Invention of lockers.

Hallo. I've been trying to find out on the Internet when lockers were invented, and by whom; so I thought this group seemed as good a place to ask as any other I can think of. I hope this is not too off-topic to ask here. (Locksmithing - locks - lockers: I guess it's sort of related.) This is a surprisingly difficult question to find even brief references to, and I have so far found only one page that mentions it at all: the page at

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says that lockers were invented by Yale in 1851. However, I find that other web pages say that Linus Yale, Jr. patented his famous lock in either 1851 or 1861 (this seems a bit uncertain - maybe he patented two slightly different locks in both years), and I can't find any other mention of his inventing lockers. This leads me to believe that whoever typed the web page referred to above may have mistyped "locker" instead of "lock", thus making my only clue so far a false one.

I just wonder if anyone here knows when lockers were invented, and by whom, or anything else relevant. Are there any web pages which talk about this? Part of the reason for the lack of information could, of course, be that lockers evolved by insensible degrees out of earlier things dating back to antiquity, and that there is no clear-cut point at which they first became what we would now recognize as lockers. If so, I'd be interested to learn anything about this path that they derived from. If anyone knows anything, or can point me to books or web sites, I would appreciate it. Thanks.

Regards, Michael.

Reply to
mijcr
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What is your 'official' definition of a 'locker'?

Encarta:

  1. lockable compartment: a small lockable cupboard or compartment where personal belongings can be left, e.g. at a swimming pool, gym, school, or workplace

  1. freezer: a walk-in food freezer

  2. trunk: a trunk or low chest used for storage

  1. somebody or something that locks: somebody who or device that locks something

Date "locker" was first used in popular English literature: sometime before 1719.

Once you decide on exactly what kind of locker you are wondering about being 'invented' or coming into usage, you will be on a more defined path.

Reply to
Mike Easter

Locker? that is kind of a generic term. As an example as far back as the

1700's sailors refered to the depths of the ocean as Davy Jones' locker.

I would believe that things like foot lockers have been around for a while also.

If you are refering to specificly a school type locker, all that is, is just a cabinet with a lock.

Your question is somewhat broad, as it is like asking when chairs were invented.

Reply to
Roger Shoaf

Thanks, Mike and Roger, for your responses. Clearly I wasn't clear enough in my original request, and it needs a little clarification. (For some reason I can only start a new topic on this newsgroup on my own computer, but can't reply on an already-started thread; so I have had to wait until I can visit an Internet caf?to post again.)

[Mike Easter:]

...

This is the one I had in mind. The standard locker as commonly seen is of a very particular and recognizable design, traditionally made of sheet steel, with standard dimensions, and so on - more specific than just any type of cupboard or compartment. This was what I intended to ask about. Sorry I wasn't more specific: the other uses of the word "locker" you gave are so scarce, at least where I am, that I took the first one for granted. (And where I am is Australia, despite the ".co.uk" ending of my e-mail address - I have no idea why that happened when I created the account. Are meanings 2., 3., and 4. which you gave found more widely in other English-speaking countries?)

Do you know which of the meanings you cited this early usage was referring to?

[Roger Shoaf:]

...

Yes, the school type was what I was thinking of. I was wondering if there was a definite time or situation where this was first devised. Given the considerable uniformity of design between different lockers, I was wondering how the exact design was arrived at, and who decided upon this. For instance, door locks or latches are of a few basic kinds that are found in almost any brand of locker; and there are a few standard measurements for dimensions, such as 6' high, 12" wide, and 18" deep. (There are variations, but this seems to be the usual size.) All these similarities do seem to suggest a definite time when the design as a whole originated. If that is so, possibly information is known somewhere about this, even though I haven't found it. I'm just curious to find out if anyone knows how this style of locker originated, when, who designed it, and the like. Thanks.

Regards, Michael.

Reply to
mijcr

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