on doors became insufficient. Cells were lined with iron plates; doors were made from iron and strengthened with iron bars; locks were applied to chests, wardrobes and commodes. The Emperor Justinian who, in addition to being a great lawgiver, was also a miser, ordered his smith to con
struct iron chests to hold his hoard of gold pieces, probably the first safe recorded in history.
Queen Fredegonde of France had a stout iron chest in which she kept her jewelry. Her daughter Rigonthe offended her mother and when the time came to “kiss and make up,” Fredegonde told her to select, as a peace offering, a bauble from the chest. As Rigonthe bent over the heavy chest to examine the contents Fredegonde pulled out the prop which held the lid upright. Rigonthe’s head was in the box when the lid fell. The Queen then sat on the lid until the Princess’ head was severed from her body. Gregory of Tours tells the story in a matter of fact way, indicative of the characteristics of Fredegonde.
Medieval keys were generally made of bronze and the influence of the church is shown by the ecclesiastical shapes taken by the “bows”—in which wereused lozenges, trefoils, quatrefoils and the like. The shanks of these keys are round and hollow, thus allowing them to work in the lock on a fixed center, the “bits” are stepped and cut, as if to avoid fixed wards inside the lock case. In the early Fifteenth Century first appears a level or pivoted tumbler in place of the early drop
ping pins. This blocks the bolt and has to be moved upward, and out of the way by the key as it turns, before the key actually engages the bolt.
French workmen of this period excelled in the manufacture of beautiful escutcheons. It was the custom of houseowners to remove their hardware
from a building when they moved, and wills of the period bequeath cherished doorplates as valued works of art. In later years, particularly during the reign of Charles II, English artisans became celebrated for the manufacture of beautifully ornamented keys, which were exported all over the world. The bows were exceedingly flat and thin, the steel being pierced all over so as to leave scrolls, monograms and ciphers. Occasionally an entiie coat of arms, with crest, device, supporters, ribband and motto, was cunningly worked out.
A great stride forward in the mechanics of lock making was effected in 1774, when Barron installed two tumblers to guard the bolt instead of one. Ten years later the Bramah lock appeared.
In this lock a thick disk of metal is contained in a casing, and when turned, propels the bolt of the lock by means of a pin contained in its under side. It is, however, normally kept from turning by several sliding steel strips which are held in slots around its outer edge. These “sliders” are thrown upward by springs, and have to be pushed downward by the key. The end of the keybarrel is incised with notches of varying depth so that some of the “sliders” are pushed in more than
ROMAN KEYS. TAKEN FROM RECENT EXCAVATIONS IN POMPEII
An excellent example of the famed wooden case rim lock. Taken from the door of a school in New Britain, Conn., kept by
Elijah Burritt, brother of the “Learned Blacksmith”
struct iron chests to hold his hoard of gold pieces, probably the first safe recorded in history.
Queen Fredegonde of France had a stout iron chest in which she kept her jewelry. Her daughter Rigonthe offended her mother and when the time came to “kiss and make up,” Fredegonde told her to select, as a peace offering, a bauble from the chest. As Rigonthe bent over the heavy chest to examine the contents Fredegonde pulled out the prop which held the lid upright. Rigonthe’s head was in the box when the lid fell. The Queen then sat on the lid until the Princess’ head was severed from her body. Gregory of Tours tells the story in a matter of fact way, indicative of the characteristics of Fredegonde.
Medieval keys were generally made of bronze and the influence of the church is shown by the ecclesiastical shapes taken by the “bows”—in which wereused lozenges, trefoils, quatrefoils and the like. The shanks of these keys are round and hollow, thus allowing them to work in the lock on a fixed center, the “bits” are stepped and cut, as if to avoid fixed wards inside the lock case. In the early Fifteenth Century first appears a level or pivoted tumbler in place of the early drop
ping pins. This blocks the bolt and has to be moved upward, and out of the way by the key as it turns, before the key actually engages the bolt.
French workmen of this period excelled in the manufacture of beautiful escutcheons. It was the custom of houseowners to remove their hardware
from a building when they moved, and wills of the period bequeath cherished doorplates as valued works of art. In later years, particularly during the reign of Charles II, English artisans became celebrated for the manufacture of beautifully ornamented keys, which were exported all over the world. The bows were exceedingly flat and thin, the steel being pierced all over so as to leave scrolls, monograms and ciphers. Occasionally an entiie coat of arms, with crest, device, supporters, ribband and motto, was cunningly worked out.
A great stride forward in the mechanics of lock making was effected in 1774, when Barron installed two tumblers to guard the bolt instead of one. Ten years later the Bramah lock appeared.
In this lock a thick disk of metal is contained in a casing, and when turned, propels the bolt of the lock by means of a pin contained in its under side. It is, however, normally kept from turning by several sliding steel strips which are held in slots around its outer edge. These “sliders” are thrown upward by springs, and have to be pushed downward by the key. The end of the keybarrel is incised with notches of varying depth so that some of the “sliders” are pushed in more than
ROMAN KEYS. TAKEN FROM RECENT EXCAVATIONS IN POMPEII
An excellent example of the famed wooden case rim lock. Taken from the door of a school in New Britain, Conn., kept by
Elijah Burritt, brother of the “Learned Blacksmith”