Improved Means of Fixing Cap or Back Plates of Lock and Latch Cases.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 21st Mar., 1899
Complete Specification Left. 21st Dec. 1899-Accepted 24th Feb. 1900
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improved Means of Fixing Cap or Back Plates of Lock and Latch Cases.
I. CLARENCE ROBERT HECKFORD, trading as Joseph Spink and Son, of 111,
Stafford Street, Wolverhampton, in the County of Stafford, Lock Manufacturer,
do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
Cap or back plates of lock and latch cases have heretofore, or usually, been
fixed by screws which have been passed therethrough and screwed into holes in
the front plates. This method of fixing the cap or back plates has necessitated
providing some means for distancing apart the front and cap or back plates, and
these have usually consisted of studs riveted to the case and against the outer
ends of which the cap or back plates rest. Besides the trouble and expense
which this has involved, there is the liability of the screw threads in the holes
through the front plates becoming stripped; and, further, the appearance of the
ends of the screws at the front of a lock or latch case is unsightly.
Now, this invention has for its object improved means of fixing the cap or back
plates of lock and latch cases in place which, besides being of a very simple.
character, entirely obviate the inconveniences above referred to.
Broadly stated, the invention consists in utilizing the spring or elasticity o
sheet metal, to enable one of the portions which are to be fixed together to be
securely engaged or interlocked with the other portion. The principle once
shewn in a practical embodiment will be obviously capable of a wide range of
modification, but the nature of the invention will be sufficiently indicated in the
provisional specification by shewing a practical, and indeed preferred, form of
its application, and this I will accordingly proceed to do.
The cap or back plate of a lock or latch case is formed, as usual, of a length
which will just easily fit between the fore-end and back or hinder end.
A nib or
nibs is or are formed to project from each end of the cap or back plate, and
corresponding holes or recesses are formed in the fore-end and back or hinder
end of the case to receive the nibs. It will usually be convenient to have two
nibs projecting from the rear end of the cap or back plate and a single nib
projecting from the forward end thereof, and for convenience of description I
will describe the invention further as if this were the case; but it should be
understood that any convenient number of nibs may be used at either end of the
plate. In putting the plate in place the nibs at the hinder end thereof are first
inserted within the holes or recesses formed to receive them in the hinder end of
the case,
and then the forward end of the plate is moved inwards until its nib
comes against the back face of the fore-end of the case, and the forward end of
the back plate is continued to be pressed inwards with the effect that the fore.
end of the case is sprung outwards until the nib comes opposite to the hole or
recess formed to receive it in the fore-end, when the fore-end springs back again
into its original position thus engaging the hole or recess with the nib and
thereby securely fixing the plate. When it is desired to remove the back plate,
the fore-end is sprung outwards sufficiently to bring it clear from the nib on the

page_text: forward end of the plate, after which such end of the plate may be readily moved
outwards and the nibs at the other end of the plate be also removed from the
case. The case must, of course, be of such construction as will allow the fore-
end to be sprung outwards in the manner described, such for instance as a case
having the front plate and fore-end formed in the same piece of sheet metal.
Dated this 20th day of March 1899.
STEPHEN WATKINS & GROVES,
Wolverhampton, Agents for the Applicant.
Improved Means of Fixing Cap or Back Plates of Lock and Latch Cases.
I, CLARENCE ROBERT HECKFORD, trading as Joseph Spink and Son, of 111,
Stafford Street, Wolverhampton, in the County of Stafford, Lock 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:
Cap or back plates of lock and latch cases have heretofore, or usually, been
fixed by screws which have been passed therethrough and screwed into holes in
the front plates. Besides the trouble and expense which this has involved, there
is the liability of the screw threads in the holes through the front plates becom-
ing stripped; and, further, the appearance of the ends of the screws at the front
of a lock or latch case is unsightly.
Now, this invention has for its object improved means of fixing the cap or
back plates of lock and latch cases in place which, besides being of a very simple
character entirely obviate the objections above referred to.
Broadly stated, the invention consists in utilizing the spring or elasticity of
sheet metal to enable one of the portions which are to be fixed together to be
securely engaged or interlocked with the other portion.
A cap or back plate of a lock or latch case, and the two ends of the case, are
so formed that one end of the plate may first be engaged with one end of the
case, by passing such end of the plate or a portion or portions thereof behind a
shoulder or shoulders which has or have been formed on the end of the case, and
then the other end of the plate be engaged with the other end of the case by
first springing out such end of the case and then allowing it to return and
bring a shoulder or shoulders which has or have been formed thereon over the
corresponding end of the plate, or over a portion or portions thereof. The cap
or back plate is removed by the reverse operation, that is to say, by first
springing out one end of the case to release the corresponding end of the plate,
and then withdrawing the plate from the opposite end of the case.
In order that the invention may be readily understood, I will now proceed to
describe practical applications thereof by reference to the accompanying drawings,
of which:-
Figure 1 is a back elevation of a sheet metal lock or lateli case, with the cap
or back plate fixed thereto in the manner of this invention.
Figure 2 is a detached elevation of the cap plate.
Figure 3 is a section taken on line of Figure 1, looking in the direction
of the arrow a; but with the cap or back plate omitted.
Figure 4 is a section, also, taken on liner of Figure 1, but looking in the
opposite direction to the arrow, and also with the cap or back plate omitted.
Figure 5 is a longitudinal section taken on line y y of Figure 1, but shewing

