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The Case
Of Joseph Bramah,
Inventor of the Patent Locks for the Security of Life and Property:
With a few Obſservations on the Importance of this Article, and the Means of perpetuating its
Utility to the Public;
Humbly ſubmitted to the Conſideration of the Members of both Houſes of Parliament.
In England, and the Kingdoms united to it, it is lamentable to relate, that the Art of Thieving is matured into a Science, and has long demanded the greateſt Efforts of ingenious Men to deviſe Means of Security adequate to, or keeping pace with, the increaſing Neceſſity for them. But however competent have been the inventions of many Mechanics, the Progreſs of the Miſchief is little abated; and it is evident to thoſe who will attentively conſider the Subject, that this Object, ſo very important in all civilized Countries, is beyond the Reach of human Power acting in an individual Capacity. National Evils call for national Interference; Misfortunes that fall heavy on all, demand in ſome way or other the Exertions of all to eradicate; wherefore the Efforts of Individuals muſt be ſeconded by the Arm of Government; and as I mean hereafter to prove that the Remedy for this dreadful Evil will uniformly and certainly tend to deſtroy its origin, I humbly truſt that thoſe to whoſe Conſideration theſe Remarks are ſubmitted will treat the Matter with that deliberate Candour which its Importance merits; for whatever may prove the Deciſion, the Concern it may give an Individual, be he ever ſo intereſted, can be but trifling compared with its Conſequence to Society.
Among the Means employed to counteract this miſchievous Propenſity, a Lock has indiſputable Claims to Pre-eminence. In the early Stage of Vice, before the Mind is hardened by evil Councils and the frequent Repetition of trivial Offences, to remove the Temptation would ultimately extinguiſh the Deſire; and indeed it is the Duty of thoſe who poſſeſs Property to preclude all Poſſibility of Diſhoneſty; for the Servant who would never have meditated an Attempt on his Maſter’s Cheſt may be tempted to purloin his Purſe if careleſsly thrown in his Way. When no Barrier has been oppoſed to the early Indulgence of evil Deſires, and Man, led by the frequent Gratification of them, commences open Depredations on the Public, there alſo the Security both of Life and Property are in no ſmall Degree dependant on the Capacity of this Inſtrument; for it is obſervable, that thoſe who are taken in the deſperate Occupation of Houſe-breaking are always furniſhed with a Number and Variety of Keys or other Inſtruments adapted to the picking or opening Locks, and the Inſtances in which they effect their Purpoſes without theſe are comparatively very few.
So far then as it is an Object of National Importance to improve the Morals of Mankind; ſo far as it is of Conſequence to Individuals to guard their Lives and Effects; ſo far it is neceſſary that a Lock ſhould be infallibly and inviolably ſecure.
But that the common Lock is by no Means of this Deſcription there are many lamentable Witneſſes. The numberleſs Victims of offended Juſtice, who were tempted to their firſt Eſſay by this fallacious Security, might be adduced as ſo many ſhocking Proofs; but the ſlighteſt Examination of their Conſtruction is ſufficient to ſhow, that all Dependence on the inviolable Security of the beſt Locks in general Uſe is miſplaced. The Number and Diſpoſition of the Wards, fixed in the Paſſage by which the Lever or Key is conveyed to the Bolt, determines their Security, on the Bit or Web of which Key thoſe Wards are neceſſarily expreſſed. There are few Locks in general Uſe, which the common Pick-lock is not perfectly competent to open; but it rarely happens that there is a Neceſſity even for this; for the trifling Latitude of Variation, which the Size of the Web will permit, being ſoon exhauſted, every ſucceeding Lock is then the Counterpart of ſome former one; accordingly we ſee, that from the infinite Demand for theſe Locks, there are Millions of Duplicates extant in this Country only; and that it is as eaſy to purchaſe a Key to any Lock ready made, as it is to buy both Lock and Key. This is an unavoidable Conſequence, reſulting from the Defects of the Principle, and the Methods made uſe of in manufacturing them; for it is obvious, that to obtain perfect Security on this Plan, no Two Locks, the Property of ſeparate Individuals, ſhould ever be the ſame; and from whence it appears, that were there no Variations but in Principle (viz. not in Magnitude of Parts) every ſucceeding Lock, from the firſt made, muſt be a new Invention; and that it would be neceſſary to preſerve a Duplicate of each, however great the Number, for the Purpoſe of effecting a varied Succeſſion. But the Man who gains his Subſiſtence by making theſe Locks has ſeldom either Talents or Will to perplex himſelf with ſtudying to make each ſucceeding differ from all former made by himſelf, or any Brother of the Trade. To prevent, therefore, being involved in this Labyrinth, and to avoid the conſtant Accumulation of Tools, which would be inevitable, and perhaps ruinous, he adopts the ſettled Practice of all common Lockſmiths; he procures a Set of what they call Pitching Keys, conſiſting of Two, Three, or Four different kinds of Wards, by which Keys are made all the Locks his Sale requires, be they ever ſo numerous, during the whole Courſe of his Life; and One Set of what is called Bend-ward Tools laſt the ſame Time; theſe, at his Deceaſe, he bequeaths to his Sons, who uſe thein in like Manner, and tranſmit
them
