IMPROVEMENTS IN ALARM LOCKS
Year: 1879

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Abram Charles Herts, of Bloomsbury, in the County of
Middlesex, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN ALARM LOCKS."
Sealed the 11th July 1879, in pursuance of an Order of the Lord Chancellor, and
dated the 4th January 1879.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Abram Charles Herts at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 4th January 1879.
ABRAM CHARLES HERTS, of Bloomsbury, in the County of Middlesex.
PROVEMENTS IN ALARM LOCKS."
t
Iar-
This Invention has for its object improvements in alarm locks, and is more par-
ticularly applicable to tills and other similar depositories; it is howover also capable
of being applied to window fastenings when desired.
In order to carry out my Invention I proceed as follows:-I provide a suitable
frame or plate which carries a setting and unsetting spindle, together with a bell, a
locking and unlocking hook, the hammer butt of the bell, and the other working
parts of the lock.
Such spindle has a combined longitudinal and rotatory setting motion, and is
provided with a suitable cam, arm, or tappet, by means whereof it actuates the
locking and unlocking book and the bell and hammer butt, and so gives an alarm
immediately the lock is opened.
The alarm lock may either be fitted on the front or back of the drawer, as pre-
ferred, while the locking and unlocking hook engages and disengages, as required,
with a stop or detent conveniently fixed above the hook, and to allow of the tooth
or point of the hook clearing the detent when closing the drawer I make the same
with an inclined surface.
The hook is made to gear with the inner extremity of the spindle, so that on
drawing out the latter the hook disengages itself from the detent. The spindle
however cannot be so drawn outward until a stud which is formed thereon is brought
in a line with a suitable slot made in the frame or plate, and is forced inwards by a
suitable spring.
The locking hook, as also the hammer butt and hammer, are pivotted to the frame
of the lock, and the two latter are controlled by a second spring, so as to impart to
the hammer the necessary striking action on the bell.
The hammer butt is operated in a reverse direction against the tension of such
second spring, so as to draw back the hammer preparatory to its being released to

page_text: strike the bell, by means of a cam or tappet on the inner end of the spindle as the
latter is rotated. A small step on the spindle is arranged below the drop of such
cam to prevent the turning back of the spindle after the lock has been set.
The outer end of the spindle is fitted with a cross handle of unequal length on
opposite sides of the axis of the spindle, to provide for the working the latter,
and to facilitate the setting and unsetting of the locking devices.
The object of making the arms of such cross handle of unequal length is to better
indicate to the operator the position of the working parts or locking devices as
affected by the turning of the spindle.
By this Invention the spindle operates both the alarm and the locking hook of
the lock, and it cannot be turned in a reverse direction to unlock without sounding
the alarm.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Abram Charles Herts in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 11th July
1879.
ABRAM CHARLES HERTS, of Bloomsbury, in the County of Middlesex.
PROVEMENTS IN ALARM LOCKS."
"IM-
This Invention has for its object improvements in alarm locks, and is mainly
designed to be applied to cash and other drawers, but it is also applicable to windows
and other purposes; it will here however be more particularly described as applied
to a drawer.
The Invention consists in an alarm lock of novel construction, and which embraces
various combinations of parts, including a longitudinally movable and rotating setting
spindle, with attached cam, arm, or tappet, and a locking and unlocking hook and
bell hammer butt, the two latter being arranged for operation in their respective
order by the spindle with its attached cam, arm, or tappet, substantially as herein-
after described, and whereby, while great simplicity is attained, every security is
afforded against opening the lock without sounding the alarm, and other advantages
are obtained.
And in order that such Invention may be better understood and readily carried
into effect, I will now proceed, with the aid of the accompanying Drawings, to more
particularly describe and ascertain the same.
In the accompanying Drawings Figure 1 represents a side view of an alarm lock
constructed in accordance with the Invention, and as applied to a drawer, with the
parts of the lock in full lines in an unlocking position, and in dotted lines after the
lock has been opened.
Figure 2 is a transverse section of the same on the line x, x; Figure 3 represents
a side view after the alarm has been sounded and the lock is adjusted into a locked
position of its parts; and Figure 4, a transverse section on the line x, x, with the

