Origins of Modern Locks
Locks are one of those things we use everyday, yet many of us don’t know the origin of them. Whatever happened to skeleton key locks? Why do we use the locks we do? While lever locks were quite popular for some time, today we see pin tumbler locks more than anything else, which are derived from an Ancient Egyptian lock.
Lever Locks
In 1778 Robert Barron of England gave us the lever lock. These are the locks from our favorite fantasy movies like Harry Potter. The key Harry catches on his broom is a skeleton key, which turns a lever lock. These locks work by the key pushing levers left or right within a cassette, which in turn retracts or extends a bolt. These locks would eventually lead to exquisite and intricate key designs, which would be a status symbol to wear on one’s belt.
Modern Pin Tumbler Locks
In 1848, we would be given a wonderful new invention called the pin tumbler lock; however, it’s not really new. Designed by Barron’s and Brahma’s Locks it would be improved upon by Linus Yale Jr. The Yale brand is still a household name today. Although not as popular as the Weiser or Schlage locks most commonly seen today, Yale is still going strong. This new design used a cylinder that housed smaller cylinders that would be lifted into place by the key. When the correct key is inserted, it creates what is called the sheer line. This line allows the cylinder to turn freely clockwise or counterclockwise, and thus retracts or extends the bolt. This invention allows the rekeying of a lock to be far more cost effective as the tiny pins use far less metal than its lever counterparts. BUT… This is not technically a new invention. A variation of this has been around for thousands of years.
Egyptian Locks
The pin tumbler lock has it’s origins in Ancient Egypt. A key that sort of resembles a wooden toothbrush is inserted into the keyway, and by applying leverage to the handle of the key, would lift wooden pegs into place. Instead of turning the key though, one would then remove a wooden piece. Ursus Workshop provides an excellent demonstration of the construction and function of a traditional egyptian lock. Check it out here if you’d like to see it in action.
Looking for a locksmith in the Langley area? At Crono Lock we provide professional and fully licensed locksmithing services such as rekeys, installs, repairs, and more. Visit our homepage for more information or give us a call today!
