Tuesday, November 5, 2019

The 4,000 Year Old History of Locks

The 4,000 Year Old History of Locks Archeologists found the oldest known lock in the Khorsabad palace ruins near Nineveh. The lock was estimated to be 4,000 years old. It was a forerunner to a pin tumbler type of lock, and a common Egyptian lock for the time. This lock worked using a large wooden bolt to secure a door, which had a slot with several holes in its upper surface. The holes were filled with wooden pegs that prevented the bolt from being opened. The  warded lock  was also present from early times and remains the most recognizable lock and key design in the Western world. The first all-metal locks appeared between the years 870 and 900, and are attributed to the English. Affluent Romans often kept their valuables in secure boxes within their households and wore the keys as rings on their fingers.   During the period of the 18th and 19th centuries - in part to the onset of the Industrial Revolution - many technical developments were made in the locking mechanisms that added to the security of common locking devices. It was during this period that America changed from importing door hardware to manufacturing and even exporting some. The earliest patent for a double-acting pin tumbler  lock  was granted to American physician Abraham O. Stansbury in England in 1805, but the modern version, still in use today, was invented by American Linus Yale, Sr. in 1848. But, other famous locksmiths patented their lock designed before and after Linus. Robert Barron   The first serious attempt to improve the security of the lock was made in 1778 in England. Robert Barron  patented a double-acting tumbler lock. Joseph Bramah   Joseph Bramah patented the safety lock in 1784. Bramahs lock was considered unpickable. The inventor went on to create a Hydrostatic Machine, a beer-pump, the four-cock, a quill-sharpener, a working planer, and more. James Sargent   In 1857, James Sargent invented the worlds first successful key-changeable combination lock. His lock became popular with safe manufacturers and the United States Treasury Department. In 1873, Sargent patented a time lock mechanism that became the prototype of those being used in contemporary bank vaults. Samuel Segal   Mr. Samuel Segal (former New York City policeman) invented the first jimmy proof locks in 1916. Segal holds over twenty-five patents. Harry Soref   Soref founded the Master Lock Company in 1921 and patented an improved padlock. In April 1924, he received a patent (U.S #1,490,987) for his new lock casing. Soref made a padlock that was both strong and cheap using a case constructed out of layers of metal, like the doors of a bank vault. He designed his padlock using laminated steel. Linus Yale Sr.   Linus Yale invented a pin-tumbler lock in 1848. His son improved upon his lock using a smaller, flat key with serrated edges that is the basis of ​the  modern pin-tumbler locks. Linus Yale Jr. (1821-1868)   American, Linus Yale Jr. was a mechanical engineer and lock manufacturer who patented a cylinder pin-tumbler lock in 1861. Yale invented the modern combination lock in 1862.

Saturday, November 2, 2019

Analysis of leadership in a healthcare organization Term Paper

Analysis of leadership in a healthcare organization - Term Paper Example Should the organization focus on reducing medical errors or developing leaders first? Should they focus on financial sustainability or create a process of leadership development? In many instances, health organizations address issues which are most pressing before they deal with issues with long term impacts, such as in the case of leadership. Moreover, leaders are faced with complicated internal dynamics between administrations and clinicians, physicians and nurses, pharmacists and physicians (McAlearney, 2006), etc. which in turn, makes it difficult to implement new policies. In a research conducted by Ann McAlearney (2006), it was discovered that many health practitioners realize that the industry is lagging in the case of leadership development. ... There is a need for leaders who can represent the medical community and the patient population – leaders who can â€Å"respond to multiple stakeholders and meet performance goals across multiple dimensions of effectiveness† (McAlearney, 2006, p. 967). The question now is: what kind of leader can motivate people to work together towards a common goal? Literatures on management and leadership refer to transformational leadership based on idealized influence (charisma) may be an appropriate style. What is charismatic leadership? Bud Haney (2012) calls charismatic leaders, the beacons of positivity, â€Å"charismatic leaders impact others with the power of optimism†¦To get team members to go the extra mile and engage with their work† (p.18). Meredith Babcock-Roberson (2010) shares the same view, but adds: â€Å"a [charismatic leader] provides clarity when the situation is unclear, resolves shortcomings and motivates change by articulating a strategic visionâ₠¬ ¦[they] communicate high performance expectations, exhibit con?dence, take risks that oppose the status quo, and emphasize a collective identity†¦[they set] personal examples and [make] personal sacri?ces† (p. 314). A charismatic leader’s is able to bring people to work together by providing his subordinates a clear view of the group’s vision and the role of each individual in the achievement of such vision. Because the emphasis of charismatic leadership â€Å"is on people of vision who are creative, innovative, and capable of getting others to share their dreams while  playing down self-interest; and who are able to cooperate with others in reshaping the strategies and tactics of the