Lowe & Fletcher M O W lock.

setayvd

I have recently acquired this lock (see photo) and am assured that the keys are unobtainable.
From examination I conclude that it is of the “Drop-Key” design.
Does anyone have an example of the key? A picture, or diagram would assist in my making a new key.

Dean Nickel

If I knew what country that lock was made in that patent number might get you a drawing of the key. But I just ran US and UK and came up dry. I read that number as 515501 is that correct?

Brian Morland MLA Hon

A flyer showing another version of the lock and a typical plunger type key. The original patentee was Wormald but other companies also made the lock. Designed for meter locks for the utility companies and the like.

setayvd

Thanks for the help. Lowe & Fletcher is a UK company, the Pat. No. is 515561

Paul Prescott

Brians post is correct for the type of key. Interesting to see such a lock made for the ‘ Ministry of Works ’ never seen one before with such a marking, although there must have been lots of them made for such a client. Quite what they were used for would be interesting.

setayvd

Thanks for the info.
As I understand it the Ministry of Works was a government department, set up after the second world war, and one of its departments was fuel and power.
These locks were an attempt to secure the coin boxes on electric and gas meters from pilferage, and date from the 1940s/50s.

mercurial

Does the all-brass construction point towards it being used in an environment where sparks must be avoided (fuel, gas, other inflammables)?

…mercurial

pickalock

the reason the keys are so rare is the fact they are ministry of work locks one key for a meter reader covering thousands of locks .A extremely rare key and padlock went for a few hundred pounds about two years ago on ebay uk . Got a bit carried away bidding on it myself lucky it finished when i was working . There is a regular seller of these on e bay but obviously just the padlock Posted this on another forum & utube while back [video=youtube;JAkQxraNQ8I][/video] might be of some use