IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF LOCKS
Year: 1855

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Alfred Vincent Newton, of the Office for Patents, 66,
Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Mechanical Draughtsman,
for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF LOCKS."-
A communication.
Sealed the 14th March 1856, and dated the 14th November 1855.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Alfred Vincent Newton
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
14th November 1855.
I, ALFRED VINCENT NEWTON, of the Office for Patents, 66, Chancery Lane,
in the County of Middlesex, Mechanical Draughtsman, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF
Locks" to be as follows:-
any
These improvements in the construction of locks relate to various novel
arrangements and constructions of the internal parts of locks, whereby it is
rendered impossible to throw back the bolt and open the lock with other
instrument than the right key. This object is effected by the employment of
a set of inert tumblers upon which the form of the key is impressed, after
which they are removed from reach or influence through the keyhole before
they reach the fence, which permits them, if properly arranged, to be moved
far enough to allow the bolt to be thrown, but which prevents them from being
moved unless they are properly arranged. In order to increase the difficulties
of surreptitiously making an instrument to open the lock instead of the proper
key, and which could be done if the position of the tumblers could be ascer-
tained, the tumblers are, after withdrawing the key, always brought back to
their original position, so that they will in no way indicate what kind of key or i

page_text: instrument has been used in opening the lock. The edges or ends of these key
tumblers are also cut away, so as to prevent the long bits of the key from
marking their length upon the tumblers. By thus cutting away the ends of
the tumblers, all chance of taking an impression of the long bits of the key
which has been used to open the lock is avoided. As the usual mode of ascer-
taining the position of the tumblers is by taking an impression thereof on the
key by means of paint or lamp black, I propose to employ a wiper to pass over
the surface of the tumblers which have been acted upon by the short bits of
the key. This wiper is attached to an excentric curved piece placed round the
keyhole, so that it may be acted upon by the key or any other instrument that
is introduced therein. This wiper-will, therefore, remove any print or track
which might have been left by the short bits on the key tumblers in acting on
them, and thus prevent the slightest chance of taking an impression of any of
the bits of the key.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Alfred Vincent Newton in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 14th May, 1856...
TO ALL TO WHOM. THESE, PRESENTS, SHALL, COME,. I, ALFRED
VINCENT NEWTON, of the Office for Patents, 66, Chancery Lane, in the County
of Middlesex, Mechanical Draughtsman, send greeting,
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Fourteenth day of November, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-five, in the nineteenth year of
Her reign, did, for, Herself, Her, heirs and successors, give and grant unto
me, the said Alfred Vincent Newton, Her special license that I, the said
Alfred Vincent, Newton, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such
others as I, the said Alfred Vincent Nowton, my executors, administrators, and
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 lawfully
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 THE; CONSTRUCTION OF LOCKS," being a communication from
abroad, upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Alfred Vincent
Newton, by an instrument in writing under my band 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

page_text: Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar months next and immediately
after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Alfred Vincent Newton, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to
be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement, reference being had to the Drawings hereunto annexed,
and to the letters and figures marked thereon, that is to say):-
The first part of this Invention, as communicated to me by my foreign corre-
spondent, consists of a method of impressing the form of the key upon inert
tumblers, which are then removed from reach or influence through the key-
hole before they reach the fence, which permits them, if properly arranged, to
be moved far enough to permit the bolt to be thrown, but which checks them
if not properly arranged. And this part of the Invention also consists in
restoring or bringing back the tumblers to their original relative position as
they are brought back within reach of the key, that they can in no manner
indicate what key has been used. And the Invention also consists in so cutting
the edges of that portion of the key tumblers on which the key acts, as to pre-
vent the long bits of the key from marking their length upon the tumblers;
and thereby avoiding all chance of taking an impression of the long bits of the
key which has been used. And this part of the Invention also consists in the
employment of a wiper to pass over the surface of the tumblers which have
been acted upon by the short bits of the key, to remove any print or track
which might have been left by the short bits in acting upon them, and thereby
avoiding all chance of taking an impression of any of the bits of the key.
In Sheet I. of the accompanying Drawings, Fig. 1 represents the inner face
of the lock, with the cap removed; Fig. 2, a like view, with the cross bolt
removed; Figs. 3 and 4, sections taken at the lines A, a, and B, 6, of Fig. 1;
Fig. 5, a separate view of the knob shaft, and a lever actuated by arms on
the knob shaft; Fig. 6, a longitudinal section of the knob shaft; Fig. 7, a
separate perspective view of the lever operated by the knob shaft; Fig. 8, an
edge view of the cross bolt; Figs. 9, 10, and 11, views of separate parts; and
Figs. 12, 13, and 14, separate views of the key.
In Sheet II., Fig. 15 is a face view of a permutation lock, on the improved
plan; Fig. 16, a section, taken at the line C, c, of Fig. 15; Fig. 17, a section,
representing one of the fence tumblers, with the mode of dogging them;
Fig. 18, separate view of the draw-down plate; Fig. 19, a sectional view of
the same; Fig. 20, a separate view of one of the true tumblers; Fig. 21, a
separate view of one of the key or intermediate tumblers; Fig. 22, separate
view of one of the plates interposed between the true tumblers; Fig. 23, sepa-

