# Rudimentary Treatise on the Construction of Locks

RUDIMENTARY TREATISE
ON THE
CONSTRUCTION OF LOCKS.
LONDON: PRINTED BY LEVEY, ROBSON, AND FRANKLYN, Great New Street and Fetter Lane.
RUDIMENTARY TREATISE
ON THE
CONSTRUCTION OF LOCKS.
EDITED BY
CHARLES TOMLINSON.
"Il n'y a point de machines plus communes cue les serrures: elles sont assez composées pour mériter le nom de machine; mais je ne sais's'il y en a qui soient anssi peu connues par ceux qui les emploient. Il est rare qu'on sache en quoi consiste la bonté d'une serrure, le degré de'sûreté qu'on peut's'en promettre. Leur extérieur est presque la senle chose à quoi l'on's'arrête. Les usages importans auxquels elles sont employées devraient cependant exciter la curiosité à les connaitre, si la curiosité était toujours excitée raisonnablement."—M. de Réaumur, "Des Serrures de toutes les espèces," forming the fifth chapter of M. Duhamel's Treatise "Art du Serrurier," in the "Descriptions des Arts et Metiers faites ou approuvées par messieurs de l'Académie Royale des Sciences."
LONDON: JOHN WEALE, 59 HIGH HOLBORN.
MDCCCLIII.
"There are no machines more common than locks, they are sufficiently complex to merit the name of machine; but I know of no others the structure of which is so little understood by those who use them. It is rare to find any one who knows wherein the goodness of a lock consists, or the degree of security that he can attach to it. The outside of a lock is usually all that attracts attention. Doubtless the important uses to which locks are applied would excite curiosity respecting their structure, if curiosity were always excited for worthy objects."—M. de Réaumur.
PREFACE.
The reader is entitled to know the origin of the small work which he holds in his hands.
In August 1852, being about to write a short article on Locks for a Cyclopædia of Useful Arts, of which I am the editor, I consulted my esteemed and lamented friend, the late Professor Cowper, of King's College, as to the desirability of explaining to the general reader the defects of some of our English locks, which, previous to the celebrated "lock controversy" of 1851, had borne a high character for skilful construction, beauty of workmanship, and undoubted security. Professor Cowper expressed his strong conviction that by exposing the defects of our locks, the cause of mechanical science, as well as the public in general, would be benefited; that if our locks were defective, inventors would be stimulated to supply the defects, and the art of the locksmith would be raised accordingly. He considered that Mr. Hobbs had made a considerable step in advance in the constructive details of his art, not only in having detected the weak points of some of our best English locks, but also in having introduced two or three new locks, which appeared to be more secure than any of those previously produced. Professor Cowper gave me an introduction to Mr, Hobbs, who placed at my disposal a variety of literary materials relating to the history and construction of locks, and stated his intention at some future time of bringing out a small book on the subject, if he could meet with a publisher. I recommended him to offer the work to Mr. Weale, for insertion in his series of Rudimentary Works. This was accordingly done, and I was invited to prepare the work; but as my engagements did not leave me sufficient leisure to write the book, I requested my friend Mr. George Dodd to put the materials together, and to search for ​more. Mr. Dodd acceded to my request; and having completed his part of the work, I subjected it to a careful revision, and added various details which seemed to be necessary to completeness, at least so far as the narrow limits of a small rudimentary work would admit of completeness. The manuscript was then sent to press: each sheet as it was received from the printer was submitted to Mr. Hobbs, who read it with care, and made his annotations and corrections thereon. Mr. Hobbs and I then had a meeting, when the additions and corrections were read and discussed, and admitted or rejected as the case might be. The sheet having been thus corrected was sent to press.
It should also be stated that, during the progress of the work, Mr. Weale, at my request, wrote to Messrs. Bramah, and also to Messrs. Chubb, informing them that a Rudimentary Treatise on the Construction of Locks was being prepared, and requesting them to state in writing what alterations or improvements they had made in their locks since the date of the Great Exhibition. The communications which we have received from these celebrated firms are inserted verbatim, in their proper places, in the present work.
Such is the mode in which this small volume has been prepared. I have endeavoured to perform an editor's duty conscientiously, without entertaining the feeling of a partisan in the matter. My chief object in superintending the production of this book (an object in which the Publisher fully participates) is to advance the cause of mechanical science, and to supply a deficiency in one of the most interesting portions of its English literature.
C. TOMLINSON.
Bedford Place, Ampthill Square, July 1853.
ADVERTISEMENT.
The first edition of this volume, though at the date of its appearance co-ordinating with the state of knowledge of the period, and containing matter well arranged and lucidly described—as must have been expected from the reputation of its author had, through the lapse of the few intervening years, inevitably become somewhat behind the state of the art of which it treats—one which is daily receiving the attentive consideration of many skilful men, and occasional marked improvements. Amongst those of later years none are more noteworthy than the locks patented by Mr. Fenby, of Birmingham; of these an account, with accurate illustrations, for which the drawings are supplied by the inventor, is now added,—together with a brief essay upon the important but popularly ill-understood subject of iron safes.
ROBERT MALLET.
April, 1868.
​In reference to Mr. Smyth's letter, which is given at pp. 130, 131, that gentleman is desirous to state that it was in consequence of the defects there pointed out that Mr. Hobbs was enabled to pick the Bramah lock operated upon, which had been manufactured forty years previously, when the sliders were made of iron instead of steel as they now are, and yet, notwithstanding that and the other defects pointed out, it took Mr. Hobbs sixteen days to pick it. In proof of the security of the Bramah lock, Mr. Smyth mentions that Mr. Hobbs's best workman failed in picking an ordinary 38-inch Bramah box lock; and that a person in the employ of Messrs. Johnson and Ravey, of Conduit Street, failed also in his attempt to pick a 6-inch cellar-door lock, though he had the lock in his possession for twelve months, employing his evenings in making instruments and trying to pick it. Mr. Smyth contradicts the statement made at page 128, that the new lock was removed from the window through any tear of its being opened. On the contrary, it was put up especially to afford an opportunity for Mr. Hobbs to make, if he thought fit, another trial, and it remained in the window four months. The sole cause of its removal was to stop the impertinent applications of men and boys, which interfered too much with the general business of the firm.
CONTENTS.
* CHAP.PAGE.
* I.On Locks and Lock-literature................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................1
* II.Ancient Locks: Grecian, Roman, Egyptian................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................8
* III.Lock classification. The Puzzle-Lock and the Dial-Lock................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................16
* IV.Warded Locks, with their varied appendages................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................27
* V.On Tumbler or Lever Locks................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................43
* VI.The Bramah Lock................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................64
* VII.American Locks................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................82
* VIII.The Lock Controversy: previous to the date of the Great Exhibition................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................102
* IX.The Lock Controversy: during and since the time of the Great Exhibition................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................115
* X.Effects of the Great Exhibition of 1851 in improving English Locks................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................140
* XI.The Lock and Key Manufacture................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................154
* XII.English Patents for Locks. Aubin's Lock Trophy. Conclusion.................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................164
* Appendix.
* XIII.On an Improved Construction of Lock and Key: Fenby's Adytic Lock................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................176
* XIV.Fenby's Stop Lock................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................193
* XV.Note upon Iron Safes................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................201
This work was published before January 1, 1929, and is in the public domain worldwide because the author died at least 100 years ago.
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