page_text: parts in the position represented in Figure 3; Figure 5 is a plan with the parts in
the position represented in Figure 1.
A is a frame, which may carry the setting and unsetting spindle B, the bell C,
the locking and unlocking hook D, the hammer butt E of the bell, and other working
parts of the lock.
When the lock is applied to a drawer G, such frame may either be arranged in
the interior front portion of the drawer, or, by suitably lengthening the spindle B,
be disposed in the rear of the drawer, the locking and unlocking hook D in either
case engaging and disengaging with a fixed stop or keeper H. Such hook D may
be of any suitable form, but should have an inclined surface b beyond its tooth or
point to provide for its clearing the keeper when shutting the drawer. The frame A
forms a bearing, not only for the rotation of the spindle B, but also for its longi-
tudinal movement therein.
The catch or hook D is constructed to gear with the inner end of the spindle B,
so that on drawing out the spindle from the exterior of the drawer the hook is
disengaged from its keeper. Such spindle however cannot be drawn outward until
a stud c on it comes in line with slot or opening d in the frame A, and is forced
or held inward by means of a spring f.
•
The hook dis pivotted to the frame A at 9, and the hammer butt E with its
attached hammer F is also pivotted to said frame at h, and is controlled by a
spring to give the hammer its striking action on the bell. The hammer butt is
operated in a reverse direction against the tension of such second spring k, so as to
draw back the hammer preparatory to its being released to strike the bell by
means of a cam or tappet J on the inner end of the spindle as the latter is rotated.
A small step m on the spindle is arranged below the drop of such cam J to prevent
the turning back of the spindle B after the lock has been set as hereinafter
described.
The outer end of the spindle is represented as fitted with a cross handle K, K', of
unequal length on opposite sides of the axis of the spindle to provide for working
the latter, and to facilitate the setting and unsetting of the locking devices, as
hereinafter explained.
The operation of the lock is as follows:-Supposing the spindle B to have been
turned in the direction of the arrow y till the rise or point of the cam J has, in
passing under one arm of the hammer butt E, operated the hammer and caused the
bell C to be struck; then, according to the position of the working parts, as repre-
sented by full lines in Figures 1, 2, and 5, the stud c of the spindle B is in a line
with the slot d. so that such spindle may be drawn outward by the handle K, K',
as indicated by the dotted lines in Figure 1. This drawing outward of the spindle B
operates upon the hook D to disengage it from the keeper H, and by a continued
outward pull on said spindle B serves to open the drawer. After the drawer G has
been closed again, during which the spindle B has been operated longitudinally, and
the hook D by its incline b has passed either at the back of or into the lock with
the keeper H, the spindle B is further turned slightly to the right again, so as to
put its stud c out of line with the slot d, and to bring the small step m on the
spindle back of the operating arm of the hammer butt E, as shown in Figures 3
and 4. This last action not only locks the drawer but prevents the spindle B from
being turned to the left to bring its stud in line with the slot d, and so that in
order to put said stud in such opening position the spindle B must be turned
farther round to the right until the nose or point of the cam J has again passed
under the hammer butt E and sounded the alarm or caused the hammer to strike
the bell.
The object of making the arms of such cross handle K, K', of an unequal_length
is to better indicate to the operator the position of the working parts or locking
devices as affected by the turning of the spindle.
By this Invention the spindle B operates both the alarm and the locking hook of
the lock, and it cannot be turned in a reverse direction to unlock without sounding
the alarm.

page_text: Such spindle also serves as a draft bar to open the drawer, supposing the
improved alarm lock to be applied to a drawer.
In the application of such alarm lock to windows, instead of the cross handle K, K',
which requires more working space than might be convenient, a knob or other
turning device might be applied to turn the spindle, and a separate lever be used for
pulling the spindle outward to liberate the hook or catch of the lock.
Having thus particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
Invention, and the manner of carrying the same into effect, I would have it under-
stood that I claim,-
1. The combination of the rotating and longitudinally adjustable spindle B,
having the cam or tappet J and stud c thereon, the socket or frame in which such
spindle slides and turns, provided with a slot d for reception of the stud c, tho
hammer butt E, and the catch or hook D, substantially as specified.
2. The spindle B, provided with the step m and cam J, in combination with the
hammer butt E and hook D, essentially as described.
3. The frame A, constructed to form a bearing for the rotating and longitudinally
sliding spindle B, and the extended back of such bearing to form a support for the
other working parts of the lock, in combination with the bell C, the hammer butt E,
and the catch or hook D, all attached to the said frame, substantially as herein beforo
shewn and described.
1
In witness whereof, I, the said Abram Charles Herts, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Third day of July, in the year of our Lord Ono
thousand eight hundred and seventy nine.
ABRAM C. HERTS. (L.S.)