IMPROVEMENTS IN DOOR FASTENINGS EMPLOYED FOR RAILWAY AND OTHER CARRIAGES OR VEHICLES
Year: 1882

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Philip Middleton Justice at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 1st May 1882. A communication
from abroad by James W Krepps of the City, County and State of New York
United States of America.
PHILIP MIDDLETON JUSTICE of 14 Southampton Buildings in the County of
Middlesex Patent Agent IMPROVEMENTS IN DOOR FASTENINGS EMPLOYED FOR
RAILWAY AND OTHER CARRIAGES OR VEHICLES A communication from abroad
by James W Krepps of the City, County and State of New York United States of
America
This invention relates to that kind of door fasteners employed for railway and
other carriages or vehicles consisting of a pair of hooked catches in the door which
are opened self actingly to receive the bolt on the sliding door, by the bevelled point
of the bolt and close into notches in the sides of the head of the bolt to secure the
same by the gravitation of one of the catches and of a bar employed for opening
the catches and also for fastening them; The said invention consists of an improved
construction of such door fasteners whereby less care and skill is required in the
application of the fasteners to the carriages or vehicles and the operation is
rendered more certain and the fasteners more permanent and durable than has
heretofore been made all as hereinafter more fully described and set forth.
A cleat or batten of wood is attached to the side of the carriage for connecting
the parts of the fastener that are mounted on it to the door jamb, a second
cleat or batten of wood being attached to the side of the door for connecting
the parts of the fastener mounted on it to the door, said part of the fastener
being a pointed and double notched bolt The parts of the fastener which are
attached to the door jamb by the cleat consist of double catches and a bar together
with a pivot inserted under the lower catch The object of said pivot is to afford
pivotal support to the lower catch allowing it to fall when the weight of the
upper catch and the bar is lifted off from it to permit the bolt to be withdrawn
for opening the door Said catch will swing up and engage with the notches of
the bolt to fasten the door, when the upper catch and the bar are let fall upon it
again

page_text: This door fastening device has an especial merit over others in its extreme
simplicity but its successful operation is dependent upon the location of the pivot
in the exact position relatively to the bolt; to cause the lower catch to bear
properly in the underside of the notches of said bolt, when the upper catch rests
in the notches of the upper side of the bolt As the bolt is attached to one
cleat and the rest of the fastener to a second cleat it generally requires great care
to adjust the two parts exactly right, but although this can be done it is highly
desirable to contrive for the most ready application of these locks by unskilled
hands. The main difficulty has been caused by the unsubstantial support of the
pivot bolt as heretofore fitted in the wood of the cleat, besides the difficulties of
adjusting it in case the hole was not properly bored in the first instance or of
the setting or crowding of the bolt out of place after being put in or of becoming
slack by shrinkage of the wood To remedy all these difficulties I have contrived
a pivot in connection with a base plate to be fitted on the shoulder of the recess
cut in the side of the cleat to provide the required space for the catch the said
hase plate being for the purpose of greater stability made part of a box or case
fitting the bottom and sides of the recess so as to set in and be retained without
any fastening other than being confined between the cleat and the side of the
carriage or vehicle when the cleat is attached.
This plate will of course afford the most substantial support to the pivot and
being set in the recess with the case as part of the fastener saves the boring
and fitting of the pivot it also avoids external exposure. The base plate is
constructed with a depression between the pivot and the end of said plate to
allow the head of the lower catch, space in which to drop, and at the bottom of
this depression I make an outlet passage through which water may drip away and
air may circulate to blow away the dust and prevent it from settling therein and
obstructing the action of the catch By means of any known point or guage on
the front of this base plate against which the door closes, the bolt may be attached
to the door after the catches have been attached to the carriage with certainty of
proper adjustment with relation to the pivot The face of the cleat enclosing the
recess may be part of the case if desired but I prefer to apply it separately I also
propose to arrange the surface of the base plate behind the bar, level with the
surface of the pivot so that part of the service of supporting the weight of upper
catch and the bar will be sustained by it thus affording greater steadiness,
especially to prevent shaking and rattling when the carriage or vehicle is in
motion In order to allow the bar to work up and down in this base plate it is
provided with a notch or notches. For attaching the hasp of a padlock to the
lower end of the bar for locking the door fastening I attach a staple to the bar
below a plate attached to the lower end of cleat through which plate the bar works
in a slot, a second slot is provided for the staple and near the projecting part of the
bar I arrange a button, slide or other device to shift under the bar when it is
lifted to unlock the fastening and hold said bar up to enable the operator to use
both hands to slide the door back if required. This button also has a hole for the
insertion of a seat through it and through the bar, said bar having a hole also for
that purpose.