IMPROVEMENTS IN LOCKS AND LATCHES
Year: 1853

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to James Gibbons, the younger, of Wolver-
hampton, in the County of Stafford, Lock Manufacturer, for the
Invention of 66 Tennar
Sealed the 28th April 1854, and dated the 22nd December 1858.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said James Gibbons at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, ou
the 22nd December 1858.
I, JAMES GIBBONS, the younger, of Wolverhampton, in the County
of Stafford, Lock Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of the
said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN LOCKS AND LATCHES" to be as
follows:-
These improvements consist in increasing the security of locks, by
bringing into action one portion of the levers, guards, or slides, or other
parts which form the security of locks, before the other portion of the
securing parts, and in such an arrangement of the other securing parts
that unless every one of them corresponds with the true key at the
time the bolt is passed through that part of its motion allowed by that

page_text: portion of the lever guard or slide first brought into action, the lock
cannot be opened, and the plan of picking locks by applying pressure
against the levers, guards, or slides is entirely prevented. My im-
provements also relate to an improved action or working of the
latch bolt, whereby the friction is greatly diminished; this consists
in working the bolt by means of a moving tail acting upon a fixed
pin.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said James Gibbons in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 22nd June 1854.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I,
JAMES GIBBONS, the younger, of Wolverhampton, in the County of
Stafford, Lock Manufacturer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twenty-second day of December, in
the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-three, in the
seventeenth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and succes-
sors, give and grant unto me, the said James Gibbons, the younger,
Her special license that I, the said James Gibbons, the younger, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said
James Gibbons, the younger, my executors, administrators, or assigns,
should at any time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at
all times thereafter during the term therein expressed, should and law-
fully might make, use, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom
of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an
Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN LOCKS AND LATCHES," upon the con-
dition (amongst others) that I, the said James Gibbons, the younger,
by an instrument in writing under my hand and seal, should par-
ticularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and
in what manner the same was to be performed, and cause the same
to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar months
next and immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.

page_text: NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said James Gibbons, the younger, do
hereby declare the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner
the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascer-
tained in and by the following statement, reference being had to the
accompanying Drawings, and to the letters and figures marked thereon,
that is to say-
My said Invention relates,-
First, to certain improvements in the arrangement and construction
of the working parts of locks, whereby greater security is obtained
than is possible with the contrivances hitherto in use.
Second, to certain improved constructions of latches, whereby such
contrivances are rendered less liable to become deranged by continued
use, and the friction in working is materially reduced.
My said improvements in locks consist in the bringing into action
one portion of the levers, guards, or slides, or other parts which form
the essential security of locks, before the other portion of the securing
or holding parts, as well as in such an arrangement of the other
securing parts, that unless every one of them corresponds with the
true and legitimate key at the time the bolt is passed through that
part of its motion allowed by that portion of the levers, guards, or
slides first brought into action, the lock cannot be opened, and the
plan of picking locks by applying pressure against the bolt (whilst the
levers, guards, or slides are moved or lifted,) is entirely prevented.
My improvements in latches consist in working the bolt by means of
a tail piece attached thereto, or to any portion of the guide.
Fig. 1 on Sheet 1 of my Drawings represents a side elevation
of my improved lever lock, with the cover removed to shew the
working parts of the same; Fig. 2 is a corresponding sectional plan of
the same, with the top of the lock plate removed to shew the levers,
which are represented in partial horizontal section; Fig. 3 is a side
elevation of one of the secondary levers, which will be herein-after
described; and Fig. 4 is a similar view of one of the two primary
levers, the peculiar construction and action of which form the prin-
cipal or main feature of the first part of my Invention. This
lock differs from the common lever luck in the peculiar construction

