IMPROVEMENTS IN THE METHOD OF ATTACHING DOOR AND OTHER KNOBS TO THEIR SPINDLES AND IN APPLIANCES THEREFOR
Year: 1880

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to George Hookham, of Birmingham, in the County of
Warwick, Manufacturer, for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE METHOD
OF ATTACHING DOOR AND OTHER KNOBS TO THEIR SPINDLES AND IN
APPLIANCES THEREFOR."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said George Hookham at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 28th July 1880.
GEORGE HOOKHAM, of Birmingham, in the County of Warwick, Manufacturer.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE METHOD OF ATTACHING DOOR AND OTHER KNOBS TO
THEIR SPINDLES AND IN APPLIANCES THEREFOR."
My Invention has reference principally to such door knobs as require to be
capable of adjustment or their spindles in order to suit the different thicknesses of
the doors to which the said knobs and spindles are applied. My Invention is
however applicable to the attaching of other knobs to their spindles.
The object of my Invention is to adjust the knob on and attach it to its spindle
by appliances simple in construction and economical in manufacture, the said
appliances effecting the firm connection of the knob and spindle without the
unsteadiness or shaking of the knob common to the ordinary methods of
attachment. On the angles of the spindle I make a series of notches, in one of
which notches the conical point of the fixing screw engages. The notches on the
several angles of the spindle are not opposite each other, those on any one of the
angles being more or less in advance of those on the adjacent angle, and there is
thus secured by the four series of notches a means of effecting a fine adjustment of
the knob on its spindle.
In applying my Invention to non-metallic knobs, I employ a mount as usual, the
said mount consisting of a disc the marginal portion of which is turned into
a cylindrical figure. In the axis of the mount is a square tube through which the
spindle passes. The screw by which the knob is fixed passes through a screwed
hole in one of the angles of the said tube, and on that angle a rib is made to give a
greater depth to the hole, and consequently a greater hold or bite to the screw.
D

page_text: The said rib has a breadth somewhat less than the diameter of the screw, so that
the screwed hole in it is open at opposite sides and the screw is exposed at those
points. A spring clip is fixed on the tube, the ends of the said clip pressing upon
the exposed parts of the screw and thereby preventing its accidental unscrewing.
In attaching the knob to its spindle after the spindle has been passed through the
door, the mount of the knob is passed onto the spindle, and the fixing screw is
passed through a hole in the neck of the knob and driven home. Its conical end
seats itself in one of the angular notches in the spindle, and secures the knob in its
place, the grip of the spring clip on opposite sides of the screw preventing the
accidental withdrawing motion of the screw.
In applying my Invention to metallic knobs I give additional thickness to the
terminal part of the neck and make the screw hole in the thick part. A circular
recess in the face of the said part receives the spring clip, the ends of which enter
holes at right angles to and opening into opposite sides of the screw hole, thereby
pressing upon opposite sides of the screw and preventing its accidental withdrawal.
In making the mount for non-metallic knobs I prefer to employ an alloy of copper
and zinc such as the alloy known as Muntz's metal, which when heated can be
moulded by dies and pressure, and to form the mount with its tube and rib by
means of one or more pairs of dies worked in a press.
Or the said mount may be made by the casting process or may be raised from
sheet metal by dies worked in a press.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent 'filed by
the said George Hookham in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 18th
January 1881.
GEORGE HOOKHAM, of Birmingham, in the County of Warwick, Manufacturer, for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE METHOD OF ATTACHING DOOR AND OTHER KNOBS TO
THEIR SPINDLES AND IN APPLIANCES THEREFOR."
My Invention has reference principally to such door knobs as require to be
capable of adjustment on their spindles in order to suit the different thicknesses of
the doors to which the said knobs and spindles are applied. My Invention is
however applicable to the attaching of other knobs to their spindles.
The object of my Invention is to adjust the knob on and attach it to its spindle
by appliances simple in construction and economical in manufacture; the said
appliances effecting the firm connection of the knob and spindle without the
unsteadiness or shaking of the knob common to the ordinary methods of attachment.
