AN IMPROVEMENT IN BANK Locks
Year: 1874

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Thomas Boyle Worrell, of the City of Phila-
delphia, and State of Pennsylvania, in the United States of
America, for the Invention of " AN IMPROVEMENT IN BANK Locks."
Sealed the 9th April 1874, and dated the 19th February 1874.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION filed by the said Thomas Boyle Worrell,
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition
and Declaration, on the 19th February 1874, pursuant to the 9th
Section of the Patent Law Amendment Act, 1852.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, THOMAS
BOYLE WORRELL, of the City of Philadelphia, and State of Penn-
sylvania, in the United States of America, send greeting.
WHEREAS I am in possession of an Invention for "AN IMPROVEMENT
IN BANK LOCKS," and have petitioned Her Majesty to grant unto me,
my executors, administrators, and assigns, Her Royal Letters Patent
for the same, and have made solemn Declaration that I am the
true and first Inventor thereof,

page_text: NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Thomas Boyle Worrell, do hereby
declare that the following Complete Specification under my hand and scal,
fully describes and ascertains the nature of the said Invention, and in
what manner the same is to. be performed in and by the following
statement: —
My Invention relates to the following particulars:-The bolt spindle
has on its inner end a pinion which gears into a vertical rack that has
a joint connection with a dog for imparting a vertical motion thereto
in connecting it with tho combination wheels and disconnecting it
therefrom.
To prevent the dog being forced in by a burglar it has a dovetail
head, which slides in the bed plate. This dog is connected to a vertical
rack which imparts motion to the bolt pinion, which gears into other
racks, which it moves in opposite directions, vertical and horizontal.
To these racks the bolts are connected, so that by the up-and-down ]
motions of the dog, imparted as above stated, the bolts are moved.
outwards or inwards for locking and unlocking the door.
The dog is made in two pieces, and screwed together, so that if a
burglar should attempt to remove the lower part by drilling through it.
the screws will be cut and the lower portion of the rack device separated 2
from the dog, thus cutting off all connection with the bolts. Or if he
should blow off or break the lock the communication between it and
the bolts will be severed.
The tappets are of peculiar form, having their middle portion of the
same width as the width of the slots of the combination wheels, and 2
their ends project cach way outside of the wheels of the same width as
that of the divisions between the slots of the wheels, so that the dog
slots may be aligned when the tappets are set to any of the slots around
the wheels.
To defeat burglars in their mode of aligning the combination wheels 3
by boring through the door to the lock, and introducing an instrument,
in addition to the combination wheels I connect in a recess in the
opposite side of the bed plate one or more idle wheels, which are moved
by the same spindle, so that when the instrument is inserted the
turning of the wheels would prevent the use of the instrument. These 3
additional wheels if desired. may be used as combination wheels by
slotting them and extending the dog over. them.

page_text: Figure 16 is a cross section of the wheel P.
Like letters of reference in all the Figures indicate the same parts.
A is the bed plate, to which the lock and bolts, and parts in
connection are attached; B is the dial on the front end of the spindle C,
which turns freely in the bed plate A and hub D, as seen in Figure 5,
the hub being fastened securely to the bed plate by means of screws or
bolts. Antifriction wheels E and washers F are arranged on the hub D
alternating with each other. On the antifriction rings are placed the
combination wheels G, in this case 5 in number; yet more or less will
answer. The rings are somewhat thicker than the wheels, to prevent
friction of the sides of the wheels against the washers as they revolve.
The combination wheels G and carrying wheel G₁ have each a cross
slot a for the reception of the dog, and the wheels G have slots ai
The divisions Barc
around their peripheries to receive the tappets.
equal in thickness to one half the width of the slots, as seen in
Figure 8. The tappets H, one of which is shown in detail in Figure 11,
have their end portions of the same size as the divisions b, and their
middle portions equal to the slots a¹, so that the dog slots may be
aligned if the tappets are placed in any of the slots a'. The tappets.
are held in position by the screws c, as illustrated, in Figure 10. A
screw thread is cut in the lower side of the tappets, as shown, and that
portion of the thread of the screw when screwed down is cut away to
admit of the free action of the screw in drawing the tappet firmly upon
its seat.
When the tappet is to be removed the thread of the screw as it passes
out of the wheel connects with the threaded part of the tappet to hold
the two pieces together for convenience in handling when the com-
bination is to be changed; I is the bolt spindle, having on its inner end
the pinion J, which gears into the vertical rack K, having a horizontal
arm d that connects by means of a mortice, or otherwise, with the side
of the dog L for giving vertical movements thereto, the front end of
the dog sliding in the vertical slot c of the bed plate A. To prevent
the dog being forced inwards by a burglar its head is enlarged by the
bevels ff, as seen in Figures 13, 14, and 15. The said bevels fit
against corresponding bevels in the front side of the bed plate A. The
с
.

