IMPROVEMENTS IN LOCKS AND OTHER FASTENINGS
Year: 1839

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JAMES
GUEST, of Birmingham, in the County of Warwick, Machinist, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her present most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent under the Great Seal of Great Britain, bearing date at
Westminster, the Second day of December, in the third year of Her reign,
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said James Guest, Her especial licence, full power, sole privilege and autho-
rity, that I, the said James Guest, my exors, admors, and assigns, or such
others as I, the said James Guest, my exors, admors, or assigns, should
at any time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times
during the term of years therein expressed, should and lawfully might
make, use, exercise, and vend, within England, Wales, and the Town of
Berwick-upon-Tweed, the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN LOCKS AND OTHER
FASTENINGS," communicated to me by a certain Foreigner residing abroad;
in which said Letters Patent is contained a proviso that I, the said
James Guest, shall cause a particular description of the nature of the said
Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be inrolled
in Her said Majesty's High Court of Chancery within six calendar months
next and immediately after the date of the said in part recited Letters Patent,
as in and by the same, reference being thereunto had, will more fully and at
large appear.

page_text: NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, I, the said
James Guest, do hereby declare that the nature of the Invention, and
the manner in which the same is to be performed, are particularly described
and ascertained in and by the following statement thereof, reference being had
to the Drawings hereunto annexed, and to the figures and letters marked
thereon, that is to say :-
The Invention relates to improvements in locks or such like fastenings,
whereby the bolts or catches, which move on axes, are acted on by keys or
handles at or near their centres of movement.
And in order to give the best information in my power, I will proceed
to describe the Drawings hereunto annexed, where the same letters of reference
are used to indicate similar parts wherever they occur.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
catches in the
Figures 1 and 2 shew the two parts of the external case of a lock, such
parts being shown in the interior sides, the part a forming a quadrangular
box to receive the bolt, there being projecting surfaces a' in which the bolt
moves, in order to prevent the whole surface of the bolt rubbing. 6 is a spring
which constantly presses the bolt outwards. c, c, is the cover of the frame
a, a; and it also has projections c', on which the bolt moves to prevent the
friction of the whole surface of the bolt rubbing. d, e, are two wards, and f
is a circular projecting ring concentric with the wards d, e.
On the ring f
two gaps f, f, are cut or formed, which receive two spring
bolt. The gap f¹ prevents the bolt when locked from being actuated by any
key or instrument, except when the spring catches are acted upon by the
proper key, and the gap preventing the bolt coming too far out by the
pressure of the spring, but allowing play for the bolt when unlocked, in order
to the part g' acting as a small bolt; Figure 3.shews the bolt g in the frame
a, a; Figure 4 shews the lock complete, with the bolt g out to its fullest
extent; Figure 5 shews a front view of the lock complete, with the bolt g out
to its fullest extent; and Figures 6 and 7 shew the back and front view of the
bolt g, by which the construction of the bolt and its spring catches will readily
be understood, 9 acting as a small spring bolt when the door is not locked,
the bolt having sufficient play inwards to allow of the bolt being forced into
the frame or box a, a, by the inclined surface g¹ being forced against an
ordinary striker. h, h, are two spring catches which pass through the bolt g
from back to front, and they lie in the circular recess 92 of the bolt, such
circular recess receiving within it the circular ring f, f, of the cover c. i is
the key, pin, or axis, which also acts as the axis of the bolt g, the pin i being

page_text: affixed in the frame or box a, a, and the key in locking and unlocking against
the projection j. I would remark that variations may be made in the wards
of the lock, and consequently in the cut of the key, the Invention not depending
in the particular wards employed, but relates to the mode of applying and
working the bolt g.
Figure 8 shews the interior view of another box or case a, a, for a lock to
be worked by handles in place of a key, there being means applied to secure
the bolt g from being moved on one side of the door to which it may be applied.
Figure 9 shows the cover c, c. Figure 10 shews the lock complete, with the
small part g only of the bolt g appearing. Figure 11 shows the socket which
actuates the bolt g, and through which the spindle of the handles passes.
Figure 12 are the handles which are on their spindle; and it will be seen
that the spindle is split, and that there is a division plate fixed across the
socket, and one of the handles is capable of movement along its spindle by
a screw, as is shewn; and to prevent that handle moving in its spindle there
is a small projection or stud on the inside, which enters into the slit spindle.
The construction of the bolt g being clearly shewn, the nature thereof will
readily be understood, there being a recess g₁ to receive the head of the
socket, and a gap cut out at the lower part to receive the web or projection
on one side of the head; and there are two other gaps g³, g, for receiving the
head of the sliding bolt k, such bolt being at all times borne up by a'spring
towards its bolt, and the head of the bolt will therefore enter whichever
of the gaps 9 or 9' which may present itself to receive the head of the bolt;
the gap g³ retaining the bolt g from being forced too far out by the spring,
but allowing play, in order that the part 9' of the bolt may act as a small
spring bolt, all which will readily be traced in the Figures now under descrip-
tion. Figures 13, 14, and 15. In these Figures the same letters of reference
are employed as in the preceding Figures, there being simply a variation of
the under part of the bolt g, as recesses g³, 9, are used in place of gaps, and a
different description of spring is employed to that shown in Figure 12. I would
remark that it will be evident that the figure of the handles may be varied,
so long as the bolt g be acted on at or near its. centre of motion by a proper
spindle, or sneh like instrument. And it only remains to be observed that
the bolt 9 moves on the socket as an axis, such socket passing through the
side a, a, of the lock, and there is a gap cut in the opening through which
the socket passes, by which a projection on the socket can pass, and such
projection on the socket passes into a recess formed in the interior of the
moveable handle on the spindle, by which means the socket is caused. to. turn-
when either of the handles is moved round..

