Different locks explained Part 4

Having looked at the locking barrels for double glazed doors in my previous blog, this blog is dedicated to the actual locking mechanisms themselves. There are several different ways in which they work.

The first and most basic is called a roller;

A C Locksmiths










When the door closes and you lift the handles, it simply rolls into position behind a keep that sits on your door frame and looks like this.
Roller














Very few doors only have rollers on their own nowadays as they are incredibly easy to bypass. Their main purpose is to hold the door a bit tighter when closed to stop draughts and they might be the only option on small doors. They are harder to bypass on smaller doors. Without giving the reader tips on how to break into a home, I can only suggest that if you have a double glazed door and it only has these rollers holding it in place, you might want to seek advice from your local locksmith to see if alternatives are available.

Over time, these rollers can shift a little in position, making the door difficult to lock and unlock. You can see from this next image that the correct sized allen key (hex key) can be inserted to rotate the roller. A quarter turn should be tried before attempting to lock the door again and if that does not work, then a further quarter turn and so on until you have established the problem is not with the roller or the problem is fixed.
Different locks explained
If this does not rectify the problem, it might mean the door has dropped a little and simply moving the keep up or down a few millimetres might do the job, but at this point, I would suggest calling your local locksmith as there could be more serious problems to contend with.
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A step up from the roller is the mushroom;
Mushroom mechanism

It is more secure than the roller because it slides into a slotted keep where it holds tight. There is nothing to adjust on these mushrooms, so if it causes trouble, and the door cannot be adjusted, the only option is to move the keep accordingly.
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Next we have hooks and bolts that come out of the mechanism like this:
Door mechanisms














The hooks and bolts themselves do not adjust, but again if the door is out of position, there are adjustments that can be made, this time to the keeps, that look something like this.
Double glazed door lock mechanisms
You can see from the picture that an allen key will allow you to adjust this keep. Some only allow backwards and forwards movement, so again, if you are unsure, please call your local locksmith.






Hopefully, you will never have to see behind the scenes of one of these mechanisms, so here is what goes on in the hook case itself.
Door mechanisms
You can see this one has a hook and bolt. These parts do not often go wrong by themselves, but when they do, the door is extremely difficult to open without damage to either the door itself or the door frame. Therefore basic maintenance is vital and any signs of stiffness when lifting the handles should be dealt with by a professional.




We can now take a look at the gearbox, or centre case, where all main action takes place. There are many brands of these each with differing sizes and shapes within the brand, so this picture is just one example;
Different locks














This example is called a double spindle and can be set up in two ways. The standard way is to have both handles operating through this hole.
Door mechanisms














In this case, the door will only be secure when the handles are lifted and the key is turned. However you can have handles where the inside handle operates through the top hole, but the outer handle is slightly lower and goes through this hole
Door keeps





In this case, everything operates exactly the same, but the lower hole does not allow the latch to pull back, meaning that you need the key to get back in. of course, if you are going further than the end of the garden, you should engage the locking mechanism completely as normal, but with this configuration, the door is at least technically secure.


These next two pictures show the hole that the locking barrel slides through and the barrel in place.
Differents locks part 4More locks













This is the simplest part of the lock. Everything inside above that, however is a minefield of cogs, levers and other moving parts. Please don’t expect your locksmith to be able to open these up and replace inner parts as with so many products around, knowledge of every one would be amazing and the locksmith would need an extra trailer to carry the spares, which would only be second hand as our suppliers do not provide anything other than complete products.

The centre keep for this part, looks something like this.
Locking mechanisms
And again, we can adjust certain parts like the latch keep on this one. Loosening these screws, allows the keep to move forwards and backwards.
Locks
I have come across many problems where simply adjusting this part, which may have moved when someone slammed the door, has rectified the situation. Quite often, the locking mechanism will not operate if the latch is still being pushed in, which it can if this part is in the wrong position.
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Now, in this blog, I have mentioned doors dropping, which they often do. A sudden gust of wind, stroppy teens slamming, or even direct sunlight warping can all affect how the door sits in the frame.
Most modern upvc doors have hinges that are adjustable. If you have a door with hinges like this;
UPVC doors
Then there is a good chance the door can be adjusted. The picture shows the one type of hinge that can be a little awkward because you have to prize it apart gently but firmly to get at the adjuster inside. Most actually have a plastic plug easily visible, which when removed, allow access to another allen key adjuster inside. If you are in any doubt, call your local locksmith. But if you feel like taking the job on yourself, half a turn of the adjuster should be all you move before trying to lock the door again. That should be enough to tell you if the door is easier or harder to lock. If harder, then you need to turn the opposite way. Remember, there are anything from two to four hinges that may be adjusted, so this is not an easy job.

