Year: 1886

page_text: I, WILLISTON ISAAC ALVORD, Manufacturer, residing at 167 Maple Street, in
the City of Bridgeport, in the County of Fairfield, and State of Connecticut, one
of the United States of America, 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 certain novel and useful improvements in devices for
operating locks and latches, etc., and has for its object to provide means, readily
attached to or detached from the bolt or, latch, for operating the latter and
securing the same in locked position and further more to greatly simplify the
construction of superior locks, and with these ends in view my invention consists
in certain details of construction and combination of elements hereinafter fully and
in detail explained and then specifically designated by the claims.
In order that those skilled in the art to which my invention appertains may
more fully understand the same, I will proceed to describe its construction and
operation in detail, referring by letter to the accompanying drawing forming a
part of this specification in which:-
Fig. 1, is a plan view of my improvement embodied in the form of a dead lock,
the upper case being removed, the several parts being in proper relative position
subsequent to the retraction of the bolt and before the removal of the key.
Fig. 2, a similar view but showing especially the relative position of the tumblers
and forward stop after the removal of the key.
Fig. 3 a similar view showing the relative position of the parts after the bolt has
been half way projected.
Fig. 4, a section at the line, w, w, of Fig. 1.
Fig. 5 a detail plan view of my improvement the upper shell being removed.
Fig. 6, a detail perspective of the tumbler shell.
Fig. 7, a view similar to Fig. 1, but showing the bolt thrown forward, and
Fig. 8, a view similar also to Fig. 1, but showing my improvement especially
adapted to a spring latch.
Similar letters denote like parts in all the figures of the drawing A, is the lock
casing.
B, is a shell having lateral gatings, C, opposite to each other.

page_text: The extremities of these tumblers extend through the gatings, C, beyond the
shell for the purpose presently explained.
F, are hubs on the shell circular in shape and adapted in assembled position to
project within corresponding openings in the lock casing as seen at Fig. 4.
Ğ, is the key-hole formed through the hubs and, H, is a pin or plate extending
from the inner wall of the shell in alignment with one side of said key-hole so as
to afford a guide for the key.
I, is a lug projecting from the shell and provided with a depending pin, J,
adapted to be inserted within an opening, b, in the shank of the bolt or latch.
K, is a stop formed integral with or secured to the lock casing, and, L, is also a
stop pivoted within said casing.
M, is a spring which bears against this stop, L, in such manner as to throw it in
its normal position very near to the shell, the movement of the stop being limited
by posts, N, in the casing.
The key may have any suitable wards, a, adapted to operate against the inner.
edges of the tumblers opposite the pin, H.
The operation of my improvement is as follows:-
The shell with the tumblers properly arranged therein as described, is placed
within the lock casing, A, and the pin, J, inserted within the opening, b, in the
bolt, O.
The key is introduced, and by throwing the wards against the inner forward
edges of the tumblers, the shell is rotated, thereby withdrawing the bolt and forcing
the forward extremities of the tumblers beyond the stop, L, which latter by its
spring action will then be projected toward the shell and immediately underneath
said extremities, as shown at Fig. 1.
The bolt is securely held in this retracted position during the returning of the
key, by the abutment of the aforesaid extremities against the stop, L; when the key
has been turned back to its normal position preparatory to removal, the tumblers
will have been forced rearward by the springs, E, so that the rear extremities of
said tumblers will be thrown against the lower inclined position of the stop, K.
The bolt will thus be held in this position by the abutment of the tumblers
against this incline as shown in Fig. 2.
When the shell is turned by the key in the reverse direction to throw the bolt
forward, the rear extremities of the tumblers will ride up the inclined surface of
the stop, K, until they are brought beyond said stop, when they will by their spring
action shoot rearward and by their abutment against the upper side of this stop
secure the bolt in this projected position as shown at Fig. 7.
When the several parts are in this latter designated position and it is desired to
retract the bolt, the key is inserted and turned against the forward inner edges of
the tumblers as before set forth, thereby bringing the latter in such position that
they will pass the stop, K, and the lower end of the stop, L.
As the shell revolves by the action of the key, the forward extremities of the
tumblers will strike against the upper portion of the stop, L, and after passing
beyond the same will shoot beyond it as shown at Fig. 1.
Since the stop, L, is pivoted and thrown toward the shell in normal position by
the spring, M, it is obvious that the upper extremities of the stop will be nearest
the shell since it is farthes from the pivotal point; therefore the location of this
pivotal point with relation to the shell and tumblers, and the construction of the
stop, are such that the tumblers when thrown forward by the key will pass the
lower end of the stop and abut against the latter along its upper edge and thereby
force it back against its spring action until the upper end is passed, when the stop
will shoot underneath the tumblers as hereinbefore explained.
In applying my improvement to a spring latch as shown at Fig. 8, both stops, K,
are stationary, as it is not necessary to hold the tumblers during the returning of
the key, owing to the fact that the projection of the latch does not of course effect
any disadvantage when the door containing the latch is opened; in the case of a
bolt or dead lock however, if the bolt was shot forward when the key was turned

page_text: back to normal position, the door would have to be opened before the key was so
turned, and when opened it would be impossible to close the same after the
withdrawal of the key since the bolt would project.
I do not wish to be confined to any particular shape or location of stops, as it is
only necessary that they shall afford locking points to arrest the movement of the
shell at certain times.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I daclare that what
I claim is:-
In combination with a latch or bolt, a shell capable of motion around a center
and detachably connected to the shank of the latch or bolt, spring actuated
tumblers arranged within said shell and extending laterally beyond the sides
thereof, and means as a stop-with which the extremities of the tumblers may
engage whereby the movement of the shell may be arrested at certain times sub-
stantially as set forth.