The plot thickens :(nerd):
I am still waiting on a post from BBE. I was hoping he could maybe clear the fog :(think):
The plot thickens :(nerd):
I am still waiting on a post from BBE. I was hoping he could maybe clear the fog :(think):
What can be found here and on the web is much more information than was available to Master lock when American was purchased. You have to realize that there was a perception at American that MLC was the enemy and that MLC just won. Many historical records disappeared. There are probably design patents for most of the logo's and being able to find them would produce a cronology of use for them, but I have no records at all. Everything I know about American products more than 15 years old didn't come from inside the company.
BBE.
The earliest American Lock trademark registration I have found via the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office TESS online search system is registration #1,064,297, filed September 24, 1975 and registered April 26, 1977. I looked it up recently and selected the first "Specimen" link in the Documents tab of the TSDR page for that registration and saw a photocopy of the front of an American padlock with the lowercase "american" logo.
http://tsdr.uspto.gov/#caseNumber=73...e=statusSearch
http://tsdr.uspto.gov/documentviewer...Index=1&page=1 (direct link to specimen gallery; download the PDF to view it in higher resolution.)
But I just looked it up again, and WOW, why didn't I notice before that that specimen gallery had 12 more pages in addition to the lock photocopy, those pages being a scan of American catalog #9? :O The lowercase "american" logo is found throughout the catalog, but page 7 of the catalog (page 8 of the specimen gallery) shows some American padlock models with the shield logo. Guess that settles the issue of whether or not the padlocks with the shield logo are the earliest.
Page 9 of the catalog (page 10 of the gallery) has an illustration at the bottom right of an H-10 padlock and hasp set with the lowercase logo, to the left of which is a smaller, older outline drawing of that set with what appears to be the same Junkunc Bros. American Lock logo on the padlock as on Adrian's N.O.S. H-10.
Okay lets sum this up!
- American Lock obviously produced the first ball bearing type of padlock
- This padlock is also known as H10 first patented in 1927 (US1607758)
- The Earliest logos of these padlocks have the "Junkunc Bros. Succr's To - American Lock Co. - Chicago U.S.A. Pats. Pend." writing on them
- Padlocks with the writing "Grip Tumbler" on the keys may be even earlier versions than the ones with the blank backside
- The American Lock logo "Junkunc Bros. - American *Lock* Co. - Chicago USA. Pats. Pend." that looks like a shield is probably after the first Junkunc Bros. American Lock logos and before the "American USA" logo
The catalog is also from the 70s I believe?
Thanks for your response BBE! It is sad to hear that historic information just gets lost like this :(-: Do you think contacting American Lock would bring any good or do they even have less information than we here?
Now we only need to date all the logos and in which time period they have been used (from when to when) and we have ourselves a decent timeline :(nerd):
American Lock is now a subsiderary of Master Lock. All the information was lost in Crete before the company was moved. Contacting them won't get you any info since it isn't available.
From my own records,
1,607,758 11/23/1926 explains the ball locking and introduces the, 'blade' tumbler as they call it, disc tumbler cylinder. It looks to be the earliest model of the H10.
1,663,799 3/27/1928 introduces another type of H10 that is not ball locking.
BBE.
Yes Retro, coming in late on your query. The Brass one in my group has: PATENTS PEND.
on the top & AMERICAN , with ( lock co) under the AMERICAN & CHICAGO.U.S.A. ---on the bottom.........the key has ; American lock co. Chicago U.S.A. on one side & grip tumbler cylinder locks on the other.....I will get some better photo's up as soon as I learn this new camera.........the key is well worn..... I too would like to know where this one fits in the line up......... this lock also opens from the left...........:(clap):Donnie
also, this lock has NO mention of Junkunc Bros. anywhere???????
not on the key, not on the lock
The law firm that did that patent is very well known here in Cleveland :D
Hey Pete,
yes I received the pdf file so do not worry my friend! Thank you a lot for that :)
It is a very interesting piece as the style of it looks style like being 90s. Also interesting to note that in your brochure from 2003 the history of the company and the roots still seemed to be very important and were mentioned through the whole document. As in the catalog from 2009 no history is mentioned at all or only very briefly.
Where can that be found? Either I am blind or I am searching at the wrong spot!Quote:
If you page along further, a pdf scan of American Lock Catalog 14 (c1962?) can also be found.
A little help would be appreciated :(nerd):
My Logo timeline is nearly finished but I was not able to pin them to dates yer nor time periods. I am still waiting for one last package with shield Logo padlocks. I will post everything when finished!