Improvements in and relating to Locks.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 14th May, 1389
Complete Specification Left, 14th Feb., 1890-Accepted, 29th Mar., 1890
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to Locks.
I, EDWARD ROBERTSON FLETCHER, of 24 Queens Crescent, in the City and County
of Edinburgh, Merchant do hereby declare the nature of my invention to be as
follows:-
This Invention has reference to and comprises improved fittings connected with
locks and their keys, and has for its object to prevent the entrance of any key to
turn the lock, except the proper one, or the leaving of room for the insertion of
pick-locks or skeleton keys; and it can be applied to different forms of locks, such as
padlocks, trunk locks, safe locks, or door locks.
As applied to the first three kinds of locks, instead of the hole or hollow eye or
stem of the key fitting on to and working round the usual small circular rigid steel
bar or arbor fixed inside the lock as at present, by my improvements I make the
steel bar or arbor of the lock of square or other polygonal or equivalent shape and
mount this generally so as to rotate in the lock when the hollow eye or stem of the
key is inserted on it so that both will simultaneously turn round to lock or unlock
the locking tumblers and bolts, which locking parts may be the same as in other
or ordinary locks. This is effected under one arrangement by making a round or
other vertical slot in the back plate of the lock, and forming a circular head on
the inner end of the polygonal steel bar or arbor and fitting and mounting this in
the corresponding groove or bearing in the back or inner plate of the lock, and be
retained loosely there by a washer or collar soldered rivited or screwed to the inner
surface of the back plate. The front plate of the lock through which the key passed
would have the hole formed in it for the key to enter of the same polygonal shape
as the key, the hollow eye being made so thin that no other key or instrument
could be inserted. The head of the key would be formed with the usual projecting
web, but made thin to pass into a corresponding slot below the polygonal eye and of
a shape to fit the tumblers or wards, when these are used, and which when the
handle of the key was turned round would lock or unlock the tumblers and locking
bolt of the padlock or other lock, the steel bar turning round with the key, so that
only this particular key will operate same. The inner rotating head of the polygonal
arbor would have a notch in it and à spring to retain the arbor always in position
for removing and inserting the key. In door locks where the locking or unlocking
is done from either side of the door, this bas generally to be done by a key with a
solid stem, but by my improvements I would mount a double headed polygonal steel bar
or arbor the same on both sides rotating by an eye in a web or standard in the
centre of the lock and mounted with a spring for keeping this double polygonal arm
in position for entering the key from either side of the lock and thus make these
double locks very safe against the entrance of any key from either side, but the
proper polygonal headed key. The tumblers and bolts would in this case be mounted
in the centre of the lock, so that the key when inserted half in across these would
actuate them from either side.
Data il 101
35
1000

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION..
Improvements in and relating to Locks.
I, EDWARD ROBERTSON FLETCHER, of 24 Queens Crescent, in the City and County
of Edinburgh, Merchant, do hereby declare the nature of my invention and in what
manner the same is to be performed to be particularly described and ascertained in
and by the following statement in writing reference being had to the accompanying
Sheet of Drawings and to the reference letters marked thereon, that is to say:-
My Invention has reference to and comprises improved fittings connected with
locks and their keys, and has for its object to prevent the entrance of any key to turn
the lock, except the proper one, or the leaving of room for the insertion of pick-locks
or skeleton keys; and it can be applied to different forms of locks, such as padlocks,
trunk locks, safe locks, or door locks.
"
As applied to the first three kinds of locks, instead of the hole or hollow eye or
stem of the key fitting on to and working round the usual sali circular rigid steel
bar or arbor fixed inside the lock as at present, by my improvements I make the steel
bar or arbor of the lock of square or other polygonal or equivalent shape
and mount this generally so as to rotate in the lock when the hollow eye or stem of
the key is inserted on it so that both will simultaneously turn round to lock or unlock
the locking tumblers and bolts, which locking parts may be substantially the same as
in other or ordinary locks. This is effected under one arrangement by making
round or other vertical slot in the back plate of the lock, and forming a circular head
on the inner end of the polygonal steel bar or arbor, and fitting and mounting this in a
corresponding groove or bearing in the back or inner plate of the lock and be retained
loosely there by a washer or collar soldered riveted or screwed to the inner surface of
the back plate. The front plate of the lock through which the key passed would have
the hole formed in it for the key to enter of the same polygonal shape as the key, the
Hollow eye being made so thin that no other key or instrument could be inserted.
The head of the key would-be formed with the usual projecting web, but made thin
to pass into a corresponding slot below the square or polygonal eye and of a shape to
fit the tumblers or wards, when these are used, and which when the handle of the key
was turned round would lock or unlock the tumblers and locking bolt of the padlock
or other lock, the steel arbor turning round with the key, so that only this particular
key will operate same. The inner rotating head of the square or polygonal arbor
would have a notch in it and a spring to retain the arbor always in position for
removing and inserting the key. In door locks where the locking or unlocking is
done from either side of the door, this has generally to be done by a key with a solid
stem, but by my improvements I would mount a double headed square or polygonal
steel bar or arbor the same on both sides, rotating in an eye or eyes in a web or
standard, preferably a double or forked standard to give steadiness to the arbor in the
centre of the keyhole of the lock, and mounted with a spring for keeping this double
square or polygonal arbor in position for entering the key from either side of the
lock, and thus make these double locks very safe against the entrance of any key
from either side, but the proper polygonal headed key. The tumblers and boits
would in this case be mounted in the centre of the lock, so that the key when inserted.
half through the lock would actuate them from either side.
And in order that the nature and novelty of my said invention and the manner of
performing or carrying the same into effect or practice may be properly understood
I have hereunto appended an illustrative Sheet of Drawings in which the same
reference letters are used to denote the same or equivalent parts in the several Figures
where shown:
Figure 1 is a front elevation of a padlock A A¹ with the front plate A, removed,
showing the works, and all constructed in accordance with one modification or
arrangement of my improvements as applied to such locks. Figure 2 is a sectional
edge view corresponding to, and taken on the line 1-1 in Figure 1. Figure 3 is a
front elevation of the complete padlock with the front plate A in place corresponding

