Locks And Fittings

MORTICE LOCK

Before you read this section look up mortice locks. Pay attention to the names of the parts of the lock.

INSTALLING A MORTICE LOCK:

a. Place the door on edge against the side of the work bench, with one face against the bench and with the shutting stile upwards.

b. Mark the distance from the bottom edge of the door to the centre of the "bush" (the bush is the hole where the handle fits through, normally it is 105 cm from the bottom edge of the door).

c. Square the positions of the key hole and the bush on the face and edge of the door.

d. Set a marking gauge with the distance from the outside edge of the lock face plate to the centre of the key hole. Add 2 mm allowance for planing off later.

e. Mark this gauge setting on the door.

f. Mark the position of the lock stock onto the shutting edge of the door.

g. Clamp a piece of waste wood under the door to prevent splintering. Drill the bush hole and the keyhole. Complete the slot for the key hole with a chisel.

h. Chop the recess for the stock with a mortice chisel. Much of the waste can be bored away with a drill. Take care that the stock fits tightly against the sides of the mortice.

i. Drop the lock in the mortice and mark the position of the face plate on the door edge. Remove the lock.

j. Chop the recess for the face plate with a mortice chisel.

k. Drop the lock in again and insert the key and the handle with the fixed spindle. Check that there is nothing blocking the key and handle.

l. Attach the lock with screws.

m. Hold one leaf plate in position on the outside of the door. insert the key and the handle with the spindle.

n. Attach the leaf plate to the door with screws.

o. Fix the leaf plate on the other side of the door in the same manner.

p. Secure the loose handle onto the spindle, with the pin.

The installation of a mortice lock with a cylinder is similar to the above procedure; but instead of a key hole, a hole is drilled for the locking cylinder.

INSTALLING THE STRIKING PLATE:

a. Set the door with the mortice lock into the door frame.

b. Mark the position of the latch bolt onto the door frame.

c. Hold the striking plate to the post in the correct position and mark the position on the post.

d. Set the gauge and use it to mark the vertical lines.

e. Cut the recess for the striking plate.

f. Fasten the striking plate to the post with screws.

g. Chop the recesses for the latch bolt and the lock bolt while the striking plate is in position.

h. Cut off the projecting lug of the striking plate (arrow).

i. Close the door and check whether the latch bolt and the lock bolt can move freely and fit into their recesses.

In the case of a door frame with beads, the beads can be fixed after the door is properly hung and the locks installed.

RIM LOCK

Look in the Door And Window Hardware page for information about the rim lock and its parts before you read on.

INSTALLING A CYLINDER RIM NIGHT LATCH:

a. Mark out the position of the cylinder on the door (normally 105 cm from the bottom of the door).

b. Drill a hole with the diameter of the shell.

c. insert the cylinder with the rim into the hole, and attach the back plate to the opposite side of the door with screws.

d. Mark the position of the latch and its face plate.

e. Chop the recess for the face plate.

f. Attach the latch to the door with screws. Also use two screws on the face plate to attach the lock securely.

g. Turn the knob and check that the latch operates smoothly.

h. Mark the staple on the post and chop the recess for the staple face plate.

i. Attach the face plate to the post with screws.

j. Check that the bolt of the latch fits in the staple.