page_text: rate view of one of the plates interposed between the key tumblers; and
Fig. 24, a separate view of the key. The same letters indicate like parts in the
several Figures of each Sheet.
In Sheet I., which represents the mode of application of the first part of the
Invention to an unchangeable or non-permutating lock, A represents the case,
which may be of any desired form, with a lock bolt B, thrown by an arm or
projection c on the knob shaft C. The bolt B is prevented from being or per-
mitted to be thrown back by a cross bolt D, which slides in the lock case, at
right angles to the main bolt B. This cross bolt has a projection d from its
under face, which lies back of the main bolt, to prevent it from being thrown
back, except when the cross bolt is thrown up to its highest position, when
this projection is carried up sufficiently high to permit the shoulder 6 of the
main bolt to pass.
The cross bolt is operated by another arm c¹ on the knob
shaft, which works in a recess d of the cross bolt. The upper end of the cross
bolt is notched, as at d", to pass on to a fence a, projecting from the lock case,
and so long as this notch is free to the bottom, the lock bolt can be thrown in
and out by the knob shaft, for then the cross bolt is free to be moved up and
down. Through the body of the cross bolt there is a mortise, which intersects
the notch d", and in this mortise are fitted a series of sliding inert tumblers E,
with plates O interposed to bind the tumblers sufficiently to prevent them from
moving by gravity, but yet leaving them sufficiently free to be moved by the
key when required. These intermediate plates occupy the whole length and
depth of the mortise, and they are notched to correspond with the notch d" in
the end of the cross tumblers, to pass on to the fence. The tumblers are
shorter than the depth of the mortise in which they slide, and their upper edges
are also notched as at e, to fit into the fence when in the proper position; but
the several tumblers should be notched at different distances from their outer
edges, so that each will be required to be placed at a different depth from tho
surface of the cross bolt to fit on to the fence. The plates 0 are interposed
between the several tumblers to prevent the motion of one from being
influenced by the motions of those next to it.
When the cross bolt is in its lowest position, the lower portion of each of
the tumblers is under a slot j, or keyhole in the lock plate, and the interposed
plates O are notched as at O', to permit the key to enter and act on the tum-
blers. The key F is a thin plate of metal, with one end binged to two plates
ff, which form a handle, and into which it can be shut to conceal the outer
end f, and for convenience of carrying. The other end of it is cut out to act
on all the tumblers and force each one to the required depth, to bring tho
notch of all of them in line with the notch d" in the end of the cross bolt,

