Tower Double Lock Leg Irons (ca1904)
A pair of Tower’s Double Locking Leg Irons Circa 1904. I have tested thier operation with the included key and during testing these cuffs worked as they were designed to (read description below for details on the operation of the double locking mechanisms). The Tower’s Double Locking mechanism was patented in Aug of 1879. In Sept of 1882 there was a subsequent patent. This pair of leg Irons do not contain either of these patent stamps but do contain the words “Tower’s Double lock”. This attribute indicates to me a production date after 1904 when John Tower’s company became part of Union Hardware Company of Torrington, Connecticut. These Leg Irons are in excellent working condition and These Leg Irons also have a 12 link chain between the cuffs. This is a pair of working antique Leg Irons that would compliment any handcuff collection. There is a single key provided with this sale.
Tower introduced the Tower “Double Lock” handcuff. Patented on August 19, 1879 this handcuff has a much more sophisticated lock mechanism. The lock had two settings. In the single lock mode it acted just like the single lock model. To open the lock the key was inserted an rotated one half turn to the left, counter-clockwise. However, if the key was turned instead to the right, a full turn clockwise, then the lock was put into a double locked setting. The catch or bolt was now frozen, the handcuff bow could not be opened, but it also could not be further closed. This prevented one from shimming open the cuff. To remove the double lock the key had to be reinserted and turned a full turn to the left, counter-clockwise. Another half turn to the left would then open the cuff completely.The earliest Tower double lock handcuffs are marvels of engineering. They were manufactured to very high tolerances. The key hole has a very tight opening requiring a key with a very thin wall. The bow also fits into the lock case with a very close fit. Indeed there is so little gap it is hard to imagine any prisoner successfully shimming open the cuff even without the double lock. One could reasonably argue that these handcuffs are the finest handcuffs ever made in America, at least in terms of adherence to quality standards of manufacturing. Unfortunately these comments apply only to the earliest double lock models. Double lock Tower hand cuffs were manufactured for over fifty years. Later models were not manufactured to such high standards.