page_text: to Figure 1, for showing the form of the keyhole A2 and arbor a, a', which is square
in this case Figure 4 shows a side elevation and end view of the key; Figure 5
shows a side and end elevation of the arbor a, a¹, detached from the lock, with the
spring for retaining it in position for inserting and removing the key shown in
dotted lines; and Figure 6 shows similar end and side views of another construction
of polygonal arbor a a'. Figuro 7 shows a side elevation of a mortise door lock with
the front plate A removed, constructed in accordance with my improvements as applied
to such door locks.; and Figure S is a transverse or edge section of the same lock
corresponding to and taken near the line 2-2 in Figure 7.
Referring to my improvements as applied to a padlock and illustrated by
Figures 1 to 5, the construction of the body of the padlock A A¹ and its locking
bar B, and tumbler with its catches C and spring D, are all and may be
all substantially constructed as in other padlocks. The improvements essentially
consist as follows, in forming the steel bar or arbor a on which the key k is.
inserted, of square shape as shown detached from the lock in Figure 5, or it
might be other polygonal shape, one form of which is shown in Figure 6, and
mounting this arbor by a disc or collar a' formed on its inner end, in a corre-
sponding round recess formed in the back plate A' of the padlock, with a
retaining plate over it screwed at 6" to the inner face of the back plate A';.
so as to rotate with the key k when the eye k¹, of the key k, which is made very
thin and of the same square or polygonal shape as the arbor a is inserted in the
keyhole of the lock and the keyed turned round to lock or .unlock the tumblers ()
and bolt B, substantially otherwise as in ordinary padlocks. The front plate A
and its brass keyhole plate A would have the keyhole formed in it of the same
polygonal shape as the key, the hollow eye being made so thin that no other
shape of key or instrument could be inserted with sufficient strength to lift the
tumblers and throw the bolt. The head or acting web of the key would
also be made thin to pass into a corresponding narrow slot in the keyhole plate A²
of the lock, and of the usual shapes to fit the tumblers and wards when these are
used, and to throw the bolt B. The inner rotating head of the square or
polygonal arbor a would have a notch a' in it and a spring e under it, with a
catch on its outer end to take into the notch a², and retain the polygonal arbor a,
always in proper position for removing and inserting the key.
This arrangement of my improvements described in reference to and shown in
Figures 1 to 6, is also suitable for trunk locks, safe locks, or door or other locks for
being opened from one side only.
Referring to door locks where the locking or unlocking is done from either side of
the door, such as the mortise box lock shown in Figures 7 and 8, this has heretofore
been done by a key with a solid stem, but by my improvements I mount a
double headed square or polygonal steel bar or arbor a, a, the same on both sides
opposite the keyhole A2 of the same shape as indicated in Figures 8 and 9, to rotate
in an eye or eyes d', ', in the top of a web or standard d, preferably a double or
forked standard to give steadiness to the arbor, in the centre of the keyhole of the
lock, and mounted with a spring in this case shown as a bow spring e, with a projec-
tion on its upper part ², taking into a correspondingly shaped notch a² in the disc a¹
formed and secured in the centre of the double arbor a a, for keeping this double
square or polygonal arbor in proper position for inserting the polygonal key from
either side of the lock, and thus make these double locks very safe against the entrance
of any key from either side, except the proper polygonal headed key.
tumblers, and bolt B, in this case are mounted in the centre of the lock, the
tumblers preferably on each side of the bolt B, with their catches C, C", passing
through and taking into their notches at B', B, B1, in the bolt B, so that the key
when inserted half through the lock would actuate a tumbler C on that side and throw
the bolt B from either side.
The
This arrangement of my improvements shown in Figures 7 to 9 is suitable for any
lock which has to be opened from both sides of its case as well for the box mortise
lock shown in these Figures.

page_text: 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 :-
First. The construction of locks generally, whether locking and unlocking from
one or both sides, each with a polygonal or equivalent rotating spindle or arbor fitting
and rotated by a key with thin eye of corresponding shape, substantially as shown in,
and. for the purposes and advantages berein described in reference to the accom-
pauying Drawings.
Second. In padlocks, trunk locks, safe locks or door locks or other such locks,
whether locking and unlocking from one or both sides, the having a polygonal or
equivalent shaped rotating single or double ended spindle or arbor fitting and turned
by a key with a correspondingly polygonal thin shaped eye, the arbor formed with or.
having a notched disc or boss with spring for retaining it in position for inserting or
withdrawing the key, substantially as herein described in reference to and shown in
the accompanying Drawings or any mere modification thereof.,
Dated 18th Fahr 1800
W. R. M. THOMSON & Co.,
96, Buchanan Street, Glasgow, Agents.