HISTORYOFLOCKS
SPONSORED BY ADVANCED KEYS
Soloman Andrews, inventor
of the anti-pressure device.
the Day and Newall Bank
lock. His selling technique
was simple: demonstrate
the simplicity in which
your present lock could be
compromised - and the new
lock virtually sells itself. In
order to demonstrate the
vulnerability Hobbs took an
interest in and familiarised
himself with the locks of
the day. One such lock was
invented by Soloman Andrews
in 1836. This incorporated a
cleaver device which blocked
any movement of the bolt.
Most locksmiths will be aware
that the tentative method
required firstly to set the bolt
in an unlocking direction and
then to set each lever. The
device that Hobbs noted was in
fact an anti-pressure device.
Alfred Hobbs who introduced
the anti-pressure device to
England, seen here tests a lock
using his ‘tentative method’.
So, Hobbs realising that
the anti-pressure device was
then unknown in England,
patented and incorporated
it into his locks to very good
effect. Was this the additional
feature that would finally
complement the double
acting principle?
There must have been some
merit in the principle since
there then followed a flurry
of patents for different forms
of the idea. Aubin was one
of the first; he had already
developed and perfected
integral springing. Aubin
was the artisan who made
and exhibited a trophy at
the World’s Fair of 1851,
also known as the Great
Aubins’ A1 Guardian antipressure lock. Note also the
integral springing and the shroud
around the keyhole making
the lock gun powder proof.
Exhibition. He was wellrespected and supplied
many safe manufacturers
their locks incorporating
his own anti-pressure
system which he called
the A1 Guardian. He also
made locks for Chatwood
which incorporated Samual
Chatwoods’ Invincible
Patent, another anti-pressure
device. The Invincible
patent was used on all of
Chatwoods safe locks from
their inception through to the
amalgamation with Chubb.
An Aubin made Chatwood
Invincible Patent. Here also we
see Aubins integral springing
but the gunpowder proof aspect
is achieved by placing the key
hole within the body of the lever.
Aubin set up the Milner
lock-making department when
Milner and Hobbs fell out. The
A1 Guardian was hurriedly
adapted to incorporate
Milners ‘solid’ patents. This
was followed with a further
design which is believed to be
inspired by the Boyces who
took over the lock-making
department after Aubin had
died unexpectedly.
Aubins A1 lock as improved
and including Milners Solid
Patents. The anti-pressure
lever can be clearly seen
behind the bolt head.
A page from an early (1863) catalogue where the anti-pressure (moveable) bolt stump is
promoted, note that Hobbs asserts that “levers alone … afford no security”
To read more, visit www.locksmithjournal.co.uk
Milners anti-pressure lock,
inspired by George Boyce
Snr, but still incorporating
the ‘Solid Patent’.
MAR/APR 2014
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