US71721A - Improvement in locking-knob latches - Google Patents

Description

@Hitch gisten gstmt @fnf CARL HE RRMAN EFFLER, .O Fv NEWT YORK, N. Y.

i Letters Patent No. '71,72Ldatecl December 3, 1867.

IMPROVEMENT IN Leesttte-KNOB LATCHES.

tln Stintino nient tu in tinte etiets hneln mit limiting pnt nt tige time.

TO ALL -WHOM IT MAY CONCERN: y n

Be it known that I, Camz. HnnnMAN Emrnnn, vof the city of New York, 209, Bowery, in the county and State of New York, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Locks; and do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, andV exact description oi' this invention, which will enable those skilled in the art to make and use the same, reference bcinghad to the accompanying' drawing, forming part of this specification, in which drawiug- Figure l represents a horizontal section of this invention when applied to a door.

Figure 2 is a face view of the locking-mechanism in the door-knob when the knob in gear with thelatch.

Figure 3 is a similar view of the same when the knob is out of gear with the latch.

Figure 4 is a detached face view of the slotted disk for settingthe locking-mechanism in the knob.

Figure 5 is a detached face view of the washer under the door-knob.

` Similar letters indicate corresponding parts.

This invention relates to an improvement in locks of that class which are generally used on the front doorsl of dwelling-houses, and in-which the latch is operated by two knobs, one on the outside and 'the other on the inside of the door, theoutside knob being constructed in such a manner that it can be thrown in or out of gear with the latch.

My invention consists, first, in the arrangement oi' an `adjustable screw in the end of the spindle, in such a manner that, by said screw, the length of the spindle and the position of the knob can be regulated to suit the thickness of the door; second, in enclosing in the knob the mechanism which serves to throw said knob in and outof gear with the latch; third, in the arrangement of a nut on the spindle, in combination with a movable stump and tumblers, in such a manner that, when the tumblers are set and the stump made to drop into the I notches thereof, the knob is thrown. in gear' with the latch, and the doo-r can he opened from the outside, but if the stump is withdrawn the knob turns freely on the spindle without having any effect on the latch; fourth, in the arrangement of a safety-stop, in combination with the knob and washer which form the socket for said knob,

and with the tuinblers contained in the knob, in such a manner that, when said tumblers andthe knob are brought i in the required position, the stop can be made to lock the outer knob, and prevent it from being turned, while the inner knob continues to act on the latch; fifth, in the arrangement of a disk with cam-slots, in combination with the movable stump with the stop and tumblers, in such a manner that, by turning said disk, the stop and stump can be thrown simultaneously out of or in gear wiihthe tumblers, provided sad-tumblers have been brought in the required position; sixth, in the arrangement of an abutment between the key-holc and safetystop, in such a manner that said stop cannot be reached and it; position disturbed by an instrument introduced through the key-hole. y

A represents `a case, made of cast iron, or any other suitable material capable of forming the guide and protection of the latch B, and of the ordinary locking-mechanism, if such is to be applied. The latch Bis operated by means'ot` the spindle C, whichextends through the door to which the lock is attached. To the' inner end of this spindle is secured the knob D, and to its outer end the knob E, and, in order to adjust the spindle to suit the thickness of the"doorit is provided with a screw, a, the head of which may be square or` round, said screw being secured in the spindle in the direction of its axis. Through the head of-the screw a, a

hole is bored, which is tapped to receive the set-screw 11,. By these means the length of the spindle C or the` distancebetween thc two. knobs, D E, can be regulated with the greatest niccty, so that, in pulling one ofthe knobs, the spindle will have no longitudinal motion, while said knobs will not interfere with the revolving motionv of the spindle.

