Improvements in Self-locking Fastening Devices.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application (in United Kingdom), 21st Aug., 1893
Complete Specification Left, 21st May, 1894-Accepted, 21st Sept., 1894
Improvements in Self-locking Fastening Devices.
I, AUSTIN ADAMS of Havemeyer Building New York City, State of New
York in the United States of America Manufacturer do hereby declare the nature
of this invention to be as follows:-
:-
My invention relates to self locking appliances, and in particular to a fastening
device primarily adapted for doors, swinging windows, etc.
A barrel is provided with lateral flanges having screw holes. Within the barrel
works the reciprocating bolt bar, provided with a handle or stud working in a slot.
A spring located on the bolt bar between the stud and partition retracts the bolt
bar. A strap with opening or striker with slot, engages the outer end of the bolt
when shot. The barrel is provided with a longitudinal slot having a transverse
slot at one end and bifurcated at the other, this construction forming a projection
located in the path of the reciprocating arm. The bolt bar is provided with a
loose sleeve having a weighted depending arm, the sleeve turning freely on the
bolt bar. The weighted arm normally lies in the recessed slot so that the face of
the bolt will lie flush with the edge of the barrel and also that the V shaped pro-
jection may retard the rotation of the collar thus preventing rattling. To lock the
bolt the stud pushed forward, the weighted arm riding upon the projection in the
side of the barrel formed by the edge of the slot, and when the arm passes through
the first slot into the second one, it passes by the said projection and falls and thus
locks the bolt in a shot relation.
To unlock the parts the weighted arm is turned upward until it enters the slot,
whereupon the spring retracts the bolt.
In another form of lock the bolt is provided with a spring pin working in an
orifice. Upon the bolt being closed the spring pin enters a slot of the barrel, and
to unlock the parts the spring pin is pushed inward, whereupon the spring will
retract the bolt. In order to permanently hold the bolt in either an open or closed
position, I secure the collar and weighted arm rigidly to the bolt by tightening the
set screw passing through the weighted arm. The weighted arm can thus be
locked either in the first or second slot, or fastened to the bolt so as to work only
in the longitudinal slot.
The bolt barrel is sometimes provided with a slot in which works a stud pro-
jecting from a curved plate lying in the barrel and partially encircling the bolt, the
curved plate having a recessed portion and forwardly projecting arms. When the
curved plate is pushed forward the arms close the slot so that the weighted arm
cannot fall into the same, or if the bolt is first shot and the curved plate then

page_text: pushed forward, the arms will protect the weighted arm from being raised out of
the slot.
Signed at New York, U.S.A., this 27th day of July 1893.
AUSTIN ADAMS,
By Fowler and Co.,
Agents.
Improvements in Self-locking Fastening Devices.
I, AUSTIN ADAMS of Havemeyer Building, New York City, State of New
York in the United States of America 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 :-
My invention relates to self-locking appliances and in particular to a fastening
device primarily adapted for doors, swinging windows or like articles, and it has
for its object the provision of an appliance simple and inexpensive in construction,
readily applied and operated and efficient in practical use.
To attain the desired end my invention consists in the construction and
arrangement of parts first described and then pointed out in the claims.
In the drawings, which form a part of this Specification,
Figure 1 represents a front elevation of my fastener partly in section; Figure 2
is a top view of the same;
Figure 3 is a rear view of my bolt;
Figure 4 represents a side elevation of my strap, which engages the bolt bar;
Figure 5 is a plan view partly in section of another fastener constructed according
to my invention;
Figures 6 and 7 are details of another style of my holding device.
Like letters of reference indicate like parts in all the views.
While as before stated, my invention is applicable to a great variety of articles,
we will first consider it as applied to socket bolts for doors, etc.
Referring again to the drawings A represents a barrel ordinarily equipped with
lateral flanges or base wings A' pierced or formed with openings a', for screws or
like securing devices, whereby the barrel A may be secured to its seat upon any
article that may be required to be fastened thereby.
Within the barrel A slides the reciprocating bolt bar B, which is provided with
a suitable manual operating device as the stud b, ordinarily terminating in a knob,
which stud b, works in a longitudinal slot a, formed in the barrel A. I also prefer
to use with my bolt bar B, a retractile device as the spiral spring C located on
said bolt bar and lying between the stud b and the partition a², of the barrel A,
the resilience of the said spring C serving to normally hold the bolt bar A in an
open or unlocked relation.
I ordinarily use in connection with the bolt bar B a staple or strap as D, located
adjacent to the barrel A, and provided with screw holes d²; Figures 1, 2 and 4,
or a striker as D¹ Figure 5, constructed and arranged to engage the outer end of
the bolt bar B upon the same being closed or locked, the opening d in the said
strap D being elongated, and the striker D, being provided with an oblong or
rectangular slot d', in order that any sagging of the door, etc., may not prevent
the end of the bolt from entering the said strap or like engaging device.
I also provide self-locking means whereby the longitudinal moving bolt bar B
may be automatically retained in its closed or shot relation, until manually
readjusted. One style of self-locking device is shown in Figures 1 and 2 where

