Assyrian Pin Lock

Overview:

This is a design created and used by lots of Middle Eastern ancient civilizations, and was one of the leading lock designs at the time. It consists of 4 main parts: the pin, the key, the housing, and the bolt. The key is used to press up the pins, freeing the bolt and allowing it to freely slide out. This design works very well if held upright, and was usually used on doors. However, if turned upside down, the pins can fall out, meaning that this design could not have been used for a portable box or something similar.

Assembly:

To assemble, simply drop the pins into the housing through the exposed holes, on the side with the design. The thinner end of the pins should be dropped in first. Next, take the bolt and push it in. The unenclosed side should be visible, and the side with the holes should align with the inner holes of the housing. As you slide it in, you should hear and see the pins fall into place, locking the bolt.

Operation:

In order to unlock the mechanism, simply insert the key into the gap of the bolt with the prongs facing upward. Then, move it upward into the holes. This should push the pins up, allowing you to slide the key and bolt out. While you pull them out, ensure that you are still pushing upward with the key.

Print Settings:

Print the file titled “Assyrian Pin Lock Plate”. All the parts should load into your slicer in the correct orientations, ready to print. If your bed adhesion is not very good, then I would suggest printing with a raft with a margin of 8 mm in order to prevent the small parts from being knocked off, but it should normally print fine without. I used 0.2 mm layers, a 0.4 mm nozzle, and 10% cubic infill. There is a bridge at the top of the housing part, so make sure that your cooling is okay, but it is a small bridge that doesn't require anything special. All clearances are already built in, so no need to worry about that. Happy printing, and good luck!