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  1. #1
    Join Date
    May 2016
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    Country: UK

    Default Needle Locks & Latches.

    While leafing through a copy of "Engineering" for September 28th, 1866, I came across this desription of a most unusual lock, utilising flexible "needles"attached to the bolt, which can be manipulated directly by the key to pass through holes in a fence.(They can be flexed laterally by the key as well) The company was called "Patent Unpickable Lock Co Ltd, 237 & 239, Euston Rd., London", and they advertised extensively in that year, stating that a large range of options were available. A view of the inside is shown on page 225, and can be viewed by looking up Grace's Guide, where scans of the magazine are available. (I'm afraid that I was unable to copy just the image) The firm was wound up a few years aftrwards.

    I have failed so far to locate the inventor/s or patents-any ideas?
    It is so unusual that I am sure that someone knows more!

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Apr 2015
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    68
    Country: United States

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    Sounds similar to Viking padlocks. A lock I've never heard of and it's 'unpickable'... You've have me interested.

  3. #3
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    Country: UK

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    Dear kwosalt99,

    Thanks for your interest-Yes, it did have deflectable springs, but there the similarity to "Viking" locks disappears, as the wires, acting as tumblers, were deflected in twoplanes by direct contact with the key.

    I have at last tracked the inventor down to a certain Herbert Allman, who seemed to be a professional inventor. (He invented Hydraulic Tubing, Lamp burners and other devices) He had three patents for the locks-
    A) GB186201328, the main patent. He proposes that a key be filed, then the pointed ends of the wires used to mark the bolt, so allowing holes to be drilled in exact positions.

    B)-GB186502006-Safe lock

    C)-This third patent in 1866 was never completed-One improvement was to have an internal cover of glass, so its workings were visible before mounting on a door!

    I hope to now obtain copies of the two sealed patents, when I can hopefully post pictures.

    Now I have found out the inventor's identity, does this ring a bell with anyone, as the lock was for sale for nearly three years.

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Aug 2013
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    1,754
    Country: Wales

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    Thanks for posting this Sprockets- What an amazing lock- you've uncovered a long forgotten gem there for sure.

    The exact degree of flex in all planes on each of the spring steel wires would have been critical to every operation of the lock. Coupled with the incredibly tight tolerances in the corresponding holes, and obtaining 100% consistency throughout production must have all added up to a nightmare and been a challenge in itself.

    How they did all that quickly and cheaply to fulfil their aim for a simple yet secure lock is simply amazing. Can't help thinking it had the potential for serious reliability issues though.

    Well worth the read and was a treble whammy for me as the first page of that date (221) covers Spiegeleisen steels and even mentions the old Erzberg in Styria Provence Austria. Something I am very familiar with through my live steam locomotives.

    Heres the lock, courtesy of Grace's Guide
    Click image for larger version. 

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    http://www.gracesguide.co.uk/Main_Page

    Will be interesting to see if anyone out there has a working example of one- surely a few must have survived.

  5. #5
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    Aug 2013
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    Country: Wales

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    The more you think about this the more it seems like something pretty drastic must have happened to end it all.

    They were making some incredible claims for the "Needle Door-Latch" at the time:

    "PERFECTLY UNPICKABLE"
    "SECUREST LOCK MADE"
    "CHEAPEST PATENT LOCK MADE"
    "BEST LOCK EVER MADE"

    Sprockets you've probably already found all this but there's a bit of info that comes up in google books which I can't post here.

    Apparently the lock also appeared during 1866 in:

    Mechanic's magazine 28th Sept
    The Builder 29th Sept
    The Ironmonger 29th Sept
    Building News 5th Oct
    The Builder's Weekly Reporter 8th Oct
    The City Press 10th Nov

    Although most might be adverts only and not actual features, I'm not sure

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Oct 2009
    Location
    Cleveland, Ohio USA
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    Country: United States

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    Yes, why make spring loaded tumblers when you can just use the springs alone as the tumblers. I can see where that certainly made it a cheap lock to manufacture. I would suppose the key cuts were half round to hold the wires from deflecting sideways as they were lifted into position and since the receiver was drilled to fit the key, I don't think a high degree of consistency in the spring tension was all that important. The mere addition of the usual pick protections makes me think the basic design was susceptible to picking. Of course the sideways deflection must be controlled but that could be accomplished with a grooved pick and a spacing tube. An interesting lock nonetheless and thanks for posting it and the reference to Graces Guide. Doug

  7. #7
    Join Date
    May 2016
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    27
    Country: UK

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    Hello, Huw Eastwood and Doug MacQueen;


    Thanks for your interest. I was trying to load up copies of the two patents, but failed ! The key was deliberately designed to move the wires in a lateral direction by offset notches, as well as at right angles. The abutment was smoked and the slightly sharpened ends of the wires used to mark the abutment before it was drilled, so the lock was fitted to the key, as was done on "Wormald" locks.

    I am away for a week, when I will try and load the patents again, and see if my password is rejected as normal! Incidentally I too am fascinated by German locomotives! Regarding Grace, her site continues to be of great assistance to me!

    GB186201328A-Lock-Allman-Needle Tumblers-Pat Unpick Lock Co.pdf
    GB186502006A-Safe-Allman-Chilled Iron-Sliding Wedge Door.pdf
    GB186603441A-Lock-Allman-Prov.pdf
    Last edited by Huw Eastwood; 04-08-19 at 10:08 AM.

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Oct 2009
    Location
    Cleveland, Ohio USA
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    Country: United States

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    When I started researching US patents, it meant a trip to the Cleveland Library. Now most or all are available online. Is there an online UK patent search available for locks of the 1800's.

  9. #9
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    Aug 2013
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    Country: Wales

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    Sprockets when you are able could you post any sketches or illustrations of the keys that they used. Your confirmation that they did indeed flex the wires laterally as well as vertically has me pondering over how many such positions they managed to fit on a typical key bit, as the operation in the second plane (offset alignment)would seem to take up a lot of space or 'width' on the key bit, it's one of those really simple but then not-so-simple concepts!

    Doug they are scattered around but i think it's more of a lucky dip with what you can find and access, not as comprehensive as yours across the pond.
    Last edited by Huw Eastwood; 15-10-16 at 12:30 PM.

  10. #10
    Join Date
    May 2016
    Posts
    27
    Country: UK

    Default Needle Locks & Latches

    I mistakenly stated in my first posting that the firm only survived a few years. I now find that it lasted for around 16 years, being wound up in 1882, so it must have been successful. I note that the Chubb Archives has a copy of an advert of theirs, so it would be surprising if they hadn't added a sample to their dispersed museum.

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