US1183830A - Lock for fire-alarm boxes. - Google Patents

Description

4 F. w. COLE. LOCK FOR FIRE ALARM BOXES.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 18, $914.

Patented May16,1916,

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FREDERICK W. COLE, OF NEVVT'ON, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO GAMEWELL FIRE ALARM TELEGRAPH COMPANY, OF NEWTON UPPER FALLS, MASSACHUSETTS, A v

CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

LOCK FOR FIRE-ALARM BOXES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 16, 1916.

Application filed April 18, 1914.. Serial No. 832,943.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, FREDERICK W. COLE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Newton, in the county of Middlesex and State of Massachusetts, have invented an Improvement in Looks for Fire-Alarm Boxes, of which the following is a specification.

The doors of fire-alarm boxes are sometimes locked by means of more or less complicated locking-mechanisms adapted to be operated by a key which is removable from the lock; and sometimes by a bolt having connected With it a rotatable handle by which it is operated, as for instance, in those types of fire-alarm boxes commonly known as keyless boxes; and sometimes by a lock having a key arranged in connection with it, which key is inclosed by a guard having a frangible front plate. Inthe latter case the key is sometimes inserted and left in the lock and sometimes is removed and adapted to be inserted. Many objections are urged against these various types of lockingmeans, some of which are real and some imaginary, but the least objections are urged against the latter type, wherein the key is inserted and left in the lock and inclosed by a guard.

This invention relates to the latter type -of locks for fire-alarm boX doors, and has for its object the provision of a simple, cheap yet efficient form of device which may be easily and quickly applied to a door and is not liable to get out of order, and furthermore, may be readily applied to old types or forms of fire-alarm box doors, first above referred to, many of which are in use at the present time. p

The invention consists in arranging a sliding latch-bolt on the inside of the door, in a suitable bolt-casing, and in permanent operative engagement with a key by which it'may be operated, and in employing a common form of key-blank having a bit which may be projected through the usual key-hole, and then turned to bring its bit out of alinement with the key-hole and into operative engagement with the latch-bolt, and providing means to thereafter hold the bit of the key in approximately such position so as to prevent it from being moved again into alinement with the key-hole, thus to prevent subsequent withdrawal cfthe key. The

means for preventing the bit of the key from being moved into alinement with the key-hole involves its association with the latch-bolt mechanism in some manner which necessitates the key being projected into the key-hole and' turned before the latch-bolt mechanism is secured to the inside of the door, but any equivalent means falls within the scope of my invention which may be brought lnto position after the key has been introduced and turned to prevent the bit of the key from being again brought into alinement with the key-hole.

The outer end or hand-engaging portion 3 of the key is inclosed in a key-guard arranged on the outside, of the door, which key-guard has a frangible front, such as a glass plate, which is designed to be broken to obtain access to the ke Figure l is a front elevation of a firealarm boX with key-guard and key embodying this invention. Fig. 2 is an enlarged rear side elevation of a portion of the door and the lock and key in permanent engagement with the lock. Fig. '3- is a front elevation of the lock and key. Fig. 4 is a plan view of the lock and key. Fig. 5 is an end elevation of the lock and key. Figs. 6 and 7 are modified forms of my invention. 7

The latch-bolt mechanism here shown comprises a latch-bolt 10, which is sup back-plate and cross-pieces are or may be held assembledwith the latch-bolt arranged in the-recesses of the cross-pieces, by-screws 21.," or equivalent means which extend through holes in the back-plate and crosspieces and into or through holes in the door 12, .so that the bolt-casing is thussecured to the inside of the door by the means employed for holding its component parts assembled. A spring 18 is connected at one end to a pin or projection 19 on the "latch bolt 10, and at the other end to the backplate 15, which spring acts to throw the latch-bolt in an outward direction or into locking position. This outward movement of the latch-bolt is limited by a lug 20 arranged on the back-plate and projecting forward into the path of movement of said pin. Movement of the latch-bolt in the opposite direction is limited by said pin engaging the cross-piece 17. Said latch-bolt has arranged along its under side one or more notches 22, three being here shown, and said latch-bolt and its casing are so arranged on the inside of the door that one of said notches occupies a position just above the top of the usual key-hole 23, in

the door. Three notches are here provided to accommodate different fire-alarm box doors now in common use, which have their key-holes arranged at different distances from the edge.

25 represents a key, of simple form, having a single flat bit 26, and having the end-portion 27 of its shank extended beyond the bit. Sucha key may be an ordinary keyblank from which keys are usually made.

