dates when Gougler Keyless Lock Co started & WHEN it changed hands to the Miller Co

Donnie

I am looking for the year that Gougler started production & the year that they sold to Miller. & how long Miller was in production before they closed down…
Can anyone provide any info. on these 2 company’s?…….Donnie

wylk

Actually, there were three companies!

My notes show the J. B. Miller Keyless Lock Company, of Kent, Ohio, started in 1888. This was often abbreviated as J.B.M.K.L.

In 1944 or 1945 the company was acquired by Gougler, still of Kent, Ohio. The locks were marketed under the name Gougler Keyless Locks. Around 1965 the company name used in advertising was the C. L. Gougler Machine Company, Lock Division.

Some time in the 1970s, Gougler sold the company to a family named Miller (no relation to the original J. B. Miller) and it continued to operate as the Miller Company and/or Miller Industries, of Columbus (not Kent), Ohio. Locks were marked Miller Keyless Locks. This company went out of business a few years later.

Donnie

Thank you WYLK, that is about as close as I think we are going to find..
I appreciate your effort………..Donnie

SwearD

I have spent the past two days writing a long, detailed story with the history of these companies and their products. Unfortunately, both days’ work were lost when they timed out, so I will only hit the highlights this time.

I purchased padlocks, tubular locks, and mortise locks from C.L. Gougler in 1971. My next purchase was in 1977, when it was owned by Miller. By late 1978, they were bankrupt and all assets were auctioned off on January 30, 1979. I was invited to bid and received a detailed list of all assets. These included $40,000 worth of parts and manufacturing equipment, and $30,000 worth of pending orders.

Donnie

I sent you a private message on 12 / 16 / 16 at 10;00 am eastern time

wylk

SwearD wrote
I have spent the past two days writing a long, detailed story with the history of these companies and their products. Unfortunately, both days’ work were lost when they timed out

By all means, let us know what you know about these companies. I’d like to compare notes with my own history of them.

[unknown]

Pschiffe

wylk wrote
By all means, let us know what you know about these companies. I’d like to compare notes with my own history of them.

Check out this 50-page MS Word document found on the Internet, Miller/Gougler/Miller Combination Locks, regrettably the author is apparently not indicated: http://w3.uwyo.edu/_jimkirk/jbmgm-locks.doc

Pete Schifferli

[unknown]

wylk

Pschiffe wrote
Check out this 50-page MS Word document found on the Internet, Miller/Gougler/Miller Combination Locks, regrettably the author is apparently not indicated: http://w3.uwyo.edu/_jimkirk/jbmgm-locks.doc

Pete Schifferli

I’m the author of that document. I originally wrote it for my own use, to organize the bits and pieces I discovered as I went along. A large part of it is a pictorial catalog of sorts of the varieties that were made, hopefully in chronological order.

[unknown]

SwearD

That was a lot of information. At least I was able to contribute a few unknowns. As clarification, Miller Industries apparently ceased operation by 11/27/78, as that was the date when the assets were appraised prior to the auction. Sealed bids were actually opened on Feb. 6, 1979. It would be interesting to know how much everything went for. I was unable to bid. There were 3 tons of raw materials alone, which I would have had to have brought to Florida to set up operations. I’ll no computer expert, but I will submit some of the paperwork from my files if I can figure out how to do so.

I originally ran into the #40 locks in my Jr. High School locker room in 1963. In regard to the mention of two numbers stamped on many locks, I seem to remember that the number stamped on the shackles corresponded to the locker numbers, so that stray locks could be put back on the right locks.

Donnie

David, I have the document that wylk mentioned, printed & in a binder.. I’m sure that you have data that may be missing from his pretty inclusive
study.. I am VERY interested in getting as much info as you are willing to share…
I too had trouble with this site timing out on me as I am not a very fast typist
Perhaps someone on here can help you to use “word” or another program that will allow you to type , save & add to it
I’m not able to supply that info, but there are others on here that can & would be able to guide you
I need to send this as I may be up against the limit……..big laugh………….one finger typist………….donnie🙁whew):

Donnie

Pete, I printed that document a few years ago.. Have you added anything to it from when you first posted the option to find it & print it?
………………………donnie

Pschiffe

Donnie wrote
Pete, I printed that document a few years ago.. Have you added anything to it from when you first posted the option to find it & print it? ………………………donnie

“wylk” is the author of that document, not yours truly.

Pete Schifferli

[unknown]

wylk

SwearD wrote
In regard to the mention of two numbers stamped on many locks, I seem to remember that the number stamped on the shackles corresponded to the locker numbers, so that stray locks could be put back on the right locks.

That’s a good observation though it seems the other way around. I have a few where the shackle number indicates the combination (meaning the institution did not go with a private/blind set of codes) and this is the location where they usually put the code, so the side/case number is likely the locker number.

[unknown]

wylk

I have uploaded an updated version of the Miller/Gougler/Miller document. I don’t keep notes on changes but as best as I can tell there are typographical/grammar changes, a few new locks shown, an explanation of the two numbers on locker locks (per SwearD), and clarification of when Miller Industries went out of business (also per SwearD).

http://w3.uwyo.edu/_jimkirk/jbmgm-locks.doc