On supporting science journalism
If you're enjoying this article, consider supporting our award-winning journalism by subscribing. By purchasing a subscription you are helping to ensure the future of impactful stories about the discoveries and ideas shaping our world today.
This invention consists in the use of a slide bolt, with a ring attached, employed in connection with a spring, socket or nosing and guide, so that a most simple and economical ring bolt is obtained, which is suitable for the ordinary hinged doors or sliding ones, such as railroad freight cars, where they should be placed vertically, the socket being in the floor or in the top, as most convenient, and not horizontal as in our illustrations. Our engravings represent a perspective view of the ring bolt, Fig. 1, and an horizontal section. Fig. 2. A represents the slide or bolt, the outer part of which, a, is of quadrilateral form, and has a chamfered end, b; the other part, c, of the bolt is cylindrical, and is fitted loosely in a guide, d, the shank of which is screwed into the door, B. The outer or quadrilateral part, a, of the bolt is fitted in a guide, e, that is secured to the door, B, by screws, f, which pass through a flanch, g, connected with the guide case. Through the part, a, of the bolt, a ring, C, passes, and on the cylindrical part, c, of the bolt a spiral spring, D, is placed, this spring being between the guide, d, and part, a, of the bolt, and having a tendency to keep the latter forced out from the guide case, e. E is a socket or nosing in the form of a quarter of a sphere having a flanch, h, at its base, through which screws, i, pass to secure it to the casing, E. The socket is secured to the casing in line with the bolt, A, and a recess is formed in it to receive the outer end of the bolt, A, as seen clearly in Fig. 2, the spring D having a tendency to keep the outer end of the bolt in the socket or nozing. In the socket, openings, _;' j, are made, to allow the shackle of a padlock to pass through and secure the bolt by the ring as shown by dotted lines in Fig. 2. It will be seen that when the slide or bolt is secured in this way the implement cannot be detached from the door, because the ring, C, covers the screws, f and i, rendering them inaccessible. The device may be used as a simple catch or fastening only, by not using the padlock, the ring being allowed to rest or bear against the bolt, and if at any time it is necessary to render the bolt inoperative, the ring, C, may be turned so as to fit over the guide, d, the ring holding the bolt back from the nosing. A chain, a', may be attached to the end of the part, c, of the bolt, and passed through the door, so that the door may be opened from the outside. The inventor of this cheap and ingenious device is George W. Devin, of Ottumwa, Iowa, from whom any more information may be obtained. It was patented May 4, 1858.
