Humane Restraints

At the convention I picked up a lock with an attached chain. The small tag on the end of the chain has the patent date of May 26, 1885 which turns out to be issued to M. W. Lynch Patent #318,569. The chain is 19 1/2 inches long plus the tag and fits the "tongue" of the lock to form a locked loop.

Lynch was the founder of the Humane Restraint Company. A quote from their web site states: "Humane Restraint Company was founded in 1876 by Mathew Lynch. Mr. Lynch, a harness manufacturer, was approached by a local mental health hospital to make a device more humane than the metal shackles they used to manage agitated / aggressive patients. A leather restraint was produced, approved and implemented. And this was the birth of leather restraints. Many in the variety of professional fields have heard or used the words Get the leathers."

Lynch had a locking buckle patented (247502) in Sept. 1881 and improved (573093) in Dec. 1896.

The one I have states its use for hospitals and asylums and for the the insane. This model, with the chain attached, must have been hard to use to hold a patient down. The chain is light weight but sturdy. I contacted the company but they had no information on this lock-buckle. I thought it was interesting that even though they were producing a buckle with a leather strap, this model was produced.

Has anyone seen or have any information on this model?

Ron

I have the feeling the chain on your model was not for restraint but was merely used so that the locking buckle could be attatched to the area or bed where the restraints would be used so as not to get lost.

Much like many postal and railway padlocks.

It is really cool to see that on your model the buckle is locking via a pin tumbler mechanism.

Given the date of it's manufacture, this would make it one of the highest security locking mechanisms for restraints in it's day.

Cool item.

Steve Santini

At the convention I picked up a lock with an attached chain. The small tag on the end of the chain has the patent date of May 26, 1885 which turns out to be issued to M. W. Lynch Patent #318,569. The chain is 19 1/2 inches long plus the tag and fits the "tongue" of the lock to form a locked loop.

Lynch was the founder of the Humane Restraint Company. A quote from their web site states: "Humane Restraint Company was founded in 1876 by Mathew Lynch. Mr. Lynch, a harness manufacturer, was approached by a local mental health hospital to make a device more humane than the metal shackles they used to manage agitated / aggressive patients. A leather restraint was produced, approved and implemented. And this was the birth of leather restraints. Many in the variety of professional fields have heard or used the words Get the leathers."

Lynch had a locking buckle patented (247502) in Sept. 1881 and improved (573093) in Dec. 1896.

The one I have states its use for hospitals and asylums and for the the insane. This model, with the chain attached, must have been hard to use to hold a patient down. The chain is light weight but sturdy. I contacted the company but they had no information on this lock-buckle. I thought it was interesting that even though they were producing a buckle with a leather strap, this model was produced.

Has anyone seen or have any information on this model?

Ron

Click to expand...

This is how it worked...

This chain and strap lock was fixed via the chain to the rails on the underside of a metal framed bed.

To the other side of the bed were simple straps minues a buckle.

The straps were passed over the body of the patient and fed through the buckle to be secured.

Steve Santini

At the convention I picked up a lock with an attached chain. The small tag on the end of the chain has the patent date of May 26, 1885 which turns out to be issued to M. W. Lynch Patent #318,569. The chain is 19 1/2 inches long plus the tag and fits the "tongue" of the lock to form a locked loop.

Lynch was the founder of the Humane Restraint Company. A quote from their web site states: "Humane Restraint Company was founded in 1876 by Mathew Lynch. Mr. Lynch, a harness manufacturer, was approached by a local mental health hospital to make a device more humane than the metal shackles they used to manage agitated / aggressive patients. A leather restraint was produced, approved and implemented. And this was the birth of leather restraints. Many in the variety of professional fields have heard or used the words Get the leathers."

Lynch had a locking buckle patented (247502) in Sept. 1881 and improved (573093) in Dec. 1896.

The one I have states its use for hospitals and asylums and for the the insane. This model, with the chain attached, must have been hard to use to hold a patient down. The chain is light weight but sturdy. I contacted the company but they had no information on this lock-buckle. I thought it was interesting that even though they were producing a buckle with a leather strap, this model was produced.

Has anyone seen or have any information on this model?

Ron

Click to expand...

Hey Ron, nice research on Humane Restraint and the patent number on 247,502 is actually 247,507. I did a search of my own hoping to find more and did but was also hoping to find the one that goes over the 1/4" notched post.

