A Guide to the History of Locks

Human nature and a need for security are two things that have always gone hand in hand. Whether it's our belongings or our own personal safety, people have a natural desire to keep the most important things to us secure. Modern civilisation has brought more advanced ways of doing just about everything, and that includes security. We've come a long way when you consider that the earliest idea of a security system merely involved a complex series of knots to keep valuables from prying hands.

Advancements in technology led to wooden and eventually metal locks that were designed and built all over the globe, giving everyone access to a whole new definition of peace of mind. The first device that fits the textbook "lock and key" description was discovered amongst the ruins of Nineveh, an ancient city that served as the capital of Assyria.

Ancient Egypt

The story that brings us the modern lock and key is a long one, its inception traced back six thousand years ago. This was when Ancient Egyptian locksmiths worked out the innovations necessary to create a pin tumbler mechanism. This early lock was made of wood, consisting of a post affixed to a door and using a horizontal bolt to slide through and secure the entrance.

Roman Empire

Locks took a new role as a central item for society in the Roman Empire. Drawing from the designs that were used in Greece, the ancient Romans created a lock made out of metal that was stronger than any of the ones that came before it. The other major innovation of the Romans was making both lock and key conveniently smaller, allowing those who were wealthy enough to flaunt their keys as jewellery. Roman locks also used wards, making it so only the right key would work. The end of the Roman Empire resulted in a halt of funds and technological developments that put locking mechanism progress at a standstill.

18th Century

The engineers of the 18th century were pioneers of practically sized and reliable locks, with inventor and locksmith Robert Barron at the forefront of the movement. His creation of the double-acting tumbler lever lock led to further innovations from Joseph Bramah in 1784, whose improved locking mechanism couldn't be picked until 67 years later.

Jeremiah Chubb was the next big name in locks with his Chubb detector lock of 1818. A special version of the lever lock, the Chubb lock was unique in that it could relock itself. That means if someone tried to break their way through, the lock would be jammed and could only be opened by the original key.

In 1848, Linus Yale rounded out the story of locks and their history with his pin tumbler lock. Using pins of various lengths, this mechanism would only open for the correct key. Linus's son continued his work and patented a key that was small and flat, using its jagged edges with the pins inside the lock. Today's pin tumbler locks still employ this same basic mechanism.

If you looked at every lock that's out there in the world today, you'd find that most of them still resemble these early engineers' inventions. Things like anti-pick technology and magnetic keys are highly rare, only being used in special cases.

The rich history of locks is alive and well at Nearby Locksmith Bondi Junction. Our staff are constantly educating themselves to better understand both the locks themselves and what our clients need from them. Call 1300 625 696 for more information about the locksmith Bondi Junction knows and trusts.

Nearby Locksmiths can help with all your locksmithing needs. We are a family owned business that can help when you are locked out, need some locksmith work done, or anything else.