IMPROVEMENTS IN LOCKS AND KEYS THEREFOR"
Year: 1885

page_text: I, ROBERT NEWELL of 47 Rolt Street, Deptford in the County of Kent, Iron-
founder do hereby declare the nature of said invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
LOCKS AND KEYS THEREFOR" to be as follows:-
My invention has for object to produce a simple lock designed to withstand
attempts at picking such as would succeed with ordinary locks.
In a lock according to this invention the bolt itself remains locked so that it
cannot move longitudinally until after a suitable key has been inserted into the
lock and partially rotated. A construction of lock on this principle is as follows:-
The bolt is provided with a slot or opening into which normally projects a
spindle pin or projection carried by a moveable plate. This spindle pin or projection
is so formed at one portion of its length that when it has been moved into a certain
definite position by longitudinal movement and a partial rotary movement (both of
definite extent) it is capable of relative movement in a slot or opening formed in a
plate bar or part carried by the bolt and having except at the ends a width less
than the diameter or external thickness of the spindle pin or projection. When
the spindle pin or projection occupies the determined position referred to the bolt
can be moved by the key whilst in all other positions of the spindle pin or
projection the bolt is securely locked in its "shot" or its unshot position as the
case may be. For the purpose of giving the spindle pin or projection the necessary
longitudinal movement the plate or bar that carries it is provided with a second
spindle or pin which passes through and is guided by a hollow pin or tube that
takes the place of the pin ordinarily employed in pin locks for guiding and holding
the key. The said longitudinal movement of the spindle pin or projection may be
effected by a pin or projection within the tubular portion of the key adapted to
come into contact with the before mentioned second spindle or pin and to move it
within its guide when the key is placed sufficiently within the lock. Thus the
plate carrying the two spindles pins or projections is moved backward. The
longitudinal movement of the spindle pin or projection may be determined by
the length of the key pin or projection or by a guide plate within the lock or by
other suitable means. To effect the rotary movement of the first mentioned spindle
pin or projection I provide a rack or racks carried by or on a frame adapted to be
moved longitudinally in one direction by one or more of the wards of the lock key
and in the reverse direction by a spring or its equivalent. Into the rack or racks

page_text: takes a toothed wheel carried by the spindle pin or projection. The wheel is
rotated as the frame is moved longitudinally. The toothed wheel and rack or
racks are normally kept out of gear by a spring acting on the plate or bar that
carries the spindle pin or projection. In other respects a lock according to this
invention may resemble locks of known kind; it may be provided with the usual
arrangement of tumblers or levers and guides whereby the wards of the key can
actuate the bolt.
I, ROBERT NEWELL, of 47 Rolt Street, Deptford, in the County of Kent,
Ironfounder, do hereby declare the nature of my said invention for "IMPROVEMENTS
IN LOCKS AND KEYS THEREFOR," and in what manner the same is to be performed,
to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement:——
My invention has for object to produce a simple lock designed to withstand
attempts at picking such as would succeed with ordinary locks.
In a lock according to this invention the bolt itself remains locked so that it
cannot move longitudinally until after a suitable key has been inserted into the
lock and partially rotated. A construction of lock on this principle is as follows:-
The bolt is provided with a slot or opening into which normally projects a
spindle pin or projection (hereinafter called the locking spindle) carried by a
moveable plate. This locking spindle is so formed at one portion of its length
that when it has been moved into a certain definite position by longitudinal
movement and a partial rotary movement (both of definite extent) it is capable of
relative movement in a slot or opening formed in a plate bar or part carried by
the bolt and having except at the ends a width less than the diameter or external
thickness of the locking spindle. When the locking spindle occupies the
determined position referred to the bolt can be moved by the key whilst in all
other positions of the locking spindle the bolt is securely locked in one or other of
its extreme positions namely shot or unshot as the case may be.
For the purpose of giving the locking spindle the necessary longitudinal
movement the plate or bar that carries it is provided with a second spindle or pin
which passes through and is guided by a hollow pin or tube that takes the place of
the pin ordinarily employed in pin locks for guiding and holding the key. The
said longitudinal movement of the locking spindle may be effected by a pin or
projection within the tubular portion of the key adapted to come into contact with
the before-mentioned second spindle or pin and to move it within its guide when

