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  1. #1
    Join Date
    Jan 2014
    Posts
    34
    Country: UK

    Default The invention of "Double acting"?

    I know that 1778 was a pivotal moment in the world of locks, with the Barron Patent, but did he actually invent the double acting lever, or was he the first to realise that with more than one you could have real security?
    Looking at the page on the Aubin Trophy (http://www.chubbarchive.co.uk/page10.html), there is more than one reference to double acting single lever locks, e.g.

    5. Marked Old English this lock has a double-acting lever that must be lifted to a precise position to release the bolt.

    Further:
    17. By Sanders - this has four double-acting levers.
    27. By Robert Barron (the 1778 patent - his second) with double- acting levers.

    and yet:

    25. By Price (patented in 1774) - the first lock to have four double- acting levers. (Emphasis in original text)

    So was it in fact Price who invented the modern double acting multiple lever lock? I'm going to have to go and consult some books! And I need to find a picture of this lock by Price.

    (Once this is all over (Covid) I'm going to see about arranging some proper photos of the Aubin Trophy, as the tiny old ones on here are really not that useful, nor do they show off the locks! In fact, the best photo of it is the one snapped of the trophy room for the Covid announcement! https://antique-locks.com/images/ima...-HR-AT-max.jpg )

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Sep 2007
    Location
    Aberdeenshire
    Posts
    697
    Country: Great Britain

    Default

    [QUOTE=NigelKTolley;32476]and yet:

    25. By Price (patented in 1774) - the first lock to have four double- acting levers. (Emphasis in original text)So was it in fact Price who invented the modern double acting multiple lever lock? I'm going to have to go and consult some books! And I need to find a picture of this lock by Price.


    Nigel, I have little knowledge of locks but I understand that George Price did not enter the safe and lock business until 1843. His first lock Patent was dated Oct.14th 1859 #2343 which was called the Ne Plus Ultra lock and was made by Charles Aubin of Nettlefolds and using his design of integral springs.
    Click image for larger version. 

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ID:	22483 Back to the books then.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Jan 2014
    Posts
    34
    Country: UK

    Default

    Price wasn't/isn't exactly an uncommon last name, and the first name isn't given, so I'm assuming it is a different Price altogether. I can't see anyone getting the name and date wrong by ~80 years! George Price is surely a different person, having only created his first lock design and getting his first patent several years after Aubin created the trophy.

    I assume that there are things engraved on the actual trophy telling us the names of the inventors, but the lack of any photos not taken on a toaster, plus the Covid situation prevents me from finding out. I might email Brian directly tonight.

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Oct 2009
    Location
    Cleveland, Ohio USA
    Posts
    1,433
    Country: United States

    Default

    It has occurred to me that Bramah also entered the double acting lock arena with his sliders. But the really amazing thing is how was it Maudsley was able to machine the locks given the supposed state of machine tooling in the late 1700's.

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Sep 2004
    Location
    Devon UK
    Posts
    3,117
    Country: UK

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Doug MacQueen View Post
    given the supposed state of machine tooling in the late 1700's.
    yes it was in its infancy but it is relevant that Bramah was held up as an example for his ability to make machine tools.
    Others (who also happened to make locks) may have also been as good as Bramah…

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Aug 2013
    Posts
    1,754
    Country: Wales

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Doug MacQueen View Post
    It has occurred to me that Bramah also entered the double acting lock arena with his sliders. But the really amazing thing is how was it Maudsley was able to machine the locks given the supposed state of machine tooling in the late 1700's.
    Quote Originally Posted by Tom Gordon View Post
    yes it was in its infancy but it is relevant that Bramah was held up as an example for his ability to make machine tools.
    Others (who also happened to make locks) may have also been as good as Bramah…
    Hello there Doug, good to see you back and hope you are well.

    Always amazes me the levels of ingenuity the early machine tool makers and lock pioneers displayed.

    Bramah was undeniably a genius and did make a lot of machines like Tom says, but as Doug mentioned i think it's often overlooked that he couldn't have done it without Maudsley.

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