US21616A - Keyhole-stop - Google Patents

Description

UNITED STATES PATENT FFICE.

JOI-IN MOULSON, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

KEYHOLE-STOP.

Specification of Letters Patent No. 211,616, dated September 28, 1858.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN MoULsoN, of the consolidated city of Philadelphia and Sta-te of Pennsylvania, have invented a new Keyhole-Stop for the Prevention of Depredations on Door-Locks; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings and to the letters of reference marked thereon.

The nature of my invention consists in the structure and combination of two or more metallic pieces intended, in conjunction, to fill a key hole in a door, after the lock has been locked, which I therefore call a key hole stop which must be used in conjunction with a padlock or its equivalent for the purpose of preventing the introduction of any unwelcome key or other instrument therein to unlock said door lock.

To enable others skilled in the art to make and use this my invention I will proceed to describe its construction and operation.

I construct two or more pieces of metal, the rst A, Figure l, a female or groove piece, consisting of a piece of sheet iron or other metal (preferably tapered a quarter of an inch on the long sides) about four inches long, from a, to b Fig. 1, or to correspond with the thickness of the door and lock to be secured, formed with a channel or groove c, el, throughout its whole length which may be formed by doubling the metal lengthwise in the middle, leaving a space of one-sixteenth of an inch or more between the sides (when bent and closed) sufficient to receive freely the male piece B Fig. 2 within the groove c cl, or it may be made of cast metal of the same shape; the width of this piece A on its wide end a, is to be about three eighths of an inch, tapering down to one quarter of an inch at the narrow end b, on the bottom of which end b is to be made a lug e or projection downward and which may preferably be inserted in the groove immediately above it of an eight of an inch and as much in width and thickness to prevent the withdrawal of this piece from the lock, when the male piece B has been introduced into the groove c, d, the tapering of this piece A to nearly correspond with the depth of the lug e. Near the end a, is to be made an aperture j, through both Asides about a quarter of an inch in diameter, or sufficiently large to admit the introduction of the shank of a padlock through it when adjusted in the key hole, and the piece B Fig. 2 introduced into the groove o, d, so that both pieces will be held in place and be secured by the padlock.

The male piece B Fig. 2 consists of a flat plate or piece of metal preferably one-eighth of an inch longer from 0 to d than the piece A Fig. l and of about one-sixteenth of an inch in thickness or enough to nearly ill the groove c, d, Fig. l, and of equal Width at the ends g and h., but about the eighth of an inch wider from z' to c, than the widest part c to g of the grooved piece A when placed therein, and is preferably provided with a lug Z or projection on the lower side at the end g of one-eighth of an inch deep and as wide, intended for a stop when sliding this piece into the groove c, d. There is also near the same end g an aperture f to be made to correspond in position with the apertures f, Fig. l so as to receive the shank of a padlock which being introduced when these two pieces A and B are placed in the key hole, rst the piece A with the lug end I) foremost, and then the piece B with the plain end foremost, placed within the groove c, d, and passed in until the lug, e, drops down below the bottom of the key hole and all the apertures f f correspond, so that the shank of a padlock or its equivalent can be passed through all the apertures f f holding, with the lug, both pieces in place, preventing the introduction of any instrument to unlock the door lock or the withdrawal of this stop on account of the lug, e, until the removal of the shank of the padlock and the withdrawal of this key hole stop.

In order to adapt this mechanism to a variety of sized key holes, the male pieces B must be of suflicient widths and thickness, in combination with the female piece A to fill the key hole of whatever size or depth; and it is intended to provide several male pieces B with each female piece A the length of both and all the pieces to suit the depth of the hey hole or thickness of the lock and door to be secured.

The sizes and dimensions here given are not arbitrary, but may be varied to suit the size and depth of any key hole.

That I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent is The construction of a key hole stop consisting of tw'o pieces of metal, one to slide into the other, which When introduced into locks by preventing the introduction of any a key hole, first the female and then the unwelcome key or other instrument therein.

male piece in conjunction with a ring on one piece, and a padlock or its equivalent JOHN MOULSON 5 through both pieces, all combined as de- Witnesses:

scribed, or their equivalents, Will fdl the key VILLIAM SNIDER, Q hole and eifectually prevent depredations on Z. SNIDER.

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