Untitled record

Application filed March 21,1889. Serial No. 304,109, (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, Joseph Zerfas and William E. Stein, citizens of the United States, and residents of New York, in the 5 county of New York and State of New York, have invented a certain new and useful Improved Scuttle Safety-Lock, of which the following is a specification.

Our invention relates to a device which is io intended to be affixed to a scuttle, and is intended to enable the automatic fixing and releasing of the cover or lid of a scuttle instantaneously.

Heretofore, as is well known, the lid of a 15 scuttle in a house has been usually fastened by an ordinary staple and hook or by means of an ordinary bolt. In case of a fire the smoke ascending lodged in the gangway to the scuttle, thus preventing easy access to the 20 lid and often causing suffocation or other accident. To obviate this and to enable the easy opening of the scuttle-lid, we have constructed the mechanism shown in the drawings and specification, which will enable, by 25 merely lengthening the handle-rod, the opening of the scuttle from the basement or any floor of the house. At the same time the mechanism is so arranged that the lid may be held partly open for the purpose of ventilation.

In the drawings, Figure I is a plan view . showing the device attached to the side of a scuttle and a cross-section of the lid L. Fig. II is a cross-section on the lines X X, showing the lid open when released from the lock35 ing device, in which letter F is a spring attached to the rear side of a scuttle to throw open the lid L. Fig. Ill represents a sectional view with the lid L thrown open, showing the iron bearing-plates Q and Q', the 40 staples D D, and the spring F. Fig. IV is a top view of the mechanism as affixed to the scuttle and shows the- operation of the lidlifting lever E and the manner of attaching the bolt-levers B B. Fig. V is a cross-section 45 showing the manner of guiding the drawplate A and of fastening the same when it is drawn up to hold the lid open for ventilation or to prevent· the lid from closing after the draw-plate A has been drawn down.

The dotted lines show the mechanism in position when open.

Like letters represent like parts.

S represents an ordinary house-scuttle with, a lid L and a portion cut away to show the manner of attachment of our mechanism. 55

A represents a plate, that we will call the “draw-plate,” having the guide-slots a'and the slot a² and the fixed roller e² and the handle or rod I. To this draw-plate A are attached the bolt-bars B B, being provided with 60 the slots B' B³, and which are attached at the one end to the spring-bolts C. The springbolts C are incased preferably, as shown, in the casing C', and the spring C² is used in preference to any other style of a spring, 65 and in this manner are protected from interference. The roller e² is provided in preference to a simple stud, since it facilitates the operation of the lever E. The lever E is affixed in any suitable manner to the 70 scuttle from back of the draw-plate A and in. such a manner that the curved end engages and rests under the roller e². The upper end of the lifting-lever F is preferably provided with the roller e', which prevents 75 that end of the lever from sticking in the lid L. The rod I at J' is pivoted to· the drawplate A, the pivot or stud protruding on the back of the plate A, and is provided to engage with the wedge-shaped stud or stop J, 80 and is intended to hold the mechanism open and at the same time raise the lifting-lever E and hold up the lid L. The guide-stud a is provided as a guide for the plate A, and regulates the action of the same when it is 85 drawn down, and prevents the fulcrum-stud B³ from binding in the slots of the bolt-bars B B.

G is an iron plate, to which the mechanism may be attached, and facilitates the attach- 90 ment of the same to a scuttle; but it is obvious that this plate may be dispensed with and the mechanism attached directly against the wood-work.

The lifting-lever E is provided at one end 95 with the roller e', and- at the other end is curved in the manner shown. This lever E is affixed to the plate G in such position that the curved line sets under and engages with the roller e². When the draw-plate A is 100 drawn down, the curved end coming in contact with the roller e², the other end is raised and bearing against the lid throws the same open, and the stud J', engaging with the wedge ο

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J, holds the same open. If must be observed that the curved end of the lever E is so arranged that it does not come in contact with the roller e³ until the plate A is drawn down 5 far enough to disengage the nose of the bolts

C C from the staples D. .The staples D are provided for the purpose of engaging with the spring-bolts C C and may be of any suitable shape. The moment the spring-bolts io are withdrawn from the staples D the lever

E begins to operate and throws up the lid L. The spring F now comes into operation and throws the lid L wide open. When this is not desired, the lid L, being provided with a 15 rope or chain (not shown) to pull it down, may be fastened in any desirable position. The bolt-bars B B are fixed to the draw-plate A at reverse and opposite sides at an end, and to the bolts C C at the other, so that they 20 cross each other, and the bolt fixed to the plate on the right side operates the springbolt on the left side. The loose bolt B³ is provided as a guide for the bolt-bars B and sits in the slots B' B' of the bolt-bars B B and 25 runs in the slot a' of the draw-plate A.

When it is desired to operate the mechanism for the purpose of ventilation, the rod is drawn down, and, the bolts C C, being withdrawn, the lid is raised and may be held in 30 any suitable position by means of the chain or rope attached to the lid L, and which is not shown in the drawings. When, however, it is necessary to open the lid entirely, as in the case of fire, the rod is drawn down, and 35 the lid being forced up by the lifting-lever E it is thrown entirely open by the spring F. The spring is affixed at the scuttle on the side opposite the mechanism to give it free operation. This spring F may, however, be 40 dispensed with. It is obvious that by this means scuttles may be provided in the roofs of factories, drying-rooms, &c., at any desirable point, and may be easily opened and shut.

While the rod I may be substituted by a chain and may be of sufficient length to operate the mechanism from any floor, it is also of great utility in connection with skylights, &c.