An Improved Method of Unlatching Doors by the Foot.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 31st Aug., 1897--Accepted, 9th Oct., 1897
COME LEIM DIMITIVATION.
An Improved Method of Unlatching Doors by the Foot.
I, FRANK GARRETT of Armscote Stratford-on-Avon in the County of Warwick,
Liqueur 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:―
The object of this Invention is to provide a means for withdrawing the latch of
doors by means of the foot, thereby overcoming the difficulty experienced in
opening doors when both hands are occupied, as for instance when carrying a tray.
To effect this I fix upon one or both sides of the doors a treadle, the action of
which works a rod connected to levers which work into a slot in the latch within
the lock or latch case, so that pressure on the treadle will withdraw the latch &
at the same time the action of the foot will either push or pull open the door as
desired.
To assist in the full description of this my invention, reference should be had to
the accompanying sheet of drawings in which similar letters of reference on the
various Figures relate to similar parts.
Fig. 1 is an internal view of the latch case with the mechanism, employed, in its
normal position.
Fig. 2 shews in elevation, position of the treadle in its normal position.
Fig. 3 is an internal view of the latch case with the mechanism brought into
play.
Fig. 4 shews in elevation position of the treadle when receiving pressure from
the foot.
Fig. 5 is a plan of the treadle & Fig. 6 a view of the lever.
A, A¹ is a treadle which may be constructed with the double bow A, A¹ to work
from both sides of the door, or single to work from one side only, it is provided
with teeth B to secure a good grip upon it by the toe of the boot, and it may if
desired, be covered or lined inside or outside the curve of the bow with India
rubber for the same object. To this treadle is attached the rod C which may be
inserted in a groove as at D on the edge of the door and the upper end connected
with the lever E at E', which is pivoted at E2 to a plate attached to the lock case.
This plate is widened out at X to receive the curved lever F which is pivoted to it
at F & works in a slot cutting the latch G at G'. The lever E being formed at H
so as to bear upon the end of the curved lever at F2.
To unlatch the door pressure of the toe upon the bow of the treadle A, A', draws
down the lever E by means of the rod C, & the lever E pressing upon the end Fa
of the bent lever I causes it to draw back the latch bolt C as shewn at Fig. 3,
at the same time if the door opens away from the person about to pass through,
the act of placing the foot upon the treadle A. A' will give an impetus to the door
to open or if the door be hung to open the reverse way the act of withdrawing the
foot from the treadle will draw the door open.
In order to construct the latch so that it can be made at will to be locked against
being acted upon by the ordinary handle & follower I, the tongue piece or holt J
is placed upon the lever E & a spring K placed underneath the treadle as shewn, or
n

page_text: in any other convenient position, to keep the lever E pressed upwards so that the
end of the bolt J bears into a slight groove in the latch G at L, thus preventing
the latch G from being drawn back excepting by the lowering of the treadle A, A¹
releasing the bolt J, the spring K may be made in any convenient way to turn out
of action, so as to allow of the lever E falling just sufficiently to release the bolt J
from the groove L, when the latch G will be free to be acted upon by the handle &
follower I as well as by the treadle A, A¹.
I have illustrated this my invention as applied to the latch of an ordinary
mortice lock but it can be equally well applied to the latches of rim & other locks
by slightly altering the form & position of the parts without departing from, the
spirit of the invention.
Metal plates may be used to protect the door from injury by the foot & the metal
plate may be placed over the groove D. The groove may be dispensed with &
the connecting rod C placed upon the face of the door if desired & covered or not
by metal casing. The lever may be as shewn & cased or in the lock case as
désired.
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. The levers E & F with or without the bolt J arranged to withdraw the latch G
by the action of the foot at or near the bottom of the door.
2. The treadle A as herein set forth and illustrated applied to docrs for the
purpose of actuating the door latch.
3. In apparatus for withdrawing the latch of doors by means of the foot. The
combination of the treadle A & levers E & F with or without the bolt J.
4. Opening doors by applying the foot to mechanism attached to the bottom of
the door which is connected with other mechanism for withdrawing or releasing
the latch.
Dated this 30th day of August 1897.
HENRY F. TALBOT.
7 Cherry Street, Birmingham, Agent for the Applicant.