General 
No Comments Different Kinds of Locks
There are numerous kinds of locks and devices which can be found around the home, office and in public areas, all of which have a variety of different electronic or mechanical functions. Ascertaining the knowledge and know-how of what kind of locks there are and which lock devices work best around the house is up to the task of a locksmith.
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Some of the most common kind of locks are pin-tumbler locks. These types of lock utilise a range of pins at different lengths which are designed to specifically fit a certain key shape. Pin-tumbler locks are sometimes referred to as Yale locks after their manufacturer and are often found in doors, office desks and some cupboards with the primary purpose being to provide protection for all contents inside.
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A different kind of lock is a lever lock. Lever tumbler locks involve a series of levers which stop the bolt from moving in the device itself. Using an odd number of levers is often acquired as this enhances the security level of what the lock is protecting. They are often used within a high security facility, for example, in a prison.
Similarly, the disc tumbler lock is another highly secure locking device. It is made up of a series of rotating tumbler discs which, when slotted into with a correctly cut key, will open as the sidebar drops into the slots. However these type of locks are difficult to pick, which is why disc tumbler locks can often be seen in outdoor areas and places where the installation of a public utility is required.
A wafer tumbler lock is similar in design to a disc tumbler lock, by utilising the same principle, that a correctly cut key can only open the device. The difference with the wafer tumbler lock is that the wafers are pushed down by a series of springs which are settled into a groove in the device, until the force of a correctly cut key pushes the weight of the wafers up into the device. From there it can then be twisted and the wafers inside the lock move with the key, opening the device. Wafer tumbler locks can be found on most desks, cars, garage doors and filing cabinets. They provide a medium level of security, however they are relatively easy to pick. These make up for around over a quarter of the locks in use around the world today.
A relatively common lock is the warded lock. These use obstructions otherwise known as wards, to prevent a lock from opening without the correct key. They are in use today for both external and internal doors in the UK and Ireland. Warded locks include padlocks and cabinet locks. They can often be picked using a skeleton key.
Electro-magnetic locks provide a secure means of user identity authentication and are often seen in offices. Numerical codes, passwords, security tokens, biometrics or RFID can not only be used to open devices, but also store a user’s personal credentials.