LOCKS
June 10, 2007 – 7:28 pm
From the early ages, it has been human trait to protect their most precious belongings. History has many stories to tell about kings who hid their treasures in caves and dungeons. Majority of the people couldn’t hide their belongings and so they opted for the next best solution and that was to keep their belongings secure. Some tied ropes to their cattle or other possessions. They would make knots like thief knots or Gordian knots. The one who tied the knot would get to know if someone tampered with it. Cattle were tied up to protect them from running away and to avoid theft.
Egyptians were always very rich and so it is no surprise that they were one of the first to come up with locks with keys. This device has been now known to the world for over four thousand years. The pin locks were the first type of locks with keys. The first pin locks were cylinders of wood with the key as a hole drilled through the axis.
Where there are locks, there are lock pickers too. The pin locks of the Egyptians could be picked very easily and so the number of pins in the locks was increased. The next improvement was the use of force to unlock rather than a rope. This paved the way for pin tumbler locks. The lock with the first key which resembles the current generation key was the warded lock.
Now, we have locks for all sorts of purposes. There are locks to lock our homes, lockers, cars, computers, bank accounts etc. Some locks are big and we can touch them, whereas our computers are locked with words known as passwords. The list of the types of locks is pretty long. A list of the types is given below:-
1. Pin tumbler lock
2. Tubular pin tumbler lock
3. Wafer tumbler lock
4. Cylinder lock
5. Bicycle lock
6. Disc tumbler lock
7. Deadbolt
8. Child safety lock
9. Warded lock
10. Keycard lock
11. 5 lever lock
12. 7 lever lock
13. Padlock
14. Combination lock
15. Electronic lock
16. Electric Strike
17. Magnetic lock
18. Lever tumbler lock
19. Chubb detector lock
20. Puzzle locks
Most of the hotels now have the keycard lock. A card has to be inserted into the lock or swiped across the lock to access the room. Padlocks seem to be the most common locks and are used for a wide variety of purposes. Most of the shutters of shops are locked with padlocks and other deadbolts.
Puzzle locks are both fun and interesting to have. These locks have a normal key to open them but the keyhole is hidden. It takes time and intelligence to find the keyhole. It may buy you some time incase someone is trying to pick your lock.
Magnetic locks are locks made with electromagnets. Some people believe that this is an expensive lock to have as it runs on electricity. The lock is stronger than conventional locks and the cost factor is less than the amount needed to run an electric bulb all day long.
Combination locks are a beauty. It is like having one big lock with many smaller locks inside. Only if the entire combination is right can the lock be opened. It is a lock which is a major challenge for all thieves.
Child safety locks are locks designed with utmost care. It is designed in such a way that a child shouldn’t be able to open or close the lock without adult supervision.
Day or night, cycle or car, expensive jewels or lots of cash, safety of your child or your own personal safety there is no place like home. Your home is secure only if you have locks which can lock you in safely and lock out the burglars too.