Improvements in or relating to Electrical Locks.
Year: 1888

page_text: Date of Application, 1st Sept., 1888
Complete Specification Left, 1st June, 1889-Accepted, 31st Aug., 1889
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to Electrical Locks.
A communication from abroad by ERNEST LEMONON, of Niort, in the Republic of
France, Mechanical Engineer.
I WILLIAM PHILLIPS THOMPSON F.C.S., M.1.M.E., of the Agency for Foreign
Patent Solicitors, 6, Lord Street. Liverpool, and 6, Bank Street, Manchester both in
the County of Lancaster, and 323 High Holborn, in the County of Middlesex, Civil
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
The electric cased lock bolt, forming the object of this invention, may have the
shape of a small rectangular case like ordinary cased lock bolts.
The two essential parts of this lock bolt will now be successively described.
The first part has for its object to close an electric circuit by means of a contact
device constituting one of the novel points of the invention, and causing the battery to
work only during the very short time necessary for the working of the lock bolt,
even when the pressure exerted on the knob should last some time.
The other part constitutes a very sensitive and solid engaging gear, the release of
which is effected by an electro-magnet energized by a weak electric current.
In the first part two terminals or binding screws and the connecting wires of the
horse shoe electro-magnet are arranged in such a manner that the circuit can only be
closed when two springing strips of metal, normally kept apart by virtue of their
elasticity, are brought in contact by means of a knob or pusher moving in a case
arranged inside the case lock bolt, and containing also a coiled spring, the elasticity
of which causes the end of the aforesaid knob to tend to project outside the front
plate of the case of the lock bolt.
The aforesaid knob is provided laterally and inside the box with an insulating disc,
which, when the knob is pushed inwards, brings the end of one of the aforesaid
springing strips of metal in contact with the end of the other.
When the door is open, the contact just mentioned does not take place, the circuit
is in consequence interrupted, and the call button is powerless to establish a current.
When the door is closed, the knob is driven home inside the case, by the door, the
insulated dise maintains the contact between the before mentioned strips of metal (in
the cased lock bolt) the circuit being no longer interrupted, it is sufficient to establish
the contact at the call button in order to close the circuit in the cased lock bolt. The
electro magnet, being thereby energized, effects the release of the engaging gear as
will be explained hereafter. The door opens when the knob is pushed, assisted if
necessary by any other means. But the knob springs back by the pressure of the
coiled spring, and issues from the lock bolt casing, and the insulating disc moving
away from the springing strips, the contact between the latter ceases to take place.
The circuit is then interrupted, and the battery does not continue to work even if a
pressure should still be exerted on the call button.
The end of each springing strip is provided with a small piece of platinum or
other inoxidisable metal. Owing to the difference in the lengths of the springing
strips, the latter slide slightly one upon the other every time the insulating disc
brings them in contact, the friction resulting therefrom having for effect to keep the
surfaces which are brought against each other, constantly clean and thereby ensuring
a good electrical contact.
The whole of the parts of which the contact breaker consists, is mounted on an
insulating plate in such a manner that the current has only to pass through-the parts
of the contact breaker and the wire forming the coils of the electro-magnet.
Disengaging gear. Before the poles of the electro-magnet stands an-armature
guided by two small studs sliding.each in a. guiding piece secured-to. the front plate of

page_text: the lock bolt casing. This armature is provided in its middle with a stirrup on the
bottom of which is engaged the hooked upper part of a releasing device hinged to the
front plate of the casing of the lock. The armature and the releasing device are kept
lowered by their own gravity, the releasing device having play enough in the stirrup
not to raise the latter.
The releasing device is provided with a projection or heel on the underside of
which bears one extremity of a lever fulcrained to a stirrup attached to the front
plate. The other end of the latter lever returns on itself, and forms a deep notch
embracing a stud formed on the end of a head piece. This head-piece is secured to
the front plate by means of two trunnions. Its head forms a movable recess for the
introduction of the spring bolt. A spring resting on a small lever provided at the end
of the outside trunnion, brings the head piece always to the same position after the
apparatus has worked.
