Opinion of the Court.

wheel M is the toothed wheel N, which is geared into and drives the toothed wheel O. Forming part of the wheel O is the toothed wheel P, which is geared into and drives the seventh-day wheel A. A has twice as many teeth as P, and O has three and a half times as many teeth as N. Therefore, while M revolves once in a day, it propels A to revolve once in seven days. The wheel C, which is graduated for the hours of the day, is fastened upon the hub a of the wheel M by the projection b, and rotates with the same. On the same hub is the wheel B, which is fastened by friction to C in different positions by the thumb-screw Q, which forms part of the wheel B, and passes through the slot cof the wheel C. ppppp are pivots, on which the several wheels revolve. The wheel B is cut away on the outer edge, leaving the depression d and the cam-projection e thereon; and the edge of C is similarly cut away, leaving the depression f and the cam-projection g thereon. When the two wheels B and C are fastened together by the thumb-screw Q, side by side, they form one wheel, and have a common depression, h, which may be enlarged or diminished by rotating the wheel B on the wheel A with the thumb-screw, and setting the same, and a common cam or projection i, which may be enlarged or diminished in the same manner. Pivoted near the lock is the two-armed lever, R, whereof one arm carries the roller, S, and is lifted through the same by the cam i, revolving under the same at said cam's inclined plane k, and, at the same time, the other arm, T, of said lever lifts the dog-lever, V, as shown by the dotted lines, Fig. 1, up behind the door-bolts W W W W into the position. shown in Fig. 5, thereby locking said bolts forward behind the jamb of the safe so the door cannot be opened. Said doglever V is pivoted at l. On the other hand, when the cam i is rotated entirely under the roller S, said roller is suffered to drop by gravity into the depression h at the inclined plane m, which allows the dog-lever V to fall from behind the safebolts, and the safe to be opened. The seventh-day wheel A has on its edge a cam-projection, n, which rotates once while the depression h rotates seven times, as described, and is so arranged relatively to the said depression h that, on every

seventh revolution thereof, it is brought under the roller S, and holds up the lever R while the depression h passes under it, so that every seventh day the same prevents the safe from being unlocked.

"From the description aforesaid, the mode of operation will be obvious. The clocks are set to true time by bringing the hour-mark on the dial C under the roller S, which is readily done by turning the dial, as the wheels A, B, C, and M are freely turned in the direction of the arrow on C, inasmuch as the ratchets behind H and I do not interfere with motion in that direction, but take up, and, through the clock's force, proceed with, whatever advance of said wheels may be made. The lock is then set to lock up at any given hour, by loosening the thumb-screw Q and turning the inclined plane k of the wheel B to the mark of the required hour, and then fastening the wheels B and C together by setting the thumb-screw Q.

"If it is desired to have the lock open any amount of time earlier than the set time, (nine o'clock,) the wheel C must be turned, as described, until the time indicated under the roller shall be that amount fast of true time, the closing-mark being altered, if desired, to suit the case. If it is desired to open later, the clocks must be stopped until they are slow of time as much as it is desired the lock shall open later than the set time, correcting the closing-mark, if desired.

"If the wheels A, B, C, and M are turned, as described, until the cam part n of the wheel A shall be in position to come under the roller S, and keep the lock from opening on Sunday, it will continue to do so on Sunday each week if the clocks run on unchanged. In case that it shall be desired

Opinion of the Court.

the

that the lock shall not open for a holiday or other day, said wheels may be rotated until said cam part n is in position to come under and hold up the lever R on said day.

"The lock is affixed to the side F of the safe, as described, to avoid derangement or stoppage of the clocks by concussion on the door.

"It is evident that the dog-lever V and the lever R may be the same piece. The object in making the same in two parts is to save the weight of the part V, which depends upon the pivot l, from adding to the labor of the clocks.

"What I claim as my invention, and for which I pray letters-patent, is

"1. The combination, with one or more clock-movements, of one or more wheels, H I, one or more ratchets, K L, and a common wheel, M, arranged as described, for the purposes set forth.

"2e wheels B and C, with the depressions d and ƒ and the projections e and g, located relatively to each other as described, to increase and diminish the surface of a common cam, i, or depression h, by rotation on each other, for the purposes described.

"3. The wheel A with a cam, n, adjusted as described, to prevent the falling of the lever R and dog V, either periodically or at required times, as described."

The specification, claims, and drawings of reissue No. 8550 are as follows:

"Be it known that I, Samuel A. Little, of Shelburne, in the county of Franklin and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful improvements in chronometric locks; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, that will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

"The object of my invention is to construct a time-lock which shall dog and release the multiple bolt-work of a safe or vault at certain predetermined times, both the dogging and

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