The outer end of the spindle C extends into the knob E, which is provided with amechanism, by means of which it can be thrown in or out of gear with said spindle and with the latch. This mechanism consists prineipallyl of a nut, c, which is provided with one or more projections, and which is secured-,on the spindle C, so that it cannot revolve independent of the same. This nut acts on a movable stump, d, the position of which'is governed by a cam-slot, c, in the' disk f, and by tumblers g, which turn freely on the outer end of the spindle. If these tumblers are adjusted tothe position shown in iig. 2, all their notches, L, register, and the stump d is permitted to enter and to approach the centre of the spindle C, close enough to allow it to come in contact with the lprojection or projections of the nut c, in whatever direction the knob may be revolved;

The position of the tumblers g is regulated by the key 7c', which is composed of a piece of sheet metal, provided with notches at its ends, and which is introduced throu'ghla slit in the circumference of the knob. Said tumblers hang loosely on the outer end of the spindle and they nrc provided with-notches li to receive the stump, and with notches j to receive the head of the safety-stop l. This stop swings on a pivot, m, secured in the shank of the knob E, as shown in g. l, so that, by turning it ou its pivot to the position shown in said figure,.the head can be made to engage with the notches 7' in the tumbler-s, (provided the tumbler-s are-properly set,) and, by swinging it back in the direction ofthe arrow marked on it in iig. 1, its head releases the tuinblers, and its tail end catches in a notch, o, inthe washer F, which is 'situated between the knob E and the door. 'lhis latter` motion of the safety-stop, however, can only take place when the knob is brought in the proper relation to the washer, said relation being indicated either by centre-points or by other suitable marks. The washer F is firmly secured to the door, and, if the safety-stop'is nia'de to drop into the notch o, the knob E is iirmly retained in position and prevented from being turned, whatever .the position of the stump oZmay be. In 'this position the door cannot-beopened from the outside, until,'.by introducing the key, the tumblers are brought in such a position that their notches L and j will admit'the stump d and the -head of the safety-stop Z. After the tninblers` have been thus adjusted, the stump and stop are forced into the notches ofthe tumblers bythe action of a disk, f, (see iig. 4,) which is provided with cam-slots e c and with a button, 1', and which revolves in the hollow body of the knob, its motionbeing limited by the segmental recess s,'i,n which the button r moves. If this button occupies the position shown in fig. 2, the stumpd has entered the notch h, and the tail end ofthe safety-stop has left the notch o in the'washer, and the knob E is thrown in gear .with the spindle and latch by the action of the nut c on the stump d, If thc mechanism is in this position, and the knob is turned, -the tai'l end of the stop o moves in the `annularlreccss t in the washer F. (See iig. 5.) If the k-nob is thrown out of gear with the latch and locked bythe safety-stop, the door cannot opened fromlthe outside, while the inner knob remains in gear with and operates .on the latch asusual'.

`'lhat portion of .the spindle C next to the outer surface of the door is made round, so that if the washer F shculd'be forced off from the door, said spindle cannot be readily grasped by a wrench or other instrument with suicient tenacity to throw'the latch back and to open the door. The safety-stop o is also protected by an abut ment, u, which prevents its being reached and thrownout of position by an instrument introduced through the key-hole. A

By this arrangement a latch is obtained which cannot be picked, and which can be readily changed from one door to another. I y

What I claim as new, and desire to'securc by Letters Patent, is

1. The arrangement of an adjusting-screw, a, provided with a transverse holo to receirc the setiscrew b, in combination with the spindle C and knobs D E, constructed and operating substantially as and for the purpose sct forth. y

2. Enclosing in the knob E the mechanism which servesto throw said knobin and out o f gear with the latch, substantially as and for the purpose set forth. l

3. The nut c. on the spindle C, in combination-with thc'movablc stump d", tumblersg, knob E, and lntch B, constructed and operating substantially as and for the purpose set forth.A 7

4. The safety-stop o, in combination with the knob E, washer F, and latch B, constructed and operating substantially as and for the purpose described.

5. The disk'j` provided with cam-slots ee, in 'combination with the movable stump'd, safety-stop o, and tumblersg, constructed and operating substantially as and for the'purpose 'set forth.

6. The abutment u, in combination with the key-hole and with tho safety-stop o, constructed and operating substantially as and for the purpose described.

CARL HERRMAN EIFFLER.

Witnesses:

W. HAUFF, l .GUsrAv BERG.

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