page_text: of the levers. In the common lever lock, the faces A, B, of each and
all the levers are ares of the same radius; but in my improved lock I
divide the levers into two classes, which I term primary and secondary
levers, and the faces of the primary levers project slightly beyond the
faces of the secondary levers. These levers C, D, are supported in the
ordinary manner upor a fixed stud centre E, and are kept in position
by the series of blade springs F. The face of each secondary lever has
a number of false notches formed in it. The projections between these
notches being of different or varying lengths, as is clearly shown in the
Drawings; but none of these projections are sufliciently long to come
in contact with or touch the stump G, so long as the notch or rack-
ing H of either of the two primary levers does not correspond exactly
to the stump. The face of each "primary" lever bears constantly
against the stump, and receives any pressure which may be applied to
the bolt, in either direction during the operation of picking the lock.
I make the stump of varying thickness, as shewn in detai! at Fig. 4a,
that part which corresponds to the primary levers being made stronger
than that portion corresponding to the secondary levers, which latter
portion is made thinner to admit of a large number of false notches
being cut in the face of such levers. By this mode of construction, the
advantages of a strong stump and a large amount of false notches in a
small space are combined. Fig. 4b represents a notched stump, which
I propose to use in some of these locks, the rackings of the levers being
made to correspond to the varying thicknesses of the stump. The
action of these two sets of levers is as follows:-Should any pressure
be applied to the bolt for the purpose of unlocking it, this pressure will
be received by the "primary" levers, the other levers being left free to
rise and fall without offering any indication whereby to ascertain their
true position for unlocking. If both the primary levers be lifted by a
picker until the stump enters the racking H, without the secondary
levers being at the same time properly adjusted, the false notches
formed therein will receive the stump, preventing not only the opening
of the lock, but any further attempt at arranging the levers. A guard
or cover may be fitted to the keyhole in the usual manner, if required,
but as this forms no part of my Invention, I have not considered it

page_text: necessary to shew it in my Drawings. Although I have shewn two
primary levers in my Drawings, I do not confine myself to this par-
ticular number, as a greater or less number of primary levers may be
employed.
Fig. 5 on the same Sheet of Drawings represents a side elevation
of a lock, known as Barron's lock, with my improvements applied, the
external cover plate being removed; and Fig. 6 is a horizontal section
of the same, shewing the arrangement of the tumblers. In this lock 1
also divide the tumblers into two classes, primary and secondary; the
former serving to retain the bolt when shot out, and the latter, which
work in false notches, coming into action only when the primary tum-
bler or tumblers have been adjusted. These iatter, as in the lever lock
which I have herein-before described, are free to rise and fall without
coming in contact with the sides of the notches, so that any attempt at
adjustinent of the secondary tumblers, with the view of finding their
true position for unlocking by pressing apon the bolt, will be frustrated.
In the lock which I have here represented, only one primary tumbler A,
is shewn, the stump of which fits accurately into a notch in the bolt,
whilst the stumps of the secondary tumblers B, rest in slots in the bolt
which are formed with false notches. These false notches are situated
both above and below the racking C, the upper ones D, serving to
catch the stumps of any of the secondary tumblers which may have
been elevated too high. In attempting to pick this lock, the true
position of the primary tumbler A, may be found by raising it and
simultaneously pressing back the bolt, but if the secondary tumblers B,
have not also been truly adjusted at the same time, the bolt will only
shoot back far enough to catch the stumps of the secondary tumblers
in the false notches, from which they can only be released by moving
the bolt forward again, which action will have the effect of bringing
the primary tumbler into its original position, and the operation must
be re-commenced. The same effect obviously takes place if the
secondary tumblers be elevated too high, as they will then be retained
by the false notches in the upper part of the bolt.
Fig. 1 on Sheet 2 of my Drawings is a side elevation of a lever lock,
of a construction slightly different to the one first described, though

page_text: working on the same principle. Fig. 2 is a corresponding horizontal
section or sectional plan of the same. Fig. 3 is a side elevation of one
of the secondary levers, shewing the end notchings or serrations; and
Fig. 4 is a detailed side view of one of the primary levers which are
made without the end serrations. In this lock, the ends of the
secondary levers A are notched or cut into a series of ratchet teeth B,
but the two primary levers C are made plain at their ends, and they
operate in precisely the same manner as the primary levers in the lock,
Figures 1 and 2 on Sheet 1 of my Drawings, which I have herein-before
described. In addition to the primary and secondary levers, and
working in conjunction with the latter, I employ a detent or "lever
fixer"), working on a fixed centre E, in the back of the lock. The
arm F of this lever is notched on its under side, and when the bolt G
is out it rests upon the inclined projection H, on the upper edge of
the bolt, against which it is kept pressed by the blade spring I, as
shewn in the Drawings. The face of the primary levers in this lock,
as in the lever lock which I have herein-before described, project
beyond the face of the secondary levers, as shewn in the Drawings.
When the bolt is either full out or full in, the detent D is per-
fectly free from the ratchet teeth in the secondary levers, but should
the primary levers have been properly adjusted without the secondary
ones being in their correct positions and the bolt pushed back into
the rackings of the primary levers, then the sliding action of the
incliued projection H, against the arm F of the "lever fixer," will
cause the detent D to enter the notches of the secondary levers, and
fix them in such a manner as to effectually prevent any further adjust-
ment of their positions until the bolt has been again locked out and the
detent removed from the teeth in the secondary levers, thereby bringing
the whole of the working parts of the lock into their original positions,
and rendering it necessary to recommence the operation of picking
from the beginning. It will thus be evident that unless the whole of
the levers are correctly arranged before the motion is given to the bolt,
the lock cannot be opened. Fig. 5 on the same Sheet of Drawings
represents a side elevation of another arrangement of lever lock, fitted
with primary and secondary levers. as herein-before described, in

