Improvements in or connected with Lifting Latches.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 31st Jan., 1894
Complete Specification Left, 31st Oct., 1894-Accepted, 1st Dec., 1894
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or connected with Lifting Latches.
1, GEORGE WILLIAM GREEN, of 7 Alexandra Street, Wolverhampton in the
County of Stafford, Whitesmith, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to
be as follows :-
"
This invention has for its object means whereby the latching bar of a lifting
latch such as a "Norfolk oľ "Suffolk" latch may be securely locked down so
that it cannot be raised from either side of a door to which it is applied without
first unlocking it by means of a key.
According to this invention, a lock is used in combination with the lifting latch
in such manner that the lock bolt may be shot out over a portion of the latching
bar and thus prevent the latch being lifted, and the lock is used simply to lock
down the latching bar and no staple is used on the door case or frame for the
purpose of the lock.
The lock case forms the lower end of the keep through which the latching bar
passes, the front plate of the case being formed as an enlarged lower end of the
front plate of the keep, and the back plate of the case being formed as an enlarged
lower end of the back plate of the keep. The latching bar thus rests, when the
door is open, on the rim of the top of the lock case. A short arm is formed with or
fixed to the latching bar to project downwards therefrom on the rear side, prefer-
ably, of the lock; and a sideway projection is formed at the lower end of the arm
to project therefrom towards the lock. The latching bar is locked down by
shooting the lock bolt, by means of a key, over the projection of the arm.
According to a modification, the lock case may form the upper end of the keep,
and the latching bar be locked by shooting the lock bolt over a projection standing
up from the latching bar.
The latch and lock may be made double-handed by forming with or fixing to the
latching bar arms projecting in opposite directions each having a sideway projection
from its outer end, and by making the locking bolt to shoot out at opposite ends
of the case, that is to say, so that it is shot out at one end of the case when the key
is turned in one direction and at the opposite end when the key is turned in the
opposite direction.
The side of the case towards the arm of the latching bar (or both sides of the
case if the latch is double-handed) is, preferably, slanted to allow of the sideway
projection of the arm coming very near to the case without being thereby prevented
from rising on account of the curved direction in which it moves around the pivot
centre of the bar.
Dated this 20th of
1001
STEPHEN WATKINS,
Wolverhampton, Agent for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or connected with Lifting Latches.
I, GEORGE WILLIAM GREEN, of 7 Alexandra Street, Wolverhampton in the
County of Stafford, Whitesmith, 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:
This invention has for its object means whereby the latching or lifting bar of a
Prior Q27

page_text: lifting latch, such as a "Norfolk" or "Suffolk" latch, may be securely locked
down so that it cannot be raised from either side of a door to which it is applied
without first unlocking it by means of a key.
According to this invention, a lock is used in combination with the lifting latch
in such manner that the lock bolt may be shot out over a portion of the latching
bar and thus prevent the latch being lifted, and the lock is used simply to lock
down the latching bar and thus no staple is used on the door case or frame for the
purpose of the lock.
In order that the invention may be clearly understood, I will proceed to describe
the same with reference to the accompanying drawings, which illustrate a practical
and convenient application thereof.
Figure 1 is a front elevation of a lifting latch with the invention applied thereto,
and shews the latching bar to be down within the catch or staple of the door frame
or case and to be locked in such position.
Figure 2 is a corresponding view to Figure 1, but shews the latching bar to be
unlocked and in its raised position, and the front plate or cap of the lock case to be
removed.
The lifter for raising the latching bar is omitted in both views, for the sake of
simplicity, as it forms no part of the invention, and its representation would not
assist in making the invention clear.
Figure 3 is a view of the inner side or edge of the catch or staple which is fixed,
as is usual with such latches, to the door frame or case in position near to the side
edge of the door; and
Figure 4 is section taken on line & a of Figure 1, looking in a direction towards
the outer end of the latch.
The lock case A is shewn as forming the lower end of the keep B through which
the latching bar C passes, and the latching bar thus rests, when the door is open,
on the rim a of the top of the lock case. A bolt b, having a bolt head C, is fitted
within the lock case A, and is capable of being operated by means of a key to shoot
out the bolt head sideways from the case into the position shewn by Figure 1, and
to draw it back again into the position shewn by Figure 2. A projection is formed
from the latching bar C, which when the bar is down is in position to be engaged
with by the bolt head c and the bar be thereby securely locked down. This
projection consists, conveniently, of a short downward arm d formed with or fixed
to the bar, and a sideway lug e projecting from the lower end of the arm d towards
the lock. The latching bar is locked down by shooting the lock bolt towards the
projection and thus bringing the bolt head cover the part e thereof. The pro-
jection may be readily fixed to the latching bar C by passing the shank or pin of
the knob or button D (occasionally utilized in lifting the bar from one side of the
door) through a part of the projection and through the bar, and riveting it at the
back of the bar.
