Improvements in Door Locks or Latches.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 10th Dec., 1889
Complete Specification Left, 28th Aug., 1890-Accepted, 10th Dec., 1890
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Door Locks or Latches.
I, JOHN ROBERT MILLER, of Harvey Street, Denmark Street, Belle Vue, Wakefield,
in the County of Yorkshire, Joiner, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to
be as follows:-
This invention relates to improvements in door locks or latches and has for its
object to reduce friction and simplify the construction and working of the lock.
According to this invention the knobs or handles for operating the lock are pressed
downwards instead of being turned or twisted as in the case of locks of ordinary
construction, thus greatly diminishing the liability of the said knobs or handles
becoming loose or disconnected and providing an easy means of operating the lock.
The draw or latch bar is actuated by means of two levers pivoted one above the
other, the upper lever being in a vertical position with its longer arm bearing against
a projection formed on the end of the latch bar for the purpose of forcing it back
when the handle is depressed. The lower lever is curved, one of its ends bearing
against the short arm of the upper lever and its other end being operated upon by
means of the knob or handle when unfastening the door. A spring presses forward
the latch bar again and forces the knob or handle up into its normal position
upon the latter being released. Upon each side of the door is fixed a plate, and
to each plate is pivoted an arm or lever the free end of which passes through a
slot formed in the said plate. The said levers are placed side by side, or one above
the other, the one acting upon the other in a downward direction.
To the outer or free ends of these levers are fixed on each side of the door the
knobs or handles which are used for operating the lock.
Instead of using the before mentioned vertical and curved levers for operating the
latch bar, a quadrant may be provided, the curved surface of which carries a chain
connected at one end to the latch bar.
One side of this quadrant lies horizontally and is acted upon by the levers to
which the knobs or handles are attached, when the said knobs or handles are
pressed down, thus drawing back the latch bar and unfastening the door. Instead of
pivoting the two hand levers to a plate on each side of the door, they may be carried
in a thin metal case inserted in the body of the door, one lever passing through the
rim lock or latch and the other passing out to the opposite side of the door.
In the case of a mortice lock or latch, both levers pass through the said lock or
latch, and thus ensure a direct vertical motion for the knob or handle on either
side of the door.
Dated this 10th day of December 1889.
HUGHES, ELI & HUGHES,
76, Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Door Locks or Latches.
I JOHN ROBERT MILLER, of Harvey Street, Belle Vue, Wakefield, in the County of
York, Joiner, 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 :-
This invention, applies to door locks, or latches or that part called the latch bolt ;
whereby, the bolt is withdrawn from the keeper (on the frame) and the door allowed
to open by directly pressing down the knob, in a vertical line, about of an inch to

page_text: do this, two metal (cast) levers, are 'fixed verticaly one above the other, (in the lock);
the end of one (1. (Sheet 1) is attached to the latch bolt, 5, by a rivet, and working
on a fixed pivot pin, about three-fourths of its length from the top; having its
edge, at the low end, follow a curve line, in contact with (2.) the bottom lever; also
working upón a fixed pivot pin, about three-fourths of its vertical line, from the top
point; these levers, fit close between the lock plates, allowing room to work freely:
one edge of (2.) follows a curved line, coming in contact with the bottom end of (1)
causing it to work with a rolling motion, and frictionless: a portion of this lever (2)
lies parallel to the bottom edge of the lock in a curved line; upon this line, curved
'arm, rests the 'two' spindles, (on which knobs are secured) (in the usual way).
