Tum′bler.
1. (Founding.) A vertically rotating case for cleaning castings placed within it.
2. (Locksmithing.) A latch engaging within a notch in a lock bolt, or otherwise opposing its motion until it is lifted or arranged by the key, so as to remove the obstacle. See lock.
3. (Fire-arms.) The piece in the interior of a [2652] gun-lock by which the main-spring acts on the hammer, causing it to fall and explode the cap. It is connected with the main-spring by a swivel, which transmits the full pressure of the spring to the swivel arm. The tumbler has a partial revolution on pivots (the arbor being one), the extreme limits of its motion being from full cock to the striking of the hammer on the cap. The hammer is carried on the square of the tumbler; this is the outwardly projecting end of the arbor. It operates as follows; when the hammer is drawn back, the tumbler rotates in the direction g h; the sear, which is kept constantly pressed against the tumbler by the sear-spring, falls, first, into the notch h, and by a farther rotation into the cock-notch g; here it is held by the spring until a pressure on the trigger releases the nose of the sear from the notch and permits the tumbler to follow the movement of rotation impressed on it by the main-spring, which it does with great rapidity.
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| Tumbler. A, body; b, arbor; c, square; d, pivot; e, swivel-arm and pin hole; f, tumbler-screw hole; g, cock-notch; h, half-cock notch. |
4. (Nautical.) One of the movable pins with which the cathead-stopper and shank-painter are respectively engaged. By the coincident movement of the pins, the ends of the anchor, which are suspended from the cathead and fish-davit respectively, are simultaneously freed.
5. (Domestic.) A drinking-glass with a flat base, no stem, and straight, somewhat flaring sides. It originally had a round or pointed base, so that it could not stand alone, and one must empty it before putting it down.
6. (Vehicle.) A kind of cart. A tumbrel.
