1909 - FIRST SPRINGLESS LOCK PATENT

In 1906, at the age of 24, Pirojsha Godrej joined his eldest brother Ardeshir at Lalbaug in the Locks and Safes manufacturing business which had been started in 1897. In that year Ardeshir was away in England, France and Germany and it was imperative for Pirojsha to take over in his absence. Just two years later on July 23, 1908 Pirojsha Godrej sent in his application to the Comptroller-General of Patents, Designs and Trade Marks in London, for "Improvement in or relating to Locks".

In his letter he elaborated in detail the nature of his invention and described the manner in which it is to be performed.

He informed the Comptroller that his invention relates to lever locks of the class in which the levers are entirely without springs. In his own words "it comprises a lock of this class and of the kind provided with a key controlling the extent of lift of the levers by the main key. The controlling key works in a stop and has teeth in reverse order to those in the main key, whereby the levers can be raised to the correct position for shooting the bolt."

Godrej were the first to invent and put in the Indian market a lever lock without springs. In case the keys were lost many users were left with no option but to call for a skilled mechanic to open it, which when they were unable to do, were left with no other choice but to break open a valuable Safe. Even the best Safe manufacturers were often faced with such mishaps. It was the Godrej Patent Springless Lock, as the name implies, had no springs attached to its levers and therefore was not subject to any such disorders. This was the first, followed by another 35 inventions which Godrej patented in time to come, as both Ardeshir and Pirojsha were not content to sit back on their laurels. The quest for self-reliance would not allow it.

The springless lever lock was described and illustrated to perfection by 15 drawings which accompanied his application. Figures 1 and 2 represented the exterior of the lock, Figure 3 showed the interior mechanism.

According to Pirojsha:
"The levers 'h' turn upon the pin 'm', on which the extremity of the bolt 'b' slides. The pin 'l' projecting from the bolt traverses the levers and passes through the slot 's', as the bolt is thrown back. The slot 's' has a different position in each lever and all the levers are raised to the desired height for the passage of the pin through the slots 's' by means of the key 'd' when inserted in the hole 'r', and turned. The key at the same time shoots the bolt 'b'. To afford additional security to the lock a stop 'e' is introduced as illustrated in Figure 5. This stop is placed within the keyhole 'e'. To open the lock a second key is inserted in the hole 'e-1', and given a half turn. This key has the same number of teeth as the key 'd', but in reverse order, and when in position provides the required spaces for the levers to rise when opened or closed."

Another arrangement of a combination lock with levers was shown in Figures 6 to 9. In Figures 10 to 15 Pirojsha had shown a springless lock provided on one lever with a pin projecting over the other levers, by means of which, with the aid of a key, the levers could be aligned.

Having described in detail the nature of his invention, Pirojsha concluded in his application:
"I declare that what I claim is:
(a) A springless lever lock provided with a controlling key which works in a stop and has teeth in reverse order to those in the main key whereby the levers can be raised by the main key to the position for shooting the bolt.
(b) A lever lock is claimed above provided with a stop and key which remain permanently in the lock and a handle to operate the stop projecting through the case of the lock of a Safe or Strong Room Door.
(c) The combination with a lever lock or secret device composed of the 26 letters of the alphabet with 26 teeth to indicate any four letter word chosen for the purpose.
(d) A springless lever lock provided on one lever with a pin projecting over the other levers, by means of which with the aid of the key the levers may be aligned in their lowest position."

Boult, Wade and Tennant who were the Chartered Patent Agents in London at the time, took a year to examine, investigate and verify the claims made by Pirojsha Godrej for the invention of the improvements of the Godrej springless locks, and his findings were accepted and PATENT No. 15,773 -- A.D.1908 was granted on July 22, 1909.

A beautifully drawn-up worded certificate to this effect was issued, the contents of which in brief are narrated on the next page.

The PATENT was sent to Pirojsha which is still preserved. This document can be aptly described as the first step of recognition which subsequently led to the prosperity and success of the house of Godrej in the years that followed.

- P.D.M.

(The patent referred to in the above article is one of many documents of archival value as well as absorbing interest, which were located by Pesi D. Muncherji, who had 37 years of service with GODREJ & Boyce Mfg. Co. Ltd. prior to his retirement as General Manager (Marketing), Locks Division. Subsequent articles in this series will deal with other discoveries of a like nature. - Ed.)