A NEW OR IMPROVED INSTRU- MENT FOR REMOVING DIRT FROM THE INSIDE OF THE BARRELS OF KEYS, AND AN
Year: 1865

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Robert Helsham, of No. 29, Poultry, in the City of
London, Solicitor, for the Invention of "A NEW OR IMPROVED INSTRU-
MENT FOR REMOVING DIRT FROM THE INSIDE OF THE BARRELS OF KEYS, AND AN,
"
Sealed the 21st July 1865, and dated the 27th January 1865.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Robert Helsham at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 27th
January 1865.
I, ROBERT HELSHAM, of No. 29, Poultry, in the City of London, Solicitor,
do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "A NEW OR IMPROVED
INSTRUMENT FOR REMOVING DIRT FROM THE INSIDE OF THE BARRELS OF KEYS, AND
AN IMPROVEMENT IN THE MANUFACTURE OF KEYS," to be as follows:-
It is well known that a key being kept in the pocket for a time accumu-
lates dirt at the bottom of the barrel, which consolidates, and finally prevents
the barrel from entering to its full and proper length into the keyhole of its lock.
Delay occurs therefore in opening the lock till the impediment be removed by

page_text: being tediously picked out by a pin or other instrument long enough to reach
the dirt.
The object of this Invention is to have a new and peculiar instrument
always at hand and suitable to remove the dirt in the shortest time. The
description of the said instrument is as follows:-A ring or handle is formed
capable of being attached to an ordinary ring or chain accompanying
the person, and from the said handle extends a rod or stem of sufficient
length and diameter; at the end of the stem a screw is cut, whose diameter
is less than that of the barrel of the key into which it is to be inserted.
On this screw a double sharp pointed worm is fixed, the points of the
worm being directed outwards when screwed on for use, when not in use
they are directed inwards by unscrewing, reversing, and re-screwing them on
to the stem, when the points are guarded from injuring or being injured by
entering a small cup which forms part of the stem.
Another form of the said instrument is that instead of the worm being
loose and screwed on it forms part of the stem in solid continuation thereof,
and in order to guard the points from injuring or being injured when not in
use a cylindrical guard piece of proper length is screwed over the points, and
extends a little beyond them; when the worm is to be used the guard is
unscrewed and passed back along the stem up to the handle of the instrument;
when the clearing has been done it is passed down and re-screwed over the
worm. A small pin passes through the top of the guard and prevents it from
leaving the screw outwards, so that it cannot be lost. The application of
the instrument is that when the worm is duly screwed on or unguarded (as
the case may be) it is inserted into the barrel of the key, a moderate pressure
with a slight turn fastens the points of the worm into the dirt, and then on
withdrawing the instrument the dirt will follow it, being attached thereto;
in any case a very few trials will remove all the dirt.
In the case of new keys a very appropriate form of the instrument is as
follows:-The barrel of the new key is to extend up to the handle; inside the
barrel is a ram or piston fitted the head being such a depth in the barrel as
will allow the key to enter the keyhole fully. The ram is screwed into and
is propelled by a fine cut screw which has a shoulder inside the handle end of
the barrel, and which passing outwards into the handle ring has a button
screwed to its end in such a manner that on turning the button the ram
is made to move forward to the mouth of the barrel, expelling all the dirt
therefrom, then by reversing the motion of the screw the ram is brought
back to its proper place in the barrel, so that the key, can be used again.

page_text: I do not limit myself to any particular form of handle, nor to dimen-
sions of the instrument generally, nor to the number of worms at the extremity
thereof.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Robert Helsham in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
26th July 1865.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, ROBERT
HELSHAM, of No. 29, Poultry, in the City of London, Solicitor, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing dato the Twenty-seventh day of January in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-five, in the 28th year of
Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said Robert Helsham, Her special licence that I, the said Robert Helsham,
my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said
Robert Helsham, his executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any
time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times
thereafter during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully might
make, use, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain
and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "A
NEW OR IMPROVED INSTRUMENT FOR REMOVING DIRT FROM THE INSIDE OF THE
BARRELS OF KEYS, AND FOR AN IMPROVEMENT IN THE MANUFACTURE OF KEYS,"
upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Robert Helsham, my
executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under my, or their,
or one of their hands and seals, should particularly describe and ascertain
the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same was to be
performed, and cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office
within six calendar months next and immediately after the date of the said
Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Robert Helsham, do hereby declare the
nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following.
statement:-
It is well known that a key being kept in the pocket for a time accumu-
ates dirt at the bottom of the barrel, which consolidates, and finally prevents
he barrel from entering: to its full and proper length into the keyhole of its

page_text: lock. Delay occurs therefore in opening the lock till the impediment be
removed by being tediously picked out by a pin or other instrument long
enough to reach the dirt.
The object of this Invention is to have a new and peculiar instrument
always at hand and suitable to remove the dirt in the shortest time.
The description of the said instrument is as follows:-A ring or handle is
formed, capable of being attached to an ordinary ring or chain accompanying
the person, and from the said handle extends a rod or stem of sufficient
length and diameter; at the end of the stem a screw is cut, whose diameter
is less than that of the barrel of the key into which it is to be inserted.
On this screw a double sharp pointed worm is fixed, the points of the worm
being directed outwards when screwed on for use; when not in use, they are
directed inwards by unscrewing, reversing, and re-screwing them on to the
stem when the points are guarded from injuring or being injured by entering
a small cup which forms part of the stem.
Another form of the said instrument is, that instead of the worm being
loose and screwed on, it forms part of the stem in solid continuation thereof,
and in order to guard the points from injuring or being injured when not in
use a cylindrical guard piece of proper length is screwed over the points, and
extends a little beyond them; when the worm is to be used the guard is
unscrewed and passed back along the stem up to the handle of the instrument;
when the clearing has been done it is passed down and rescrewed over the
worm. A small pin passes through the top of the guard and prevents it from
leaving the screw outwards, so that it cannot be lost. The application of
the instrument is that when the worm is duly screwed on or unguarded (as
the case may be) it is inserted into the barrel of the key, a moderate pressure
with a slight turn fastens the points of the worm into the dirt, and then on
withdrawing the instrument the dirt will follow it, being attached thereto;
in any case a very few trials will remove all the dirt.
.
In the case of new keys, a very appropriate form of the instrument is as
follows: The barrel of the new key is to extend up to the handle, inside the
barrel is a ram or piston fitted, the head being such a depth in the barrel as
will allow the key to enter the keyhole fully. The ram is screwed into and
is propelled by a fine cut screw, which has a shoulder inside the handle end of
the barrel, and which passing outwards into the handle ring has a button
screwed to its end in such a manner that on turning the button the ram is
made to move forward to the mouth of the barrel, expelling all the dirt there-
from, then by reversing the motion of the screw the ram is brought back to

page_text: its proper place in the barrel, so that the key can be used again. I do
not limit myself to any particular form of handle, nor to dimensions of
the instrument generally, nor to the number of worms at the extremity
thereof.
Having now described the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner
the same is to be performed, I wish it to be understood I claim as the Inven-
tion whereof the exclusive use is intended to be secured by the said Letters
Patent is for the instrument and improvement above described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Robert Helsham, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twenty-sixth day of July, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-five.
Signed and sealed in the presence of
WILLIAM THATCHER,
21, Beresford Street, Walworth.
Clerk to Mr. R. Helsham.
ROBT BELSHAM. (Ls.)