US297623A - newbuey - Google Patents

Description

(No Model.) 2 Sheetssheet 1..

H. F. NEWBURY.

TIME 1.00K.`

No. 297,623. Patented Apr. 29, 1884.

` 2 sheets-sheet 2.

(No Madel.)

NBWBURY.

'TIME LOCK.

Patented Apr. 29

Ng d.

N. Pnzns. mmumngmpw, 'wmaggm mc,

- NrTED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HENRY F. NEWBURY, OF BROOKLYN, NRW YORK.

TIM E-LOCK.

, SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 2917.623, dated -Aprl 29,1884.

Application filed January 24, 1883. Renewed March 27, 1884. (No model.)

To all whom it may `concer/'n y Be itknown that I, HENRY F. NEWBURY, of Brooklyn, in the county of Kings and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Ghronometric or `Time Locks, (Case U and I hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of my invention, and will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

A chronometric or time lock, as the term is understood in the art of safe and vault protection, is a lock or bolt whose checking device (sometimes technically called dog 7) is for the purpose of unlocking, at least under the control of a time-movement capable of withdrawing it automatically, or of permitting it to be withdrawn, from the locking po.- sition upon the arrival of the hour for which the mechanism has previously been set. One

1 construction of time-lock is illustrated and described in Letters Patent of the United States No. 213,809, granted to Charles E. Ohinnock April l, 1879; and the present invention relates particularly tothe mechanism shown and described therein, the object being to render the same more efficient and secure. One of the principal features of the Ghinnock lock is the employment of an electromotor to retract the bolt of the lock in the event of the clock (or clocks, if more than one be used) being stopped. Without the use of some mechanism having this capacity, the simple stopping of the clock before the arrival of the predetermined hour for unlocking would produce a lock-out,7 since the dial through which the mainspring is enabled to act upon the lockbolt would cometo ahalt when the mainspring ceases to uncoil. The occurrence of a lockout would necessitate the forcing of the door of the safe or other structure guarded, and this not only would be expensive, but would render the safe or vault useless for an inconvenientperiod of time. As aprotection against the evil attending the possible failure of the clock or clocks to operate, Chinnock placed a smallelectromotor in thclock-case, constructed to be operated with a slow and regular motion by electrical connection with a battery or other generator of electricity outside of the safe, and so arranged that when thus operated it would maintain the dial in revolution, even though the mainspring should cease to act. This was done by utilizing the motion of the armatures of the electro-magnets to operate a train of gears connecting with the dial-arbor. The dial itself was supported on a sleeve on this arbor, such sleeve being also provided with a gearwheel for connectingwith the mainspringarbor. Under normal conditions the mainspring, acting through this gear, would causethe sleeve and dial to revolve around the dialarbor, the latter remaining stationary; but if the latter were rotated by the electromotor, a pawl-and-ratchet connection between the dial and the arbor would compel the two to move in unison.

The construction of Ohinnocks electromotor and its connection with the dial are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 'l represents a Ohinnock lock (embracing the modifications which constitute the present invention) applied to the inner face of the door of a safe, Fig. 2 being a vertical transverse section `of the lock on the line m x, showing certain parts of the mechanism on the left of said line, and Fig. 3 being a similar section on the line y y, looking toward the right. Fig. 4 is a front view of a portion of themechanism, showing the dial, the un1ockinglever, and certain connected devices, while Fig. 5 is a plan of a portion of the mechanism shown in Fig. 4f.

Referring to these drawings more in detail,

A is the lock; B, one of the plates formingthe C, the lock-bolt; D, the dial; E, the safe-door;

F, the frame or jambs thereof; G G, the ddorbolts; I-I, the carrying or tie bar; I, one of the bolt-bars; J, an abutment or bearing for the end of the bolt C'; K, an elbow or bell-crank lever connected ,by the link Ii-with the tie-bar II. Vhen the lock bolt or dog is interposed between the abutment .I and the head of the angle lever K, the door bolts are locked. When the lock-bolt is retracted, the door-bolts can be thrown back and the door opened.` The retraction of the lock-bolt is effected by means of the bent lever M M. The lower arm, lvI,ofthislever,or ratherthe supplementallever N, attached to this lower arm, is interposed in IOO the path of the unlocking-pin (l, projecting face of which the lock is attached. Assuming from the rear face of the dial. The advance of this pin depresses the lower end of the nnlocking-lever, and this in turn draws back the lock-bolt in opposition tothe resistance of the spring O. The dial, it will be observed, is mounted on asleeve, which also carries a gearwhcel, l?, Fig. 2, which wheel is driven by a train of wheels (not shown in the drawings) connecting it with the mainspring-arbor Q.. The mainspring is in the drum Q. By properly seating the pin d on the dial, this mechanism, barring accidents, can be made to retract the lock-bolt, and thus unlock the safe at U any required hour.

