History of Locks
Milner ’ s Locks
By Brian Morland
» MILNER SAFES ARE PROBABLY THE most often encountered by locksmiths and likewise our ‘ Heritage Collection ’ has both a good representation of artefacts as well as archive material . Certainly Milner had produced around 1,000,000 safes by the end of the Victorian period .
Like many early safe makers , Milner initially bought in locks to use on their safes . Thomas Milner started out as a tin box maker , and amongst other things made ammunition boxes for the Duke of Wellington . Milner also conducted exhaustive tests on fire resisting materials . A patent was granted on the 26th February 1840 a few days before he died . His son though inheriting the business with viable patented products , started to think about locks to counter the lock picking challenges and attacks by gunpowder .
The public were becoming more aware of the failings of box of wards or simple tumbler locks . Selling techniques included publically pointing out the weaknesses of competitor ’ s locks . Thomas Hart ( not to be confused with Nathanial Hart of Hobbs Hart & Co .) a locksmith sub-contracted to make locks for Chubb . Hart thought that by exposing the weaknesses of a Chubb lock he could promote his own . There then followed claim and counter claim leading up to the great Exhibition of 1851 when an American Alfred Hobbs opened the locks by Chubb and Bramah in a very public way again to great effect in selling his own locks . These very public challenges with claim and counter claim became known as
This style of padlock was still in demand well into the 20th century , this one marked Chatwood Milner .
Standard production example , these were sent to South America in their thousands .
the ’ Great Lock Controversy ’. It did though inspire much invention and development of locking design and development ; a process that continues to this day .
Getting back to the 1850 ’ s Milner , having solved the fire resistance aspect of safes and strongboxes , were forced to look at the lock aspect . At the time gunpowder was ready available and the ‘ art ’ of gaining entry by this method was common . William Milner patented his solid patents in 1855 , effectively countering the gunpowder threat , but still didn ’ t have their own lock making department . Early Milner locks were made by Tommy Turner incorporating William Milner ’ s solid patents feature . The only weakness now was the ‘ picking ’ aspect .
Milner / Linley , all brass padlock from the factory showcase .
One of the exhibitors at the 1851 Great Exhibition was Alfred Hobbs who had brought the Day & Newall Bankers Change Key Lock , also known as the ‘ Parautoptic ’ as it became known , to sell here in the UK . His technique of exposing the weaknesses was successful here in England to the extent that Hobbs decided to create his own lock company . There was one drawback in that his bank lock was the equivalent in price to a skilled mechanics wages for a year ; he needed a more affordable lock to supplement his Parautoptic bank lock . He therefore patented , in England , the anti-pressure bolt stump – and called it his ‘ Protector Patent ’.
It has not yet been learnt as to who approached who , but what is known is that a relationship between Milner and Hobbs was formed combining Milner ’ s ’ ‘ Solid ’ patents and Hobbs ‘ Protector ’ patents in one lock . This arrangement continued for some 20 years when Hobbs , now known as Hobbs Hart & Co , announced that they were to start the manufacture of safes in competition with Milner .
Milner understandably felt aggrieved by this and immediately stopped purchasing
An arrangement not often seen ; a Milner ‘ B ’ but with a detent , notice how one lever must also disengage the detent .
A Hobbs made Milner safe lock combining Hobbs Protector patents and Milners Solid patents .
Milner ’ s ‘ C ’ lock for those that preferred anti- pressure principles rather than false notches .
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JUL / AUG 2021
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