CELESTIAL PHENOMENA

THE

London

JOURNAL AND REPERTORY

OF

Arts, Sciences, and Manufactures.

CONJOINED SERIES.

No. CXIV.

Recent Patents.

TO WILLIAM MORRETT WILLIAMS, of Bedford-place, Commercial-road, for an improved lock and key.[Sealed 27th February, 1840.]

THIS improved lock and key is constructed with peculiar and novel combinations of mechanism, intended to supersede the necessity of tumblers, as used in most of the patent locks at present known.

The peculiar mechanism is shewn, first, as applied to a padlock, see Plate XII., fig. 1, the back plate of the lock being removed for the purpose of exhibiting the parts within. The same is also shewn at fig. 2, the internal parts being in a different position, viz.-fig. 1. represents the bolt shot forward into the staple or bolt-hole of the jointed shackle, that is, locked; fig. 2, represents the same unlocked, or the bolt withdrawn from the shackle; fig. 3, is a section, taken transversely through the middle of the lock, in a vertical direction.

VOL. XVIII.

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The case or frame of the lock is represented at a, a; the bolt at b, which is shewn detached at fig. 4. On the lower edge of the bolt, a rack, or series of teeth c, is formed. The end or tongue of the bolt is supported, and slides in the guide socket d, of the framing; and is guided in its sliding action by the screw e, passed through a slot in the

tail part of the bolt.

Fig. 5, represents, in two positions, (one of them being in perspective,) the rack-box f, which is fastened to the lock plate immediately under the bolt, as shewn in figs. 1, 2, and 3. It will be perceived, that a longitudinal groove ≈, ≈, is cut in the upper part of this rack-box, in which the rack c, on the under side of the bolt, is intended to slide.

Fig. 6, is a side view of one of the several sliding pieces g, of which there are four employed in this lock, acting as guards, to prevent the bolt being slidden or moved from either its locked or unlocked position. These sliding pieces g, are to be inserted into the recesses or open parts of the rack-box f, one of which is shewn in the vertical section of the rack-box at fig. 7.

Fig. 8, represents the upper edges of these four sliding pieces g, g, g, g; in each of which there is a notch x, cut at a different distance from their several faces.

Fig. 9, is a side view of a forked spring h. The ends of the forks of this spring, when fixed to the lock plate, as at figs. 1, 2, and 3, fall into the perpendicular recesses or open parts in the rack-box ƒ, and severally act against the faces of the sliding pieces g. These sliding pieces have each a tail or elongated part i, which is intended to be passed through the face plate of the lock, as shewn in the transverse section of the lock at fig. 3. On the face plate of the lock, a socket piece or key guide k, is affixed, with holes for the tails i, of the sliding pieces, to pass through, their extremities standing flush with the outside of the socket.

Fig. 10, represents the key or instrument by which these sliders may be moved, for the purpose of locking and unlocking; the face plate being removed in order to shew the parts within.

The bolt b, is projected forward into the locking position, as shewn in fig. 1, by a lever l, acted upon by a powerful main-spring m; and the bolt is slidden backward or unlocked, as shewn in fig. 2, by a feather spring n; a sliding piece p, having an inclined plane, (as seen in the detached figs. 11,) being at that time pressed against a tooth q, on the side of the lever l, (see also the detached figs. 12); which, by withdrawing the lever l, allows the feather spring n, to throw the bolt back.

Figs. 13, 14, and 15, are sections, taken through the padlock in horizontal directions, at the level of the top of the rack-box f, for the purpose of shewing different positions of the sliders g. Fig. 13, representing their quiescent state, when the bolt is projected outward, corresponding to fig. 1; and fig. 14, when the sliders are shifted by the key, in order to allow the bolt to be slidden back, as in fig. 2.

Now, supposing the bolt to be projected, that is, locked, as in fig. 1,—in order to unlock it, the key, shewn at fig. 10, must be applied to the front of the socket k. This key is formed by a rectangular box s, s, which contains two series of pins or punches, of various lengths, fixed in a central block t. The key-box is mounted upon an axis or pivots, which enable it to be turned over in its carriage or handle; so that either of the series of punches may be applied to the socket k, which is a substitute for the keyhole. One of the series of punches, as v, is for the purpose of unlocking; the other, w, for locking. By referring to fig. 13, (which represents the sliders in their quiescent state, after the bolt has been projected, as in fig. 1,)

it will be perceived, that the ends of the tails of the sliders are coincident or flush with the front of the socket k; but that the notches, in the several sliders, are then at variable distances from the front.

It will be understood, that the rack c, at the under side of the bolt, is continually in the groove x, of the rack-box f, (see fig. 1); and it will be perceived, that the several sliders g, in the recesses of the rack-box, at this time, stand in the notches between the teeth of the rack c, thereby confining and preventing the bolt from being moved along the groove 2. In order, therefore, to unlock, that is, to throw back the bolt, all the sliders g, must be first pushed into such situations as will bring their notches x, into exact coincidence with the groove x, in the rack-box. This is to be done by applying the key to the face of the lock, at the socket k, and pressing it straight forward. The several plugs or punches of the key being fixed in the block t, at different lengths, suited to the distances to which the sliders are to be moved,-their pressure against the front ends or tails of the sliders will force all the sliders inwards, and cause their notches x, to be severally brought into coincidence with the grooves, as seen in fig. 14.

For the purpose of unlocking or throwing back the bolt, the part v, of the key, is to be employed, which has five pins or punches; the fifth pin or punch y, being designed to act against the tail of the sliding piece p. The key having being thus applied, and the sliders g, g, g, g, and p, all brought into the situations seen at fig. 14, the inclined plane of the slider p, by pressing against the bevel tooth q, on the lever l, will cause that lever to be forced back into the position shewn in fig. 2; when the notches x, in the sliders g, being all at the same time brought into coincidence with the groove ≈, the rack of the bolt will be set at liberty, and the bolt be immediately thrown back by