Safety Look for Goods-waggons
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 27th Feb., 1893-Accepted, 20th May, 1893
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Safety Look for Goods-waggons,
1, GEORG VOGT of Lahr Railway Station, Baden in the Empire of Germany,
Railway Manager, 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 the present invention forms a safety-lock for goods-vans which
lock is of the class known as combination or letter-locks and which offers still
greater difficulties than heretofore to unauthorized persons in unlocking it, as not
only the usual word or number is required to be known but also an extra
locking device has to be operated namely the lifting of the upper part of the lock
from its bed plate.
In the accompanying drawing the interior mechanism of the lock is clearly
illustrated.
Figure 1 is a vertical section through the centre line of the lock,
Figure 2 is a similar section showing the parts in the position they would occupy
when the lock is unlocked,
Figure 3, is a top view of the number discs,
Figure 4 is a top view of the coupling discs,
Figure 5 shows the middle plate,
Figure 6 shows the bed plate,
Figure 7 is a side view of the lower coupling part,
Figure 8, shows in vertical section the mechanism for securing the lock in its
open position and in a state of rest and
Figure 9, is a vertical section of the same mechanism in action.
The essential features of the new safety lock for which the present application
is made consists in 3 main parts, a bed-plate A, a middle plate B for setting the
letter discs and a cover plate C for the reception of the letter discs. The last
named plate C carries, as shown in the drawing, 4 shanks a with button-heads, b
and the letter or numbered discs c in suitable recesses. The plate itself is provided
with marks d Figure 3, for setting the numbers or letters required for unlocking
the lock. Each shank a carries at its lower extremity below the plate C, a toothed
disc e.
The middle plate B Figure 5 is provided with four recesses corresponding to
the said toothed discs e into which recesses are fixed the discs g shown in Figure 7.
The latter carry shanks h, whose upper ends are made to fit into corresponding
holes of the shanks a. These holes also receive the spiral springs k which press
against the ends of the shanks h. Pins are inserted into the shanks in a position
therein below the plate B, so as to keep the discs g in their proper place. The
lower extremity of the shanks is provided with a bit or web m (see Figure 7),
which fits and passes through a corresponding opening formed in the bed
plate A, see Figure 6. Each of the discs g has a pin o which is made to enter into
the toothed disc e in order to couple the two shanks a and together. In addition
to the recesses for the discs g, another recess and hole near one end of the plate B
are provided for the reception of the locking spring catch p, which latter is retained
in its position by a spring 9. The spring catch p enters into a suitable notch of
the locking bolt r, which latter passes into the interior of the lock through an
opening at the end thereof. A screw t, passing through these plates B and C and
having screw threads & and a square part u and guided in a hole in the bed plate A,
is provided to facilitate the lifting away of the upper plates B and C from the bed
plate A when the correct position of the letter discs has been attained, and thus,

page_text: by retiring the locking spring catch p from its notch in the locking bolt », the lock
is unlocked.
Screws are passed through the plate A for the purpose of regulating the
lift of the plates B and C. The screw t serves also, after having lifted the
plates B and C away from the plate A, to separate the plates B and C from each
other by giving it several turns, which is now possible, as, after having lifted the
plates B and C up, the square part of the screw t is retired from the square
opening in the fixed plate and enters into the larger hole w in the bed plate A.
By separating the plates B and C from each other, the pins o of the discs gare
brought out of contact with the toothed discs c, so as to allow of altering the
numbered discs to another letter or number. To prevent the plates B and C from
approaching the plate A by accident during the operation, the upper plate C is
provided on its inner side with a bell crank lever which is lodged in a recess in
the plate B, Figure 9, and is kept in its normal position by a spring y, so that the
free arm of it is made to enter the hole in the plate A, but, by twisting the screw,
will bear on the plate A.
The action of the mechanism for unlocking is as follows: After having turned
the numbered discs by means of the button heads & so as to place the required
numbers opposite the marks d, the shanks are, through the medium of the
coupling up of the toothed discs e with the discs g and their pins o, turned so that
their bits or webs m coincide correctly with the slot n, Figure 6.
By now pulling the screw t, all the bits or webs m will pass through the slots n
and at the same time the catch p will be lifted out of the notch in the shooting
bolt which latter can then be retired and the lock be opened.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. A safety lock for goods vans comprising a row of numbered discs which are
coupled up to their corresponding shanks h in such a manner that by a certain
arrangement of the numbers all the bits or webs m of the shanks are enabled
to pass through suitable slots n in a rigid bed plate A by pulling the upper part of
the lock carrying the numbered discs and shanks out by means of its button
head t, which at the same time pulls the catch p out of the notch in the shooting
bolt and thus unlocks the lock.
7"
2. In conjunction with the parts of the safety lock above claimed, an arrange-
ment for setting the numbers or letters represented on the discs to other numbers
or letters, consisting of a coupling comprising the toothed disc e, the plain disc
and the pin o on the latter disc, which becomes disengaged on the parts B and
of the lock carrying the said coupling device becoming separated from each other
by turning the screw t.
3. In connection with the above claimed safety lock, a device for keeping the
plates B and C at a distance from the plate A and consisting of a bell crank lever
which is lodged in a recess formed in the plate B, is fixed to plate C and one arm
of which in the normal position of the lever is caused by the action of the spring y
to enter the hole j in the bed plate A, but which during the setting of the numbered
discs bears on the plate A.
4. In safety locks for goods vans, the peculiar arrangement and combination of
parts substantially as herein shown and described.
Dated this 27th day of February 1893.
GEORG VOGT,
By Harris & Mills,
23, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents.