Locksmith Type Question (Quite Legal)

Stigura · 26-10-2022 07:52PM #1

I have this ancient lock on an internal door. Seriously old thing ~ as is my entire place. It failed, last night. I took it off, today, and have been fiddling with it. Upshot appears to be a flat spring has snapped. Spring is best described as a '2' with a long tail.

Anyway, doesn't really matter. I've found the key still moves the bolt part, back and forth. That's all I require of it. It's never had a door knob, that I remember. Think the spring had to do with that? What ever.

Sitting here, fiddling with it, it's a bit of a puzzle. Thus I'm simply curious as to what fits where, and why. Nothing shady, see ~ mods. No picking stuff. Just a bored old man wondering about a disassembled old lock.

Here it is, look. I've labelled the bits, so anyone can just say " X fits Y, thus. " I have the winged bit the handle goes through. To do with 'D'. But, that's not an issue. 'C' is the bit throwing me. Top part of the '2' seems to have gone in there (Imagine it upside down and backwards, as the part probably is. I just wanted to show that nib)

I promise not to lock myself in, and start a multi page thread about it.

Thanks.

10-10-20 · 27-10-2022 04:20PM

C might have been part of the night-latch to stop the door being shimmed from the exterior.

What does C look like on the flip-side, and where did the spring mount?

newmember2 · 27-10-2022 04:31PM

The spring would need to be holding the "D" latch closed one would think or the door would never stay shut unless locked. Does the "C" plate interact with this as well? or else it looks like it may interact with the deadbolt and the key.

chooseusername · 27-10-2022 04:54PM

Then C rolls over on top of B ?

Stigura · 28-10-2022 12:40PM

😬 Sorry, guys. I 'Bookmarked' this and thought it would email alert me of replies. (My god; What Did they do to this place?!)

Lock's back on the door now. Actually working better / smoother than ever before. I think the 'fork' / long cross of the key had got a little rammed tighter, over the years? I tweaked it open a shade.

Here's the other side of 'C' then. The hole, to the left, fitted over the pin coming up through the slot in 'B'. C fitted nicely, which ever way up it went. Sort of adding to the confusion as that gave no clue as to which was was right 😏

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119800911#Comment_119800911

Yes. (Slaps forehead moment) *of course* the spring would have had to do with the latch! I never even saw that 😬 Yeppers. And, the fact that the lock is now back on my door. Working (Locking and unlocking) seamlessly) shows the parts left on my desk (C, D and the snapped spring) were, indeed, only to do with the latch.

So, yeah; C would have been held in place ~ while free to pivot on that pin / hole ensemble. But, it was really only Held there. It's function was All to do with the latch side of things. Somehow holding the spring which actioned upon D, as and when anyone turned a knob, which would have been stuck to a bar poking through the ~ earlier mentioned ~ 'winged nut' etc. But, that's of no concern here.

Job, pretty well, done then, lads 😁 Thanks. We now have a rough idea of what did what. And none of it really had any baring on Why the bloody lock failed in the first place! Maybe a simple jolt caused a bit of the broken spring to fall in the way of something? Dunno.

Lock could be a hundred years old. Old bugger'll likely outlast me now too!

That was fun 🙂

Thanks, all!

Stigura · 28-10-2022 12:41PM

****! Forgot the bloody photo! 🙄

whizbang · 04-11-2022 01:03AM

C is actually supposed to hold the Lock bolt in place, Locked or unlocked.

Without it, the bolt could slip out into lock position if you slam the door. Likewise you concievably could push the bolt back when its supposed to be locked.

Mellor · 06-11-2022 12:29PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119804033#Comment_119804033

I don't think that's correct. If you lock the mortice now. You can probably push it back inside with you hand. C looks to me like it is the lever that keeps B the mortice (B) in secure once it it out or in. In which case it probably goes here. The tab on the lever engages with the tab on the mortice. When the key is turned it lifts the lever (C) and closes the bolt.

There may have been a small spring on these, or it might have been on only the lever. Hard to say, as there obvious a lot of pieces missing the the handle-latch parts.

Stigura · 06-11-2022 01:48PM

" If you lock the mortice now. You can probably push it back inside with you hand. "

Ha! So I can! Happily, it's now only to keep the door closed at night, and on rare other occasions when I need the Dogs not to get in or out. I've fitted a standard bolt to the outside. Lock them in when I go away.

I could use this lock as I go out too, thinking about it. But, I'm used to the bolt now and it saves me taking a jailers key with me.

I'll be replacing the whole lot, presently, anyway. Planning to finish sympathetically refurbishing the entire kitchen area, from which all doors lead. Got four doors to attend to. Think One has a properly working lock. Don't think any have a knob. Ebay, " Cottage Door Handles For Sale " is the sweet shop to my inner kiddie! 😁

I know 98% of it is chink knock off. But, better 'imitation authenticity' than genuine and branded brushed aluminium 🤢

Locksmith Type Question (Quite Legal)

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