Handcuffs And Its History

Handcuffs are interconnected twin metal rings that lock the arms of a person and thus impede his movement and make escape impossible

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Early models of handcuffs were a pair of hinged rings of fixed size. These were not adjustable so that the restrained person could even wriggle out of it so far as he had slim wrists and hands. And if a person was obese, it was difficult to squeeze his hands into them. These basic models were known as Darby handcuffs.

The inventor of the type of handcuffs, that became the basis for all further modifications, was a person by the name W. V. Adams. He made it adjustable by adding a ratchet to it. In this design the two metal rings for each hand were connected by a chain and the rings were adjustable so that there was no difficulty in making it bigger or larger to suit the size of the person's wrist. The connecting chain was lockable so that the person whose hands were restrained could not open the handcuffs without the help of another person and the right key.

Orson C. Phelps did modification on this model by making the locking mechanism more secure. Still further modifications were made by John J. Tower. Handcuffs today are available as single lock ones and double lock ones. Single lock handcuffs can be secured very tight, but even so there is the slight possibility of it being pried open with a sharp piece of metal by people who are dexterous with their hands. This problem is solved in double locking handcuffs.

In the case of double locking handcuffs, the locking mechanism can be used in the single locking way or double locking way. In the single locking mode, the key is turned to the left to lock it. If it is turned to the right a full circle, it goes into the double locking mode. Tampering with it in that mode is virtually impossible.

Besides these orderly handcuffs evolution, special types of handcuffs have been produced during various stages of its history. McKenzie Mitts, developed by Jacob Oliver McKenzie, were metal gloves that completely encased the hands of a prisoner. But these gloves were so heavy that if used as a weapon it could cause substantial damage. To eliminate that risk, these were secured to a chain on the belly of the prisoner.

Palmer manacles are a type of handcuffs, which consists of three pieces of metals, which are hinged together to make a ring around each wrist. Yet another company that produced these restraining devices is Mattatuck handcuffs manufacturers, who produced different models of handcuffs known as Judd, Mattatuck, and Maltby. These were used from the beginning of the 20th century till about its middle and were used a lot during the Second World War.

The shows of magician Houdini in which he escaped from complicated handcuffs, and his books on the art, have bestowed handcuffs with a special charm of its own, besides its necessity in checking violence and criminality.

by: Sunil Punjabi

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