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Drawer 16

Construction of wheel locks

The drawer allows you to look into the technical nooks and crannies of firearms with a wheel lock. The mechanism consisted of a wheel with small teeth cut into the rim and connected to a steel spring. Special keys were used to wind the wheel by tensioning the spring, which, when released by the trigger, turned the wheel. A flint placed on the wheel created the sparks necessary to ignite the black powder on the wheel.

The locks are accompanied by accessories in the form of keys for winding gun mechanisms. Some have been designed as multi-purpose tools, combining the functions of keys, pins for cleaning the gun and measuring cups for measuring the correct amount of gunpowder.

1. Wheel lock key

1. Wheel lock key

Europe, 17th c.

Iron, forging, openwork, cutting, engraving

Gift of Tadeusz Wierzejewski, 1963

2. Wheel lock key with miniature powder flask and powder measure

2. Wheel lock key with miniature powder flask and powder measure

Europe, 17th c.

Iron, forging, engraving

3. Wheel lock for a hunting gun

3. Wheel lock for a hunting gun

Germany, sign.: Georg Spockh, first half of the 18th c.

Iron, forging, etching, engraving

4. Wheel lock key

4. Wheel lock key

Europe, 17th c.

Iron, forging, cutting

Gift of Tadeusz Wierzejewski, 1963

5. Wheel lock for a hunting gun

5. Wheel lock for a hunting gun

Germany, ca. 1630

Iron, forging, etching

Gift of Erazm Barącz, 1922