Here's the search I did on Lynch...
http://www.google.com/patents?lr=&q=MAT ... =N&start=0

At the convention I picked up a lock with an attached chain. The small tag on the end of the chain has the patent date of May 26, 1885 which turns out to be issued to M. W. Lynch Patent #318,569. The chain is 19 1/2 inches long plus the tag and fits the "tongue" of the lock to form a locked loop.

Lynch was the founder of the Humane Restraint Company. A quote from their web site states: "Humane Restraint Company was founded in 1876 by Mathew Lynch. Mr. Lynch, a harness manufacturer, was approached by a local mental health hospital to make a device more humane than the metal shackles they used to manage agitated / aggressive patients. A leather restraint was produced, approved and implemented. And this was the birth of leather restraints. Many in the variety of professional fields have heard or used the words Get the leathers."

Lynch had a locking buckle patented (247502) in Sept. 1881 and improved (573093) in Dec. 1896.

The one I have states its use for hospitals and asylums and for the the insane. This model, with the chain attached, must have been hard to use to hold a patient down. The chain is light weight but sturdy. I contacted the company but they had no information on this lock-buckle. I thought it was interesting that even though they were producing a buckle with a leather strap, this model was produced.

Has anyone seen or have any information on this model?

Ron

Click to expand...

Thanks Steve and Dorson. I did make a typo and you are correct the patent should be 247507. Old age helps.

Steve, your thoughts make since, however, Lynch did patent a locking buckle in Sept. 1881 using the same locking cylinder. They have kept this design into these modern days. This patent shows a strap attached to the lock and would be used like a modern belt with a locking buckle.

It seem to me that inserting two separate ends of a strap into the buckle I have and then locking the buckle would be quite cumbersome. If one end of the strap were attached to the buckle, in the place of the chain, that would make more sense to me.

Ron

At the convention I picked up a lock with an attached chain. The small tag on the end of the chain has the patent date of May 26, 1885 which turns out to be issued to M. W. Lynch Patent #318,569. The chain is 19 1/2 inches long plus the tag and fits the "tongue" of the lock to form a locked loop.

Lynch was the founder of the Humane Restraint Company. A quote from their web site states: "Humane Restraint Company was founded in 1876 by Mathew Lynch. Mr. Lynch, a harness manufacturer, was approached by a local mental health hospital to make a device more humane than the metal shackles they used to manage agitated / aggressive patients. A leather restraint was produced, approved and implemented. And this was the birth of leather restraints. Many in the variety of professional fields have heard or used the words Get the leathers."

Lynch had a locking buckle patented (247502) in Sept. 1881 and improved (573093) in Dec. 1896.

The one I have states its use for hospitals and asylums and for the the insane. This model, with the chain attached, must have been hard to use to hold a patient down. The chain is light weight but sturdy. I contacted the company but they had no information on this lock-buckle. I thought it was interesting that even though they were producing a buckle with a leather strap, this model was produced.

Has anyone seen or have any information on this model?

Ron

Click to expand...

While on the subject of hospital or asylum restraints. I picked up these leg irons which came from the Jacksonville illinois assylum (1848-1975?). The elderly owner had been a second generation worker at the institution and sent me photos of the interior of the building which had been demolished in the 70s. From my research, there was a movement to ban such restraints from the 1840s but were still in use until the 1880s. But who knows what went on behind closed doors, especially with the criminally insane.

From the photos you'll see that one is very well made with eliptical cross section and made for comfort? the other is more roughly made. Most likely they were used singularly but this 'pair' has a detachable chain which is blacksmith made. The other obvious thing is the low security mechanism and similarity of the bolt head to a 'plug handcuff' plug. With the tubular sheath around the bolt you would need a rudimentary key to open them.

I'd be interested if anyone has any knowledge of this type of restraint.
Paul

At the convention I picked up a lock with an attached chain. The small tag on the end of the chain has the patent date of May 26, 1885 which turns out to be issued to M. W. Lynch Patent #318,569. The chain is 19 1/2 inches long plus the tag and fits the "tongue" of the lock to form a locked loop.

Lynch was the founder of the Humane Restraint Company. A quote from their web site states: "Humane Restraint Company was founded in 1876 by Mathew Lynch. Mr. Lynch, a harness manufacturer, was approached by a local mental health hospital to make a device more humane than the metal shackles they used to manage agitated / aggressive patients. A leather restraint was produced, approved and implemented. And this was the birth of leather restraints. Many in the variety of professional fields have heard or used the words Get the leathers."

Lynch had a locking buckle patented (247502) in Sept. 1881 and improved (573093) in Dec. 1896.

