How do combination locks work? It seems simple, but can anyone (simply) explain how it is that the lock opens when the appropriate three numbers are put in?
Read Inside a Combination Lock by Marshall Brain. This article is from How Stuff Works, an informative website that tells of many machines and their inner workings.
That was a good link to cover the basics on how they work. Safes of course use the same principle concept. They of course add anti-manipulation devices, (manipulation is the way to open the safe by sight,feel and sound.) Plastic wheels (to prevent using x-rays to determine the combination.) Of course some manufactures use some or all od this dependsing what kind of container the lock is going on.
Osip