The clock-work which regulates the speed of the mainspring is not shown in the drawings, as it forms no part of the present invention, and maybe of any suitable construction.

As hereinbefore indicated, if by any accident the clock stops, so that the niainspring ceases to act on the dial, the dial can be actuated by the eleetromotor through suitable electrical connections with the exterior of the safe.

' RR represent, respectively, themagnets and the armatures of this motor. Each time the magnets are energized the armatures are attracted and raised as rapidly as the pendulumgovernor R2 will permit, and this movement of the armatures is utilized, by means of gravity-pawls 7' and retaining-pawls 1", to advance the ratchet-wheels S upon the worm-shaft s. The rotation of this shaft revolves the wormwheel T, and thence motion is communicated, through the train of wheels and pinions T, T2, T, T, T, T7, and Ts, to the dial-arbor U.

Between the dial-arbor and the sleeve upon which the dial is immediately mounted, there is a pawl-and-ratchet connection, U, so that the rotation of the dial-a-bor, when driven by the elcctromotor, will cause the dial to revolve.

The construction of the governor, as well as of the train intermediate between the motor and the dial-arbor, is such that the dial can be operated by this means with a slow motion only. Consequently there exists no danger of this method being available to open the safe surreptitiously.

From the foregoing description of Chinnocks motor, it will be readily be understood that it was designed to guard against that class of accidents only which merely cause the clock of the time-lock to stop without running down. If, on the other hand, the lock by any means should be so injured as to free the mainspri ng from the control of the escapement, the clock would run down with a highly accelerated speed, and almost instantly draw back the lockbolt. Manifestly, under such circumstances, the electromotor would be of no value. I have discovered that one way in which this premature retraction of the bolt can be effected is by the explosion of a small charge of dynamite or other quick explosive against the exterior of that part of the safe to the inner the lock to be mounted in such away as to receive a severe blow from the inward movement of the door or wall of the safe under the force of the explosion, (which would inevitably be the case with the ordinary modes of mounting, as heretofore practiced,) the more delicate parts of the clock-work are liable to be broken by the shock. When this occurs, the mainspring runs down at once, and the lock-bolt thereupon is retracted. To guard against this result under such circumstances, I have heretofore devised various modes of construction, whereby the shock which breaks the clock mechanism may be caused to interrupt the connection between the mainspring and the dial, or between the dial and the lockbolt. One mode of doing this is described in Letters Patent of the United States No. 262, 094, granted me August l, 1882; and it consists in mounting the dial loosely on its shaft, so that it may be thrown forward by the shock sufficiently to carry the unlocking-pin d beyond the range of the unlocking-levers M N; or in so mounting the pin d in the dial that it will be dislodged by the shock, and thus permit the dial to revolve freely without affecting the unlocking-levers. Another mode, as illustrated in 'said patent, consists in so constructing the unlocking-lever intermediate between the dia-l and the lock-bolt that it or a portion thereof will be carried by the force of the shock out of range of the unlockingpin on the dial. With these constructions the mainspring may run down without retracting the lock-bolt, and for this reason they constitute valuable improvements in the art; but as the result is accomplished by interrupting the operative connection between the dial and the lock-bolt, it is manifest that Chinnocks supplemental unlocking mechanism would be of no avail to prevent a lock-out. So, also, when these parts are made movable for the purpose indicated, there is a liability that they may accidentally become displaced by careless manipulation, in which easethe Chinnock mechanism would be insufficient to prevent a lock-out. To obviate this difficulty, under these or any similar circumstances, I have devised a mode of causing the electromotor to operate upon the lock-bolt independently of the dial. This I effect by means of the pinion V, keyed upon the dial-arbor, the spur-wheel V, driven thereby, and the hooked lilik V, one end of which is pivoted to the arm M of the unlocking-lever, and the other or hooked end of which is arranged to engage, at the proper time, with a pin, t, projecting from the side of the wheel V. As the dial-arbor slowly rotates under the successive impulses imparted by the vibrations of the armatures, the wheel V revolves until the pin tis brought into engagement with the link V2, when the further revolution of the wheel draws back the lever M, and thus retraets the dog or lock-bolt from the locking position. Vhen this new connection between the electromotor and the lock- IOO IIO

bolt is used, it does not become necessary to discontinue the useof the old one. The latter will still be available under the circumstances for which it was originally designedfthat is, when the clock simply stops without other derangement. Under such circumstances the safe could be unlocked by the use of the elec-A tromotor in what was leftf of the time for which the dial was originally set. When, however, the unlocking is done -through the new conneotion,-it must be effected in a stated time, as determined before the safe is locked. Vhen the new connection is used,it is deemed prudent to make the wheel V of larger diameter than the pinion V. This would correspondingly increase the time necessary to Aeffeet the .unlocking of the safe in this way, and thus would diminish the chances of its being done surreptitiousl y. It will be manifest, also, that the newconnection between the motor and the unlocking-lever, independent of the dial, may be made in Various ways otherwise than by a pinion, V, on the dial-arbor. The dialarbor will be found a convenient support for the pinion; but it may be mounted on a shaft of its own.

