Rudimentary Treatise on the Construction of Locks

A practical manual surveying the history, classification, and mechanical construction of locks, beginning with ancient Grecian, Roman, and Egyptian examples and proceeding through warded, tumbler (lever), puzzle, and dial mechanisms. It analyzes Bramah and American designs, reports on contemporary patents and controversies over security, and provides technical descriptions and illustrations of internal parts and picking experiments. Editor annotations and inventor communications are included, plus added material on Fenby’s patents and iron safes. The work highlights common defects, methods of testing and improvement, and aims to inform inventors, locksmiths, and general readers about the principles that determine a lock’s security.