IMPROVEMENTS IN DOOR LATCHES AND CATCHES
Year: 1885

page_text: We WILLIAM SANDERSON, of 4 Davison Street, Moulder, and THOMAS ALEXANDER
MOFFITT of High Street, Ironmonger, both of Gateshead-on-Tyne in the County of
Durham, do hereby declare the nature of our invention for IMPROVEMENTS IN
DOOR LATCHES AND CATCHES to be as follows:-
This Invention has for its object to simplify the ordinary door latch and catch,
thereby rendering them more economical of production and more durable.
The latch is placed on the door and the catch on the door frame in their
ordinary relative positions.
The catch is of a conical shape, the bevel part forming the cone being for the
purpose of causing the latch to lift as the door is being closed the said cone being
shouldered down to form the catch.
The catch may be either made in one with the screw or the screw may be
separate and form an axis upon which the coue is placed, the latter method allows
of the cone to turn round so that it may be used the whole of its circumference
which adds to its durability.
The Latch in general appearance resembles the ordinary one being a flat piece of
metal preferably widest at the catch and the part which works over the catch
having a piece taken out to suit the shape of the catch and as the latch is required
to work for both right & left hand doors the piece will have to be taken out both
at the top and bottom for this purpose.
The latch falls into the catch of its own weight and fits flush with the door
thereby doing away with the necessity of a plate.
The latch at the opposite end to the catch is placed on an adjustable spindle
which serves for the axis on which it works in the ordinary way. The latch
having a slot with a rounded end, the rounded end being for the purpose of getting
the spindle into the slot which is a little smaller for the purpose of fixing the
spindle so that it will operate the latch.
The spindle passes through the door and has an ordinary door knob on the
opposite side to the latch for the purpose of operating it.
The knob and spindle may be cast together in one or otherwise suitably fastened.
The spindle is round except that part which fits into the slot which is flat sided
for the purpose of operating the latch; it is kept in the slot by the screw of the
central knob, as hereinafter described.

page_text: On the same side of the door as the latch the spindle has no knob and only
extends sufficiently beyond the latch to form a proper finish the latch being
operated on this side by a contrivance as hereinafter specified.
For the purpose of steadying the latch & spindle for assisting to keep the
latch flat against the door, there is a rebated plate screwed to the door at the
spindle end and lapping over the latch & extending just beyond the spindle for
which it is perforated.
For the purpose of operating the latch on the inside of the door the said latch
has two projections one at the top and the other at the bottom about at right angles
to it and about in the centre, between these two projections is a knob screwed by
an ordinary wood screw on to the door (the latch being slotted out to allow it to
pass) this knob is for the purpose of pulling the door open after the latch is lifted
and the means whereby it passes through the latch namely by being shouldered
and screwed through the slot the shoulder & slot act instead of the ordinary
clasp guide besides which the screw & slot prevent the latch from slipping
horizontally off its Spindle.

page_text: We WILLIAM SANDERSON of 4 Davison street Moulder, and THOMAS ALEXANDER
MOFFITT of High Street, Ironmonger, both of Gateshead-on-Tyne in the County of
Durham, do hereby declare the nature of our invention for IMPROVEMENTS IN
DOOR LATCHES & CATCHES, 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 to simplify the ordinary door latch and catch,
thereby rendering them more economical of production and more durable.
The latch is placed on the door and the catch on the door frame in their
ordinary relative positions and are illustrated in and by the following drawings.
Fig 1 is a front elevation of the latch and catch placed on the door in their
proper positions.
Fig 2. is a section through the handle on the opposite side of the door.
Fig 3 is a section of the catch.
Fig 4 is a section of the two projections which serve as a handle for opening the
door, on the outside.
The catch A is of a conical shape as shewn in Fig 3., the bevel part forming the
cone being for the purpose of causing the latch B to lift as the door is being closed
the said cone being shouldered down as at A¹ to form the catch.
The Catch may be either made in one with the screw as shewn in Fig 3. or the
screw may be separate and form an axis upon which the cone is placed, the latter
method allows of the cone to turn round so that it may be used the whole of its
circumference which adds to its durability.
The Latch in general appearance resembles the ordinary one being a flat piece of
metal preferably widest at the catch end the part which works over the catch may
have a piece taken out to suit the shape of the catch and as the latch is required
to work for both right and left hand doors the piece may be taken out both at the
top and bottom for this purpose.
The Latch falls into the catch of its own weight and may fit flush with the door,
thereby doing away with the necessity of a plate.
Or the plate C which keeps the spindle D in position may serve for this purpose
as hereinafter specified.
The Latch at the opposite end to the catch is placed on an adjustable spindle D
which serves for the axis on which it works. The Latch having a slot with a
large hole at the end the latter being for the purpose of getting the spindle into
the slot which is a little smaller for the purpose of fixing the spindle so that it will
operate the latch.
Or instead of the above a slotted plate C may be used as indicated at C¹ Fig 1
which may extend as far as the central screw E by which it is screwed on to the
door this plate will also assist in steadying the latch.
The spindle D passes through the door and has an ordinary door knob F on the
opposite side to the latch for the purpose of operating it.
The knob and spindle may be cast together in one or otherwise suitably fastened.
The spindle is round except that part which fits into the slot which is flat sided
for the purpose of operating the latch, it is kept in the slot by the screw of the
central knob as hereinafter described.

page_text: Or when a slottod plate is used as indicated in the drawings at C the end of the
spindle which works the latch is preferably square as shewn at D¹.
On the same side of the door as the latch the spindle has no knob and only
extends sufficiently beyond the latch to form a proper finish the latch being
operated on this side by a contrivance as hereinafter specified.
For the purpose of steadying the latch & spindle and for assisting to keep the
latch flat against the door, there is a rebated plate G screwed to the door at the
spindle end and lapping over the latch and extending just beyond the spindle.
This plate is preferably cast and screwed on to the door over the end of the latch
as indicated at Figs. 1 & 2.
For the purpose of operating the latch on the inside of the door the said latch
has two projections one at the top H and the other at the bottom I about at right
angles to it and about in the centre, between these two projections is a knob
screwed by an ordinary wood screw on to the door the latch being slotted out at J
to allow it to pass, this knob is for the purpose of pulling the door open after the
latch is lifted and the means whereby it passes through the latch namely by being
shouldered and screwed through the slot the shoulder and slot act instead of the
ordinary clasp guide besides which the screw and slot prevent the latch from
slipping horizontally off its spindle. Instead of the knob on the screw the two
projections H & I may extend sufficiently for pulling the door open as indicated
at Fig 4 in which case an ordinary screw is used.
There is a socketed rose plate (the socket being driven into the door) for the
purpose of receiving the spindle as shewn at K Fig 2.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what
we claim is.
1. A. Door latch in combination with a shouldered conical catch as set forth.
2. A Door latch limited in its movement by means of a slotted hole into which
a screw fits as substantially set forth.
3. A Door latch having two projections which are for the purpose of lifting the
latch and may also serve for a handle for pulling the door open.
4. A Door latch fixed on its spindle by means of a slotted hole either in the
latch or in a specially prepared plate as substantially set forth.
5. A Door latch having a rebated plate lapping over the end for the purpose of
keeping it in position.
6. A Door latch & catch consisting of the parts arranged & combined as set
forth in this specification and illustrated by the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 20th day of Aprш 1955.
JNO. JAS. RAGGETT,
Agent for Messrs Sanderson & Moffitt.