When was handcuffs invented

Many say they set a standard of precision, craftsmanship and security that has never been matched. The history of adjustable handcuffs is very murky. The story begins with W. Adams, who patented the adjustable ratchet principle for handcuffs in — up to then, all American handcuffs were of fixed size. The Adams cuff was an adaptation of the English Darby — a square bow with notches on the outside which were engaged by a very simple, tear shaped lock mechanism which allowed their size to be adjusted.

The design was quite successful and Adams Handcuffs were manufactured in great quantity. The second part of the story takes place in when Orson C. Phelps invented and patented his version, which put the notches for the ratchet on the inside of the square bow and featured a heavier and more secure lock case. John J. Tower enters the picture in when he established a company.

Tower applied for his first patent in to cover the round or oval bow he invented, an improvement over the previous square bow. It took three years for this patent to be issued; O. Phelps died during this period and Tower evidently bought the Phelps patent, which was reissued to him in Tower immediately realized that single lock models had a major weakness — they could be shimmed by a determined prisoner with a proper bit of metal.

Patented in , it was opened the same way as a single lock model, by inserting a key and rotating it one half turn counter-clockwise. However, turning the key a full turn clockwise froze the catch or bolt, preventing it from being opened or further closed and stopping the wearer from shimming it open. To remove the double lock, the key had to be reinserted and turned a full turn to the left, counter-clockwise. Another half turn would open the cuff completely.

The earliest Tower double lock handcuffs are marvels of engineering and were manufactured to very high tolerances. Unfortunately standards dropped over the 50 years they were produced. Much of the double lock cuffs security was due to their heavy weight.

Like the original Adams, the new lightweight Tower model had a rectangular bow with the notches and lock case on the outside. The lock mechanism was very simple; there was no double lock and the cuffs could be shimmed more easily than any prior Tower handcuff.

Essentially security was sacrificed for low cost and weight. The classic swing through design of the original Peerless handcuff continues to be the industry standard, years after it was first invented by George Carney. He was approached by inventor Carney, who invented the swing through design two years earlier that would eventually revolutionize the industry. Relatively light weight and easy to carry, it could be quickly applied with one hand, unlike other restraint devices of the time.

Recognizing the advantages, Milton bought the rights and began selling the product under the Peerless name. It quickly became popular, rendering other types of handcuffs obsolete.

Over time, after the patent expired, the design was copied by almost every handcuff manufacturer. North County. Wild Wonders raising cheetah cub to become an ambassador for his vulnerable species.

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Charlie Neuman. View of some of the old pairs of handcuffs in the collection of Mark Lyons, of Encinitas. There were still problems to overcome, particularly the ease with which a suspect could shim or otherwise tamper with the lock. In , Tower Handcuffs introduced the first double-locking cuff design, which effectively solved this problem by preventing the handcuffs from being ratcheted tighter, a common tactic used when shimming and otherwise attempting escape from handcuffs.

Handcuffs came closer still to the standard that we see today in , when George Carney invented the first swing cuff. This design was revolutionary, as it made it possible for a law enforcement officer to quickly secure the cuffs with just one hand, greatly improving security and ease of use.

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