Should you have any questions regarding the above information, please do not hesitate to contact me through any of the methods on my contacts page.
Thanks for reading

admin February 3, 2016

Different locks explained / Lock mechanisms /

Different Locks explained Part 3

This section of Locks Explained looks at the Euro Cylinder:

The Euro cylinder is most commonly used in UPVC double glazed doors with multi-point locking mechanisms. However, some mortice locks have them as well, but the principle is the same. Turning the key in the barrel turns a cam which then operates the locking mechanism in the main body of the mechanism itself. I will do a piece about locking mechanisms in the future, but for now, I am going to concentrate on the cylinder itself.

The first thing I need to draw attention to is the thumb turn – shown here:
Euro cylinder lock

Instead of being operated by a key on the inside, it has this handy part which you can turn to unlock and lock the door.

Very few people have this on their locks, but if you do and your lock does not display a British Standard Kite Mark, be warned, because they are extremely easy to bypass. Without the Kite mark, if this lock is on your outer door it might just as well be left unlocked. I do see them a lot in buildings with secure entrances, but if you are in any doubt, talk to your local locksmith and/or building manager.

Now let’s take a look at a Euro cylinder without the thumb turn, which is the type most of you will have in your double glazed doors:
locks explained
Almost every door that requires you to lift the handles before locking, has one of these going through it.

Locks explained
When the cylinder is in place, a screw passes through the mechanism and holds it tight by screwing through this hole.

You may have heard the term ‘cylinder snapping.’ When a burglar uses this method, this is the part that breaks. You can see there is not much metal here holding the whole thing together.

The next part is the cam:
lock cam

When the key is rotated, it too rotates which you can see here. This picture shows the cam position when the key is out. Lock cam position

and this one with the key in and part turned;
Euro cylinder camWithout going into too much detail, snapping the cylinder allows the burglar to operate the parts of the mechanism which the cam would move, and they can be inside your home in less than a minute without the need for any power tools.

The good news is that there are a few things you can do to stop this. You can have an anti-snapping device fitted inside the handles. You can have new handles that are resistant to attack. But they do not stop traditional lock picking and drilling is still an option for the determined burglar. Also, the insurance company will still pay up when you are burgled because for now at least, most accept these locks as suitable. In fact, if your locks have to be replaced, and these were the ones you had before, they will only pay for like for like replacements leaving you just as vulnerable. Many burglary victims will tell you that once it has happened to you, it will likely happen again.

So what if you don’t want to make that call to the insurance company after the burglary? What can you do to drastically reduce the chances of your home being burgled? Well, firstly, you can go to your local DIY chain and buy a BS3621 kite marked cylinder. These are anti-snap and in many cases will deter the opportunist. However, they can be picked (with patience) and can be bypassed in other ways. It’s a lot harder, but you still might need specialist handles to be really secure.

Or you can opt for the ultimate Euro Cylinder. At the time of writing, and to the best of my knowledge, this is the best cylinder you can have without the need for additional parts;
BS3621 kite marked cylinder
 You can see from this picture some studs that run through the bottom. These

hold a reinforced bar aimed at the prevention of cylinder snapping.

                               

                    
Kite marked Euro cylinder

Coupled with this part, which is weakened intentionally so that the front snaps off, rather than the whole thing breaking in the middle. The burglar is not going to easily get to the internal parts of your door.

Locks explained

From the front, the lock looks like this;

It is highly recognisable from a distance, meaning the seasoned burglar might not even venture past your front gate because he knows this will be no easy break in. Someone who takes the time to put one of these locks on is probably going to have increased window security as well, so why bother looking when next door’s house looks just as big, has just as nice a car on the drive, but has visibly easier locks to get past? If however he does get close enough to take a good look at the lock, not only will he see that kite mark, but he will also see those three stars. Those stars have a big message. They state that this lock is so good, it doesn’t need the extras. You can make your security three stars with a British Standard lock and some other bits, but this lock does it all in one. I’ve had to bypass one so far. I have specialist equipment and I can tell you it took me a lot more time than a burglar would probably be willing to take and I had to replace a fair few tools afterwards.

