US208123A

US208123A - Improvement in flexible keys for locks

Info

Publication number: US208123A
Authority: US
Publication date: 1878-09-17
Anticipated expiration: 1895-09-17

Description

V L. J. ROBERTS.

' Flexible Key for Locks.

No. 208,123. Patented Spt.17.1878.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.-

LEGRAN D J. ROBERTS, OF MEADVILLE, ASSIGN OR OF ONE-HALF HIS RIGHT TO RANSOM O. WRIGHT, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

IMPROVEMENT IN FLEXIBLE KEYS FOR LOCKS Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 208,123, dated September 17, 1878; application tiled January 24, 1878. v

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, LEGRAND J. ROBERTS, of Meadville, in the county of Crawford and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Improvementin Flexible Keys for Locks, which improvement is fully set forth in the following specification, reference being had to the accompanyingdrawingsfln which Figure 1 is a view of the lock, and Fig. 2 a View of the key.

The object of my invention is to so construct locks and their keys that the-key shall operate in a curved or serpentine passage leading from {)he exterior of the lock to the guards of the olt.

The lock and key are illustrated more in detail in the accompanying drawings, where A represents the curved or serpentine passage; B, the bolt; 0, the bolt-spring; D, the staple; E, the staple-spring; F, a stop to regulate the movement of the staple D; G, the guards of the bolt B H, the key, its handle J being formed in any desirable style, to which is attached aeoil or coils of wire, L, which form a flexible end to the key. To the end of the coil or coils L, opposite the handle J, is attached a head, M, with projections N and indentations 0, which fit into and against the guards G of the bolt 13.

The operation of the lock and key willbe readily seen by inserting the key H into the curved or serpentine passage A, with the projection K toward the top of the opening P at Q, when, by pushing the key H, it will conform, by means of its flexibility, to the shape of the passage A until the head M comes into contact with the guards G of the bolt B,w'heu,

by turning the key to the right, it will revolve while keeping to the shape of the passage A, and the projections N and indentations 0 will come in contact with and operate the guards G of the bolt B, while the revolving motion will move the bolt B against the spring 0 and out of the pocket R in the staple D, when the spring E is allowed to throw the staple I) outward, and thereby release the lock. The key may then be removed. To fasten the lock it is only necessary to press down the staple D, when its spring E will be compressed and the spring 0 be allowed to force the bolt B into its position R, where it secures the staple D. i

The lock may be formed and used either as a pad, door, drawer, or in any other desirable form, and the passageA may be more or less curved or serpentine in shape.

The key can have any desired number of projections N and indentations O to suit a desired number of guards Gr.

I do not claim the general form of the lock, the movement of the staple D, nor the curved key-hole, nor a key formed with a single joint 5 but I claim as my invention- A key the shank of which is formed of coiled wire, making it flexible for insertion through a curved passage in the lock, substantially as described.

LEGRAND J. ROBERTS. Vitnesses:

WILLIAM J. WORK, J OHN SGHEUFNOOKEN.