Dear kwosalt99,
Thanks for your interest-Yes, it did have deflectable springs, but there the similarity to "Viking" locks disappears, as the wires, acting as tumblers, were deflected in twoplanes by direct contact with the key.
I have at last tracked the inventor down to a certain Herbert Allman, who seemed to be a professional inventor. (He invented Hydraulic Tubing, Lamp burners and other devices) He had three patents for the locks-
A) GB186201328, the main patent. He proposes that a key be filed, then the pointed ends of the wires used to mark the bolt, so allowing holes to be drilled in exact positions.
B)-GB186502006-Safe lock
C)-This third patent in 1866 was never completed-One improvement was to have an internal cover of glass, so its workings were visible before mounting on a door!
I hope to now obtain copies of the two sealed patents, when I can hopefully post pictures.
Now I have found out the inventor’s identity, does this ring a bell with anyone, as the lock was for sale for nearly three years.
