Old Junkunc Bros. American Lock Co. padlock

[Adrian Weber]

I just got an old Junkunc Bros. padlock which I like very much. I only found a few pictures and one video on a padlock like this. I already started cleaning it and with cleaning I just mean removing old dirt and grease. I will leave them like they are and not polish anything! (Would never do that). This might be one of the first mass produced padlocks with ball bearing locking mechanism or am I'm wrong with that guess?

I would like to know how old this padlock might be, the locking mechanism is very interesting (ball bearings with craters in shackle like on my Anchor Las) seems to be a wafer if I am not wrong. There is also a number stamped in at the top. Does anyone know what it means?

Las thing would be the screw on the opening side of the shackle, any idea what this might be for? Can you maybe disassemble the padlock? I do not want to break anything therefore I am careful on this one.

Thanks for your help!

[Adrian Weber]

Riyame from keypicking.com already helped me on this one. He uploaded a pdf file from the locksmith ledger with explanation. The padlock is old but not as old as I thought.

So I was wrong with that part :)

But here is the pdf. Still a very interesting padlock for me and one of my old favourites now!

[Adrian Weber]

Sorry I was not able to upload the pdf file :(
It is from the locksmith ledger 1970 I think the padlock handbook.
Detailed description with explosion picture.

[Adrian Weber]

Disassembled now here are the pictures. I will clean it within the next days then.

:)

[Riyame]

Glad I could help. The information is from "The Padlock Handbook" published by the locksmith ledger. Mine is the 1967 version.

[Dean Nickel]

Well from the look of the lock it had to be made after 1926 as this was when several of the components of the design was patented. But as you can see the body shape is different. If I was to guess it was made in the 1950-60s. As you have already figured this is a serviceable padlock. BBE will know more I am sure.

[BBE]

You are probably close on the date., could be a old as the 1940's as that body syle was probably made to save brass and there was a lot of that going on during the WWII years.
BBE.

Well from the look of the lock it had to be made after 1926 as this was when several of the components of the design was patented. But as you can see the body shape is different. If I was to guess it was made in the 1950-60s. As you have already figured this is a serviceable padlock. BBE will know more I am sure.

[Adrian Weber]

I also now disassembled the core of it. The key has a profile and there are two sliders each in every slot. I think the slider facing to the back (the one on the right at the pics) is the one for the lower cut on the key because it's cut is also lower. The slider facing to the front therefor for the higher cut on the key (with higher and lower I mean the two cuts on the key) You can also see the V springs which make sure the wafers are spring loaded and stay in place.

The disk on the far right is the last disk the disk on the far left therefor the first disk. I have cleaned two of the pairs already the others are not cleaned yet. The padlock parts are cleaned so far but I need to clean the body again and the spring for the shackle also needs a last finish. There was a lot a grease in it which contained the parts pretty well. The two disks at the front are slightly damaged and deformed.

Awsome padlock!

[peerless]

I believe the "U.S." stamping denotes it as being a military or government use padlock.

"U.S." means it is keyed differently, all by it's lonesome.
("U.S.SET" means it is of a keyed alike group or one of a 'set')

Is it key-retaining? Most of the "US" padlocks I've seen are key-retaining. Also the government use padlocks hadto've met a certain "Pull resistance test", the ball bearing locking dogs would help to achieve this.

--Vince

[Adrian Weber]

I think it is not key reataining. I will check as soon as I have it back together again!

Thanks for the information :)