In 1851 Mr. A. C. Hobbs arrived from America, picked a Chubb lock before a committee, and picked the Bramah lock, winning thereby the 200 guineas that for 50 years no one was able to claim.
Mr. Hobbs offered 200 guineas to anyone who would pick his lock. An engineer named Garbutt, known as an expert, took up the challenge, and failed after trying thirty days.
1855.—YALE PICKS HOBBS' LOCK.
As an additional element to this controversy, in 1855, Linnius Yale, Jr., discovered how to pick the then celebrated Day and Newell Parautoptic Bank Lock.
It was of American origin, and was known in England as Hobbs Lock, but was the invention of a Mr. Pyle.
Yale also discovered that he could pick the best Bank Lock—the Double Treasury, which he himself had designed.
And eventually demonstrated that any lock having a key hole could be opened by any expert with the necessary skill and time at his disposal.
Accordingly Mr. Yale proceeded to develop the combination or Dial Lock.
1870.—SARGENT PICKS YALE LOCK.
The general use of this lock led to the controversy in the United States in 1870; and the Yale lock was picked by James Sargent, of the firm of Sargent and Greenleaf, a lock inventor, a leading maker of Bank Locks, and the inventor of the Time Lock.