page_text: Figure 16 shows a front edge view of another lock complete; Figure 17
shows a back edge view of the same lock complete; Figure 18 show the two
side views thereof complete, the smaller part of the bolt only appearing
outside; Figure 19 shows an inside view of part of the box, or case a; a;
Figure 20 shows the cover c, c. Figure 21 shows what I call the screws.to
the keyhole,, which are cut to the figure of the key,. yet, having capability of
Doving freely on their axis of motion, will allow of a key smaller or larger to
pass through, and thus, therefore, give no indication of the proper key to open
the lock, but tend to screen the interior of the lock, the key being capable of
being inserted on either side of the lock, whilst the small catch bolt g' is acted
on: by a handle only on one side of the lock; the spindle of the handle could,
however, if desired, be carried through. Figure 22 shows the bolt g. .In this
arrangement the handle does not act on the interior of the bolt itself, but the
key acts in or about the centre of action of the bolt 1,. and what I call the
screws by the keyhole; they move on an axis at l, and by means of a spring
they are at all times pressed towards each other, but cannot come quite
together in consequence of stops at the lower part of the frame ; by which
the axis is carried, which frame is affixed opposite the keyhole, as shewn in
Figure 18. m is the spindle of the handle, which passes thro" and moves in
openings formed through the box or case of the lock a, c, and the handle is
affixed to the spindle by a screw, there being a recess in the interior of the
handle, which comes over the projection of the spindle, and there is a tooth m
or projection which, coming against the projection m² on the bolt g, enables
the handle, by means of the spindle and projection m², to turn the small part
of the bolt g' inwards. m³ is a spring to the spindle m.
The nature of the
parts a, c, being shewn in the Drawing, they will readily be understood. The
bolt g moves between the projecting surfaces a³, c', and has a stud projecting
from one side, which is pressed on by a spring n, with a tendency to force it
outwards, all which will readily be traced by a careful examination of the
various Figures of the Drawing, particularly Figure 18, where the parts are
clearly indicated by dotted lines in their places. The bolt g being shewn
separately, as well as in its place, its nature will readily be traced. It has an
opening through it at its centre of movement, and by such opening it moves
on circular projections formed on the parts a and c; and there is a point or
projection g³, against which the key acts in moving the bolt g, and there are
two gaps to receive the spring catches, which in this case are applied to the
parts a, c, and are acted on by the key in a similar manner to those before
mentioned; and each of the catch surfaces is inclined, to facilitate the passage
of the key, but in this case there are two spring catches, which govern the

page_text: lock, and prevent its being unlocked by a wrong key, and they are marked o, o,
and they stand opposite each other when the two parts a and c are affixed
together, and the key employed must be correct in its dimensions, to open the
spring catches correctly. p is a lever detector, which will retain a false key if
not correctly made to the lock in the lock, and not allow it to be removed.
This lever p moves on an axis p', and there is a spring which, when permitted,
will force the lever into the position shewn in the dotted lines, but by means
of a tail-piece or finger p³, when the bolt is unlocked it will be held up to the
position shewn at Figure 21 by the tail piece coming against an inclined
projecting surface q formed in the box or case of the locker, and when
locked the lever will stand out in the position of the dotted line; hence, when
a key is inserted, and capable of turning in the lock, it will force back the
lever p, and pass by it, and, if it be a proper key, will unlock it, but if
not a proper key, then the key will be retained in the lock, as it will not
be allowed to be turned back, owing to the lever p being forced by its
spring into the position shewn by the dotted lines immediately after the
passing of the key in the direction to unlock the bolt, all which will readily
be understood on a careful examination and consideration of the Drawing.
And it only remains to be remarked, that the modes of employing wards and
such like fixed or moveable instruments to employ the interior of this and
other locks or fastenings herein described, to render it or them more secure,
may be varied, provided the mode of constructing and actuating the bolt g
be retained.
Figure 22 shews a simple lock or fastening, with its striking plate,
the parts being shewn in the position of being locked, and the covering
part removed; Figure 23 shews the same lock with the striking plate
removed and the bolt unlocked; Figure 24 shews the main plate or frame
of the lock; Figure 25 shews the bolt separately. g is the bolt, which has
an opening through it, or a cylindrical recess, which turns upon a cylindrical
projection, against which the key presses when locking or unlocking.
Figure 26 shews another arrangement of lock of a very similar construction,
but rendered more complete and difficult of being picked, there being two
spring catches, similar to o, formerly described, and there is a detecting lever p,
to prevent a false key being removed when not capable of unlocking the
bolt 9. Figure 27 shews the same lock, with the plate or cover c removed;
Figure 28 shews the plate a separately; Figure 29 shews the striking plate;
Figure 30 shews the top of the plate a, and Figure 31 shews the cover c
separately. The bolt g, as in the preceding Figures, moves on a projection of
the plate a as an axis, and the lever detector p moves on an axis carried by

page_text: the bolt g, and when the bolt is unlocked the tail of the lever p will rest under
the upper part of the plate a, and thus retain the lever p out of the way of
the key; but. when the bolt is locked then the lever p, being left to be acted
on by its spring, which causes the lever to stand in the way of the return of
the key should it not be able to pass on and unlock the bolt.
Having thus described the nature of the Invention, I would remark, that
am aware that in padlocks, and in some other locks or fastenings, the bolts
have moved on axes; I do not, therefore, claim the same when not suitably
arranged to be operated on, in the manner I have described, by the key or
handle, or such like instrument, operating in or about the centre of motion of
such bolts.
In witness whereof, I, the said James Guest, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Second day of June, in the year of our Lord