This key will be projected through the usual key-hole 23, in usual manner, and its end-portion 27 will'enter one of the holes 28, in the back-plate 15; then said key will be turned a half revolution to bring its bit up into vertical position and above the keyhole for engagement with one of the notches in the latch-bolt; and then the component parts of the bolt-casing with latch-bolt, are arranged on the inside of the door'with the latch-bolt engagement with the bit of the key and the parts thus assembled are secured inplace the screws 21, When the key is turned to the right, in the usual manner, the bolt will be moved to Withdraw it from locking-position, and subsequently will be caused to return to locking-position by means of the spring 18, when pressure upon the key is relieved.

As the movement of the bolt is limited in both directions the key will be permitted to turn only through a short arc in either direction, and while such movement of the key is 'suiiicient to move the latch-bolt it is notsuiiici'ent to disengage the latch-bolt, to admit otitsbeing again brought into alinement with the key-hole, hence engagement of the key with the latch-bolt becomes permanent, and subseq'uent withdrawal of the key is prevented.

In lieu of holding the key with its bit out of alinement with the key-hole by this particular means othenmeans may be employed, for accomplishing the same result; and reiterringto Fig. 6 the latch-bolt has a longnotch with a shoulder at one end for engagementwith the bit of the key, and a pin 35 whichmay be on the back-plate 15, oron the inside of the d0or,'is arranged on that side of the bit of the key opposite the shoulder of the notch in the latch-bolt, thereby to limit the movement of the bit of the key through a short are and prevent it from being brought into alinement with the key-hole. Or, the modified form shown in Fig. 7 may be employed wherein two pins 36, 37, arranged at opposite sides of the bit of the key are provided, which pins may be arranged on the inside of the door, or on the back-plate of the latch-bolt mechanism. In all these instances it will be observed that the key is first introduced and its bit brought into approximately vertical position above the key-hole, and out of alinement therewith, and then the latch-bolt mechanism is placed in position on the inside of the door and when secured thereto the key is held against being again turned to bring its bit into alinement with the keyhole, which it will be understood is the important feature of this invention.

80 represents a usual form of key-guard which may be applied to the outside of the box-door, over the key-hole, to form a chamber to receive the outer or hand-engaging portion of the key 25, said key-guard having a frangible front-plate designed to be broken to obtain access to the key.

My invention is to be especially contrasted with a key that is inserted in the 'lock and trapped, and is subsequently withdrawn when released.

I claim 2-- 1. A'fire-alarm box door having a keyhole, and a key-guard arranged on the outside of the door over said key-hole, latchbolt mechanism comprising a sliding latchbolt and bolt-casing arranged on the inside of said door with a spring for moving said latch-bolt into locking-position, and a key permanently arranged in the key-hole with its bit out of alinement therewith, said key being cooperatively assembled with the component parts of the latch-bolt mechanism a'ndheld in permanent operative engagement with the bolt, in all positions said bolt may occupy.

2. Afire-alarm box door having a keyhole, a key-guard arranged on theoutside of the box door over said key-hole, a sliding latch-bolt having a pluralityof notches, and a bolt-casing having a corresponding number of holes arranged on the inside of the door with a spring for moving said'bolt into locking position, meansfor limiting the sliding movement of said boltin both directions, and a key permanently arrangedin the'keyhole with itsbit out of alinement therewith and in engagement with one of thenotch'es in the latch-bolt, and its end-portion inengagement with one of the holes in the boltcasing, the slidingm'ovement ofthe latchbolt being limited to permit movement of the key through a short are only,'whereby it is retained in permanent engagement there With, in all positions said bolt may occupy.

3. The combination with a fire-alarm door having a fragile guard member upon its outer face, and a keyhole located Within the guard, of a lock including a movable looking element, and a key having its head portion disposed Within the guard, and its bit in operative engagement With the locking element, and means for preventing the disengagement of the key from the locking element except upon disassemblage of the lock.

4. A lock including a casing secured to a member to be locked, said member being provided With a keyhole leading into the casing, a locking element movable in the casing, a key having its bit engaging With the locking element, said bit being disengageable from the locking element after being turned through an arc of definite length, and means for permanently preventing the movement of the bit through an arc of the length required to disengage the bit from the lockingelement, whereby the key may be Copies of this patent may be obtained for disassemblage of the lock.

Withdrawn from the casing, only upon the 5. A look including a casing securedto a member to be locked, said member being" pro- 7 vided with a keyhole leading into the casing, a locking element movable in the casing, a key having its bit engaging with the locking element, said bit being disengageable from the locking element after being turned through an arcof definite length, stop means FREDERICK W. COLE.

Witnesses B. J. NOYES, H. B. DAVIS.

five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. O.

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