Junkunc Bros. American Lock Co.
“We are going to do one thing — make padlocks — and we’re going to do it better than anyone else!” (John Junkunc)
(Patented Feb. 01, 1910 – US Patent 948280)
(Patented Oct. 29, 1912 – US Patent 1042447)
(Patented Jan. 31, 1922 – US Patent 1404968)
Later on Junkunc quits his job as a railroad mechanist and concentrates only on producing combination padlocks (in his homes basement)
1919 – Larger facilities are needed and Junkunc decides to buy the “American Lock Company”. With the knowledge of American Lock in manufacturing cylinders the “Junkunc Bros. American Lock Co.” also starts producing padlocks that are operated by a key
1924 – January 17. John Junkunc together with the Junkunc Bros. American Lock Co. invents the first padlock that is locked by solid steel ball bearings. The shackle and the padlock body are both made out of hardened steel. The padlocks model number is “H10”
(Patented Nov. 23, 1926 – US Patent 1607758)
1960 – The company settles in Crete, Illinois, just south of Chicago
2003 – American Lock is acquired by Masterlock
Junkunc Bros. acquired, and became “successors” to American Lock Co. in 1919 that is also the reason why some of the earlier padlocks are marked with the “Junkunc Bros. Succr’s to American Lock Co” Logo.
Many newer American Lock bodies are stamped with a code that can be decrypted to a date in order indicate when the lock body was made. Older American Locks have a code that we were not able to decode yet. For example “K1V106962” on an old American Lock K60 padlock or “H71727” on an old H10 padlock.
Z=Jan, Y=Feb, X=Mar, W=Apr, V=May, U=June, T=Jul, S=Aug, R=Sept, Q=Oct, P=Nov, O=Dec
N=1, M=2, L=3, K=4, J=5, I=6, H=7, G=8, F=9, E=0
Example: X H J x = March 1975 (disregard the last character)
The oldest American Padlocks are marked with “Patents Pend. American Lock Co. Chicago. U.S.A.” Featuring “American Lock” (not “American Locks”) and a line between “American Lock” and “Chicago U.S.A.” on the key. This key may also say “Grip Tumbler” on it; this version also features a fine textured background. The shackles of these American Lock padlocks have a crater despite a half moon cut out for the ball bearings and may open on the left side with the toe side of the shackle. Older versions of the American Lock H10 padlock may not have a “pin” that holds the shackle in place. This “pin” is normally visible on the back of the padlock (please also see H10 Specimen).
“Junkunc Bros. American Lock” padlock Specimen age:
The address on the package of the vintage NOS H10 padlock uses the old postal zone system “Chicago 21, Ill.”, meaning it can not be any earlier than 1943 and probably not later than the1960s because the ZIP code system replaced the postal zone system in 1963.
“Junkunc Bros. American Lock” (shield logo) zinc die cast Specimen age:
This construction may be introduced during the time of the Second World War as other materials were short in supply these days.
I have to post the pictures of the keys later. I was also thinking of putting all this into a pdf file but did not do it yet. Some people may find their own contribution altered in this text and I hope you do not mind. I have to thank each and everyone of you because without you this small research would not have been possible. I may add more information or pictures to this in the future. I do not take responsibility for the information!
It would be nice if the title could be changed to “Junkunc Bros. American Lock - Timeline and earliest ball bearing H10 Padlock”