On the angles of the spindle I make a series of notches, in one of which notches the
conical point of the fixing screw engages. The notches on the several angles of the
spindle are not opposite each other, those on any one of the angles being more or
less in advance of those on the adjacent angle, and there is thus secured by the
four series of notches a means of effecting a fine adjustment of the knob on its
spindle. In applying my Invention to non-metallic knobs I employ a mount
as usual, the said mount consisting of a disc, the marginal portion of which is
turned into a cylindrical figure. In the axis of the mount is a square tube through
which the spindle passes. The screw by which the knob is fixed passes through a
screwed hole in one of the angles of the said tube, and on that angle a rib is made
to give a greater depth to the hole and consequently a greater hold or bite to the
screw. The said rib has a breadth somewhat less than the diameter of the screw, so
that the screwed hole in it is open at opposite sides and the screw is exposed at
those points. A spring clip is fixed on the tube, the ends of the said clip pressing
upon the exposed parts of the screw and thereby preventing its accidental
unscrewing.
In attaching the knob to its spindle after the spindle has been passed through
the door, the mount of the knob is passed onto the spindle, and the fixing screw is
passed through a hole in the neck of the knob and driven home. Its conical end
seats itself in one of the angular notches in the spindle, and secures the knob in its
place, the grip of the spring clip on opposite sides of the screw preventing the
accidental withdrawing motion of the screw.
In applying my Invention to metallic knobs I give additional thickness to the
terminal part of the neck, and make the screw hole in the thick part. A circular
recess in the face of the said part receives the spring clip, the ends of which enter
holes at right angles to and opening into opposite sides of the screw hole, thereby
pressing upon opposite sides of the screw and preventing its accidental withdrawal.
In making the mount for non-metallic knobs I prefer to employ an alloy of copper
and zinc such as the alloy known as Muntz's metal, which when heated can be
moulded by dies and pressure, and to form the mount with its tube and rib by
means of one or more pairs of dies worked in a press; or the said mount may be
made by the casting process or may be raised from sheet metal by dies worked in
press.
Having explained the nature of my Invention I will proceed to describe, with
reference to the accompanying Drawings, the manner in which the same is to be
performed.
Figure 1 represents partly in elevation and partly in longitudinal section, and
Figure 2 in cross section on the line a, a, Figure 1, a non-metallic knob attached
to its spindle, the spindle being constructed and the knob attached to it according
to my Invention; Figure 3 is an end elevation of the non-metallic knob separately;

page_text: Figure 4 represents in longitudinal section and end elevation the metallic mount
of the knob Figure 5 represents in side elevation, plan, and end elevation the said
metallic mount in conjunction with the spring clip used for preventing the
accidental unscrewing of the neck screw, and Figure 6 represents the spring clip
detached.
The same letters of reference indicate the same parts in Figures 1, 2, 3, 4, 5,
and 6.
bis the spindle, and c is the china or non-metallic knob attached at that end of
the spindle which is without meaus for fine adjustment. On each of the angles of
the spindle b at that end which is to receive the moveable knob a series of angular
notches marked & is made, in anyone of which notches the fixing screw in the neck
of knob may be made to engage.
It will be seen, by reference to Figure 1, that the notches & on the several angles
of the spindle are not opposite each other, those on anyone of the angles being
more or less in advance of those on the adjacent angle.
By this arrangement there is obtained a ready means of effecting a fine adjust-
ment of the moveable knob on its spindle by using anyone of the four series of
notches with which the spindle is furnished for the neck screw to engage with.
That end of the spindle b on which the fixed knob of the pair of knobs is
secured is furnished with a series of notches & on one angle only, as represented.
By making notches on the angle or angles of the spindle for receiving the conical
point of the fixing neck screw, instead of causing the screw to press upon the flat
sides of the spindle as usual, there is no tendency in the knob to shake upon its
spindle although the spindle may fit loosely in it, and hence the unscrewing of the
neck screw is prevented.
