Improvements in Locks for Water Closet Doors and for other Applications.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 20th May, 1893
Complete Specification Left, 20th Feb., 1894-Accepted, 24th Mar., 1894
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Locks for Water Closet Doors and for other
Applications.
I, WILLIAM BARTHOLOMEW of 82 Belvedere Road Lambeth in the County
of London, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows :-
-
My invention relates to automatic locks for water closet doors and for other
applications where it is desired to open a door by dropping into the lock a coin
of the diameter and weight of one penny.
I accomplish this by constructing a lock similar to a mortice lock.
Through this lock the usual square spindle is inserted, its end terminating with
a knob outside the water closet door.
On the face of the lock I pivot a lever, one end of which works freely in a
box provided for receiving the coin; the other end is shaped to fit over the square
spindle and acts as a spanner, this end being the heaviest.
By dropping in coin one end of the lever is depressed and raises the spanner
like end sufficiently to allow the square spindle to be turned in the usual way to
open the door.
On the inside of the water closet door I provide another knob whose spindle
enters the mortice lock at some little distance from the spindle before mentioned
which acts on the same bolt of the mortice lock. Upon this spindle I form a
projection which prevents the pivoted lever from rising any higher.
When the knob inside the water closet door is turned, this allows the pivoted
lever to rise until it entirely releases the coin which rests upon its other end,
the coin then falls into the money box, and the heavy end of lever again engages
with spindle.
The coin is admitted to lock through a slot.
Although I have described my lock in its 'application to doors of water closets
it will be evident that it may be otherwise applied.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Locks for Water Closet Doors and for other
Applications.
I, WILLIAM BARTHOLOMEW of 82 Belvedere Road Lambeth in the County
of London, Engineer, 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 automatic locks for water closet doors and for other
applications when it is desired to open a door by dropping into the lock .a coin of
the diameter & weight of one penny.
I accomplish this by constructing a lock which may be similar to a mortice or
rim lock as found desirable.

page_text: Into this lock the penny is dropped through a hopper furnished with a corre-
sponding slit, the weight of the penny operating upon a pivotted lever releases the
spindle of the lock & thus permits of its being turned.
In order that my invention may be clearly understood, reference is had to the
accompanying sheet of drawings upon which:
―:
Fig. 1 represents an elevation of the lock-with front plate removed.
Fig. 2 is a similar view shewing pivotted lever depressed by weight of penny &
spindle released ready for turning.
Fig. 3 indicates position of lever & catch when penny is released by turning
inside handle.
•
Through this lock the usual square spindle A is inserted, its end terminating
with a knob outside the water closet door. On the face of the lock I pivot a
lever B one end of which works freely in a box C provided for receiving the
coin D; the other end E is shaped to fit over the square spindle A or over a
projection a formed upon same and acts as a spanner or pawl for preventing
spindle from being turned; this end E of the lever B is purposely made heavier
than the other for the purpose hereafter described.
Upon dropping a coin D into the hopper F it falls down upon the inner end of
the pivotted lever B which is thereby depressed & raises the spanner or pawl like
end E sufficiently to allow the square spindle A to be turned in the usual way to
open the door, the further movement of the lever B being prevented by its
projection e which comes into contact with a stop or arm I upon a second
spindle G.
This second spindle G which extends only to the inside of the door is furnished
with a handle and is arranged at a short distance from the spindle A before
mentioned, in such a way as to operate upon the bolt H of the mortice lock. The
spindle G is further provided with a projection or arm I which engages with the
projection e upon the pivotted lever B and thereby prevents the same from rising
any higher until the spindle G is turned.
When the knob inside water closet door is turned the pivotted lever B is free
to rise until it entirely releases the coin D which rests upon its inner end, see
Figure 3, the coin then falls into money box K the lever B. being automatically
brought back to its original position by means of its weighted end E which
engages with the spindle A and thus prevents any further turning of the same
until a second coin is dropped into the lock.
Although I have described my lock in its application to doors of water closets
it will be evident that it may be otherwise applied.
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 :-
1st. In coin freed locks for water closet and other doors the use of the pivotted
lever in combination with a pawl or equivalent device for preventing the lock
spindle from being turned, substantially as described and illustrated on the
accompanying sheet of drawings.
2nd. Coin freed locks constructed, combined and arranged substantially as
described and illustrated upon the accompanying sheet of drawings.
Dated this Twentieth day of February 1894.