THE CHARM AND HISTORY OF ANTIQUE PUSH KEY PANCAKE PADLOCKS
Antique Pancake Padlocks-Push-Key Vintage Padlocks
The 18th and 19th centuries America changed the world when it cam to locking devices. The most notorious Linus Yale, inventor of the pin-tumbler lock in 1848. His son improved on the lock, Linus Yale Jr. A mchanical engineer and lock manufacturer who patented a cylinder pin-tumbler lock, and went on to invent the modern combination lock in 1862. Pancake padlocks, push key padlocks, antique railroad locks are not just for function though. The intricate details, the charm, the craftmanship, and the value they hold go beyond utilization. The hold value even if they don't work, they hold value even if they don't have a key. These devices are historic and are not just lock collectors must haves, they are sought after by artists, and decorators. They are alluring and antique treasures.
History of Antique Push Key Pancake Padlocks
The origins of push key pancake padlocks can be traced back to the 19th century when locksmiths and metal workers crafted these intricate devices by hand. The term "pancake padlock" refers to the flat, circular shape of the locks body, resembling a pancake. These locks were designed to be portable and easy to use, however are still popular today for the patents that made them so secure. You can't bring up the pancake push key without thinking of the Yale, and the Towne and Yale inventors.
One of the distinctive features of antique push key pancade pad locks is the push key mechanism. Instead of a traditional key that turns a cylinder inside the lock, these locks require the user to push a key into the lock body to release the shackle. These are mysterious and intriguing, making them a favorite to collectors and antique hardware enthusiasts. Linus Yale Jr. joined his father in the lock business and patented his fathers spin cylinder tumbler lock. After Barron, Bramah, and Chubb locks were so successful in Britain, Yale in the United States took cylinder locks to a new level. Revolutionizing the world of complex locks, a great inventor of pancake push key padlocks.
The principle started with a patented on an "unpickable" lock called the "Yale Infallible Bank Lock," in 1855. The patent that changed the world was eventually invented by Linus Yale. Using the locking principle based on a push key. When key is inserted the six ( 4, 6, 7) independent levers move to line up each gate allowing the internal latch to engage and the shackle pops open away from the body of the lock. The shackle slides out of the body instead of swinging away.
Why Antique Push Key Pancake Pad Locks are So Great
First of all the craftmanship. The antique push key pancake padlocks are a testament to the skill and artistry of the intellect and the craftmanship who created them. Each lock is a unique work of art, showcasing intricate designs, showcasing intricate designs, engravings, and engenuity. The levers on the different locks like the Champion, 4 lever or 6 lever were made from gun metal, a harder alloy, and the "two pin" style lock. The display and brilliance on some of their pancake padlocks were of the highest quality.
The intelligence behind pancake push-key padlocks make them so significant when it comes to history. The rail road locks, the collectibility, are highly sought after by collectors due to their rarity and craftsmanship. Artist are attracted to the push key pancake push key/ push-key padlocks is intricate detailing and some artist sell shadow boxes with the locks as artwork. They are also used to make furniture, and some like to use them for decor. They're not just a crowd pleaser, but very well received for their detailing, rustic flair and nostalgia to any space.
Pin Tumbler Push Key Padlocks Ingenuity At Its Finest
Using the "Push-Key Padlock" the pin tumbler principle of a sub-assembled cartridge that could be slid into a cast brass body shell, (some companies used gun metal, different metal casts) where the assembly would remain together by means of two taper pins passing through the shell and cartridge. Towne and Yale took their invention to the next level. Yale then made another cartridge style padlock that employed their famous pin tumbler mechanism. The pin tumbler mechanism had the shackle swing out instead of away from the body of the lock. The design of a tubular lock is similar to the pin tubler lock, in that there are several stacks of pins is a cylinder shape with notches cut around the outer, sometimes, inner edge. Each notch depress a single pin inside the lock to a specific height allowing the lock cylinder to turn freely.
Other companies had different patents based on the same push key principle. When the key is properly inserted the independent levers move to line up each gate allowing the internal latch to engage and thus the shackle is opened. These locks are more appealing with the chain is attached. Once Yale and Towne was granted a patent for a padlock that housed a stack of levers and had a shackle was pushed out of the lock, they not only changed the history of locks in American, but around the world.