Victorian? Hobbs mortice lock

[Bob Kellock]

I've recently refurbished the front door of our 18th C. house and thought it
would be nice to have a key for the mortice lock.

On opening up the lock it looked to be fairly crudely made but on closer
inspection it became evident that it was made to a high of precision. e.g.
clearance between stump and gating is only about 0.3mm (0.12"). Although I
managed to make a key by hand that just worked from both sides I had to
resort to using my milling machine to make one with a really smooth action.

It's a four lever lock and the faceplate is stamped:
HOBBS & Cos (yes it really is Cos not Co)
LEVER
FRICTIONLESS FOLLOWER
LONDON

As an engineer I'm intrigued to know how they managed to achieve such
precision for a lock intended for domestic use. Is there anything published
describing how locks were made at that time?

Bob
www.chainganger.co.uk

[oldlock]

Hobbs were the 1st company to make their locks almost entirely by machine. However the quality is no different to a lock made by Chubbs of that time which would be just as smooth today.

It is worth noting that with those markings that lock could be as late as the 1950's though ...

[Brian Morland]

Mike Finchers book, 'A collectors Guide to A C Hobbs' has a section describing the Hobbs lock manufactory together with contemporary illustrations. See - www.historyoflocks.com/lib021.html

Brian Morland

[oldlock]

I can recommend Mikes book to anyone interested in the subject !