Untitled record

Application filed November 27,1878.

same result may be used for any of the ordinary locks.

The hasp A is provided with the notched tongue a, which engages with the tumblercatches a· when locked. These tumbler-catches 5 5 a' are pivoted at a² to the case A' of the padlock. The springs a³, bearing against the recessed projections a⁴ on the lower end of the tumbler-catches, serve to keep the outer upper end of the catches iu position to close into 60 the notch a^s in the tongue a. The stops a^e prevent the tumbler-catches from being thrown by the springs a³ too far into the path of the tongue a.

A seal-locking bar, B, is pivoted at b to the 65 case A' of the lock, and projects into the pathway of the tongue a when the hasp is unlocked, and by contact with the end of the hasp at b¹is thrown downwardly against the stress of the spring b². . 7°

Hung upon the pivot b is the rock-lever or locking-pawl 0. This locking-pawl has an arm, c, which projects downwardly into the path of the key when the lock is open, as shown in dotted lines in the lower part of Fig. 75 3, and the position of the key is shown at O', Fig. 3. This locking-pawl is provided upon its arm c' with the projection c², which bears upon the top of the locking-bar B. A spring, c³, acts to hold the locking-pawl iu position 80 with the projection c² bearing upon the said locking-bar B.

When the hasp is locked the end of the arm c'< of the locking-pawl abuts against one or more of the upper edges of the tumbler- 85 catches at a⁷.

A seal-supporting lever, I>, is pivoted at a to the case of the lock, and is so hung that its upper surface, d',may be flush with the lower surface of the seal-slot d² in the case, to serve 90 as a bed in supporting that portion of the sealblank within the case. The arm d³ of this seal-supporting lever is formed so as to project over the key-hole d⁴ when the surface d' is flush with the seal-slot, as described. Projecting 95 from the end of this arm d? is the pin J⁵, which projects to and enters the slot d⁶ in the case A', in order that the end of the arm d³, which covers the inner end of the key-hole, may be lifted in unlocking, as hereinafter described. 100

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, William B. Mason, of Boston, in the county of Suffolk and Commonwealth of Massachusetts, have invented an 5 Improvement in Locks, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to that class of seallocks which embraces the insertion of a sealblank or closing of the lock and the canceling io of the seal by the opening thereof; and it consists in the mechanism hereinafter described for this purpose.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective of a padlock embodying my invention. Fig. 15, 2 is a central section thereof, showing the position of the operative parts of the lock when it is closed. Fig. 3 is a section upon the same line, showing the position of the operative part of the lock when closed and in dotted 20 lines when open. Fig. 4 is a cross- section.

Fig. 5 is a section upon the line a; a? of Fig. 2. Figs. 6 and 7 are plans of the seal-blank.

It is very desirable for certain purposes, particularly for custom-house uses, for post2 5 office employment, and, in fact, for the securing of any article or valuable, to prevent locks being tampered with or opened without authority, and to provide some inexpensive and easy method by which the lock, when closed, cau30 not again be unlocked without destroying a seal or blank, which shall indicate that the lock has been so touched. Various means have been employed for effecting this purpose, and among the most common may be men35 tioned the use of a seal of plastic material molded upon the key-hole or over some slide covering the same, and the employment of glass and paper for protecting the key-hole or for indicating when the lock has been opened 40 or tampered with. These methods, however, are somewhat objectionable, owing to the liability of the seal being broken or displaced accidentally.

In my invention the lock is automatically 45 sealed upon being closed, and cannot be reopened until the seal is destroyed.

In the drawings the invention is shown as applied to a padlock. I do not, however, confine myself to this particular use, as the same 50 combination of elements for producing the

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Three tumbler-catches only are shown in the drawings; but more can be employed if necessary. Also, as many locking-pawls c may be used as desirable, although but one is shown 5 in the drawings.

The seal E employed with this lock preferably is made of very thin annealed brass; but it may also be made of any other suitable material if provided with the tongue e and reio cesses e' between the main portion of the blank and the tongue.

To seal the lock the tongue is inserted from the side F of the case through the seal-slot d³in the cover of the case A², which is on a line 15 with the seal-slot d², and is passed through the lock and projects from the seal-slot d² upon the other side.