When the door has just been shut, as it tends to open again the spring bolt which
has got inside the head piece would cause the latter to swing, were it not for the
aforesaid end stud being held in position by a lover, the end of which bears against
the underside of the aforesaid heel on the releasing piece.
But as soon as the current circuit is closed, the armature of the electro-magnet is
lifted with its stirrup, which, in consequence, pulls the aforesaid releasing device, and
thus effects the release of the lever, the end of which was bearing on the underside of
the heel on the releasing device. The bead piece swings round its trunnions allowing
the spring bolt to escape, the door opens, and the head piece called back by the
spring brings the lever to its former position, causes its extremity to engage
again under the heel of the releasing piece, and the lock bolt is ready to work
again as explained, as soon as the door is shut again.
In order that the release of the aforesaid lever may easily take place, the stud at
the end of the head piece acts on the lever at a point as near its fulcrum as
possible.
Two grains of copper secured to the centre of the poles of the electro-magnet
prevent the immediate contact of the armature, and annihilate the effect rémanent
magnetism.
Dated this 31st day of August 1888.
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Agents for the Applicant.
COMPLETE
SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to Electrical Locks.
A communication from abroad by ERNEST LEMONON, of Niort, in the Republic of
France, Mechanical Engineer.
I, WILLIAM PHILLIPS THOMPSON FC.S., M.L.M.E., of the Agency for Foreign
Patent Solicitors, 6 Lord Street Liverpool and 6 Bank Street Manchester both in
the County of Lancaster and 323 High Holborn in the County of Middlesex, Civil
Engineer, 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:-
The electric cased lock bolt forming the object of this invention may have the
shape of a small rectangular case like ordinary cased lock bolts.
The annexed drawings show the cased lock bolt placed flat or horizontally on the
opposite side to the cover plate, this cover plate being removed to show the internal
mechanism.
Figure 1 is thus a plan view.
Figure 2 a vertical section following the line CD.
Figure 3. a vertical section following the line AB.
Figure 4 a cross section following the line E F.
Figure 5 a cross section following the line GH.
Figure 6 is a detached view showing the lock bolt released.

page_text: The two essential parts of this lock bolt will now be successively described.
The first part has for its object to close an electric circuit by means of a contact
device constituting one of the novel points of the invention, causing the battery to
work during the very short time necessary for the working of the lock bolt even
should the call button be subject to a prolonged pressure.
The other part constitutes a very sensitive and solid engaging gear, the release of
which is effected by an electric magnet energized by a weak electric current.
In the first part, two terminals or binding screws P and Q. and the connecting
wires tt of the horse shoe electro-magnet T are arranged in such a manner that the
circuit can only be closed by passing through two blades or strips (of metal) a and b,
the ends of which are normally kept apart by virtue of their elasticity. The line wires
(not shown) are attached to the terminals P and Q, and a call button is included
in the line wire circuit. It is to be understood that the circuit can be closed only
when the call button is depressed while the strips a and bare in contact.
Inside the cased lock bolt, and in a sheath provided for it, is placed a knob R,
impelled by a spiral spring which tends to force it to project outside the front
plate of the case of the lock bolt.
On the side of this knob and perpendicularly to its axis and direction is fixed an
insulating disc I, which, on the knob R being pushed into the interior of the cased
lock bolt, presses the springing strip and brings it in contact with the end of the
strip a.
When the door is open (as is the case figured in the drawings) this contact does not
take place, the circuit is, in consequence, interrupted, and the call button is powerless
to establish a current. When the door is closed, the knob R is driven home by it
inside the case, the insulated disc I maintains the contact between the two strips a
and ; the circuit being no longer interrupted, it is sufficient to establish the contact
at the call button in order to close the circuit.