page_text: A
addition to which there are two moveable pieces which act as detectors;
Fig. 6 is a horizontal section of the same, with the upper moveable
piece removed; Fig. 7 is a detail of one of the primary levers, and
Fig. 8 is a similar detail of a secondary lever. In this lock the upper
moveable piece A acts as an ordinary detector whenever any of the
levers are over-elevated. This is effected by the ends of the levers
pressing against the tail B, of the moveable piece, which works upon a
fixed centre at C, the opposite end of the moveable piece being hooked
to take or enter into a notch D, in the upper edge of the bolt.
spring E serves to fix the moveable piece A in either position, whether
iu or out of action. I may here observe that I make no claim to this
first moveable piece or detector, except as working in conjunction with
the second detector or moveable piece F. This detector works on the
fixed centre G, and is held in position by the spring H. It is actuated
from below the tail piece I, bearing against the under sides of the
levers by the action of the spring H. The other end of the detector is
hooked at J, and projects slightly into an inclined notch K, on the
upper edge of the bolt. By this arrangement it is obvious that sup-
posing the primary levers to have been correctly adjusted, if any one or
more of the levers is elevated either too much or too little, one of the
detectors will be brought into action. Thus, supposing a lever to be
unduly elevated, it will press upon the tail B of the detector or
moveable piece A, thereby bringing its hook or catch into the notch D,
where it is retained by the spring E, until released by shooting the
bolt into the regulating notch L of the levers. Or if any one or more
of the levers are not sufficiently elevated, then the hook J of the
detector F is not withdrawn from the notch K, and on the bolt being
pushed back the inclined side of the notch draws down the hook,
overthrows the detector, and effectually fixes the bolt and prevents any
further manipulation with the interior of the lock until the same has
been regulated in the usual manner. In order to prevent the lock
from being picked by first finding the regulating notch, and then
pushing the bolt into the true racking which corresponds to it, I have
made a series of false notches M in the regulating faces of the levers,
having the projections between them of varying lengths.

page_text: Fig. 1 on Sheet 3 of my Drawings represents a side elevation of
another arrangement of lever lock, somewhat similar to the lock which
I have last described; Fig. 2 is a corresponding vertical transvers
section of the lock, and Fig. 3 is a horizontal section of the same;
Fig. 4 is a side elevation of one of the secondary levers detached, and
Fig. 5 is a similar view of a primary lever. In this lock I have
employed the two moveable pieces A and B, not as detectors, as in the
lock I have just described, but merely as bolt retainers, each piece
being raised and lowered, and brought back again to its original
position by suitable springs C, D. The secondary levers E, are made
open without any racking whatever. The primary levers F, however,
have a racking G, as in the same class of levers which I have herein-
before described. Any back pressure exerted upon the bolt will be
received by the primary levers F. The security of the lock is attained
by the movcable pieces A and B; should any one or more of the
levers bo elevated too much, then the moveable piece or catch A is
brought into action by the end of such lever pressing against the tail II
of the catch A, which oscillates upon the fixed centre J. The hooked
end J of this catch is thereby brought down into the notch K of the
bolt, and it effectually retains or fixes it until the lever is relieved
again. The second moveable pieco B is pressed upwards by the small
spring D, but it is held down by the ends of the levers which bear
upon the tail piece L. This second catch B works on the fixed centre
I, and when any one or more of the levers are not sufficiently elevated
the small stump or projection M on the side of the bolt will not corre-
spond to the slot N in the tail of the catch B, and therefore the bolt
cannot be shot back; Fig. 6 on the same Sheet of Drawings represents
a plan of the steel plate or that portion of what is known as Bramah's
patent lock to which my improvements are applicable; Fig. 7 is a side
elevation and partial section of the barrel and steel plate combined,
and Fig. 8 is a side elevation of one of the guards, shewing the position
of the true notch and false notches, the latter being made of varying
depths. The steel plate A has one of the slots B formed to fit the
primary guard closely for the purpose of retaining the barrel in its
position when locked. The slots for the other or secondary guards C