The bottom edge of this arm, lever (2), is curved, tapering to its end; to lessen its
bulk, for balancing purposes. These levers, of brass, or cast maleable iron, or pressed
wrot iron, are situate at the back end of locks, attached to the (latch bolt ; either as a
whole forged piece as usual, or in parts as), 3 soft iron, attached to (5) (Sheet 1) by
a rivet, in case 5 is cast iron, brass, or an amalgam of iron and brass, coating:
shewn in Fig. 1, is a plan of a 'mortice' lock; diagrams are nod. as in lock, and
.shews sections as well faces; 'a' shews face of mortice lock, 'b.' a part of lock
case, end, cast, to the size and shape, (for benefit of door). Fig. 2, Sheet one (1),
shews a section S of lock (through levers) as fixed into a door; 1, 2, levers, →3 end
of bolt; as attached to 1, by a rivet: 6. 6. spindles fixed, to plates, with ears, by a
pin, from each opposite side of a door, side by side of each other, inclined upwards to
the knobs; 8 shewing outline of same: 7. B. shews a wood or china or glass rose
plate, a small metal (wrot) plate →P for attaching spindle to in such a case: 9 shews
a metal plate for knob to fit too, on the door, called the 'knob' plate; the same
having ears attached, or cast on, to recieve the end of spindles, which, after locks are
fixed into doors, are passed through door, rests upon the arm of (2), the knobs being
pressed down, from either side of the door, about one fourth of an inch, depresses the
arm of lever 2, causing lever 1, to throw back, thus withdrawing 5, from the keeper
(on the frame). 4 the spring, causes it to return outwards. Spring should be brass
wire, tempered; and has a guide pin, working through a stud fixed in lock case, in
either of three holes left; to regulate the tension of the spring, according to require-
ments of the knobs used, glass, china or solid brass. Diagrams (on No. 3 Sheet)
R rose of china, say, face and section; D face and section of metal plate behind rose,
shewing an oblong slot (for spindles). The pivot pins, upon which levers 1 and 2
work, should be of metal of a different nature to the levers.
No. 2 Sheet of drawings, shews, Fig. 1. a. a plan of a 6" rim lock, in which the
release of the latch bolt is obtained, by the use of one lever, 1. being actuated on by
knob spindle 6, as simplified, from the two lever motion. 3 is a spring of brass wire,
fixed to 2 by a stud, at one end, and to a screw, 4, at the other or fast end; a. is a
slot, in the lock case edge, at the top; by slackening the screw 4, and moving it
towards the face end, F. and tightening the screw 4 again, a greater tension is
given to the spring: as the knobs may require. Diagram 1. is a section of 'lever 1.
2. the edge of the latch bolt.
Fig. 2. a. is a section of a lock, as fixed to a door; 6. the bottom spindle, rests on
the lever arm; having a fixed end, in the door, being pivoted to a wrot metal case.
B. No. 3 Sheet, shewing side view, and a section: (Fig. 3.) 6 is the ordinary
spindle, bent to suit the position, of incline and horizontal lines: 6. a. the top spindle
is also bent as shewn, having a fulcrum foot c, either wrot, or cast on, and is fixed to
the metal case, us shewn at Fig. 3. No. 3 Sheet: by a pivot, or pin; and is passed
through the door, and B is then to be screwed to the door, so that when the lock is
screwed to the door, so that spindle 6. has an incline to the knob, the abutment c
on 6. a. actuates 6. when pressed on at the free end: this arrangement of the knob
spindles is necessary, as applying to the rim lock: It is obvious, from a glance at C. 7.
Sheet 3. that if a plate, as I were fixed to a lock as shewn, no amount of leverage
could be obtained, necessary to depress the levers: hence the necessity of the above
described arrangement, in order to avoid obtrusions outside the lock, near the
knob.

page_text: E. Sheet 3. shews face, and section of metal plates for knobs, and spindles ends
ears e. 1.
No. 4. Sheet of drawings. Fig. 3. a. is a plan of a latch; (rim). 1 the lever,
2. the latching bolt, 3. a check bolt; 4 the case turned under to strengthen the case.
5. a lever to work the check bolt. 6 the knob spindle, having the same action as already
described for a rim lock.
Fig. 4. shews face of a plate, bearing directions how to open a door, having a lock
upon it, with the foregoing improvements in it; (this plate Figure 4, is intended to be
fixed above the rose plates, on the door).
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is,
1. Novelty in the method of opening door.
2. Simplicity of construction of lock.
3. Immunity from doors opening, by accidentally pressing against the knobs.
14. Less trouble to children, than the manner of twisting the knobs.
5. That worn locks can be repaired by fitting my said invention to them where
suitable.
JOHN R. MILLER.