Locks and keys have become an ordinary part of everyone's life.  From kitchen doors and school lockers to sophisticated safes and bank vaults, locks and keys have undergone an evolution for the past centuries. And behind every phase of such evolution is the locksmith.

 

Earlier accounts on Locks

 

Locks have been in existence during and probably, even before the ancient times. The design of the locksmith back then was still very simple. It was in the medieval period that the locksmith began to make locks that are of more intricate design, not only for the looks but more importantly, for more effectiveness.

 

Pioneer Locksmiths

 

Robert Barron is the locksmith who designed and patented the tumbler lock in 1778. His design locksmith said to be double-acting and a major part of the cylinder lock. The said design is recognized as one of the earliest developments in the field of locks and security, making Barron a notable locksmith.

 

In 1784, locksmith Joseph Bramah designed and patented the so-called Bramah lock, the lock that is said to be unpickable. It was until sixty-seven (67) after that A.C. Hobbs, another locksmith, picked the famous unpickable lock. The said act of Hobbs challenged the locksmith and the manufacturers of mass-produced locks to improve their models.

 

It was in 1818 that locksmith Jeremiah Chubb designed and patented the detector lock. The detector lock is noted for its feature that resembles a double lock. It has a mechanism that identifies only the key intended for it and upon introduction of another key, the said mechanism jams the introduced wrong key. Further, the owner is informed that someone tried to interfere with his lock.

 

Another notable locksmith in history is James Sargent. He designed locks that serve as prototype and predecessor of the modern vaults used in banks and other financial institutions.

 

Locksmiths in the 1900s

 

The first few years of the 1900s experienced a fiercer breed of burglars. During those times, intruders no longer use the luxury of time and patience in picking locks and instead, made use of crowbars to dismantle and completely destroy the lock. This practice forced the locksmith to create one that is invulnerable to crowbars. Such invention became the brainchild of locksmith and former New York detective Samuel Segal. In 1916, he invented a lock that cannot be penetrated even with the use of crowbars. Later on, the Segal Lock and Hardware Company was established in Manhattan with burglar-proof locks as its proud merchandise.

 

The use of padlocks then became widespread. The previous padlock models, however, were still in need of improvement. The needed improvement was provided by locksmith Harry Soref in 1924. Soref was the founder of Master Lock, a company specializing in padlock development and manufacturing of other security products.

 

The Name that is Synonymous to Locks and Keys

 

When it comes to locks and keys, the name Yale is one that is most familiar to every locksmith and to almost everyone who uses locks and keys. American inventor, manufacturer and notable locksmith Linus Yale, Sr. invented and designed the pin tumbler lock. The said lock is identified for using pins as keys. These pins vary in length, thus avoiding the lock from being opened by the wrong key. His son Linus Yale, Jr., a mechanical engineer and also a locksmith, improved his father's design. Instead of pins of varying length, he designed smaller keys of flat shape and made each one distinct with serrated edges. The said design is actually the basis for modern locks and keys.Give a call! We always have a technician on call 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Locksmith Lakewood is your number One locksmith company.