page_text: that the said cross bolt may be thrown up to liberate the main bolt. Now, as
the cross bolt is moved up by the knob shaft, it carries the tumblers beyond the
reach of the keyhole before they reach the fence, and as the main bolt cannot
be thrown back until the cross bolt is thrown entirely up, it follows, that if the
key which has been impressed on the tumblers is not correct, the tumblers will
not be in a proper position to pass on to the fence, and hence the cross bolt
will be stopped, and thus prevent the main bolt from being thrown back, and
as the tumblers are at this time beyond the reach of the keyhole, or beyond
the reach of any thing which might be introduced in the keyhole, therefore
the cross bolt must be let down again to bring the tumblers in the line of the
keyhole before they can again be acted upon.
If the tumblers, after unlocking, were brought back to the keyhole in the
same position in which they were when acted upon by the true key, an
inspection might be made that would aid in making a false key with which to
open the lock. To prevent this, the tumblers are all restored to their original
position by the very act of bringing them back to the keyhole. This is done
by a rod h, on the end of a lever II, which is hung to the cross bolt. This
arm works in a slot in the cross bolt, and in the plates O interposed between
the tumblers, so that when the lever is pressed up the rod h acts on the lower
edge of all the tumblers, and brings the upper edge of all of them flush with
the upper surface of the cross bolt. This lever H is lifted as the cross bolt is
moved down by the end of the rod h, riding up on an inclined face i of a
curved lever I, and this lifts all the tumblers at once. As the cross bolt is
thrown up, the end i of the lever is thrown back out of the way by the end of
the rod striking an oblique face on the end of the lever, and then the lever
is restored by the action of a cam-like projection c" on the key shaft striking
the other arm of the curved lever 1. In this way it will be seen that at
every attempt to unlock, the impression previously made on the tumblers is
effaced or removed, so that no trace is left of the previous attempt.
In Sheet II., which represents the mode of application of my said Invention
to a permutation lock, A represents the lock case; and B, the main bolt which
is thrown by the action of the bit c of the key C on the recess b, represented
by dotted lines in Fig. 15. The main bolt carries a series of true tumblers E,
which slide thereon at right angles to the motion of the bolt. Between the
several tumblers are interposed plates L, to prevent the motion of one from
influencing the others. The tumblers are held, as in the first example, by the
friction of the intermediate plates, so as to be inert and yet be free to move
when acted upon. They are held to their places by the draw down plate D,
which slides vertically between suitable ways attached to the lock plate; and

page_text: Below the true
H, which slide
it has two vertical mortises d, d, connected at bottom by a horizontal mortise,
and these several mortises so connected fit on a square stud pin b', projecting
from the face of the bolt, for the purpose of holding the bolt in place, whether
thrown in or out; and therefore the bolt cannot be thrown without first lifting
the draw-down plate until the lower edge of the mortises come in contact with
the lower surface of the stud pin. This draw-down plate is formed with an
elliptical mortise d', in which the upper bit c' of the key works to lift it before
the bolt is either thrown in or out, and then to carry it down. The
upper end
of this plate is provided with a flanch d", which extends over the upper edge
of the true tumblers, for the purpose of drawing them down to their original
position after they have been carried up by the action of the true or false key.
And the said plate is also provided with another like flanch a short distance
above the keyhole, which extends over the upper edge of a recess in the upper
edge of the key tumblers H, to be presently described, to draw them down
also after they have been lifted by the true or false key.
tumblers there is a corresponding series of key tumblers
vertically in the bolt, and having plates M interposed between them, as in the
case of the true tumblers. The upper part of the key tumblers is recessed as
at h, leaving a stem h" on each side that can pass up on each side of the lower
steme of the true tumblers, except when the bolt is thrown either entirely in
or entirely out; but when the main bolt is thrown entirely in or out, then
the lower stem e of the true tumblers rests on the angle of one or the other of
the stems of the key tumblers. In this way the key tumblers are alone acted
upon directly by the key, whilst the true tumblers which are not reached by
the key can only be acted upon by the key tumblers when the bolt is either
entirely in or entirely out; but whilst the bolt is in motion in either direction
the true tumblers are entirely independant of, and do not touch the key
tumblers, so that the true tumblers must have been properly set by the key
through the key tumblers before the bolt begins to move, otherwise they will
not fit the fence. Just back of the true tumblers there is a series of fence
tumblers F, which slide vertically in suitable ways attached to the lock plate,
and, like the other tumblers, with plates interposed. Each of these tumblers
has a projecting stem f, which fits accurately into a recess in the rear edge of
the true tumblers, so that when these fence tumblers are properly set to a
given permutation, corresponding with the permutation bits c" of the key, the
main tumblers when set by that key will fit and slide on the stems of the fence
tumblers, and permit the bolt to be thrown back; but if a different key, or
the same key with a different permutation be used, the true tumblers will not
be set to pass on to the fence, and hence the bolt will be prevented from