page_text: 50
he cap or back plate in position within the case at its hinder end, and just
reviously to being pushed down into place at its forward end.
Figure 6 is a transverse section, taken through a lock or latch case, on
ine of Figure 7, looking in the direction of the arrow b, and shews a
nodified form of the invention.
Figure 7 is a longitudinal section through the case, taken on line y¹ y¹ of
Figure 6; and
Figure 8 is a longitudinal section through the hinder end of the case, shewing
still further modification in the method of retaining the hinder end of the cap
or back plate within the case.
Referring first to Figures 1 to 5, inclusive, the cap or back plate A is formed
with projections at its ends, namely, in the instance shewn, with two nibs or
tenons c at its hinder end, and with a single nib or tenon d at its forward end.
The back end B of the case C has holes or mortises & punched therethrough, to
receive the nibs c of the cap or back plate A, and the fore-end D of the case has
a hole punched therethrough, to receive the nib d of the cap or back plate.
To fix the cap or back plate A in place within the case C, it is first held in an
inclined position, in relation to the case, while the nibs c at its hinder end are
The cap or
passed into the holes formed through the back end B of the case.
back plate is shewn in Figure 5 in position with its nibs c within the correspond-
ing holes through the back end of the case, and with its forward nib d against
The forward end of the plate is
the inner face of the fore-end D of the case.
then pressed downwards or inwards and the fore-end D thus sprung out some-
what until the nib & comes opposite to the hole formed through the fore-end of
the case, when the fore-end springs back again and engages its hole with the
nib d of the cap or back plate. The cap is thus securely fixed within the case,
but may be removed therefrom by first springing the fore-end outwards again, so
as to clear its hole from the nib d.
e el are the ordinary bolt holes through the fore-end of the case, and form no
part of the invention.
Referring, now, to the modification of the invention shewn by Figures 6 and 7,
tits fare pressed out from the inner face of the back-end B, and a corresponding
tit is pressed out from the inner face of the 1ore-end D, of the case, and the
cap or back plate A is formed plain at its ends. To fix the cap plate in place
within the case, its hinder end is first passed under the tits f at the back end of
the case, and the forward end is then pressed downwards or inwards, against the
upper or outer slanted surface of the tit f, until the fore-end D of the case has
been sprung out sufficiently to allow the forward end of the cap plate to pass
below or inwards of the tit f, when the fore-end will spring back again bringing
the tit fover the outer face of the cap plate, thus securely retaining the cap plate
in place. The tit fl is formed with a fairly easy incline at its upper or outer
side, to ensure that the pressure of the forward end of the cap-plate thereagainst,
as it is pressed in, will cause the tit, and consequently the fore-end of the case,
to yield outwards. In this modification, provision must, of course, be made to
distance the cap plate back from the opposite side of the case. and any usual or
convenient means may be adopted for the purpose. In the illustrations of this
modification, the cap plate is shewn as formed with rebated side edges g, which
bear upon the edges of the rim of the case, and prevent the cap plate from
moving inwards, while it is securely held by the tits from moving outwards.
It will be obvious that the number of nibs formed with a cap plate, or the
number of tits formed with the case, may be varied, as desired. It will usually
be found convenient, however, to form two nibs on the hinder end of the cap-
plate, or two tits from the back end of the case, according to the modification
adopted. and a single-nib at the front end of the plate, or a single tit from the
55 fore-end of the case.
Referring now to Figure 8, the back end B of the case has its outer edge
turned inwards at right angles to form a rim or flange n, as shewn, and the rear

page_text: end of the cap or back plate A is passed behind the rim or flange n in lieu of
engaging nibs of the plate with the back-end B, or of passing the. plate behind
tits of the back-end. In this modification, also, means must, of course, be used
for distancing the rear end of the cap or back plate from the front plate of the
case. Any convenient means may be used for the purpose, such as forming the
cap or back plate with rebated portions g, as described with reference to Figures 6
and 7. These portions, however, would, of course, stop short at the edge of the
rim or, flange n, or such rim or flange would be stopped short at each end to allow
for the portions g.
"
The fore-end of a, sheet metal case is usually simply bent up, as shewn by the
drawings, at right angles from the front plate of the case, and is not otherwise
connected with the rim or sides of the case, and a fore-end formed in this manner
will readily yield outwards as the front end of the cap plate is pushed in, but,
even if the fore-end of the case is joined to the rim or sides for the whole depth
of such rim or sides, it will, unless, the metal is very, strong, yield outwards
sufficiently for the purpose of the invention.
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. Utilizing the spring or elasticity of sheet metal in fixing a cap or back plate
to a lock or latch case, substantially as described.
2. Fixing a cap or back plate to a lock or latch case by first engaging the cap
or back plate with one wall of the case, and then engaging it with the opposite
wall by springing out such wall to allow a portion or portions of the plate, to
pass behind a shoulder or shoulders thereof, substantially as described..
3. Fixing a cap or back plate to a lock or latch case by first engaging the cap
or plate with the back-end of the case and. then pressing inwards the forward
end of such cap or plate, with the result that the fore-end of the case is thereby
sprung out until the cap or plate has. passed. beyond a shoulder or shoulders of
the fore-end, and the fore-end springs back again and brings its shoulder or
shoulders over, the cap or plate, substantially as described.
4. A lock or latch case having opposite walls, one of which is capable of being
sprung outward elastically, and having a back plate held in place by engagement
behind shoulders primarily formed with the said walls, substantially as described.
5. A lock or latch case having opposite walls, one of which is capable of being
sprung outward elastically, and having mortises primarily formed in said walls,
said case, having a back plate provided with tenons which engage said mortises,
substantially as described.
T0th of n comban 1800
STEPHEN WATKINS & GROVES,
Wolverhampton, Agents for the Applicant.