In order to arrest the action of the motor when the lock-bolt has been fully retracted, I so arrange the electrical connections that the bar portion of the lock-bolt acts at the proper time as a cut-out, to short-circuit the magnets of the motor. Normally, the current entering the lock at the insulated post W passes along the insulated conductor W to the second post, W2, thence to the magnets, and from the latter to the lock-case. An insulated stud, w, connecting with conductor W, projects into the path of the lock-bolt, which, however, is partially cut away at this point, as shown in Fig. l. When the bolt is in the locking position, it does not touch this stud. When, however, the bolt is drawn back, contact is effected, and this transfers the current directly from the conductor W to the walls of the lock, and thence to the safe. This will prevent the motor from continuing its action after the bolt is fully retracted. Without rsome such device the parts would be in danger of becoming strained and broken. Y

In order to detect any tampering with the supplemental unlocking mechanism, by way of working the electromotor surreptitiously, an indicator, X, may be used. The indicator may be operated by any suitable connection with or from the dial-arbor, or from any other part whose moti'on is derived from Vthe electromo- Vthe length of the curved slot c.

well as for a single night. By the modifica-V tions which I have made in the construction and the adjustment of the secondary lever,- I have not only provided for securing protection when two holidays occur consecutively, but I also have guarded against the danger of the unlocking-pin striking against the end or point of one of the prongs .of the secondary lever, and thus arresting the movement of the clock or clocks and producing alockout. The construction and arrangement of this lever N and the associated parts is fully shown in Figs. 3 and 4. The lever is pivoted at a to the lower arm, kM, of the main unlocking-lever, and its range of movement on its pivot is limited by Spring-pins b b', acting against the studs c c o2 c3, hold the lever N in any required position relatively to When, for instance, the lever N is adjusted, as shown in Fig. 4, the iirst revolution of the Vdial will bring the pin d in con tact with the prong oi and immediately cause the lever M M and the lock-bolt C to partake of the motion imparted to said secondary lever. If, however, the-lever N be so adjusted that the pin b rests against the under inclined face of the stud c', the prong n2 will be brought into the path of the dial-pin d, and the first revolution of this pin will simply move the lever on its pivot without affecting'the main lever M M', but will bring the prong n into the path of the pin d, so that on its next revolution the safe will beunlocked. In like manner, if the lever N be so adj usted that the pin b comes below the stud c3, the prong n will be brought into the operative position for unlocking by two successive movements of the lever on its pivot, effected by two successive revolutions ofthe dial. This last adjustment is tobe used when itis desired to have the safe remain locked for twodays and threenights.

It will be observed that the studs c c', &c., are made square on the top, but inclined on the under side. By making them square on IIO the upper side, they serve as positive stops to prevent the accidental movement of the secondary lever when one is adjusting the dial. By making them inclined on the under side, the pins b and b (which are to be held in their advanced position by small spiral springs) are caused to yield when the pin d presses on the prongs of the lever N. The springs which control the pins b b must, of course,be weaker than that which holds the lock-bolt in itslocking position. The lever N is so balanced that the forked endis heavier than the end carrying the pins b b', by reason whereof the points of the prongs on the dial-arm of the lever Vwill always be caused to fall inside of the path of the pin d. This will effectually prevent the pin from striking directly against the ends of the prongs, as might happen if it were sought to hold the lever in its various adjustments by means of sliding contact, produced by a spring pressing against it.

By using two adjusting-pins, as above indii,catedone for setting the lever N for a single holiday, and the other, when the lever is to be adjusted, for two consecutive holidaysthere will be less likelihood of making a mistake in adjusting the position of the lever than when these several adjustments are effected by a single pin. The pin b and its stops in no wise interfere with the use of the pin b in adjusting the lever for a single holiday; and, on the other hand, the position of the stop c2 is such that it becomes necessary to make use of the pin b if the lever is to be set for two consecutive holidays. This stop renders it also practically impossible, when using the pin I) for setting the lever N for a single holiday, to carry the lever too far. The stud or stop c, while not absolutely necessary, is of utility so far as it serves to hold the lever in place against such possible accidental misplac'ement as might occur without it. It might be of special importance if the lever N were evenly balanced on its pivot, orif, beingheavier at one end than the other, it should be so frictioned as not to turn readily on the pivot.

