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Description: | A complete copper-alloy tumbler lock slide key in very good condition.
The handle of this key is rectangular in shape measuring 44mm in length, two thirds of the handle is 9.1mm in width, the last third, joining onto the bit is also rectangular but only 5mm in width. The handle has a circular suspension loop at its terminal, measuring 4.5mm in diameter. There is a triangular shaped ridge projecting across the centre of the terminal edge of the suspension loop. The front face of the handle is decorated with transverse moulding and grooves at either end, these are now worn.
The bit of the key projects from the handle at right angles. It is rectangular in shape measuring 22.2mm in length and 12.7mm in width. The bit has six teeth in two rows of three, one tooth is incomplete due to an old break.
Crummy (1983, 125) explains that slide keys, such as this example, raised the tumblers engaged in the bolt by pushing them up from underneath. When the teeth of the key lifted the tumblers they were themselves engaged in the bolt and thus the key rather than a cord could be used to slide the bolt. Similar slide keys have been discovered at Colchester (Crummy 1983, 126, fig 140). | Subjects: | slide key | Source: | Portable Antiquities | Identifier: | http://www.findsdatabase.org.uk/hms/pas_... | Language: | en-GB | Go to resource |
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