The metallic mount of the china or non-metallic knob is marked f, g; f being
the cupped or cylindrical part which is fitted upon the end of the non-metallic
knob c, and g the square tube of the mount into which the square spindle b is
inserted;
is the strengthening rib on one of the angles of the square tube g. In
the said ribi a screwed hole is made for the fixing neck screw e to engage in.
By means of the said rib i a greater depth is given to the screwed hole k, and
The hole m in the axis of the
consequently a greater hold or bite to the screw c.
knob has nearly the configuration of the tube part of the mount, as seen in the
cross section, Figure 2, and the end elevation of the knob, Figure 3, that is, the
said hole m has a shape suitable to receive the tube g, its rib i, and the spring arms
of the clip, herein after described. The rib i has a breadth somewhat less than the
open at
diameter of the fixing screw e, and the screwed hole in the said rib is
opposite sides (see Figures 4 and 5). When the screw e is driven into the said
hole le portions of the said screw e project from and are exposed at the said open
sides of the screwed hole.
The metallic mount f, g, i, may either be made by casting, or from Muntz's
metal, or a modified mount may be made from sheet metal, as herein after
explained or otherwise made; 1, n, is the spring clip fixed on the tube g of the
metallic mount, The part of the spring clip has an angular figure to fit upon the
square tube 9, and the parts n, n, are turned at right angles to the part and
constitute spring arms which clip the opposite sides of the rib i and cross the open
sides of the screwed hole in the rib (see the plan, Figure 5).
After the fixed or adjustable knob has been fitted at the required place upon the
notched end of the spindle b the fixing screw e is passed through a hole in the neck
of the knob and into the screwed hole k in the rib i of the mount and driven
home. The conical end of the screw e is thereby made to seat itself in one of the
angular notches & in the spindle b and secure the knob to the said spindle. As the
neck screw e is driven home it acts upon the spring arms n, n, of the spring
clip l, n, and slightly opens out or expands the said spring arms, which are thus
made to grip the opposite sides of the screw e and prevent the accidental unscrewing
of the said screw.
The adjustable knob is fixed on the end of the spindle provided with means for

page_text: the fine adjustment of the knob thereon precisely in the same way as herein before
described and represented with respect to the fixed knob c, Figure 1, the
attachment of the knobs being illustrated on that end of the spindle not having a
fine adjustment, in order that the other ond of the spindle having a fine adjustment
may the more clearly be represented.
Figure 7 represents in side elevation partly in longitudinal section, and Figure 8
in cross section on the line a, a, Figure 7, my improvements applied to a metallic
knob; Figure 9 represents the spring clip separately.
In this arrangement the collar p at the neck part of the knob is made thicker
than usual, and in the face of the said collar p a circular recess q is made to receive
the circular part 1 of the spring clip l, n, Figure 9, and holes at 7, 7, at right angles
to the said recess q are made for receiving the spring arins n, n, of the spring clip
the free ends of the said spring arms being situated on opposite sides of the
screwed hole in the neck of the knob.in which the neck screw i engages, as seen in
Figure 8.
The action of the spring clip 1, n, as applied to a metallic knob for preventing
the accidental withdrawal of the neck screw is the same as that applied to a
non-metallic knob, herein before described.
In making the metallic mounts of non-metallic knobs constructed according to
my Invention from the alloy of copper and zinc called Muntz's metal I proceed as
follows: I take the thick disc of Muntz's metal pierced with a central hole,
represented in section and plan in Figure 10, and heat it to redness and place it in
the lower die of a pair of dies. By the descent of the upper die or tool upon the
heated disc the latter is reduced in thickness, and the central part of the disc forced
or moulded in the lower die by the process technically called "squirting," thereby
producing on the disc the square tube with its rib of the intended mount, as
illustrated in elevation, section, and plan in Figure 11, where the thick disc is
inarked a, the square tube is marked b, and its rib is marked c; I next operate upon
the thick disc part a while in a cold state by means of dies and pressure so as to
increase its diameter and reduce its thickness of metal, as illustrated in Figures 12
and 13. The flattened out disc a of the mount is next trimmed or cut into a
circular figure, as represented in Figure 14. The marginal part of the disc a,
Figure 14, is next cupped so as to form the cylindrical part a² of the mount, as
represented in elevation and plan in Figure 15. A central depression is next
made in the cupped or cylindrical part a around the tube part b, as shown in
elevation and plan in Figure 16. The mount thus made is finished by cutting off
or squaring the uneven end of the tube b and tapping in the rib c a screwed hole,
as shown in the mount herein first described.