So, you can’t snap it, and it is extremely resistant to power tools. What about picking? I’d love to see a TV show where the hero gets out his trusty lock picking set and faces this!

This is the key;
Key for anti-snap lock
To pick this lock, not only do you have to get these dimples in the right place, you have to get them the right size, because the pins inside the lock are doubled with a pin within a pin. Not only that, but the flat circle you can see is a magnet which can appear anywhere along that key and must tally with the correct magnet position in the lock itself.

For extra security, very few people can cut you new keys for these locks. Only the holder of the key card that comes with the lock can get copies made.

Here is the card;
anti-snap keys

 

So, you can rest assured no one is going to make copies. Even those few who do cut these keys cannot copy from another key. It must be done from the code on the card. That makes these locks brilliant for landlords of long term tenants and short term holiday lets.

I like these locks so much, they secure my own home.

If you have any questions regarding the above information, please feel free to get in touch via the contacts page.

Thanks for reading

admin January 13, 2016

Different locks explained / Which lock is best? /

Different Locks Explained

There are many different types of lock, some are insurance standard – some are not. In my blog I want to look at the pros and cons of the different locks. Part one is the Nightlatch lock.

1. The Nightlatch:

The Nightlatch lock is often referred to as a ‘Yale’ type lock. Here, I am going to look at some examples and explain the pros and cons of these locks.
Night Latch Standard Width Door

This is the most basic nightlatch. The key or the knob rotate to withdraw the curved latch. The small snib pushed up or down (depending on brand and side of door lock is mounted on) holds the latch either in or out. When the snib is activated the knob and key will not operate.

The part that the key goes into is called a ‘Rim Cylinder’ and can be bought as a separate part. This means if you lose your key, the locking part can be purchased quite cheaply without having to buy the whole lot. They are also easy for the amateur to fit as well, especially if there is already a hole for the rim cylinder to fit into as this passes from the front to the back of the door and into the back of the nightlatch itself.

The downsides to this lock are that as it is cheap, it doesn’t always last very long. If the snib is not activated, a burglar can bypass this lock in seconds. It is possible to accidentally knock the snib as you leave the house and because the latch will retract just a little bit, if you slam your door, you can now be locked out with the key being useless to you. Getting in from this position involves complete destruction of the lock and possible damage to your door. This lock carries no British Standard rating and therefore on its own will invalidate your insurance. Even if the burglar enters through a different opening, having this lock as your only lock on a final exit door will stop the insurance company paying out.

While I see this as a main lock on far too many occasions, I would only use it on internal doors like B&B rooms or if you rent a holiday home and you need to keep some rooms unused, etc.

It can be used on main doors, but there should always be another lock as well, preferably one that is British Standard 3621 with a kite mark.

This is the next level of nightlatch:

This one is a bit more robust than the one before. It’s fitting is slightly more complicated and more tools are required to fit it into place. It operates the same as well. But you can get these in a deadlocking version. That means, if you turn the key an extra turn, the latch is held in place just as the snib would do on the inside. On this example, the snib is black. While this deadlocking action gives slightly more security than the cheaper nightlatch, it does throw up its own problems, because now, if you accidentally rotate the key to the deadlocked position, step inside and slam the door, you will be locked in. The inside lever will not turn enough to free you. You will have to exit from another door or window, and unlock it again from the outside. This, of course is dangerous if you only have one door and fire breaks out.

Again, this lock is not rated to BS3621 and therefore not adequate security on its own.

Finally, the BS3621 Nightlatch:

This one really does the trick. The Rim cylinder is now protected against drilling. The latch comes out further and protects itself against a burglary method called “slipping.” Because the snib is a push button, you cannot accidentally lock yourself in or out as you could with the previous two locks. And because it carries the kitemark, it will satisfy most insurers as a stand alone lock without the need for others. While this is still possible to fit yourself, it can be fiddly and if not done properly, the automatic deadlocking feature will not work. In the image you will notice that there is a key hole on the lever. If you lock the lever in place, a burglar who has entered through another opening wil not be able to open this door and escape with all the stuff he is carrying. However, in the event of a fire, you must be sure where your keys are. There are versions that do not have this locking handle that still conform to BS3621.

Part 2 – coming soon, will be Euro Cylinders & Part 3 Mortice locks.

Should you have any questions regarding the locks above, please get in touch through my contacts page.

Thanks for reading.

admin December 2, 2015

Different locks explained / Which lock? /