The lock bolt does not engage in any manner with a catch or staple fixed to
the door frame or case, but is used simply to prevent the latching bar being raised
to unlatch it, and thus a much smaller and lighter lock suffices than would be
required if the safety of the fastening depended on the hold of its bolt within a
staple. The entire strain caused by an attempt to force open the door when locked
is borne by the hold of the latching bar within the catch or staple.
The back plate g of the case A may be conveniently formed in one piece with
the back plate of the keep B; and the rim a of the top of the case may be
conveniently formed in one piece with the front and top end of the keep.
The lock mechanism, otherwise than the bolt b, is omitted for the sake of
simplicity. Any convenient form of mechanisın, such as levers or a tumbler, may
be used for engagement with the bolt, as will be readily understood.
As the latching bar C, when locked down, becomes in effect a bolt, and as it is
desirable to form the part of the catch behind which the bar drops of considerable
depth so as to allow for sinkage of the door taking place without the bar being
held up by the catch and the bolt head c thereby prevented from engaging properly

page_text: with the projection from the bar, it is preferred, for the sake of strength, to form
the catch somewhat as a box-staple, as shewn. The striking part i projects at the
front of the staple, and an opening ; is formed through the front of the staple to
allow the end of the latching bar to pass through. The part into which the end
of the bar falls is made of considerable depth, as shewn, for the purpose above
described, and the latching bar rests when latched, the same as when the door is
open, on the rim a of the lock case.
The lock may, of course, be constructed to be locked and unlocked from both
sides of the door to which it is applied, or from one side only, as may be
desired.
The lock may be formed double-handed, if desired, by forming the bolt b with a
head c (see Figure 2) on the opposite end to that on which the head c is formed,
and may then be used with either a right or left hand latching bar.
The side of the lock case towards the projection of the latching bar (or both
sides of the case, if the lock is made double-handed) is, preferably, slanted as shewn
to allow of the part e of the projection coming nearer to the case when the bar is
down, without being thereby prevented from rising on account of the curved
direction in which it moves around the pivot centre of the bar, than would be the
case if the side of the lock case were vertical.
According to a modification of the invention, the lock case A may form the
upper end of the keep B, and the latching bar be locked by shooting the lock bolt
over a projection standing up from the latching bar.
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. The combination with a lifting latch, such as a "Norfolk or "Suffolk "
latch, of a lock fitted with a bolt which may be shot by a key over a part
projecting from the latching bar, said latching bar when latched engaging, as usual
with such latches, with a catch or staple fixed to the door frame or case in position
near to the side edge of the door, and said lock being used simply to hold down the
bar and taking no part in preventing the door being forced open, substantially as
described.
2. A keep constructed as an independent part, as usual, of a lifting latch, such
as a "Norfolk" or "Suffolk" latch, and in one structure with a lock, in com-
bination with a latching bar having a part projecting therefrom with which the
lock bolt may be engaged to hold down the bar when latched, substantially as
described.
3. A lock formed immediately below or above, and in one structure with, the
keep through which the latching bar of a lifting latch, such as a "Norfolk" or
"Suffolk" latch, passes, and fitted with a bolt which may be shot by a key over a
part projecting from the latching bar, the said lock being used simply to hold down
the bar and taking no part in preventing the door being forced open, substantially
as described.
"
4. The combination, with a lifting latch such as a " Norfolk or " Suffolk "
latch, of a downward projection from the latching bar formed with a lug or shoulder,
and a lock fitted with a bolt which may be shot out by means of a key over such
lug or shoulder, substantially as described.
5. The combination and arrangement of parts constituting the combined lifting
latch and lock, substantially as described and shewn (so far as necessary to make
the description clear) by the drawings herewith, for the purpose set forth, and
whether the lock is made single or double handed as described.
Dated this 30th day of October 1894
STEPHEN WATKINS,
Wolverhampton, Agent for the Applicant.