AN IMPROVEMENT IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF KEYS AND LOCKS, AND IN THE FITTING OF LOCKS TO AFFORD INCREASED SAFETY
Year: 1856

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Frank William Blacket, of West Smithfield, in the
City of London, Draper, for the Invention of "AN IMPROVEMENT IN THE
CONSTRUCTION OF KEYS AND LOCKS, AND IN THE FITTING OF LOCKS TO AFFORD
INCREASED SAFETY."
Sealed the 17th October 1856, and dated the 24th April 1856.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Frank William Blacket
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
24th April 1856.
I, FRANK WILLIAM BLACKET, of West Smithfield, in the City of London,
Draper, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for AN IMPROVE-
MENT IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF KEYS AND LOCKS, AND IN THE FITTING OF LOCKS TO
AFFORD INCREASED SAFETY, to be as follows:-
This Invention relates, firstly, to a novel mode of constructing keys for the
locks of safes, doors, &c.; the object being to prevent the necessity for carrying
about bulky keys, and also to avoid, as far as may be, the exposure of the
wards.
To this end, I propose to fit the wards to the barrel or stem of the key in
such a manner that they may be readily removed when the key is not in use.
The key, being thus made for a time unserviceable, may be hung up near the
safe, while the wards are retained in safe custody, to be replaced when the lock
is required to be opened. This arrangement will apply to all kinds of keys,
the wards being either attached to the barrel or stem by dropping into a slot,
and held in position by a spring clip or other fastening, or being secured by a
bayonet fastening and bolt, or other mechanical contrivance. The detachment

page_text: of the wards permits also of their being applied to any length of stem, and thus
reaching locks placed for safety at a considerable distance from the key-hole,
This is
which mode of fitting locks forms the second head of my Invention.
applicable chiefly to iron safes, and consists in placing the lock at the back of
the safe or in the rear of the door, and arranging rock levers so that they may
be operated upon by the throw of the bolt or bolts of the lock, and be caused to
throw forward or withdraw bolts connected to their opposite extremities, which
bolts take into sockets or hasps made in or attached to the door. In a line with
the key-hole of the safe door a tubular guide (supported by a shelf or otherwise)
runs directly to the lock, and the removable wards being applied to a stem of
suitable length for reaching the lock from the key-hole, the key is inserted and
directed to the lock by the tubular guide. By thus placing the lock out of
the range of sight the possibility of picking it will be entirely removed, and
thus a lock of comparatively simple construction will be made to afford
undeniable security.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Frank William Blacket in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 24th October 1856.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, FRANK
WILLIAM BLACKET, of West Smithfield, in the City of London, Draper, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-fourth day of April, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-six, in the nineteenth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said Frank William Blacket, Her special license that I, the said Frank
William Blacket, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as
-I, the said Frank William Blacket, my 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 "AN
IMPROVEMENT IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF KEYS AND LOCKS, AND IN THE FITTING OF
LOCKS TO AFFORD INCREASED SAFETY," upon the condition (amongst others) that I,
the said Frank William Blacket, by an instrument in writing under my hand
and seal, should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said

page_text: 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 Frank William Blacket, 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, reference being had to the Drawing hereunto annexed,
and to the letters and figures marked thereon (that is to say) :-
This Invention relates, firstly, to a novel mode of constructing keys for the
locks of safes and other receptacles for property; the object being to remove
the necessity for carrying about bulky keys, and also to avoid, as far as may
be, the exposure of the wards.
To this end, I propose to fit the wards to the barrel or stem of the key in.
such a manner that they may be readily removed when the key is not in use.
The key, being thus made for a time unserviceable, may be hung up near the
safe, while the wards are retained in safe custody, to be replaced when the lock
is required to be opened.
In the accompanying Drawing I have shewn two modes of carrying out
this part of my Invention; but it will be obvious that the principle of con-
struction is susceptible of embodiment in a variety of forms.
Fig. 1 shews, in longitudinal section, a safe key, with a removable head a,
which is attached to the stem 6 by means of a screw at the end thereof, tapped
into the head piece. A spring catch c, which is jointed to the stem, and
capable of being raised into the dotted position by the finger nail, is employed
to lock into the head piece, and prevent one part of the key being turned
without the other. When the key is not in use the part a may be removed
from the stem b, and may, for safety and without inconvenience, be carried
about on the person, while the handle of the key is hung up at the side of the
safe.
Fig. 2 shews, in longitudinal, and Fig. 3 in cross section, a key formed in
one piece, but with moveable bits or wards d. A slot is made in the head of
the key to receive the wards, and a spring clip e is provided to retain them in
position. When the key is not in use the wards may be removed and placed
in safe custody, and the key is then for the time useless. To avoid the incon-
venience that would arise from the loose key being mislaid or lost, it may be
desirable to prevent the key from being drawn out entirely from the keyhole.
To this end, I propose to fit on or affix to the barrel of the key a flange f
(shewn at Fig. 2), which, being of larger dimensions than the key-hole in the
door or side of the safe through which the key is inserted, will form a stop,

