Improvements in Door Securing Devices.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 31st Dec., 1895-Accepted, 2nd May, 1896
CUMI LEID
[Communicated from abroad by FREDERICK AGUSTUS POTTER, of New York,
United States of America, Agent.]
Improvements in Door Securing Devices.
I, HENRY HARRIS LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake & Co., Patent
Agents, 45 Southampton Buildings, in the County of Middlesex, 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 an improvement in door securers, the object of the same
being to provide a device of this kind which shall be cheap to manufacture, simple
but durable in construction, and of such small size or compass that it can be
conveniently carried in the pocket, and which at the same time, may be fitted to
any and all doors of ordinary construction.
With these ends in view my invention consists of a door securer made of two
plates, shaped and bent as shown one sliding upon the other, and having openings
therein arranged in a new and certain way, whereby by the insertion of a wedge-
shaped key or fastener into two registering openings, the sliding plate may be
moved longitudinally upon the other until it fits tightly, and snugly against the
door, and can be immovably held in such adjustment.
My invention further consists in certain novel features of construction and
combination of parts as will be hereinafter fully described and pointed out in the
claims.
In the accompanying drawings,
Figure 1 is a perspective view of my improved door securer.
Figure 2 is a face view thereof, the key being shown in section.
Figure 3 is a sectional view thereof taken on the line 3-3 of Figure 2.
Figure 4 is a sectional view taken on the line 4-4 of Figure 2.
Figure 5 is a sectional view taken on the line 5-5 of Figure 6.
Figure 6 is a rear view thereof showing the attachment of the key when the
device is not in use.
Figure 7 is a modification.
Referring to the drawings A, B, represent two plates, the forward end of the
plate A being bent at right angles to its length as shown at a for insertion in the
hole formed in the door-frame for the reception of the locking. bolt or catch as is
usual in this class or kind of door-securers.
On the rear end of the plate A is secured the metal plate b, the edges of which
latter, overlap the sides or edges of the metal plate A, as shown in Figure 2, the
said plate having the lugs or projections c formed on or secured thereto.
Between the metal plate A and the plate b slides the plate B, the forward end of
the latter being bent at right angles to its length as shown at d. for providing the
necessary shoulder or bearing surface to fit against the face of the door, a strip or
plate of metal e being secured to said plate B and having its ends bent over to
encircle the plate A for assisting in preventing said plates A, B, from becoming
detached and for assisting the plate b as a guide for the longitudinal movement of
the sliding plate B upon the plate A.
The rear end of the plate B is also bent at right angles to its length as shown
at f, the said bent portion being provided with an elongated slot-or opening g, the
purpose of which will be hereafter described.
One of the main features of this invention lies in the formation and arrangement

page_text: of the several series of openings in the two plates A, B, several horizontal rows of
which are formed in the plate B, as shown at h, these openings being elongated,
and those in the same horizontal row separated by a portion of the metal i which
is narrow as compared with the length of the opening itself. These openings are
so arranged that those in one horizontal row will be slightly in advance of those
in the next adjacent row preferably ascending in a line towards the forward end of
the plate B, and descending towards the rear of the plate B.
In the plate B are formed the openings of the same or approximately the same
dimensions, as the openings h, and separated by the same width of metal as are the
several horizontal rows of openings h. The openings are formed opposite to
corresponding elongated openings formed in the plate b, said openings k, l being
preferably arranged in advance of each other, so that they will ascend or descend
in a direction opposite to that formed in the plate B.
.
By this construction and arrangement of the openings it will be seen that when
the plate B is moved upon the plate A until the openings k,l come opposite the
openings, they will so register that there will be no passageway extending through
the several plates of the same size, or, in other words, there will be no duplicates,
the hole or passageway in one row being larger or smaller than that in the next
adjacent row.
In practice the bent end of the plate A is inserted between the edge of the door
and door-frame and the plate B moved horizontally upon said plate A, until the
bearing end d fits tightly against the face of the door. The wedge shaped key D
is then passed through one of the passageways formed by the registering
openings h, k, l, and forced therethrough until the said plate B fits very tightly
against said door, said key holding the plates A, B, in this adjustment, it being
understood, of course, that the bent end of the plate A is inserted in the hole
formed in the door-frame for the reception of the locking bolt or catch.
From the above description it will be understood that when the device is secured
to a door, the wedge-shaped key, by reason of its shape, will tend to force the
plate B tightly against the door when passed in and through the openings in the
several plates. The further the key is forced, the more tightly is the plate B
pressed against the door, and hence, there will be absolutely no movement allowed
to the door after being locked or fastened by the securer.
While I have described and prefer to use one vertical row of openings k, I would
have it understood that several rows may be used as illustrated at m, Figure 7,
said openings in this instance being placed directly one above the other, instead
of ascending and descending as described in the case of that form shown in
Figure 1.
When not in use and to prevent the wedge shaped key from becoming lost or
misplaced, it is passed through the slot or opening g, formed in the rear end of the
plate B, one end of the key being also bent or turned at right angles to prevent
it from passing entirely through said opening. In passing the wedge or key
through said opening g, the forward end thereof is passed between the plate A
and the lugs or projections c formed on the plate b, thus securely binding or
locking said wedge or key to the securer and preventing its accidental
displacement.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, as communicated to me by
my foreign correspondent, 1 declare that what I claim is :-
1st. A door securer, consisting of two flat plates sliding one upon the other, and
having their ends bent as shown, each of said plates being provided with several
horizontal rows of elongated openings not in vertical alignment with each other,
and adapted when said plates are moved to register with each other, in
combination with a wedge-shaped key adapted to pass through the openings in
said plates and move one of the latter horizontally, substantially as shown and
described.

page_text: 2nd. A door securer consisting of the plates A, B, b, said form of plate being
provided with several horizontal rows of elongated openings, those in one row
being slightly in advance of those in the adjacent row, the said plates B, b being
also provided with oppositely arranged elongated openings, also arranged slightly
in advance of each other, but ascending in a direction different from those in said
plate A, and a wedge-shaped key adapted to pass through said openings, and slide
the plate B upon the plate A, substantially as described.
3rd. A door securer consisting of the plates A, B, b constructed and arranged
substantially as described, the said plate B having its rear end bent and provided
with an opening 9, the said plate being provided with the lugs or projections c,
and a wedge-shaped key adapted when the device is not in use, to pass through
said opening g and under the lugs c, 'substantially as described.
Dated this 31st day of December 1895.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45 Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.