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  1. #1
    Join Date
    Dec 2009
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    Country: United States

    Default Diebold Group lock?

    There is a curious Diebold lock for sale currently on eBay, item 320470467863. It is a 3-wheel safe lock. The dial says "Diebold Safe & Lock Co." which dates it to before 1943 (when they changed the name to Diebold, Incorporated). The back says "Diebold Group" and 177-39. The odd thing is, "Diebold Group" was a consulting firm run by "automation visionary" John Diebold, with no apparent connections whatever to the lock company. I can't find any mention of the lock company ever being called the Diebold Group.

    Does anybody have any ideas on why a lock says "Diebold Group" if the company seems to have never used that name? If they did, it must have been rather brief.

    Jim

  2. #2
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    Dec 2009
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    Default

    The folks at Diebold agree they've never been called Diebold Group. The best alternative seems to be that the back of the lock was simply stamped "Diebold," and "Group" was supposed to be either "Group 1" or "Group 2" per standard designation. The lock in question has no "1" or "2" but I expect that many blank backs were made, and that the factory didn't bother stamping the number because it was just too much work to finish the designation and match with the proper locks. Does that sound likely?

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Aug 2004
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    Country: Australia

    Default

    Not likely - but possible. Quality control has been known to slip and it's possible that locks escaped without the proper markings. Must have been a friday afternoon job !

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Dec 2009
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    Default

    Just to follow up, there is a Diebold 177-23 for sale on eBay and in this case the back was stamped Group 2. However, the "2" looks like it is lightly stamped, while "Diebold" and "Group" were cast. This supports the notion that all backs were cast with "Diebold Group" and were supposed to then be stamped "1" or "2" as appropriate. But this is the first one I've seen with the group number added.

    Click image for larger version. 

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