In the Chinnock lock, patented as above stated, the lock-bolt, when withdrawn from the locking position against the force of the spring O, is held retract-ed for the desired period of time by the pivoted detent-lever Y. This operates as follows: W'hen the unlocking-pin d, revolved by the dial, strikes the lever N and depresses the main unlockinglever M, the rounded end of this latter lever strikes the horizontal arm or head zof the detent Y, moves it aside, and passes below it, the detent then moving forward again underthe inuence of the counter-weight Y', and engaging with the end of lever M, and holding it in the depressed position against the opposing force of the spring O. A second pin, d', carried by the dial D, can be made to unlock the lever M from this detent at any desired time, according to the hour for which such pin d may have been set. This it does by striking against the projection z. If, however, it be desired at any time to cause the lock to lock up at an hour earlier than that for which the piu d has been set, the detent Y can be tripped by hand by opening the door A of the lock-case. In order, also, to do this without opening the door of the lock-case, (which would be inconvenient if the key of such door were kept by a person other than the one having immediate custody of the lock, and which, on general principles, should be avoided as far as possible, in order to prevent accidental derangement of the adjustments of the mechanism,) I have provided'a tripping mechanism which can be operated from the exterior of the lock. This is shown in Fig. 5, which shows in plan the parts lying below the dotted line g g of Fig. 4. It consists simply of a lcver, m, pivoted to the lock-doorA, to one end of which lever there is secured a handle, m, which projects through a slot in the lock-door, and to the other end of which there is secured a pin, m2, which takes in under the weighted end of the detent-lever Y. A spring, m3, may

be used to hold the pin m2 in its lowest position, except when the operator takes hold of the handle m. YVhen the detent Y is lifted away from the lever M, the spring O will carry the lock-bolt forward to such an extent that the detent will not re-engage with the lever M until this lever is again depressed, as in the act of unlocking. It follows that when the detent Y has been disengaged from the lever M the lock is in condition for instant locking7-tliat is, will lock up instantly upon the closing of the safe-door and the throwing of the door-bolts.

Vhat is claimed as new is- 1. The combination, in a time-lock, of a lock bolt or dog, a time-movement or clock acting on the same through the medium of a revolving device, and an electromotor connected with said lock-bolt or dog independently' of such device, and capable of withdrawing the bolt from the locking position with a slow motion, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

2. ,The combination, in a time-lock, of a lock bolt or dog, a time-movement or clock acting on the same through the medium of a revolving device, and an electromotor connected with said lock bolt or dog,both through the medium of such revolving device and independently thereof, substantially as and for t-he purpose set forth.

3. The combination, in a time-lock, of a lock bolt or dog, an electromotor for retracting the same from the locking position, and a cut-out for automatically short-circuiting such motor, and thus arresting its action when the bolt is fully retracted.

4. The combination, in a time-lock, of a lock bolt or dog, an electromotor for retracting the same from the locking position, and an indicator arranged to be operated by such electromotor, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

5. The combination, in a time-lock, of arevolvingdevice actuated by the time-movement or clock thereof. and an adjustable forked lever arranged to be acted on by said revolving device, said lever being made heavier at one end than the other and loosely pivoted, so as to be brought into the operative position by the force of gravity, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

6. The combination, in a timelock,.of an adjustable forked lever interposed between the dial and the lock-bolt, and two adjusting devices, one of which operates in connection with a fixed stop for regulating the position of such lever when setting the lever for asingle day, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

7. The combination, in a time-lock, of an adjustable forked lever interposed between the dial and the lock-bolt, one or more adjusting devices for regulating the position of such lever, and positive stops to prevent the accidental displacement of the lever, substantially as set forth.

IOO

IIO

8. The combination, ina time-look, of the unlocking-lever, a detent for holding said le- 1o bolt-operating lever, an adjustable forked lever inthe retraotedposition, and an operating- Ver pivoted thereto in position to beaeted on connection passing through the look-oase for by the dial, one or more adjusting devices for tripping sueh detent from the exterior of the 5 regulating the position of such forked lever, look-oase.

and inclined stops on the bolt-operating lever HENRY F. NEWBURY. for suoh adjusting Adevices to operate against, Witnesses: substantially as and for the purpose set forth. R. F. GAYLORD,

9. The combination, in a time-look, of an Y SAML. A. DUNoAN.

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