Did You Know Most Zippers Have a Lock? Here’s How to Tell

What do zippers have in common with the Ferris Wheel, Cracker Jacks, Juicy Fruit gum and the first practical dishwasher? They were all introduced to the world at the 1893 Chicago Worlds’s Fair, which also showcased, among other technological advancements, Tesla’s AC electricity, which today powers electrical grids worldwide.

The first zippers weren’t locking zippers, and they weren’t even called zippers. The name didn’t happen until 1923, when the B.F. Goodrich Company began incorporating these “separate fasteners” or “clasp lockers” — as they were called then — into rubber rain boots. The company chose the name zipper as an onomatopoeia for the sound it makes, and the name stuck.

Locking zippers first appeared in 1937, when designers began incorporating them into clothing. A zipper on a pair of trousers or a dress must stay fastened until the user decides to unfasten it, so manufacturers built a simple locking mechanism into the pull tab. The zipper locks when the tab is flat against the teeth zipper. Learn more about how it works ahead.

Do Zippers Really Have Locks?

Yes, some do, and we’re not talking about the small padlocks travelers use to secure their suitcases. A locking zipper has a mechanism that prevents the slider from moving all by itself.

Not all zippers lock. The slider on one that doesn’t lock can move and open the zipper when you pull outward on the fabric to which the zipper is attached. This is a convenient feature for handbags, purses, tents, and other items that need to be opened quickly.

Locking zippers have sliders that won’t move when you do this. Anyone who wears clothing with zippers can appreciate this innovation.

A Zipper’s Locking Mechanism, Explained

Locking zippers come in two styles. One features a pin-lock slider and the other a spring-loaded automatic locking slider.

• Pin-lock sliders are commonly used on heavy-duty zippers for upholstery, bedding, heavy clothing, and some purses. Pins on the back of the pull-tab engage with the zipper teeth when the tab is lying flat. This prevents the slider from moving until you lift the tab and disengage the pins.
• Automatic locking sliders are typically found on zippers for pants, dresses, and other garments, as well as on jackets, sportswear and some furniture. Instead of a pin, an auto-lock slider has a spring that presses it against the zipper teeth. To open the zipper, you have to lift the tab and pull on it to disengage the spring, allowing the slider to move.

In both cases, the zipper locks only when the pull tab is lying flat against the zipper in the down position. If you’re frustrated because the zipper on your clothing opens all by itself, the reason could be that the tab isn’t all the way down.

How to Know If Your Zipper Has a Lock

You can often identify a locking zipper by looking for pins on the underside of the pull tab. You won’t see pins if the zipper has an auto-lock slider, though, so here are two simple ways to test for a locking zipper:

1. Pull on the fabric on either side of the zipper. If the slider moves, it isn’t a locking zipper.
2. Grasp the slider, but leave the pull tab down, and try to open or close the zipper. If it’s a locking zipper, the slider won’t move until you lift the pull tab.

Pro tip: If you’ve lost the tab on your jacket zipper (which I know from experience can actually happen), and you can’t get the zipper to open or close, it probably has an auto-lock slider. You need the tab to disengage the spring in the slider, and since you don’t have one, you’ve got your work cut out. Pliers might come in handy.

Sources

• Smithsonian Libraries and Archives: The Up and Down History of the Zipper; (2010)
• YKK: The Difference Between Pin Lock Sliders and Auto Lock Sliders for Zippers; (2022)

The post Did You Know Most Zippers Have a Lock? Here’s How to Tell appeared first on Family Handyman.

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