US663876A - Lock for safety-deposit boxes. - Google Patents

Description

Patented Dec. l8, I900.

A. R. FERGUSSON. LOOK FOR SAFETY DEPOSIT BOXES.

(Application filed Feb. 13, 1900.1

2 Sheets8heet (No Model) [1V VEN T OR VIIA V THE mums PETERS co, Puma-Lama. wasmuufou, u c.

Patented Dec. l8, I900.

A. R. FERGUSSON.

LOOK FOR SAFETY DEPOSIT BOXES.

(Application filed. Feb. 13. 1900.

2 SheetsSheet 2.

(No Model.)

Attorney NlTED STATES ALAN ROBE FERGUSSON, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

LOCK FOR SAFETY-DEPOSIT BOXES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 663,876, dated December 18, 1900.

Application filed February 13, 1900. Serial No. 5,078. No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALAN RoBB FEReUssoN, of New York, in the county of New York and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Looks for Safety- Deposit Boxes; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to an improvementin locks, and more particularly to such as are adaptable for use on the doors of safe-deposit boxes, the object of the invention being to provide a simple lock capable of operation only by means of two keys and which shall be so constructed as to effectually prevent picking.

With this object in view the invention consists in certain novel features of construction and combinations and arrangements of parts, as hereinafter set forth, and pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a face view of a safety-deposit box to the door of which my improved lock is applied. Fig. 2 is a sectional view on the line a: w of Fig. 6. Fig. 3 is a sectional view on the line 3 y of Fig. 6. Fig. 4 is a sectional View on the line 10 to, Fig. 6. Fig. 5 is a sectional view on the line a a. Fig. 6 is a rear face view of a portion of a door and its casing and myimproved lock with a portion of the casing of the latter removed. Fig. 7 is a rear face view of the lock, showing the positions of the parts after one key has been inserted. Fig. 8 is a similar view showing the positions of the parts with both keys inserted and all the bolts withdrawn. Fig. 9 is a detail view illustrating the supplemental bolts and the plate in which they are mount-ed. Fig. 10 is a view showing the various lockingarms. Fig. 11 is a view showing lever and locking-arm. Fig. 12 is adetail View of the rear or inner faceplate of the lock-casing. Figs. 13 and 14 are detail views of the two keys for operating the lock shown in the other figures.

A represents the front of a safe-deposit box and constitutes the frame for the door B of the box, said door being hinged to the frame, as at a, and is thrown open when unlocked by means of springs b.

A lock-casi ng O is fixed in any suitable man ner to the inner face of the door B, and in said casing a sleeve 1 is revolubly mounted. The rear portion of the sleeve 1 is provided with a spiral groove 2, and within said sleeve a bolt 3 is mounted to slide longitudinally, the bolt being provided with a pin or screw 4 to enter the spiral groove in the sleeve 1, and thus impart longitudinal movement to the bolt when the sleeve is turned. The bolt 3 is provided with an angular end 5., which moves within a similarly-shaped socket in the casing and when the bolt is thrown engages the inner face of the door-frame, as clearly shown in Figs. 2, 3, 6, and 7. Two tumblers 6 7 are disposed on the sleeve 1, the tumbler 6 being loosely mounted thereon and the tumbler being secured to said sleeve, so as. to tn rn therewith, by means of a screw 8. The turnbler 6 is provided with a series ofperipheral projections 0, adapted to enter a series of holes or openings c in a key D when the latter is passed through a slot 0 in the door and made to move tangentially to the tumbler, this movement of the key causing the tumbler to rotate on the sleeve 1. The tumbler 6 is provided with a lug 9, normally disposed in line with the key-slot c and adapted to be engaged by the end of the keyD to start the rotation of the tumbler when the key is inserted. It is important that this normal position should be accurately maintained, and this is accomplished by means of a springpressed finger l0, pivotally mounted in the lock-casing and having a tooth 11 bearing in a groove 12 in the periphery of the tumbler. The bottom of the groove is curved, as shown in Fig. 4:, so that slight pressure against the plug 9 on the tumbler by the key willcause the tooth 11 to ride out of the groove 12 as the tumbler begins to turn. The pressure, however, of the spring-pressed finger against the tumbler is sufficient to prevent the accidental displacement of the latter from its normal position. The tooth 11 on the finger 10 serves also to prevent the rotation of the tumbler by any means other than the proper key by engaging a shoulder 13 on the tumbler after the tumbler shall have been turned sufficiently to cause the groove 12 to pass said tooth. Thus if it should be attempted to rotate the tumbler by means of a wire the engagement of the shoulder 13 on the tumbler with the tooth 12 would prevent the tumbler from being turned far enough to effect the operation of the lock. It would be difficult to raise the spring-pressed finger to disengage the tooth 11 from the tumbler by means of a wire; but to further guard against picking the lock by raising said spring-pressed finger with a wire I provided another and independent spring-pressed'finger 14, having a tooth 15 to be engaged by another shoulder on the tumbler, so that in order to permit the rotation of the tumbler both of said fingers must be moved away, and said fingers being mounted independently of each other it would be practically impossible to move them both away from the tumbler at the same time with a piece of wire or any device other than a proper key. The spring-pressed fingers l0 and 14 are provided with beveled teeth 16 at their free ends, and these teeth are normally disposed in the path of the key. When a proper key, which will mesh with the peripheral projections on the tumbler, is inserted into the lock, the forward end of the keywill engage the teeth 16 and move the fingers 10 14 and their teeth 11 15 away from the shoulders on the tumbler,and thus permit the rotation of the tumbler and the complete insertion of the key.

