Hobbs Parautoptic Lock

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GB13595 -Newell’s original patent in Great Britain
Patent 15031 – Yale’s American patent for the wiper band
Patent GB13985 – Hobb’s anti-pressure device

Although not an American lock, it is based off of Newell’s Parautoptic lock, so it will be included here. Read this article on the picking of Newell’s Parautoptic lock for more information and backstory. This lock operates in a similar fashion, and the videos linked in the Newell article and below will further help explain the mechanism behind it. The main added feature of this lock is the wiper band in the keyway that serves to wipe the tumbers after each turn of the key. This removes any marking material that might have been present, effectively rendering Yale’s picking method inadequate.

This particular example is a rarer 7 lever model and the key features the hard-to-find detachable and changeable bit. This would allow the bit to be carried separate from the handle, either as a simple convenience (smaller object to carry in a pocket) or to split the key and handle for a slight increase in security.

See these three videos (not published by the curator of this website) for a more in-depth look at the lock’s function.

Video One by evva3ks
Video Two by Paul Prescott
Video Three by Paul Prescott