History and Development of Snap Guns
– Louis S. Hanflig patented the first snap gun in the United States in 1934.
– Segal Samuel patented subsequent designs in 1943.
– William J. Miskill patented further designs in 1951.
– Snap guns were initially developed to aid police officers in opening locks without extensive training.
– Snap guns are not commonly used by criminals, but some jurisdictions may classify them as burglary tools.
Usage of Snap Guns
– A pin tumbler lock consists of bottom pins and driver pins.
– Bottom pins move within pin channels and are cut at different lengths corresponding to the lock keying.
– Driver pins are installed in the lock housing and prevent the lock cylinder from turning.
– Snap guns utilize the transfer of energy to momentarily burst all the driver pins out of the lock cylinder.
– The impact of a snap gun strike allows the lock cylinder to turn freely when the bottom pins are correctly aligned.
Snap Guns vs. Lock Bumping
– Lock bumping involves the same physical principles as snap guns.
– Snap guns automate the transfer-of-energy process used in lock bumping.
– Snap guns can quickly open a lock compared to traditional lock picking.
– However, the sharp impact of a snap gun is more likely to damage the lock mechanism.
– Raking, which mimics normal key movements, is less damaging than snap gun usage.
References for Further Information
– Tobias, Marc Weber. ‘Picking. Locks, Safes, and Security: An International Police Reference Two Volumes (2nd Ed.), Volume 1.’ Charles C. Thomas, 2000.
– Patent US1944006A: Impact-Producing Implement. United States Patent Office, January 16, 1934.
– Patent US2309677A: Lock Picking Gun. United States Patent Office, February 2, 1943.
– Patent US2565254A: Power Actuated Lock Pick. United States Patent Office, August 21, 1951.
– These references provide further information on the history and development of snap guns.
Summary Points
– Snap guns were invented in the 1930s and have been developed by various individuals over the years.
– They were initially created to assist police officers in opening locks without extensive training.
– Snap guns utilize the transfer of energy to momentarily burst all the driver pins out of a lock cylinder, allowing it to turn freely.
– While snap guns can open locks quickly, they have a higher chance of damaging the lock mechanism compared to traditional lock picking or raking.
– Snap guns are not commonly used by criminals, but their classification as burglary tools may vary depending on jurisdiction.Sources: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Snap_gun