page_text: moving back. The rear edge of the true tumblers, when the bolt is thrown
forward, is at such a distance from the stem of the fence tumblers that they
must be liberated from contact with the key tumblers before they reach the
fence, and during that time the true tumblers are not only entirely inert, but
they are beyond the reach of the key, or any influence passing through the
keyhole, and therefore cannot be moved by any means to fit over the fence
tumblers, except by being carried back to their original position. And to
remove all traces of any attempt, made to unlock the bolt, the draw-down
plate is drawn down by the key, which forces all the true tumblers, as well as
the key tumblers, back to their original position, so as to leave no trace of the
action of the key. After the key and the true tumblers have been set, they
are dogged and held in place during the throwing of the bolt by means of
dogs I and J, one for each set of tumblers. These dogs catch in teeth in the
forward edge of the two sets of tumblers. E and F, and the lower arms of the
dogs turn on stud pins, one attached to the bolt and the other to the lock
plate, and each is provided with another arm i and-j, the outer end of which.
fits in a mortise or recess, one made in the lock case and the other in the
main bolt, so formed as to operate the dogs at the end of the motion or throw
of the bolt either way, for the purpose of liberating the tumblers at the end of
the bolt motion, and to dog and hold them during the motions of the bolt.
The fence tumblers are also dogged and held in place except during the
unlocked position of the bolt, and to liberate them at the end of the back
motion of the bolt, the bolt where it acts on the arm k of the lever K is
similarly constructed as for the arms i and j.
The key is surrounded by an excentric cylinder N, with a portion cut out
to allow the bit of the key to pass through it. When the key is inserted, this
cut out part is at the greatest distance from the axis of the key, and hence, as
the key is turned, and with it the excentric cylindrical ring or hoop, the bit
of the key gradually protrudes through the periphery to act on the key tumblers,
the lower edge of which is in the form of the segment of a circle, to be acted
upon by the permutation bits of the key. If this segment of a circle was of
sufficient extent, it is obvious that each bit would in turn, according to its
length, touch some portion of the surface before beginning, to lift the tumbler.
Now, if ink, lamp black, or any other marking substance be put on the curved
edge of the tumblers and the true key be applied, the marking substance will be
spread on the curved edge of each key tumbler to an extent due to the length
of the bit of the key, and the place where the mark commences on each
tumbler will give the length of the bit required for the lifting of that particular
tumbler, so that by obtaining an impression of the tumblers; so marked the
length of each successive bit can be obtained, and from this a false key made

page_text: which will open the lock. To prevent any such trace from being obtained,
the edge of the tumblers is cut off to an angle, as at h', ', so that the end of
the long bits will not touch the curved surface of the tumblers first, but so
that the side of the bits will strike first against the angle where the tumbler
has been cut off.. And for the purpose of removing from the curved edge of
the tumblers all traces or marks which might be left on the curved edge of the
tumblers within the angles by the short bits of the key, the excentric cylindrical
ring N is provided with a projection n, termed a wiper, which, as the excentric
cylindrical ring is turned by the key, rubs against and wipes off from the
curved edges of the tumblers all traces of the passage of the key. In this way
I am enabled to prevent and remove all traces of the passage of the key, from
which any impression might be taken to aid in fitting a false key.
I do not wish to be understood as limiting myself to the special construction
or constructions herein specified, as the mode of application of the principle of
the Invention may be variously modified by the substitution of equivalents;
what I claim as the Invention secured to me by the above in part recited
Letters Patent is, the method herein described of impressing the form of the
key upon inert tumblers, which are then removed from reach or influence
through the keyhole before they reach the fence, which permits them, if
properly arranged, to be moved far enough to throw the bolt, and which checks
them if not properly arranged, as described.
I also clain restoring the tumblers to their original relative position as
they are brought back to the keyhole, as described, that all traces of the
position in which they were placed by former attempts may be removed.
I also claim cutting the ends of the curved portion of the tumblers to an
angle, against which the bits act, as described, that the sides of the bits of the
key shall first strike the said tumblers instead of the ends of the bits, as
described, and for the purpose specified.
And I also claim the employment of a wiper, as described, to sweep over
the edge of the tumblers, acted upon by the bits of the key to remove all
impression that might be left of the passage of the key, as set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said Alfred Vincent Newton, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, the Tenth day of May, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-six.
Witness,
J. W. MOFFATT, 66, Chancery Lane.
A. V. NEWTON. (L.S.)