Leeds based Pickersgill-Kaye Ltd, has developed a range of specialist locks for military and civilian armoured vehicles. The special purpose locks which took 12 months to design and build are aimed at occupants of armoured personnel carriers.
Suitable the makers say for defending vehicle occupants from insurgents who may be hostile to the presence of foreign troops or police, the locks have been built to withstand on-going sporadic violent attacks.
A feature of the locks is their ability to endure extremely high and low temperature fluctuations, making them suitable for very cold and hot climates, as might be required by any peace keeping force or army. Opening and closing of the locks is achieved through the use of a high security type key and cylinder.
Traditionally vehicle manufacturers have had no alternative but to use mass-produced car locks, which have only provided occupants with very limited protection.
Now with the advent of its low volume, heavy duty lock Pickersgill-Kaye is hoping that its new product will especially appeal to those operating in hostile and perhaps dangerous terrain.
Pickersgill-Kaye’s business development manager for security and engineering products, John Moore said: "The locks offer a far higher level of security than that provided by a normal lock in order to protect vehicle occupants from often brutal attacks. One of the additional selling points is that the locks also have the ability to operate effectively in almost any type of environment."
The company has been manufacturing equipment for military use for over 20 years. Over the coming months Pickersgill-Kaye which employs nearly 100 people, will be targeting UK armoured military and civilian vehicle makers to introduce the new locks.