page_text: are made wider, and the secondary guards are free to be moved without
being in contact with the steel plate until the primary guard has been
properly adjusted and the barrel partially turned. The false notches
Din the guards coming against the sloping edge E of the detectors
F, will fix the secondary guards and prevent any further adjustment
of the same. The detectors or moveable pieces F are fitted to the
steel plate by screws at G, and they are retained in their places by the
springs H. The contact edges of the steel plate and of the moveable
pieces or detectors are bevilled or inclined on the side, so that when
any pressure is applied against the edges E of the detectors they will
slide up the incline of the steel plate, and will be brought into the
position shewn at I, which represents one of the detectors in action or
thrown. In order to allow of the throwing of the detectors, a series of
recesses J are made in the barrel K. It will thus be obvious that by
throwing any one or more of the detectors a double thickness of metal
will be presented to the narrow groove L, in the barrel K, which will
The detectors are
effectually prevent the further turning of the same.
regulated by turning the barrel in the contrary direction, the opposite
edges of the recesses bringing them back again to their original
position.
I shall now proceed to describe the second part of my Invention,
which relates to certain improvements in the construction of latches.
Fig. 9 on Sheet 2 of my Drawings represents a side elevation of
my improved latch, with the face plate or cover removed to shew the
internal arrangement.
"
To the end of the bolt A, is attached by a pin joint B, the tail piece
C, which is strengthened by the curved piece D, the follow or double
lever E, worked by the latch handle or knob, fits at each extremity into
the two semicircular grooves F, in the side lugs of the tail piece. The
bolt is guided and supported by the "follower" G, which is attached to
it at B, and works on a fixed centre at H. It is kept pushed forward
by the free end of the blade spring I, its other end being rivetted or
otherwise secured to the lock plate. It will thus be obvious that
whichever way the handle turned, the double lever or follow E will
always act equally well upon the tail piece, and draw back the bolt by

page_text: making the contact surfaces semicircular or curved between the ends of
the double lever or follow, as well as the recesses or grooves in the tail
piece; a rolling action will be produced between such surfaces, thereby
greatly diminishing the friction of the same. Fig. 9 on Sheet 3 of my
Drawings represents a slight modification of this latch. The tail piece
A in this case is attached to the follower B, instead of to the end of the
bolt itself, and the contact surfaces consist of knife edges C, C, formed
on the ends of the follow or double lever D. These knife edges work
into the angular recesses in the side lugs E of the tail piece.
By this means the friction or rubbing action will be still further
reduced, if not altogether avoided, as the knife edges need never
rub over the angular recesses, as will be obvious on referring to the
Drawings.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of my
said Invention, and the manner in which the same is or may be usel
or carried into effect, I would observe, in conclusion, that I do not
confine or restrict myself to the precise details or arrangements which
I have had occasion to describe or refer to, as many variations may
be made therefrom without deviating from the principles or main
features of my said Invention; but what I consider to be novel and
original, and therefore claim as the Invention secured to me by the
herein-before in part recited Letters Patent, is,-
First, the general arrangement and construction of locks and latches,
as herein-before described.
Second, the application and use in locks of any kind of one or more
primary levers, guards, slides, or tumblers, which are brought into
action before the rest of the levers, guards, slides or tumblers contained
in such locks for the purpose herein-before described.
Third, the system or mode of arranging and constructing locks, with
what I have herein-before termed my primary and secondary levers.
Fourth, the application and use in locks of false notches with varying
lengths of intermediate projections, as herein-before described.
Fifth, the application and use of a stump of varying thickness, as
herein-before described.
Sixth, the peculiar arrangement and combination of detectors actuated

page_text: both from above and from below the levers or tumblers, as herein-before
described.
Seventh, the application and use in combination with my system of
primary and secondary levers of the moveable pieces, herein-before
described, for holding the bolt when the levers or tumblers are elevated
too high or not high enough.
Eighth, the application and use of the detent and serrated levers for
the purpose of fixing the same when not properly adjusted.
Ninth, the system or mode of arranging and constructing locks with
stumps of unequal thicknesses or with lateral notches therein.
Tenth, the system or mode of arranging and constructing locks
wherein my system of primary and secondary levers or actions is com-
bined with false notches in what is known as Barron's lock.
Eleventh, the system or mode of arranging and constructing what
are known as Bramah's locks, wherein my system of primary and
secondary guards is combined with false notches and detectors.
Twelfth, the application and use of the loose tail piece, constructed
as shewn in the Drawings, such tail piece being attached either to the
bolt of the latch or to the follower or guide.
Thirteenth, the application and use of the double lever or follow in
combination with the loose tail piece in latches, as herein-before
described.
In witness whereof, 1, the said James Gibbons, bave hereunto
set my hand and seal, the Twenty-first day of June, One
thousand eight hundred and fifty-four.
CIDDONS
JAMES GIBBONS, Junion. (10)
JUNIOR