The one I have states its use for hospitals and asylums and for the the insane. This model, with the chain attached, must have been hard to use to hold a patient down. The chain is light weight but sturdy. I contacted the company but they had no information on this lock-buckle. I thought it was interesting that even though they were producing a buckle with a leather strap, this model was produced.

Has anyone seen or have any information on this model?

Ron

Click to expand...

All someone would need to do to loosen the bolt is to rap the metal tube surrounding the bolt enough times so that bolt loosens from the vibration.

Then use fingers to grip and unscrew.

Steve

At the convention I picked up a lock with an attached chain. The small tag on the end of the chain has the patent date of May 26, 1885 which turns out to be issued to M. W. Lynch Patent #318,569. The chain is 19 1/2 inches long plus the tag and fits the "tongue" of the lock to form a locked loop.

Lynch was the founder of the Humane Restraint Company. A quote from their web site states: "Humane Restraint Company was founded in 1876 by Mathew Lynch. Mr. Lynch, a harness manufacturer, was approached by a local mental health hospital to make a device more humane than the metal shackles they used to manage agitated / aggressive patients. A leather restraint was produced, approved and implemented. And this was the birth of leather restraints. Many in the variety of professional fields have heard or used the words Get the leathers."

Lynch had a locking buckle patented (247502) in Sept. 1881 and improved (573093) in Dec. 1896.

The one I have states its use for hospitals and asylums and for the the insane. This model, with the chain attached, must have been hard to use to hold a patient down. The chain is light weight but sturdy. I contacted the company but they had no information on this lock-buckle. I thought it was interesting that even though they were producing a buckle with a leather strap, this model was produced.

Has anyone seen or have any information on this model?

Ron

Click to expand...

Agreed they are not high security. There is a kind of 'spring action' in these shackles which keeps the bolt fairly tight even if turned a half turn. I'm using a bent nail as a key at the moment, so a key with leverage would make them fair tight. I'm in no doubt they were made for humans though and if used for a criminally insane person they were probably already locked up.
Thanks for your comments.
Paul

At the convention I picked up a lock with an attached chain. The small tag on the end of the chain has the patent date of May 26, 1885 which turns out to be issued to M. W. Lynch Patent #318,569. The chain is 19 1/2 inches long plus the tag and fits the "tongue" of the lock to form a locked loop.

Lynch was the founder of the Humane Restraint Company. A quote from their web site states: "Humane Restraint Company was founded in 1876 by Mathew Lynch. Mr. Lynch, a harness manufacturer, was approached by a local mental health hospital to make a device more humane than the metal shackles they used to manage agitated / aggressive patients. A leather restraint was produced, approved and implemented. And this was the birth of leather restraints. Many in the variety of professional fields have heard or used the words Get the leathers."

Lynch had a locking buckle patented (247502) in Sept. 1881 and improved (573093) in Dec. 1896.

The one I have states its use for hospitals and asylums and for the the insane. This model, with the chain attached, must have been hard to use to hold a patient down. The chain is light weight but sturdy. I contacted the company but they had no information on this lock-buckle. I thought it was interesting that even though they were producing a buckle with a leather strap, this model was produced.

Has anyone seen or have any information on this model?

Ron

Click to expand...

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http://cgi.ebay.com/VERY-OLD-ANTIQUE-VI ... 0167914101

would this key maybe fit yours or a similar type restraint?

handcuffs related.

At the convention I picked up a lock with an attached chain. The small tag on the end of the chain has the patent date of May 26, 1885 which turns out to be issued to M. W. Lynch Patent #318,569. The chain is 19 1/2 inches long plus the tag and fits the "tongue" of the lock to form a locked loop.

Lynch was the founder of the Humane Restraint Company. A quote from their web site states: "Humane Restraint Company was founded in 1876 by Mathew Lynch. Mr. Lynch, a harness manufacturer, was approached by a local mental health hospital to make a device more humane than the metal shackles they used to manage agitated / aggressive patients. A leather restraint was produced, approved and implemented. And this was the birth of leather restraints. Many in the variety of professional fields have heard or used the words Get the leathers."

Lynch had a locking buckle patented (247502) in Sept. 1881 and improved (573093) in Dec. 1896.

The one I have states its use for hospitals and asylums and for the the insane. This model, with the chain attached, must have been hard to use to hold a patient down. The chain is light weight but sturdy. I contacted the company but they had no information on this lock-buckle. I thought it was interesting that even though they were producing a buckle with a leather strap, this model was produced.

Has anyone seen or have any information on this model?

Ron

Click to expand...

the dimensions sound like it would fit very well. I will be bidding.
Thanks again
Paul