page_text: the barrel A is provided with a longitudinal slot a, terminating at one end in the
transverse slot aº, the other extremity of the same being bifurcated each branch a³
extending out at an angle from the slot a*. The bolt bar B is provided with a
sleeve having a weighted depending arm 63, the said sleeve being constructed
and arranged to turn freely on the bolt bar B.
The weighted arm 63 normally lies in the slot a³, of the barrel A. the said slot
being recessed in order that the bolt bar B may be retracted so as to allow the
face of the bolt bar B to lie flush with the edge of the said barrel A when the
said bolt is in its open or unlocked position, and also that the V shaped projection a
of the barrel A. thereby formed may limit the upward movement of the weighted
arm thus preventing any rattling of the same when the door etc., is moved."
In order to close the bolt the knob of the stud b is pushed forward thus com-
pressing the spring C, the weighted arm 63 riding upon the edge of the slot a³,
and when the said arm having passed through the slot a, enters the transverse
slots as it falls and thus locks the bolt bar B in a shot or closed relation, the outer
end of the same having meanwhile become engaged with the strap D or like
retaining device; to unlock the parts again the weighted arm is turned upward
until it enters the slot a', whereupon the tension of the spring C will draw the
bolt bar backward until the parts resume their normal unlocked or open position.
Another self-locking appliance applicable to my fastener is shown in Figure 5,
where the bolt bar B is provided with a transverse orifice 6, in which is located
the spring pin 66, which rests against and is normally confined within the interior
of the barrel A. Upon the said bolt B being closed, however, by pushing the
knob of the stud b forward as before explained, the spring pin be, will enter the
slot a, of the barrel A thus interlocking the bolt bar B in its shot or closed
relation. To unlock the parts the spring pin 66 is pressed inward, whereupon the
bolt bar B will be retracted as and in the manner hereinbefore set forth.
It sometimes becomes desirable to rigidly and permanently hold the bolt bar B
in either a closed or open relation. For example, should it be desired to keep a
pantry door provided with this bolt, locked so that children cannot open the same,
secure the weighted arm rigidly to the bolt by simply tightening the set screw b
passing through the weighted arm 63, thus making the same fast with the bolt
bar B itself after the said bolt bar has been automatically locked in its closed
relation. Again should one want to prevent children from locking themselves in a
room, I push the bolt bar B forward until the weighted arm is in the slot a*,
whereupon by tightening the set screw the weighted arm will be fastened to the
bolt bar, and it will then be found impossible for the said bolt bar B to assume a
closed or shot relation, inasmuch as the tension of the spring C will retract the
bolt bar B, the self-locking means having thus been rendered inoperative until
such time as the set screw shall be again released.
Another style of holding device is shown in Figure 6 where the bolt barrel A
is provided with a lateral longitudinal slot a (preferably located upon both sides
of the same) in which slot or slots works a stud or studs 68, the said stud or studs
projecting laterally from a curved plate B8 lying within the barrel A and partially
encircling the bolt bar B, the said curved plate B8 being provided with a recessed
portion whereby two forwardly projecting arms are formed. The arms 6°
are so constructed with relation to the weighted arm 63, that if the curved plate B
is pushed forward by the stud 68, when the bolt bar B, is in an open position the
said arms will pass in front of the slot as, thereby preventing the weighted
arm from falling into the slot a' upon the bolt bar B being pushed forward. If
on the other hand the bolt bar B is shot or placed in a closed relation and the
curved plate B8 then pushed forward, the arms & will override and lock the weighted
arm lying in the slot a*.
It is obvious that any one skilled in the art to which my invention relates may
apply my fastener to a great number of movable articles, other than doors or box
lids that require to be secured in a closed relation.

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 :-
1. In a fastening device, the combination, with a bolt barrel provided with a
projection in the side of said bolt chamber, of a spring reacted bolt bar provided
with an operating knob or handle and also provided with a collar carrying a weight
constructed and arranged to engage said projection and become retained thereby
upon the said bolt bar being shot or pushed forward.
2. In a fastening device, the combination, with a bolt barrel provided with a
projection in the side of said bolt chamber, of a spring reacted bolt bar provided
with an operating knob or handle, and also provided with a collar carrying a weight
constructed and arranged to engage said projection and become retained thereby
upon the said bolt bar being shot or pushed forward, and of means to lock the
collar to the bolt bar, whereby, upon manipulation, when said bolt bar is shot, it
may be either retracted again by the spring without becoming retained by said
projection, or may be retained and locked in its forward relation, the said bolt bar
being prevented from being turned by reason of the operating knob secured to the
same.
Dated this 11th day of May 1894.
AUSTIN ADAMS,
By Fowler & Co.,
29, Broadway, New York, U.S.A., Agents.