LOCKS and KEYS—PART II
BY HARRY L. HARRIS
T
HE history of early American locks is vague. Unquestionably the first locks were hand wrought at blacksmiths’ forges, the efforts of individuals. Many quaint museum pieces are in existence but they are valuable only as showing the skill and patience of the genius who constructed them. It is, perhaps, safe to say that the first American locks made in quantities, and in common use, were the wooden case rim locks. These locks had wrought iron plates mounted on an oak block. They were applied to the door by driving wood screws through the block into the door, after a keyhole had been cut through the stile of the door. An excellent example of this type of lock was illustrated in the first part of this article. It was taken from the door of a school in Hew Britain, Connecticut, kept by Elijah Burritt, brother of Elihu Burritt—The “Learned Blacksmith.” Elijah Burritt conducted the school about 1820, indicating that the wood rim lock was in use at that period, although the specimen illustrated is clearly the work of an individual. The lock was the “best seller” in the early eighteen hundred and thirties.
In the late fifties, cast locks depicting birds, beasts, and rural scenes became very popular. One of the most celebrated of these was the “Emmigrant Lock” illustrated in this article. The hardy
Pioneer is shown with his trusty gun. These locks, heavily bronzed, were of the simple warded type, and had a tremendous vogue in the days when men’s minds turned to the winning of the West. It belongs to the period of horsehair furniture, Berlin worsted “mottoes,” and floral wall paper.
Lock history from 1851 is comparatively easy to read. T h e International Exposition held that year in London, developed the greatest “lock-picking” con
test in history. Public interest was keen, and well known bankers on both sides of the ocean were drawn into the controversy. Pamphlets were published and much bad feeling was generated by the claims made by those who manufactured locks and those who were able to pick them. The American expert was A. C. Hobbs. He won many prizes in the contest, and finally successfully picked the best English bank lock then manufactured, to the
FINE EXAMPLE OF A CYLINDER FRONT DOOR LOCK WITH EASY
COMPRESSION SPRINGS
CYLINDER LOCK USUALLY USED IN HOTELS FOR CORRIDOR
DOORS. DOUBLE COM
PRESSION SPRING
CYLINDER LOCK FOR FRENCH DOOR OR NAR ROW STYLE FRONT DOOR. FRENCH SPRING
TYPE OF MODERN CYLIN DER FRONT DOOR LOCK WITH COMPRESSION AND
LEVER SPRINGS
ENTRANCE DOOR CYLINDER LOCK, USED WITH HANDLE OUTSIDE AND KNOB INSIDE. COMPRESSION
AND SLIDE LEVER SPRINGS
BY HARRY L. HARRIS
T
HE history of early American locks is vague. Unquestionably the first locks were hand wrought at blacksmiths’ forges, the efforts of individuals. Many quaint museum pieces are in existence but they are valuable only as showing the skill and patience of the genius who constructed them. It is, perhaps, safe to say that the first American locks made in quantities, and in common use, were the wooden case rim locks. These locks had wrought iron plates mounted on an oak block. They were applied to the door by driving wood screws through the block into the door, after a keyhole had been cut through the stile of the door. An excellent example of this type of lock was illustrated in the first part of this article. It was taken from the door of a school in Hew Britain, Connecticut, kept by Elijah Burritt, brother of Elihu Burritt—The “Learned Blacksmith.” Elijah Burritt conducted the school about 1820, indicating that the wood rim lock was in use at that period, although the specimen illustrated is clearly the work of an individual. The lock was the “best seller” in the early eighteen hundred and thirties.
In the late fifties, cast locks depicting birds, beasts, and rural scenes became very popular. One of the most celebrated of these was the “Emmigrant Lock” illustrated in this article. The hardy
Pioneer is shown with his trusty gun. These locks, heavily bronzed, were of the simple warded type, and had a tremendous vogue in the days when men’s minds turned to the winning of the West. It belongs to the period of horsehair furniture, Berlin worsted “mottoes,” and floral wall paper.
Lock history from 1851 is comparatively easy to read. T h e International Exposition held that year in London, developed the greatest “lock-picking” con
test in history. Public interest was keen, and well known bankers on both sides of the ocean were drawn into the controversy. Pamphlets were published and much bad feeling was generated by the claims made by those who manufactured locks and those who were able to pick them. The American expert was A. C. Hobbs. He won many prizes in the contest, and finally successfully picked the best English bank lock then manufactured, to the
FINE EXAMPLE OF A CYLINDER FRONT DOOR LOCK WITH EASY
COMPRESSION SPRINGS
CYLINDER LOCK USUALLY USED IN HOTELS FOR CORRIDOR
DOORS. DOUBLE COM
PRESSION SPRING
CYLINDER LOCK FOR FRENCH DOOR OR NAR ROW STYLE FRONT DOOR. FRENCH SPRING
TYPE OF MODERN CYLIN DER FRONT DOOR LOCK WITH COMPRESSION AND
LEVER SPRINGS
ENTRANCE DOOR CYLINDER LOCK, USED WITH HANDLE OUTSIDE AND KNOB INSIDE. COMPRESSION
AND SLIDE LEVER SPRINGS