The lock was born almost simultaneously with the private ownership. As early as 3000 BC in China Yangshao ruins, retained wooden lock on a wooden structural frame construction. Eastern Han Dynasty, the Chinese iron three spring lock technology has a very high level. The three spring lock follows the 1000 years before and after.

D. Potter invented by the British in the early 18th century the cam piece lock. Development of its key number from 20 kinds of the three spring lock to more than 80 kinds. Restructuring on the basis of the mid-19th century, European manufacturers Lock cam and three spring lock sliding-rotor lock, the key number up to 1600.

In 1848, Americans L. Yale invented a cylindrical cotter pin tumbler lock which has become the world's most popular lock. Modern tumbler lock structure, there are new developments, two-way, three-way, four-way pin tumbler, and a flat, two-sided, multi-faceted, double-sided, multi-row multi-faceted the marbles structure and combination of pin tumbler, thus greatly improving the lock security performance, the number of the lock the original some 2500 kinds through "to", "face" of the changes to reach millions.

Appeared in the 1970s, with the application of microelectronics technology, magnetron lock, voice-activated lock, ultrasonic locks, infra-red locks, electromagnetic locks, electronic card lock, fingerprint lock, eye lock, remote lock. These locks have a mechanical structure can not match the high performance of confidentiality. The modern lock can also be controlled by the program of the system in a particular system, according to the set logical relationship. Modern lock according to material, purpose, the presence or absence of key, security, performance, and structural classification.