Chubb lock

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Construction drawing of a Chubb lock, around 1850
Animation of a Chubb lock

The Chubb lock (also called tumbler lock (abbreviation: ZH) or Tuscan lock) is named after its inventor, Jeremiah Chubb, who developed it from the bit-bit lock in 1818 .

It has several locking tumblers which are lifted by the stepped key bit so that the bolt can be moved. The bolt is usually locked by turning the key twice (two turns). The possibility of variation consists in the number of different key bit shapes and in the different cuts in the key bit.

The key, which at first glance could be mistaken for a simple cabinet key or mustache, has a few prongs at the end of the beard. These prongs raise the guard locking to a certain height and release the bolt. If the points in the key are too high or too low, the lock cannot be opened.

Chubb locks with a latch and built-in changeover have the peculiarity that the tumblers only block the bolt transport, but not the actuation of the latch. If so pleased the door inadvertently into the castle, they can be with a sufficiently stable Dietrich open, so that if necessary the key emergency service unnecessary.

In Germany, Chubb locks for apartment doors and house doors were only common until the 1950s and 1960s, as they have a relatively bulky and bulky key compared to cylinder locks ; on the other hand, they are too expensive for room doors. In Germany, they are often used in the private sector in the form of block locks to arm intrusion alarm systems.

There are also more sophisticated, secure and intricate chub locks that are often used on prison cell doors, lockers, and safes. The high-quality and complex designs are considered extremely safe.

Modern chubb locks in front doors are particularly common in the UK and Scandinavia . There they are considered to be much safer than cylinder locks .

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