Bramah Lock

Bramah Lock Cylinder. Bramah locks, designed and first manufactured by Joseph Bramah in 1784, were probably the first commercially produced cylinders to offer good security against manipulation, perhaps even measured against today's standards. Joseph Bramah's interests went well beyond locks; among his other inventions include the first beer pump, a flush toilet, a hydraulic pump, and a number of industrial machine tools. An updated version of the original lock design is still produced and sold by Bramah Security Equipment, London (owned by Jeremy Bramah). These locks are produced in relatively small quantity and are not inexpensive (a rim cylinder retails for about $100US); they seem to be aimed primarily at the high-end residential and commercial markets. The basic design could be described a tubular cylinder (the type commonly found on vending machines and U-shaped bicycle locks) whose tumblers (called "sliders") are more like wafers than pins. The current design uses seven sliders. Versions have been produced with as many as 18. Image taken with a Nikon D-100 digital camera with a Nikkor 85mm 1:2.8D tilt/shift macro lens (with Kenko extension tube). Lit by electronic flash and various reflectors. Copyright © 2003 by Matt Blaze. All rights reserved. You may not copy, modify or use this image for any commercial or non-commercial purpose without permission. Click here for the index of Bramah lock photos. Click here for my home page.