A key-slot 17 is provided in the door for the insertion'of the key E,with which the tumbler 7 cooperates; but' said tumbler is normally so disposed as to prevent the insertion of the key, as shown in Fig. 5, and it must be moved to a position such as thetumbler 6 occupies in Fig. 4. For this purpose the fixed tumbler 7 is provided in its side next to the tumbler 6 with. a pin 18, entering a groove 19 in the tumbler 6. When the keyD is inserted into the lock, the tumbler 6 will be turned freely on the sleeve 1 until the end wall of the groove 19 engages the pin"'18 on the tumbler 7, and

then during the completion of the throw of the tumbler 6 the tumbler 7 and the sleeve 1 will turn with it, and said tumbler 7 will thus be moved into position to receive the keyE. The insertion now of the key 2 will cause the continued rotation of the tumbler 7 and the sleeve, resulting through the medium of the spiral slot 2 and pin 4 in withdrawing the bolt 3. To avoid possibility of picking the lock by rotating the tumbler 7 with a wire or other instrument, spring-pressed fingers 20 cooperate with shoulders on the tumbler 7 in the same manner as above described with respect to the fingers 1O 14 and the shoulders on the tumbler 6. To further guard against picking the lock, another spring-pressed finger 22 is employed. This finger is provided with a tooth 23 to be engaged by a shoulder on the tumbler 7; but the free end of said finger is bent laterally and provided with a tooth '24, disposed in position to be engaged by the key D when the latter is inserted to turn the tumbler 6.

It will be seen that by means of the devices above described the key E cannot be inserted until the tumbler 7 shall have first been properly set by the rotation of the tumbler 6 by the key D, that the rotation of the tumbler 7 is essential to the withdrawal of the bolt, and that it requires both keys to unlock the tumbler 7 so that it can be rotated.

The rear or inner face-plate 25 of the lockcasing is provided with a series of lugs 26, which enter between the various springpressed fingers and maintain them properly spaced apart.

The'door B is provided on its inner face above the lock-casing with two guides for the reception of a plate 27, which is maintained in its normal position with one end abutting against the lock-casing by means of a screw 28. The under face of the plate 27 is made with two grooves 29 29, in which two sliding bolts 30 are disposed and adapted to engage the upper portion of the door-frame A at right angles to the bolt 3. The bolts 30 are normally projected by means of springs 31, which hear at one end in sockets in one end of said bolts and at their other ends againstthe lockcasing O. The plate 27 is provided on its outer face with a series of lugs 32, between which levers 33 34 35 are pivotally supported. The short arm of each lever 33 and 34 projects through slots in the plate 27 and enters notches 36 in the outer side faces of the bolts 30, so that when said levers are turned in one direction on their fulcru ms the bolts will be withdrawn. The short arm 37 of the lever 35, which is disposed between the levers 33 and 34, also passes through a slot in the plate 27, and the free end of said short arm 37 is made slightly wider than the thickness of the bead 38,which separates the grooves 29, so as to enter said grooves and notches 38 in the bolts, and thus normally look both bolts. The levels 33, 34, and 35 project toward the lock-casing O and terminate over the free ends of the springpressed fingers 10, 14, and 22. The levers are made with knife-edge under edges, as shown at 40, Fig. 11, to prevent possibility of manipulating them by means of a wire. The levers 33and 34 are maintained in and returned to their normal positions by the action of the springs 31. The lever 35, which is made wider than the others, is maintained in and returned to its normal position by means of a spring 41. i

