Although, in 1818, three locksmiths in Britain developed the design or the tumbler lock, which the knob locks of today are based on.ĭeadbolt locks are, undeniably, the most popular type of exterior door lock and are commonly used on the exterior doors of residential properties. He created a doorknob with an internal door-latching system. Knob locks date back to the 1800s, with the first patent given to Osborn Dorsey, an African American inventor, in 1878. Knob locks feature knobs on both sides of the door, and may have either a single or double cylinder depending on whether or not you also want to be able to lock the door from the inside. Because of this, knob locks on a front door are often seen paired with a deadbolt or another, more secure, type of lock. When a knob lock is placed on an exterior door, it creates a situation where your home can easily be broken into. While many choose to use these locks on both interior and exterior doors, they are best used indoors as they don’t provide as much security as many other types of exterior locks.

The distinguishing feature of this type of knob lock is that the lock cylinder is located inside of the knob, rather than inside of the door. They are used by nearly everyone to lock up their home or business on a daily basis. Beginning with the most common type of door lock, knob locks are often seen on doors that lead to the outside.

Deadbolt locks