The shoulder E² of the seal-blank comes in contact with the cover A² when the seal is in 20 position for locking. Within the lock the tongue is supported upon the face d' of the seal-supporting lever, and the recess b³ in the locking-bar B is arranged to shut thereon. The edge of the tongue shuts within the re25 cess d⁷, formed in the projection d⁸ of the side supporting-lever. The closing of the hasp A shuts the locking-bar B upon the seal, the recess b³ closing upon the tongue of the sealblank on the portion between the recesses e' 30 in the blank. The walls δ⁴ upon sides of the recess b³ in the locking-bar close into the recesses e' in the blank, and thereby securely lock the seal-blank in position within the lock, and it cannot be withdrawn therefrom without 35 destroying it, because the shoulders forming the walls of the recesses e' in the blank come in contact with the faces of the locking-bar δ⁴beyond the line of the recess δ³. The tongue a⁵ of the hasp in closing throws back the tum40 bler-catches in its descent until it has closed sufficiently to permit them to spring back into the notch therein. In inserting the seal-blank the upper face of the seabsupporting lever D is brought in line with the under surfaces of 45 the seal-slots d² d³, and the key-hole d⁴ is closed upon its inner side.

The main portion of the seal-blank may have impressed upon it such designating-marks as may be necessary, and is folded upon the cover 50 A² of the lock within the recess g, the bar g' serving to hold the same in position within the recess. That portion of the tongue of the seal-blank which projects through the slot d²is turned downwardly against the case of the 55 lock·

The projection h is provided with the groove h', which serves as a guide in directing the thrust of the key in unlocking.

I prefer to make the bottom and walls of the 60 case A', containing the mechanism, in one casting or piece with the projection A³. To this projection I pivot the hasp A, as shown, lhe hasp is further provided above the tongue a with the projecting portions a⁸, which close 65 upon the case and cover the hole therein in which the tongue projects when the same is ) locked, thereby preventing dirt, water, or snow • from injuring the working parts of the lock, s If desirable, the seal-supporting lever may i be made of steel aud case-hardened at its end 70 d³, in order that the same may be sufficiently hard to resist any attempts to enter the lock : by cutting off that portion which projects into the path of the key stopping the key-hole.

The pin d⁵ should be sufficiently strong to 75 lift the seal-supporting lever from the key-h ole, . but not strong enough to lift the seal-supporting lever against the seal-blank with force enough to disturb the locking-seal.

It will be observed that the seal-blank has 8c been properly inserted, but before the lock is closed that one edge of the tongue of the sealblank is held by a recess upon the seal-supporting lever, and that the portion of tbe tongue inclosed beneath the recesses e' is un- 85 derneath the recess δ³ in the locking-bar B.

It will also be seen that in the.insertion of the seal-blank to this position the seal-supporting lever has assumed such a position that its arm d³ closes the key-hole. The lock is then go in position to be closed.

It will be observed, further, that after the hasp is shut and the tumbler-catches have engaged with the notch in the tongue the locking-bar has closed upon the seal-blank and 95 holds the same securely in place, as heretofore described.

It will further be seen that this locking-bar cannot be lifted until the hasp is withdrawn as the end of the hasp-tongne bears upon the 100 end of the locking-bar.

It will also be seen that when the lockingpawl C locks behind one or more of the tumbler-catches a', and is held in that position by the spring c³, no jar or shaking of the lock can 105 throw the tumbler-catches out and allow the hasp to be withdrawn, and also that if the lobking-pawl is thrown back accidentally or intentionally the tumbler-catches cannot be shaken from the notch in the hasp unless the no locking-seal is removed, as said seal bears against their inner edge sufficiently to prevent them from being displaced or thrown back by concussion or jar.

It will also be noticed that this locking-pawl 115 0 has an arm, 0, which projects into the path of the key when the lock is closed.

The seal-slots are so placed in relation to the tumbler-catches that when the tumblercatches are closed one edge of the tongue of 120 the seal bears against the edge of one or more of the tumbler-catches and prevents their being thrown back to release the tongue of the hasp until the seal-blank has been withdrawn.

The locking-bar B holds the locking-pawl 125 away from the behind tumbler-catches when the lock is open.

The hasp is secured to the case in the manner indicated, in order that no other openings into the case may be made than are actually 130 necessary for the purpose of working the lock. The lock can be opened only by destroying the

229,003 seal by tearing off the broad part of the blank and withdrawing the tongue from the opposite side of the case. This enables the seal-supporting lever to be thrown back and the key to be inserted. If, when the lock is closed with the seal inserted, it were possible to throw back the seal-supporting lever, so that the key-hole would be opened and the locking-pawl thrown back, it would still be impossible to open the io lock without removing the seal, as one edge of the tongue of the seal bears against one or. more of the tumbler-catches, and therefore they could not be thrown back until that obstruction was removed.

In some instances the locking-bar may shut somewhat below the level of the upper surface of the seal-supporting lever D in locking the seal, in which case it would clamp the tongue of the seal between its lower inner edge and 20 the upper outer edge of the seal-supporting lever. It is necessary to have the locking-bar as close to the cover of the case as possible, in order th at the weakest portion of the seal-blank (which of necessity is that part embraced by

5 the locking-bar) may be as near the tag end of the blank as possible, in order that in unsealing the seal may be severed or torn apart between the recesses e'.