Patent for a Seal Lock

On 21 February 1871, Wilson Bohannan received U.S. Patent No. 112,011 for an “Improvement in Seal-Locks.” The design combined a conventional locking mechanism with a seal positioned over the keyhole. Access to the key required the seal to be broken, providing visible evidence that the lock had been opened or tampered with. The patent described a hinged cap covering the keyhole and an arrangement for securing a seal beneath it. This approach added a means of detecting unauthorised access rather than relying solely on the lock to prevent entry. It was another example of the specialised lock mechanisms we were developing during our first decade in business.