page_text: dog L has connection with the vertical rack K¹ by means of the vertical
bar M, the lower end of which fits on the pin g of the elbow of the
rack the upper end of the bar being held against the end of the dog
by the nut n. The rack K' operates the bolt pinion J', which in turn
operates the horizontal racks K' and K³, moving them in opposite
directions, and the vertical rack K*. To any or all of the racks K, K³,
K³, and K³, cross heads having bolts O are secured, as shown with
rack K², and hence by turning the knob I' of the bolt spindle I from
left to right, as it acts through the intermediate parts above-described,
it shoots the bolts outward into the door frame for locking the door,
and by turning from right to left shoots them inwards for unlocking
them.
The dog L is held in its elevated position while the combination
wheels are being taken up by means of the supplemental dog L³ con-
nected with the arm d of the rack K, which has a vertical movement in
the slot i of the bed plate A; the lower edge of the dog resting upon the
peripheral surface j of the gear wheel P. A cross section of the wheel
is shown shown in Figure 16. This wheel gears into the pinion Q on
the dial spindle C, and has five times the number of teeth of the latter
wheel, so that in turning it around to set the five combination wheels
five revolutions in one direction are the greatest number required to
set the wheels. After the wheels have been set the dog L is brought
down into the bolt slots a of the combination wheels G and the driving
wheel by turning the knob I' of the bolt spindle I from right to
left, the slot k of the wheel being directly under the supplemental
dog I³.
:
As the only means of moving the bolts is by the movement of the
dog, if a burglar should blow off or break the lock he would destroy the
means of communication between it and the bolts. Or if he should
attempt to remove the lower portion of the dog by drilling into it he
would defcat his intention, as the lower part of the dog is made separato
separate and confined by means of screws 1, 1, which would be severed
by drilling, and thereby separate the bolt racks from the dog, as the
connection is made by the bar M, which is fastened to the piece L' by
means of the nut n; consequently all communication between the
dog and the bolts would be cut off. One or more idle wheels R are
placed in the recess m in the front side of the bed plate A in the rear
of the wheel R' on the dial spindle C, so that if a burglar should drill

