An Improved Retaining and Releasing Device for use with the Lock Bolts and Latches of Doors.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 27th May, 1890
Complete Specification Left, 25th Feb., 1891-Accepted, 28th Mar., 1891
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Retaining and Releasing Device for use with the Lock
Bolts and Latches of Doors.
I, WALTER DE HOGHTON BIRCH, of Kerry, in the County of Montgomery, Land
and Estate Agent, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention consists of an arrangement of spring and catch apparatus for use
with the spring lock bolt or latch of a door designed to retain or hold back the bolt
or sustain or hold up the latch when the door is open and to release the bolt or let
down the latch when the door is closed and thereby to obviate the friction and wear
and tear and the necessity for the usual banging to of the door when closing
it which obtains in the ordinary arrangements in which the spring bolt is moved
back or the latch lifted in the closing operation by their passing contact with the
edge of the usual retaining catch or notch on the door jamb.
As applied to a horizontally sliding spring lock bolt, my improved spring and
catch device comprises a flat spring inserted edgewise up in a space left between the
rear side of the bolt and the back plate of the lock. The inner end of the spring is
fastened to the back of the bolt and its other or free end presses against the back
plate of the lock and meets or engages with a catch or stop on the adjoining face of
the back plate so that when the door is open the bolt is held back. A horizontal
push pin behind the free end of the spring passes through a hole in the door and
projects somewhat through on the other side so that when the door is closed
the projecting end of the pin meets the door jamb, and pushes back the spring clear
of the catch or stop and releases the bolt thus fastening the door.
When the bolt is
moved back and the door opened the pressure of the push pin is withdrawn from
the spring which is then free to press against the back plate and to meet or engage
with the catch or stop and so to retain or hold back the bolt whilst the door
remains open.
When my improved spring and catch device is applied to a pivoted lifting latch
(such as those of the "Norfolk" type) I employ a bent flat spring whose upper end
is fastened to the door somewhat above the latch, its lower or free end being
continued somewhat below the latch and meeting the inner end of a push pin
arranged and operating as hereinabove described. The inner side of the flat spring
rests upon the outer side of the latch and carries a projecting catch or stop so
placed that the lower edge of the latch may rest upon the projecting catch so as to
be held up when the door is open but when the door is closed the push pin (when its
projecting end meets the door jamb) presses out the spring and moves the stop clear
of the latch which being released falls or drops into its retaining notch thereby
fastening the door. When the door is reopened and the latch raised the spring is
free to return to its former position and to bring its projecting stop under the latch
and sustain it in its raised position until the door is again closed.
Dated thin 97th day of May 1900
W. LLOYD WISE,
Per F. J. Brougham,
46, Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, W.C., Agent for the Applicant.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Retaining and Releasing Device for use with the Lock
Bolts and: Latches of Doors.
I, WALTER DE HOGHTON BIRCH, of Kerry, in the County of Montgomery,
Land and Estate Agent, 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 :—
My present invention consists of an arrangement of spring and catch apparatus
for use with the spring lock bolt or latch of a door designed to retain or hold back the
bolt or sustain or hold up the latch when the door is open and to release the bolt or
let down the latch when the door is closed and thereby to obviate the friction and
wear and tear and the necessity for the usual banging to of the door when closing it
which is caused in the ordinary arrangements in which the spring bolt is moved back
or the latch lifted in the closing operation by their passing contact with the edge of
the usual retaining catch or notch on the door jamb.
In order that my invention may be fully understood and so that it may be readily
carried into effect I will proceed to referring in so doing to the accompanying sheet
of drawings in which Fig. 1 is the back elevation of a door catch or latch having a
horizontally sliding spring lock or catch bolt and fitted with my improved device.
Fig. 2 is a similar elevation of the same with the back plate removed and Figs. 3
and 4 are sectional plans of said spring lock or catch bolt secured to a door in
accordance with my present invention. Fig. 3 representing the door closed and
Fig. 4 the said door open. Fig. 5 is a front elevation of a pivotted lifting latch
secured to a door in accordance with my present invention and Figs. 6 and 7 are
sectional plans taken on line b. b. of Fig. 5 the said Fig. 6 illustrates the door
closed and Fig. 7 the door open. Fig. 8 is a cross sectional elevation taken on
line c. c. of Fig. 7 and Fig. 9 is a cross sectional elevation taken on line d. d. of
Fig. 6.
