I recently moved into a 110 yr old home and discovered an old iron or steel automobile lock that apparently went around the rim or spoke of the tire of a spoked wheel car. The manufacturer of the contraption appears to be "Chapman" which I believe is no longer in business, and the lock mechanism has a "Corbin" logo. The patent on the device is 1914. I don't know much about antique autos but I believe that cars stopped having spoked wheels by 20's maybe? I'm really intrigued to discover more about this device and the history of it. Can anyone suggest to me where I might find more information about it?<BR>Thank you,<BR>rebwebster@aol.com

Reb:<P>This may be vaque, but, I know New England has been called the "Lock & Hardware" capitol of the U.S., since the Pilgrims landed.<P>My family owned the Penn Hardware Co., here in Reading, PA from 1877 - 1954. I am in the foundry business, and, Corbin has been an old name in the Connecticut area.<P>If memory serves correctly, Corbin was located in the New Britain, CT area. A phone call to one of the following "may" put you into the right direction:<P>Stanley Tools, New Britain, CT.<BR>Emhart Hardware, Windsor, CT area.<BR>Sargent & Co., New Britain, CT.<P>I doubt if a receiptionist would know, but, maybe someone within the confines of these companies can give you a lead.<P>------------------<BR>

Our club held a big antique auto show in Durham, CT in 1988 called "Time Machines '88," and in the show booklet, a number of CT-manufactured automobiles were spotlighted. Here's the paragraph that appeared in the Time Machines '88 booklet about the CORBIN (regretfully the author of the paragraph is not credited):<P>"CORBIN - New Britain, Connecticut (1905-1912). The Corbin Motor Vehicle Company was a wholly owned subsidiary of American Hardware Corporation. And it was begun principally because Philip Corbin, whose family had established the Corbin Screw Corporation and the Corbin Cabinet Lock Company (also divisions of American Hardware) was a horseless carriage enthusiast. Although production began in 1903 in Bristol (Connecticut) with commercial vehicles and small quantities of a runabout called the Bristol, Corbin did not enter the passenger car market in earnest until 1905, when production was moved to New Britain. Initially the Corbin model line was composed of two air-cooled models which featured metal brake shoes, apparently a first in an American production car though this feature was not continued. In 1908 Corbin added water-cooled models, and in 1910 the air-cooled version was discontinued. The car was known as 'The Full Jeweled Corbin,' a slogan wo which one reporter of the day lent credence when he remarked that its half-century history of high quality hardware manufacture had made the name Corbin 'synonymous with the sterling mark on silver.' The Corbin enjoyed commercial success. Indeed, the word used to announce the company's discontinuation of motorcar manufacture in early 1912 was 'retirement.' Philip Corbin himself had retired a few years before.American Hardware is still in business."<P>Steve Mierz<BR>Stony Creek, CT

Here comes a picture of this lock:<P> <P>Rebecca wrote:<BR>The stamped plate on it reads:<BR>THIS CAR IS PROTECTED BY THE<BR>AUTO THEFT-SIGNAL SYSTEM<BR>$100 REWARD<BR>FOR ARREST AND CONVICTION AS A THIEF,<BR>OF ANY PERSON OPERATING THIS CAR,<BR>OR TEMPERING WITH THE SIGNAL,<BR>MILLER CHAPMAN COMPANY, MANUFACTURERS<BR>PATENTED AU S.25,1914 LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA<P><BR>Thomas<p>[This message has been edited by ThomasBorchers (edited 07-19-2000).]