page_text: and prevent the withdrawal of the key therefrom. This flange may be fitted
on after the insertion of the key in the safe, or a retaining plate (for the flange:
to catch against) may be rivetted to the inside of the safe to contract the key-
hole opening. It will be understood that this flange must permit of the key
being drawn out sufficiently far for the insertion or removal of the bits or
wards d. By constructing keys on the principle of a removable head, or with.
rémovable bits, as explained, I am enabled to bring into use, without incon-.
venience, locks and keys of much. greater strength than heretofore employed,:
and thus to present an additional obstacle to the picking of locks, without
increasing their complexity.
This part of my Invention applies not merely to keys for fire-proof safes,.
but for all other receptacles for property where bulky keys are or may with
advantage be applied.
The detachment of the wards or bits from the stems permits also of the use
of any length of stems, and of locks, when placed for safety at a considerable
distance from the key-hole, being readily reached, which mode of fitting locks
forms the second head of my Invention. This is applicable chiefly to iron.
safes, but may with advantage be applied to cash boxes and other receptacles
for property.
Fig. 4 is a sectional plan view of a safe fitted according to this part of my
Invention; Fig. 5.is a vertical section, taken in the line 1, 2, of Fig. 4; and
Fig. 6 is a cross section, taken in the line 3, 4, of the same Figure. The
lock indicated at g, g, is placed at the back of the safe, or. in the rear of the
door, and rock levers h, h, having their fulcrums at i, i, are so arranged that
their rear ends will be depressed by the throw of the bolts k, k, of the lock.
This rocking motion of the levers h will cause the catches attached to their
opposite extremities to take into sockets or hasps, made in or attached to the
door; but when the bolts & are drawn back, springs l, l, will rock the levers,
and withdraw the catches from the hasps or sockets. In a line with the key-
hole of the safe door, a tubular guide m (supported by a shelf) runs directly
to the lock g, for the purpose of receiving. and guiding the key to the lock.
The removable wards are applied in this case to a stem of suitable length for
reaching the lock from the key-hole, and the key being turned as usual will
open the lock. By thus placing the lock out of the range of sight the pos-
sibility of picking it will be entirely removed, and thus à lock of comparatively
simple construction will be made to afford undeniable security.
When a small receptacle, like a cash box, is fitted according to this part of
my Invention, I propose to dispense with the use of rock levers, or their
equivalent, for transmitting or imparting the locking motion to bolts. or catches,

page_text: and to employ an ordinary lock, which, however, I approach through a key-
hole at the back of the box.
Fig. 7 shews, in plan view, and Fig. 8 in sectional elevation, a cash box thus
fitted. The entrance n of the lock, it will be seen, is turned inwards, and a
guide o, o, is provided for guiding the key (which enters the box from a hole p
at the back) to the entrance of the lock. For the convenience of carrying in
the pocket a key suitable for approaching a lock thus fitted, I propose to joint
the stem, as at Figures 9, which arrangement will permit of the stem being
folded back upon itself, as shewn.
Having now explained the nature and object of my Invention of "An
Improvement in the Construction of Keys and Locks, and in the Fitting of
Locks to afford Increased Safety," I wish it to be understood that I do not
intend to claim the exclusive use of movable wards or bits, as these have
heretofore been employed with permutation locks, but differently constructed,
and for a very different purpose; neither do I confine myself to the use of
any particular kind of lock, as any approved construction of lock is applicable
to my purpose; but what I claim under the above in part recited Letters
Patent is,
First, constructing keys with detachable heads or wards for the purpose
above set forth.
Secondly, fitting locks to safes and other receptacles for property in such a
manner as to put them beyond the reach of the ordinary appliances used for
picking locks.
And, lastly, the employment in connection with locks, so fitted, of rock
levers, or their equivalents, for securing safe and other doors, as above
explained.
In witness whereof, I, the said Frank William Blacket, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, the Twenty-fourth day of October, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-six.
Witness,
J. W. MOFFATT,
66, Chancery Lane.
FRANK W. BLACKET. (L.S.)