Like letters of reference denote corresponding parts in each view. In referring
to Figs. 1, 2, 3 and 4 it will be seen that my improved catch device comprises a flat
spring E which is inserted edgewise up the space f' between the side of the catch
bolt F and the back plate g¹ of the lock G. The inner end e¹ of the spring E is
fastened to the back of the bolt F preferably by being passed through the slot for
it may be secured to the back of the bolt F by means of suitable screws or rivets.
A portion of the free or outer end of the flat spring E presses against the back
plate g of the lock G as shown at Figs. 3 and 4 and the extreme portion of said free
end of the spring E meets or engages with a catch or stop which may either be
made on the adjoining face of the said back plate gl or in order to form said catch
or stop I form a suitable hole y2 in said back plate g¹ and the extreme end e² of the
spring E catches against the right hand side thereof when the door is open see
Fig. 4 thus the said spring E retains or holds back the spring lock or catch bolt F.
I arrange a horizontal push pin H behind the free end e² of spring E and the said
push pin H passes through a hole in the door J and its end ½ projects somewhat
through the inner side of door J so that when the door is closed see Fig. 3 the
projecting end h¹ of the push pin H meets the door jamb K or piece of metal k¹
secured to the said jamb K for the purpose and pushes back the free end e³ of the
spring E until it becomes clear of the catch or stop formed by the hole g, and so
releases the bolt F and the usual spring g³ of the lock G is free to push the bolt F
home in the ordinary manner thus securing the door when closed as shown at Fig. 3.
When the bolt P is moved back by means of turning the knob or handle L of
the lock G in the ordinary manner and the door pressed or pulled open it will be
obvious that the pressure of the push pin H is withdrawn from the free end of the
spring E and the said spring E is again free to press against the back plate y¹ and
meet the catch formed by the hole and so to retain or hold back the bolt F whilst
the door J remains open as shown at Fig. 4.

page_text: With reference to Figs. 5. 6. 7. 8 and 9 my improved spring and catch device is
applied to a pivotted lifting latch and in this case I employ a bent flat spring whose
upper end is fastened to the door J somewhat above the latch M and its lower or
free end is continued somewhat below the latch and meets the inner end h³ of the
push pin H which is arranged and operated in a similar manner to the push pin H
hereinbefore described with reference to Figs. 3 and 4. The inner side of the flat
spring E rests upon the outer side of the latch M and carries a projecting catch or
stop so placed that the lower edge m¹ of the latch M will rest thereon when the
door J is open as shown at Figs. 7 and 8 but when the door J is closed the project-
ing end h¹, of the push pin H presses away or outwards the free end e² of the flat
spring E until the projecting catch or stope becomes clear of the underside m¹ of the
Latch M when the latter is free to fall into the fastening or retaining notch N
thereby fastening the door J. When the door J is re-opened and the latch M
raised the spring E is free to return to its former position and to bring the project-
ing stop e under the latch M and thus to sustain the said latch M in a raised
position until the door J is again closed.
By means of my hereinbefore described invention it will be obvious that the
latches or catches of locks latches or other similar door fastenings are prevented
from coming into contact with the usual inclined plane in order to press them up or
away so that either their weight or a spring may subsequently form them into
fastening position my invention therefore obviates the friction and wear and tear
upon the bolts catches or latches M and E and also the necessity for the usual
banging of the door when closed.
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 bolt or latch of a door or other similar fastening the use of a spring
such as E which will hold the lock bolt or latch F back when the door J is open in
combination with a push pin such as H or its equivalent for the releasing of the said
spring E when the door J is closed substantially as described and illustrated at
Figs. 1 2 3 and 4 of the drawings accompanying this Specification or any mere
modification thereof.
2. In a pivotted lifting latch such as M for fastening a door the use of a spring E
which will retain the latch M in raised position when the door J is opened in
combination with a push pin H or its equivalent for the releasing of the said
spring E when the door J is closed substantially as described and illustrated at
Figs. 5. 6. 7. 8 and 9 of the drawings accompanying this Specification or any mere
modification thereof.
Dated this 24th day of February 1891
H. F. BOUGHTON, M.I. Mech. E.,
Barnsley and Sheffield, Agent.