IMPROVEMENTS IN LOCKS AND LATCHES
Year: 1865

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Cyrus Price, of Wolverhampton, in the, County of
Stafford, Manufacturer, for the, Invention of. "IMPROVEMENTS IN LOCKS
AND LATCHES."
+ i
Sealed the 20th March 1866, and dated the 28th September 1865.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Cyrus Price at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Pettiion, on the 28th
September 1865.
I, CYRUS PRICE, of Wolverhampton, in the County of Stafford, Manu-
facturer, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN LOCKS AND LATCHES," to be as follows:-
My Invention consists in the first place in the introduction or application
of a crank or right-angle lever, one part of which is parallel or nearly so with
the keyhole, the other is parallel or nearly so with the bolt of the lock; the
centre of motion is at the angle, so that when a false key is applied it
comes into contact with that part of the lever next or parallel with the key-
hole, and pressing it raises the other end of the crauk next the bolt into a step
on the bolt (at other times it is kept out or free by a small spring), the said
raising of the lever or crank effectually prevents the bolt being withdrawn ;
the part of the lever next the keyhole has one one or more nose bits or
projections to inore effectually auswer the purpose of wards to prevent a false

page_text: key passing them, but to which the right key is adjusted; there is also a
nearly in a line with the part next
bits or wards on the lever or crank
said bolt back and locks it by means
peg on the bolt, the lever is such as
projection at the angle of the lever and
the keyhole which, at the time the nose
are pressed, acts on the bolt, forces the
of a notch or opening on a lever and a
is ordinarily used in what are called lever locks, with the addition of the notch
or opening for the peg on the bolt. The crank lever may be placed
at the right or left side of the keyhole for right or left handed locks.
Another portion of my improvements consists of a lever on the upper part
of the bolt and above the ordinary levers; this said lever has its position such
that when the ordinary lever or levers of a lock are raised above their proper
position the said additional lever, being pivotted near the centre, is raised at
one end and depressed at the other end, on which is a projection which falls
in or enters a notch in the bolt; this lever on the upper part of the bolt may
be used with or without the other or crank lever (near the keyhole) and the
angle lever near the keyhole may be used without the lever on the upper part
of the bolt, the levers may be of any convenient form so long as the mechanical
action already described is provided for. The crank lever is suitable for any
kind of locks and key latches where a sliding bolt is used.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Cyrus Price in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 28th
March 1866.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, CYRUS
PRICE, of Wolverhampton, in the County of Stafford, Manufacturer, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-eighth day of September, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-five, in the twenty-ninth year of
Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto
me, the said Cyrus Price, Her special licence that I, the said Cyrus Price,
my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said
Cyrus Price, 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 "IMPROVEMENTS IN LOCKS

page_text: AND LATCHES," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Cyrus
Frice, my executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under
my, or their, or one of their hands and seals, should particularly describe and
ascertain the nature of the said 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 Cyrus Price, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement, reference being had to the Drawings bereunto annexed, and to
the letters and figures marked thereon (that is to say):-.
My Invention consists in the first place of the introduction or application
of a crank or right angle lever, one part of which is parallel or nearly so with
the keyhole, the other part is parallel or nearly so with the bolt of the lock;
the centre of motion is at the angle, so that when a false key is applied it
comes into contact with that part of the lever next or parallel with the
keyhole, and pressing it raises the other end of the crank next the bolt into a
step on the bolt; the said raising of the lever or crank effectually prevents
the bolt being withdrawn; at other times it (the lever) is kept out or free by
a small spring. The part of the lever next the keyhole has one or more
nose bits or projections to the more effectually answer the purpose of wards,
and prevent a false key passing them, but to which the right key is adjustel.
There is also a projection at the angle of the lever and nearly in a line with
the part next the keybole, which at the time the nose bits or wards on the
lever or crank are pressed acts on the bolt, forces the said bolt back and locks
it by means of a notch or opening on a lever and a stump on the bolt; the
lever is such as is generally used in what are called lever locks, with the
addition of the notch or opening for the stump on the bolt, the (angle) lever
may be placed at the right or left side of the keyhole for right or left-handed
locks.
Another portion of my improvements consists of a lever on the
upper part
of the bolt and above the ordinary levers; this said lever has its position so
that when the ordinary lever or levers of a lock is or are raised above
5 their proper position, the said additional lever (being pivotted near the centre)
is raised at one end and depressed at the other end, on which end is a pro-
jection which falls or enters a notch in the bolt, this lever on the upper part
of the bolt may be used with or without the other or crank lever near the
keyhole, and the crank lever near the keyhole may be used without the lever

page_text: on the upper part of the bolt. The levers may be of any convenient form
so long as the mechanical action already described is provided for. The
crank lever is suitable for any kind of lock and most kinds of key latches.
I next proceed to explain with reference to the accompanying Drawings,
Figure One represents a lock with the plate removed. a is the main bolt
on which is fixed the stump. b;.c is an ordinary lock lever, but having
notches d', d, under which lever there is or are one or more levers having
end play on the pivot or pin e; f is the crank lever, having its centre of
motion on the pivot g; h represents a ward, there may. be several and of
different forms, two being shewn in Figure Two.
Figure Two is the crank lever f'placed with its axis horizontal; now if a false
key is used it presses the wards at h, forces the part i against the main bolt a,'
this moves the (main) stump 6 into the notch d', at the same time the part of
the crank lever at k moves into the step on the main bolt, and the said
main bolt a is effectually stayed until pressure is taken from. the wards or
lever f, when, through the connection of one or more of the springs at m and
the spring s, the different parts move into their regular position. as shewn in
the Drawing; when the right key is used the lever f and the notches d¹, d, do
not come into operation. n is a lever which, when the ordinary levers, of
which c shews one, are elevated above their proper. height, moves. the end of
the said lever n at p, and forces the end r into the main bolt.
Having now described the nature of my Invention, and the manner of
carrying it into effect, what I claim is, the crank, lever f in combination
with the stump b, the step 1, and the notches d', d, in the manner shewn ;
but I do not confine myself to the exact form of the lever and other parts,
as the form may be varied, and yet the mechanical action will be retained,
this also applies to the lever n. I also claim to use either of the levers
separately or together, and the crank lever f with or without the notched
lever c.
In witness whereof, I, the said Cyrus Price, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Fifteenth day of March, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-six.
CYRUS PRICE. (L.S.)