In making the mount from sheet metal I cut out a disc, as represented in
Figure 17, and cup its middle part first in the manner shown in Figure 18, and
afterwards in the manner shown in Figure 19. I next operate upon the cupped
part of the disc Figure 19 from its convex side, so as to turn the cup inside out and
thereby produce the conical cup represented in Figure 20. The cup Figure 20 is
next operated upon so as to take up the metal at the base of the conical cup, and
thereby give the cup the form represented in Figure 21. By a further process the
conical cup is made cylindrical, as represented in Figure 22, and the closed end of
the tubular part is next pierced or cut out, as represented in Figure 23. A disc a
with a tube b at its middle is thereby formed. I next operate upon the tube b of
the partly formed mount so as to compress and fashion the sides of the said tube b,
and give them an angular figure, and at the same time form a rib at opposite sides
of the angular tube, as represented in Figure 24, where the pair of dies which I use
for the last described operation is marked e, f, the tube is marked b, and the
ribs c, c.
The shape of the tubo b, Figure 24, is perfected by the die represented in
Figure 25 in which the tube is placed, the said die being used in conjunction with
a square drift to fit the interior of the tube b.
The mount is finished by cupping the disc a, as represented in elevation, section,

page_text: and plan in Figure 26, where the cupped or cylindrical part is marked a², and
forming a screwed hole in one of the ribs c for the fixing neck screw to work in.
The dies and tools and appliances for working the same which I use for moulding
and fashioning the mounts made from Muntz's metal or from sheet metal, are of
the kind commonly employed in shaping metals for other purposes, and I therefore
do not consider it necessary either to describe or represent the said dies, tools, and
appliances.
Having now described the nature of my Invention and the manner in which
the same is to be performed, I wish it to be understood that I claim as my
Invention of "Improvements in the Method of Attaching Door and other Knobs
to their Spindles, and in Appliances therefor,"
First. Making on one or more of the angles of the square spindle a series of
angular notches, with anyone of which notches the conical end of the neck screw of
the knob may be engaged for attaching the knob to the spindle, that end of the
spindle on which the adjustable knob is fitted having preferably four series of
notches so arranged that a fine adjustment of the said knob may be effected,
substantially as hereinbefore described and illustrated in the accompanying
Drawings.
Secondly. Making on one or on opposite angles of the square tube of the
metallic mounts of china and other non-metallic knobs a rib or ribs, in which rib,
or in one of which ribs the screwed hole for the neck screw to engage in is made
for the purpose, and substantially as herein before described and illustrated in the
accompanying Drawings.
Thirdly. The combination with the metallic mounts of non-metallic knobs of a
spring clip, constructed and arranged substantially as described and illustrated for
preventing the accidental unscrewing of the neck.screw used for attaching the knob
to its spindle.
Fourthly. The adaptation of the said spring clip to metallic knobs herein before
described and illustrated in the accompanying Drawings.
Fifthly. Making ribbed metallic mounts for non-metallic knobs from the alloy of
copper and zinc known as Muntz's metal, by the combination of processes herein-
before described and illustrated in Figures 10 to 16, both inclusive, of the
accompanying Drawings.
Lastly. Making ribbed metallic mounts for non-metallic knobs from sheet metal
by the combination of processes hereinbefore described and illustrated in Figures 17
to 26, both inclusive, of the accompanying Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said George Hookham, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Seventeenth day of January, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and eighty one.
Witness,
GEORGE SHAW.
GEORGE HOOKHAM. (L.S.)