From this construction and arrangement of parts it will be seen that when the key D is inserted into the lock the tumbler 6 will not only be rotated and the tumbler 7 set to receive the key E, but the end of the key D will engage the levers 33 34 35 and turn them on their fulcrums, thus withdrawing the bolts 30. The insert-ion then of the key E will effeet the Withdrawal of the bolt 3, as before explained.

Should it not be desired to employ the auxiliary bolts 30, they, as well as their operating devices, can be readily removed by re moving the plate 27, which carries them.

Slight changes might be made in the details of construction of my invention without departing from the spirit thereof or limiting its scope, and hence I do not wish to limit myself to the precise details herein set forth.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a lock, the combination with a bolt, of two tumblers, one free and the other operatively connected withthe bolt,'a separate key for each tumbler and means between the tumblers for causing one of them to be moved in position to receive its key when the other one is operated.

2. In a lock, the combination with a casing, of a sleeve in the casing, a bolt passing through the sleeve and operatively connected therewith, a tumbler secured to the sleeve and normally out of position to receive its key, a tumbler mounted loose on the sleeve and adapted to be operated by a separate key, and means between the two tumblers arranged to cause the fixed tumbler to be moved in position to receive its key when the loose tumbler is rotated.

3. In a lock, the combination with a bolt, of two tumblers, one free and the other operatively connected with the bolt, a device for normally locking the lastmentioned tumbler against rotation, and a key for rotating the free tumbler and simultaneously releasing said locking device.

4. In a lock, the combination with a casing, a sleeve mounted therein and a bolt operatively connected with the sleeve, of a tumbler free on the sleeve, a tumbler secured to the sleeve, a separate key for each tumbler, a series of independent spring-pressed lockingfingers normally engaging each tumbler and means beween the two tumblers for moving one to position to receive its key when the other tumbler is operated.

5. In a lock, the combination of a tumbler, a bolt operatively connected with said tumbler, an auxiliary bolt, a lever for operating it, a second tumbler, a key for rotating said second tumbler and simultaneously operating the auxiliary bolt to withdraw it, and a separate key for rotating the first-mentioned tumbler to withdraw the bolt operatively connected therewith.

6. In a lock, the combination with a main bolt and an auxiliary bolt, of two tumblers, one operatively connected with the main bolt and the other free to rotate, a separate key for each tumbler, means between the tumblers for moving the one connected with the main bolt to position to receive its key when the free tumbler is rotated, and a lever connected with the auxiliary bolt and disposed in the path of the key by means of which the free tumbler is rotated. 5

7. In a lock, the combination with a bolt and a key, of a tumbler in the path of and controlling the entrance of the key, two pivoted levers located beyond said tumbler, one of said levers normally locking the bolt and the other connected directly with the bolt for withdrawing it, both of said levers being disposed in the path of the end of the key, so that when the key is inserted the bolt will be unlocked by the movement of one lever and then positively withdrawn by the movement of the other lever.

8. In a lock, the combination with a tumbler, a series of bolts and a key for operating the tumbler, of an independent lever for each bolt, all of said levers disposed in the path of the key and a lever for normally looking all the bolts, said locking-lever also disposed in the path of the key.

9. In a lock, the combination with a tumbler, and a key for operating the same, of a sliding bolt, a lever connected with said bolt and having a knife-edge disposed in the path of the key.

10. In a lock, the combination with a tnm- 9o bler and a key for operating the same, of a sliding bolt, a lever connected with said bolt and having a knife-edge disposed in the path of the key, and a lever normally locking said bolt against movement and having a knifeedge also disposed in the path of said key.

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

ALAN ROBE FERGUSSON.

Witnesses:

H. C. BEAUOHAMP, L. M. SAOIA.

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