page_text: the key is placed sufficiently within the lock. Thus the plate carrying the two
spindles pins or projections is moved backward: The longitudinal movement of
the locking spindle may be determined by the length of the key pin or projection
or by a guide plate within the lock or by other suitable means. To effect the
rotary movement of the locking spindle I provide a rack or racks carried by or on
a frame adapted to be moved longitudinally in one direction by one or more wards
of the lock key and in the reverse direction by a spring or its equivalent. Into
the rack or racks takes a toothed wheel carried by the locking spindle. The wheel
is rotated as the frame is moved longitudinally. In other respects a lock
according to this invention may resemble locks of known kind; it may be
provided with the usual arrangement of tumblers or levers and guides whereby the
wards of the key can actuate the bolt.
Referring to the accompanying sheet of illustrative drawings Fig 1 is a back
view of the lock and Fig 2 is a front view thereof, the cover plates and bolt being
removed. Fig 3 is a longitudinal section in the line x. x of Fig 2, with the back
cover plate in position. Fig 4 is a front view of the lock, with its front cover
plate removed, showing the bolt in its mid-position and the key in section. Fig 5
is a longitudinal section in the line y. y of Fig 4 shewing the complete lock and
part of its key. Fig 6 is a transverse section of the lock in the lines. ≈ of Fig 4.
Fig 7 is a side view of part of the key.
a is a bolt and aa slot or opening formed therein. b is a locking spindle
carried by a plate and capable of movement in a rotary sense. d is a second
spindle or pin carried by the plate c and taking into a hollow pin or tube e. The
tube e is adapted to fit the barrel of the key and is carried by a plate or diaphragm f
that divides the interior of the lock into two chambers as shown in Figs 35 and 6.
g is a plate or bar secured to the bolt a and formed with a slot or opening the
ends g of which are enlarged sufficiently to admit of the locking spindle b passing
therethrough. The remaining or straight portion g² of the slot or opening is of less
width than the external diameter of the locking spindle.
In order that this spindle may be capable of movement within the part g² of the
slot in plate g when the said spindle has been moved into a certain definite position
by longitudinal movement and a partial rotary movement, both of definite extent,
the locking spindle is cut away or recessed at opposite portions of its circumference
so as to form grooves or guides b' (Fig 5) in which the edges of the straight
portion of the slot may travel, a central or narrower part 2 being left between
the grooves or guides of a width adapted to fit the slot. h is the barrel portion of
a key adapted to pass over the hollow pin e and to operate the bolt a for which
purpose is a pin or projection within the key barrel adapted to move the spindle
or pin d longitudinally within the hollow pin or tube e so that the locking
spindle in consequence of its connection with the plate c, has a similar
longitudinal motion imparted to it. j is a pinion secured to the locking spindle b
and is a rack, formed on a frame into which the pinion gears. The frame is
so arranged that it may move longitudinally within the chamber in which it is
placed so that the pinion j and locking spindle b may be thus partially rotated. In
order that the frame may be moved longitudinally in one direction it is provided
with two projections that take through slots f1 formed in the plate or
diaphragm f and carry a curved plate 2 adapted to be operated by one of the
wards of the key. m is a spring to cause longitudinal movement of the frame in
the opposite direction when it is not otherwise restrained so that normally the
locking spindle is in a position to lock the bolt u. n is a spring carried by the
back cover plate o of the lock and acting against the plate e so that normally the
locking spindle b and spindle & occupy the positions shown in Fig 3. p is an
ordinary tumbler or lever to control the movement of the stud or projection a² on
the bolt a in the usual manner. q is a plate which serves as a guide to the wards
of the key.
The operation of the lock is as follows; if the key is placed within the lock the
internal pin or projection i will come into contact with the spindle or pin & and

page_text: move it and the locking spindle 6 longitudinally to an extent sufficient to bring
the grooves b' of the locking spindle into the plane of the plate g. If the key be
now partially turned one of its wards designed for the purpose will come into
contact with the plate l and move it and its connected frame longitudinally to an
extent sufficient to cause the rack k to partially rotate the pinion j and locking
spindle b into a position such that the part 62 of the locking spindle will allow of
the movement of plate g. The turning of the key will also cause the tumbler or
lever p to be moved into such a position as will admit of the passage through it of
the stud or projection a² whilst a ward of the key will engage with a notch a³ in
the bolt a and move the latter into its shot or unshot position as the case may be.
The locking spindle b will now be within one of the enlarged ends g¹ of the slot
in plate g and the spring m acting through the frame 1, rack and pinion j will
have caused the locking spindle to partially rotate, so that the bolt a will have
become locked in position. When the key is withdrawn from the lock the
spring n acting on the plate c will cause the locking spindle b and spindle.or pin d
to move longitudinally into the positions shewn in Fig 3.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is
1. In a lock the use in combination with the bolt of a locking device s
constructed and arranged in relation to the bolt that when the bolt is in either of
its extreme positions corresponding to shot and unshot respectively it is locked in
such position by the locking device and remains so locked until a suitable key has
been inserted into the lock and has been partially rotated therein substantially as
described.
2. In a lock the use in combination for locking in its extreme positions and
unlocking a bolt, of a slotted plate such as g attached to such bolt, a plate or bar e
with a locking spindle b, pinion j and pin d, and a rack arranged to be operated
by a key in opposition to a spring for the purposes set forth substantially as
described.
3. The improved lock constructed, arranged and operating as hereinbefore
described with reference to and illustrated in the drawings.
4. The use for unlocking the bolt in a lock of the kind referred to in claim 2, of
a key provided with an internal projection such as i for imparting longitudinal
movement to the locking spindle and a ward or wards for operating the rack to
partially rotate the said spindle substantially as described and illustrated.
Dated this 1st day of Ma... 100K
ROBERT NEWELL.
W. Lloyd Wise,
46, Lincoln's Inn Fields, W.C.,
Agent for the Applicant.