The Forum at Handcuffs.Org
BRITISH LEG IRONS
20 visible archived posts · 20 preserved total · topic ID 7746
Another pair of unknown British LI's. I don't have these yet but by the looks of the swivel a the way the chain is attached, the look British to me. The most interesting feature is the locking mechanism with the use of a key on the side of the locking barrel. I only know of two others with this type of keying and they are handcuffs.
Hopefully when they arrive there will be some markings and I can find a key to fit them.
Ron
Very weird looking and interesting. I'll be interested in your thoughts and if you think they are genuine.
djhalfdead 05 Feb 2024
#3Great find, Ron! I have never seen a set like this one.
-Richard Knip-
Rob
Way to go and it looks like you’ve got something special there and I don’t think I’ve ever seen a set like them.
Spencer
Mark Lyons sent me these pictures. The owner is known. I think they are 1800's British. Notice the back-strap on the cuffs compared to hinge on mine.
Whiltshire pattern
PaulJDavies 06 Feb 2024
#7I'd say definitely very early English. I have a padlock in the same style and i reckon an offset railroad padlock key might open them - very basic cuff. Great find.
spelling correction ,Wiltshire
PaulJDavies 07 Feb 2024
#9I cannot think of any makers from Wiltshire (1862-1873) when this was published. I assume this is from a book on padlocks.
Thank you all for the information. I just finished a search with the information given by the Guest and came up with the same picture. It's amazing what a search of the forum will turn up.
The page shown is from a publication called "On The Development and Distribution of Primitive Locks and Keys." by Lieut. -General PITT-RIVERS, F.E.S. and published in 1883. With this information we can assume the cuff was used earlier than 1883.
Fig. 35c. Longitudinal section (with key) of modern padlock, from Rushmore, Wiltshire,
Fig. 38c. Longitudinal section of modern handcuff, from Wiltshire, with spiral spring action, unlocked by a revolving key.
Ron
PaulJDavies 07 Feb 2024
#11My researched showed that the printer (under that name) was only at that address for the 10 year period 1862-73. Maybe it was reprinted?
Ian Mc Coll 07 Feb 2024
#12Glad to be of help Ron
here is the full book.
https://www.gutenberg.org/files/44022/4 ... 4022-h.htm
pitt-rivers primitive locks
regards
Ian McColl
(not logged in)
I found the copy Ian has given the link to plus one other copy in the National Archives. The original book is in the Cornell University Library. They have the same printing date of 1883. In my internet search I found no other copies.
PaulJDavies 08 Feb 2024
#14From the on-line version, the printers were:
LONDON: CHATTO AND WINDUS, PICCADILLY. 1883.
LONDON: HARRISON AND SONS, PRINTERS IN ORDINARY TO HER MAJESTY,ST. MARTIN'S LANE.
ILLUSTRATED BY SPECIMENS IN THE PITT-RIVERS COLLECTION.
But the plates are attributed to Wyman and Sons, Great Queen Street, London who are an earlier printer at that address.
So it seems that Pitt-Rivers has reprinted plates from a much earlier book featuring specimens from his own collection. We do not know how old his specimens were at the time of original publication.
When the author says 'modern handcuff', it may just mean 'not ancient Roman' etc, and the origins of the items are probably where they were located, not necessarily where they were made.
It is probable that the leg irons in question were made prior to the era of applying a Brand name.
Unknown / guest 08 Feb 2024
#15ronspitz wrote:
↑Feb 05, 2024
Mark Lyons sent me these pictures. The owner is known. I think they are 1800's British. Notice the back-strap on the cuffs compared to hinge on mine.
Note that my padlock is also a folded over hinge but the 'Strap' is not left raised like the so-called 'backstrap'
Thanks Paul. I should have the LI's in a week or two. Hopefully i'll find some markings. Just noticed the information about the collection on the front page which may be a clue to the time frame.
[_Tke materials for this paper, together with the rest of the Museum, have been in course of Collection since
the year 1851, and some of the specimens illustrated have been exhibited to the public at
Bethnal Green and South Kensington for some years.]
This could put the irons at 1851 or earlier.
Here is what is said about the cuff.
Fig. 38c, Plate V., is a section of an old handcuff
obtained in Wiltshire, the bolt of which is forced out of the eye, not by means of a
screw, but by a key of the ordinary form of a door key, inserted in the side of the
tube, which when turned forces the bolt back against the spiral spring and releases
the semicircular bar.
ronspitz wrote:
↑Feb 08, 2024
, the bolt of which is forced out of the eye, not by means of a
screw, but by a key of the ordinary form of a door key
This suggests that screw derby cuffs were already known at the time.
PaulJDavies 09 Feb 2024
#18Anon wrote:
↑Feb 09, 2024
ronspitz wrote:
↑Feb 08, 2024
, the bolt of which is forced out of the eye, not by means of a
screw, but by a key of the ordinary form of a door key
This suggests that screw derby cuffs were already known at the time.
Screw key cuffs were the norm at the time of publication. His collection, as are ours, would included the unusual and antique .
PaulJDavies wrote:
↑Feb 09, 2024
The springs must be much lighter than screw key springs, or the keys would be super strong to pull that bolt down........The pulling force of the screw type keys are considerable, think gear pullers as used by mechanics.......
Anon wrote:
↑Feb 09, 2024
ronspitz wrote:
↑Feb 08, 2024
, the bolt of which is forced out of the eye, not by means of a
screw, but by a key of the ordinary form of a door key
This suggests that screw derby cuffs were already known at the time.
Screw key cuffs were the norm at the time of publication. His collection, as are ours, would included the unusual and antique .
Here are some pictures of the irons after a slight bit of cleaning. They have a black finish. The chain length is 20 inches and the cuffs are flat on the outside and rounded on the inside and measure 3 3/4 x 3 1/2 inches inside. They were not frozen and opened right up. In reading the information in the Pitt-Rivers book is says they were obtained not manufactured in Wiltshire. So, any of the usual manufactures of the early 1800's could have made them.
" Fig. 38C, Plate V., is a section of an old handcuff obtained in Wiltshire, the bolt of which is forced out of the eye, not by means of a screw, but by a key of the ordinary form of a door key, inserted in the side of the tube, which when turned forces the bolt back against the spiral spring and releases the semicircular bar."
Ron
