatory cutter or other means. The
grooves are large enough to admit the small ends d of the key bolts to slide
along them, and are formed with irregular or wavy bottoms, which differ from
each other, the greatest depth of the grooves being at the end of the key, so
that when the key is inserted into the keyhole, up to its shoulder g, as in
Figure 4, the key bolts shall be pressed outwards from the centre, and the thick
ends of the inner pieces d' of the key bolts are then made to coincide exactly
with the circumference of the key ring. In this position the outer pieces of the
key bolts can offer no opposition to the key ring a, being turned round by means
of the key, but when the key is withdrawn the spring acting on the outer pieces d
presses the inner pieces against the shoulder. A "feather" on the key fits into the
slot h of the key ring to take the strain off the end of the key bolts when the
key ring is being turned round, and a pin i projecting from the key ring moves
the bolt of the lock. The ring b is fixed to the box or case of the lock. In
Figure 5 the bolt is shewn as thrown full out; and in Figures 2 and 6 the key
ring has made a quarter of a turn. When the key ring has made half a turn
the ends of the key bolts come exactly opposite to each other, and if the key be

page_text: withdrawn from its hole the spring will press the key bolts against their
shoulders in the holes, and thrust the outer pieces d into the key ring a, so that
the key ring cannot be turned round except by means of a key which shall
press out the key bolts to the proper distance at the same time. The number
of key bolts may be encreased. If three be used, they must be at equal
distances from each other, and a third of a turn of the key ring will lock or
unlock them. If four bolts be used, they may be placed exactly at right angles
and then a quarter of a turn will lock or unlock them; or if two of them be
placed opposite to each other, as in Figure 1, then the other two may be placed
opposite to each other at any convenient angle with the other two, and then
the key ring must make half a turn to lock or unlock. If five or six bolts be
used, they must be placed at equal distances from each other; and supposing
that a pin projecting from the key ring be used to move the lock bolt, then
any number of fifth or sixth parts of a turn, together not exceeding a half turn,
will lock or unlock; but if other means be used to move the lock bolt, then it
may be so arranged that any number of turns of the key will lock or unlock.
The key bolts may be arranged in sets, one above the other.
Second, my improvements in springs apply to those made partly of vul-
canized india rubber. Figure 7 represents a plan of one.
I take two plates
of iron, and form them into the shape represented by a, Figure 8 and Figure
9. The inner edges are bevilled, as shewn in section, Figure 10. The two
plates form a box, into which I place square blocks of vulcanized rubber
separated by thin plates of iron, shewn in Figure 8. Projecting pins in the
thin plates keep the rubber in its place. There is a space between the side of
the box and the rubber to allow of its expansion when compressed.
Figure 11 shows the application of these springs to ships' rigging, 6 being a
screw for the purpose of setting up the rigging; it passes through one end of
the box, and presses against a piece of iron on the top piece of rubber.
Figure 12 shews another form of one part of the box, which may be
fastened directly to the ship's side without "channels," the other part being
like Figure 8. I use a hempen laniard for fastening the shroud to the spring,
so that if it be necessary to cut away the masts the rigging may be separated
from the spring by cutting this hempen laniard.
Third, Figure 13 shows another means of fastening and setting up the
rigging of ships. Hitherto, when screws have been used, the thread of the
screw has been left exposed to the corroding action of salt water. My improve-
ment consists in making the parts of the screw as shewn in the Drawing. The part
a has a right-hand male screw, for a short length only, at the lower end; it
works into the female screw cut through the entire length of the part 6, which

page_text: has also a short left-hand screw cut on its lower end, which works into a
corresponding female screw cut in the part c as far as d; the part 6 has a nut
formed on it at e, and by, which it is turned round, and in this way the parts
a and c are screwed together or separated.
And having now described the nature of my said Invention, and the manner
in which the same is to be performed, I declare that I claim,-
First, the improvements in locks herein-before described, however the same
may be varied or modified, so long as the general arrangement and combination
of parts are adhered to.
Second, the improvements in springs, as herein-before described. And,
Third, the means of fastening and setting up the rigging of ships, as
described under the second and third heads of this my Specification.
In witness whereof, I, the said Robert Stirling Newall, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Twenty-eighth day of March, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and forty-nine.
R. S. (L.S.) NEWALL.
Enrolled the Twenty-eighth day of March, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and forty-nine.