IMPROVEMENTS IN LOCKS, AND IN FIXING KNOBS AND SPINDLES TO DOORS AND LATCHES
Year: 1865

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Richard Nabbs at the Office of
the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 4th April
1865.
I, RICHARD NABBS, of No. 88, John Street, Tottenham Court Road, in the
County of Middlesex, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN LOCKS, AND IN FIXING KNOBS AND SPINDLES TO DOORS AND
LATCHES," to be as follows, that is to say :-
The first part of my said Invention consists in the improvement of locks and
latches, which I accomplish by applying a toothed or gated bolt turned by a
half-cog cylinder. This bolt has a stump attached to its head, which enters
slots to correspond in any required number of levers placed in different positions,
but so arranged that when unlocked the stump of the bolt shall enter each of
the slots therein; but when fastened the bolt shall be unable to enter into
any one thereof, so that to pick this lock it is absolutely necessary for each of
these separate levers to be raised to such a position that each of the said slots
shall be opposite to one another; moreover on to the bottom lever I attach a
stump which fits into cuts or gatings at the back of the bolt, thus giving
double security to the lock when pressure is applied to the bolt. For turning
the said bolt I arrange a toothed cylinder on the drill pin turning thereon, the
teeth of which gear with the gatings in front of the lock bolt, which is thus
raised and lowered.
For closing the keyhole I use the ordinary rotary curtain; but with this
improvement, that instead of the usual spring securer I use a vertical or

page_text: upright one fastened into the back plate and fitting into a notch in the
periphery of the said curtain.
The second part of my said Invention consists of a new and peculiar mode
of connecting, adjusting, and securing the spindles of latches and other locks
or fastenings to the handles thereof. To accomplish this, 1st, I pass a wedge
or pin through the bush and flange of the back plate which comes in contact
with the spindle, which is screwed into the bush of the handle and rests at an
angle therewith, thus preventing its turning round or being pulled off, the
wedge being secured by a screw rose covering it.
2nd, another mode of securing the handle to the spindle is as follows:-I
make the spindle with a slot of any length at one or both ends, which is
adjusted to the required thickness of the door by means of a set screw.
Through the flange of the back plate and bush of the handle I respectively
form a slot and hole, through which I pass a pin, which enters and passes
through the slot of the spindle directly in front of the set screw, and over the
pin I place a screw rose; which thus secures the pin and handle in position.
A third improvement consists in forming the end of the bush with a groove,
and making the back plate with an inside grooved flange, through which a
slot is formed and a wedge passed, which wedge enters into the groove on the
end of the bush, and is held thus in position by means of an elastic band
passing round the groove in the back plate.
4thly, for rim locks I make the ends of the spindle screwed with a hole at
or near the end, and through the bush of the handle I make a corresponding
hole through which a pin passes and enters the hole in the spindle, a brass
ring is then passed over to secure it, and the collar on the spindle is screwed
up to the required thickness of the lock.
EXPLANATION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Drawing A shews one of my improved locks and the improvements therein.
A is the back plate; B, drill pin; C, stump on the head of bolt; D, pin
securing the curtain; E, the bolt; F, cog cylinder gearing with the gating on
the bolt tail; G, levers; H, the spring; I, the curtain for stopping the key-
hole; K, the cap plate.
Drawing B. Fig. 1 shews one of my improved spindles with the wedge
first described only applied. A is the wedge fitted into the neck of the bush E
resting at right angles on the spindle B, which screws into the bush, thus
securing it from turning round, and covered by the rose C; D, friction plate
for the bush to work against; O, the knob.
.
Fig. 2 shews another of my improved spindles applied according to my

page_text: second plan; F, the bush to which the back plate is attached, through which
a hole is made, and pin or wedge H passed securing the spindle I; C, the
screwed rose covering the pin.
The dotted lines shew an application of my third plan. A, the grooved end
of the bush; B, the back plate; C, the inside grooved flange thereof; D, the
slot through which the wedge E passes; F, the elastic spring for keeping the
wedge in the grooved flange.
Fig. 3 is one of my improved spindles as applied to rim locks specially. J,
the spindle screwed at one or both ends, which fits in the bush K, and is held
in position by a pin or wedge C passing through it and the brass ring or
mount M, which secures the said pin; N, the collar which tightens the spindle
on the outside of the lock; O, the knob.