[f. WHEEL sb. + LOCK sb.2]
1. A form of gun-lock in which the powder was fired by the friction of a small wheel (wound up with a spring) against a piece of iron pyrites. Also attrib.
1670. Cotton, Espernon, I. IV. 181. The wheel-lock of a Pistol, ready wound up.
1677. Plot, Oxfordsh., 71. These have been much used for Carabines and Pistols, whilst Wheel-locks were in fashion.
1821. Edgeworth, Mem. (ed. 2), I. 279. Guns, some with old match-locks, and others with wheel-locks.
1860. J. Hewitt, Anc. Armour, III. 589. Their [sc. German Reiters or pistoliers] characteristic arm, the wheel-lock pistol.
1904. Tylor, Anthropol., i. 17. The match-lock led up to the wheel-lock, and that again to the flint-lock musket.
2. A form of letter-lock (see LETTER sb.1 8) with a series of wheels or disks upon the edges of which the letters were inscribed.
1875. Knight, Dict. Mech.
3. (See quot.)
1875. Knight, Dict. Mech., Wheel-lock, a wagon-lock, to retard the revolution of the wheels in descending a hill.