The electro-magnet T, being thereby energised, effects the release of the engaging
gear as will be explained hereafter. The door opens aided by means of the pressure
of this knob R, or, if required, by other means. But the knob R, obeying the
pressure of the coiled spring 7, issues from the case and the disc I allows the
springing strips to separate. The circuit is thus interrupted, and the battery
ceases to work even if a pressure should still be exerted on the call button.
The end of each springing strip a and b is provided with a small piece of
platinum or other inoxidisable metal; further, owing to the difference in the lengths
of the two springing strips, these latter slide slightly one upon the other every time
the insulating disc I brings them in contact, which has the effect of constantly
cleaning the surfaces which are brought against each other, and thereby insuring a
good electrical contact.
The whole of the parts, of which the contact breaker consists, is mounted on an
insulating plate, in such a manner that the current has only to pass through the
parts of the contact breaker and the wire forming the coils of the electro-magnet.
Second Before the poles of the electro-magnet TT stands an armature K, guided
by two small studs pp, sliding each in a guiding piece secure to the front plate of
the lock bolt casing. This armature is provided with a stirrup h, on the bottom of
which is engaged the hooked upper part of a releasing device M, hinged at N to the
front plate of the casing of the lock. The armature and the releasing device remain
lowered by their own weight, and the end of the releasing device has enough play in
the stirrup not to raise the latter.
The projection or heel m, forming part of the releasing device M, forms an engaging
gear in which is held the end of the lever L, fulcrumed at J to a frame attached to
the front plate.
The other end of the lever L returns on itself, forming a deep notch embracing the
stud O on the end of the head piece V. This head piece is secured to the front plate
by means of two trunnions c and d. Its head forms a movable recess for receiving
the spring bolt. A spring S resting on a small lever e provided at the end of the

page_text: trunnion d, brings the head piece always to the position shown in the Figures, after
the apparatus has finished working; as is about to be explained.
Immediately on the door being closed, as it tends to open again the spring bolt,
which has entered into the heads piece V, would cause the latter to oscillate, were
not its end held in position by the lever L, of which the end is engaged by the
beel piece m.
But, as soon as the current circuit is closed, the armature K is raised with its
stirrup which pulls the releasing device M, and thus effects the release of the lever L
from beneath the heel piece m. The head piece V swings round its trunnions, as
shown, Figure 6, allows the bolt to spring out, the door opens, and the head piece,
recalled by the spring S, brings back the lever L, causes it to engage again under
the heel m and the lock bolt is ready to work again as explained, as soon as the door
shall have been again closed.
In order that the release of the lever I may take place gently, the end of the head
piece, as shown in the Figures, acts on the lever L at a point as near its fulcrum as
possible.
Two small pieces of copper occupy the centre of the poles of the electro-magnet in
order to prevent the immediate contact of the armature and destroy the effect of
the remanent magnetism.
As the above described cased lock bolt has been described as being fixed in a
vertical position, the armatures and the releasing device are lowered by their own
weight. The cased lock bolt can be fixed in any other position; it is sufficient in
that case to act upon these two parts by means of weak springs which have the same
effect as the weight has in the arrangement above described.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said invention,
and in what manner the same is to be performed, as communicated to me by my
foreign correspondent, I declare that what I claim is :---
1. An electric lock bolt having a circuit controlling device consisting of a knob
pushed by the door, to which the lock is attached, and closing the circuit by bringing
into contact two springing strips, the electrical contact of which is insured by a
frequent and automatic cleaning, substantially as described.
2. In a lock bolt such as described, the armature providing against remanent
magnetism and carrying a stirrup which releases a lever held under the heel piece of
a releasing device, which lever, when released, allows a head piece to swing round,
thus permitting a spring bolt to emerge and the door to open under the pushing force
of a knob, thus breaking the circuit which is only re-established by again closing the
door, by which means the said knob is again pressed back, substantially as described,
and for the purposes set forth.
3. The improved lock bolt taken as a whole, substantially as described and shown.
Dated this 28th day of May 1889
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Agents for the Applicant.