page_text: through the door, a mode adopted sometimes for aligning the com-
bination wheels, he could not effect his purpose, for the introduction
of the instrument he would insert would prevent the wheels turning.
The wheels R may be used as combination wheels if desired by slotting
their edges to correspond with the combination wheels G, and extending
the end of the dog over them.
The dial B is provided with a circumferential head or flange o, so
that if a burglar should happen to be present at the opening of the
safe the flange will intercept the figures of the dial, and they cannot
be seen by bim unless he should approach so near as to reveal his
intention of discovering the combination.
S is a cap, which is placed over the combination wheels, intended
as a guard to prevent a burglar picking the lock.
The numbers on the divisions of the combination wheels are all even
numbers, but the tappets coming between two of them the numbers
counted for each wheel is an odd number, as when the tappet is
betwcon 8 and 10 the number of the wheel is said to be 9, and so on
of all the other numbers, which numbers are like those on the dial.
The tappets H are respectively secured in the slots of the wheel at
the numbers chosen for the combination.
Mode of Locking and Unlocking.-Turn the bolt knob from right to
left. This operation shoots the bolts into their locking position, when
the dial should be turned from right to left five revolutions, the number
necessary to revolve the wheel P once, which places its slot again
directly under the supplemental dog; but said dog can descend but a
short distance, when its progress will be arrested by the principal dog
coming into contact with thec combination wheels whose slots were
previously disarranged by the five revolutions of the dial. In this
position of the lock it is necessary to continue the dial in the same
direction but a fraction of a revolution in order to bring the slot of
wheel No. 5 to its proper position. The motion of the dial must then
be reversed and turned four revolutions and a fraction in order in order
to set wheel No. 4. This done the original motion must be resumed,
and three revolutions and a fraction made in order to set wheel No. 3,
and this altenation of the movement of the dial continued throughout
the entire manipulation. By this it appears that in setting a lock of five.
' combination wheels it is necessary to turn the dial from left to right two

page_text: revolutions more than from right to left, to wit, four to the right in
setting wheel No. 4, and twice in the same direction for wheel No. 2,
while in setting wheels Nos. 3 and 1 but four opposite revolutions. It
is therefore shown that in setting the entire combination it is necessary
to make two revolutions more to the right than to the left. It will
then appear that the necessary manipulation for setting the com-
bination wheels will leave the slot of the recess wheel out of position,
which will prevent the shooting of the bolts; it will then be necessary
to properly adjust the slot of the recess wheel, which will inevitably
displace several of the combination wheels previously set; but to
obviate this difficulty it is only necessary to advance the entire com-
bination two revolutions beyond the point alluded to above, which will
give the slot of the recess wheel such position with regard to the
supplemental dog as will bring it right by the necessary manipulation
for setting the combination wheels.
The purpose of the wheel P and supplemental dog is to prevent a
burglar or lock-picker from feeling the combination by means of the
principal dog at each revolution of the dial.
Having thus described the construction and operation of my im-
provement in bank locks, what I claim as my Invention, and desire to
secure by Letters Patent, is,-
First. A scries of racks carrying locking bolts and moving in four
different directions when operated by the same spindle, substantially
as described.
Second. The dog L in combination with the driving rack K and
combination wheels G, substantially in the manner and for the purpose
described.
Third. The moving of the dog and bolts simultaneously, substantially
as shown and described..
Fourth. The construction of the dog L in two pieces, held together
by means of screws or their equivalents, when, by the separation of the
lower piece from the upper picce, the dog is separated from the
actuating rack K, and thus severs its connection with the bolts,
substantially as set forth.
Fifth. The enlargement of the front end of the dog L to prevent its
being forced inward by a burglar, substantially as and for the purpose
described.

page_text: Sixth. The supplemental dog L in combination with the wheel P
and dog L, to prevent a burglar feeling the combination by means of
the principal dog at each revolution of the dial, substantially as
specified.
Seventh. The dog I and wheel P, or any other device which will
keep the principal dog from the combination wheels for two or more
revolutions.
Eighth. One or more idle wheels R, driven by the same spindle as
the combination wheels, substantially in the manner and for the purpose
set forth.
Ninth. The annular head or flange o on the outer corner of the dial
to intercept the view of its figures, substantially as described.
Tenth. The tappets H, constructed as represented, when their
projecting ends are one third of the width, or nearly so, of the slots a¹
and the divisions b, so that the dog slots may be aligned when the 1
tappets are connected with any of the slots a, substantially as set
forth.
Eleventh. The cap S arranged over the combination wheels to
prevent a burglar feeling the lock as specified.
I, Thomas Boyle Worrell, of the City and County of Philadelphia and
State of Pennsylvania, in the United States of America, have
hereunto set my hand and affixed my seal, this Sixth day of
February, in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred
and seventy-four.
THOMAS BOYLE WORKELL. (L.S.)