Industrial & Commercial Metal Cabinets Metal Cabinet Store -

This sneak preview of your study material has been prepared in advance of the book's actual online release.

Welcome to Study Unit 4 of your Professional Locksmith course! In your last study unit, you learned all about keys and how to identify them. A lock mechanism is the internal assembly of a lock that makes it work. Locks vs. Lock Mechanisms. What is a Lock Mechanism?

A lock mechanism is the assembly of parts inside a lock that makes it work. In most common locks, the locking mecha- nism holds or moves a latch, bolt, or shackle into the locked or unlocked position. Due to the many types of lock designs, there are many different types of locking mechanisms. For example, a door lock contains a mechanism to operate a latch or bolt. The latch or bolt is the part that extends into the strike, anchoring the door to the door frame.

When the bolt is thrown, it moves into the strike and locks the door; when the bolt is retracted back out of the strike, the door is free to open FIGURE 1—This figure Figure 1. In contrast, a padlock contains a mechanism that holds the shackle in the case or shell of the lock, or that allows the shackle to release Figure 2.

The word lock is a general term that metal cabinet locking mechanism work to any device installed or attached to improve security. A padlock, a door lock, a car ignition lock—all of these are locks. A lock mechanism is the inside structure of a lock. For example, a door lock could contain a warded mechanism, pin tumbler mechanism, or a disk tumbler mechanism, depend- ing on how it was made.

For our study purposes, all lock mechanisms can be divided into three basic types: key-operated lock mechanisms, combination lock mechanisms, and electric lock mechanisms. Lock Mechanisms 3. Remember, as we discussed in Study Unit 2, not all locks are opened by a key.

Some locks are opened metal cabinet locking mechanism work dialing a number combination, metal cabinet locking mechanism work some contain electrically-operated switches. However, key-operated locks are the most common and familiar to us. Key-operated locks are found in residential doors, cars, and padlocks. The four most common types of key-operated lock mechanisms are the warded mechanism, the lever tumbler mechanism, the disk tumbler or wafer mechanism, and the pin tumbler mechanism.

Similarly, a warden is a prison guard. In locksmithing terms, a ward is a metal barrier inside a lock mechanism that prevents just any key from opening the lock. The ward metal cabinet locking mechanism work sures that only the proper key will engage the mechanism and open the lock.

The warded lock mechanism is the oldest type still in use to- day it was first used by the Romans thousands of years ago. Bit keys and barrel keys are used to open warded door and cabinet locks; flat keys are used to operate warded padlocks. The basic principle behind the warded lock is barrier protection. This means that the wards create a physical barrier that must be overcome before the lock can be opened.

The security of the warded mechanism comes from the type and number of wards it contains. A ward is simply a metal ridge inside the lock that creates a barrier to the lock bolt.

A properly-cut key will fit around the wards and be free to turn, opening the lock. The sim- metal cabinet locking mechanism work type contains only one ward and is called a single- warded lock. The in- terior of a simple warded lock is shown in Figure 3. Note that when the key is inserted, the cut corresponds exactly to the place- ment of the wards. When the proper key enters the keyhole of the unlocked door, negotiates the wards, and is turned, it raises the deadbolt over the obstructions that detain it.

The metal cabinet locking mechanism work enters the strike, and the door is now effectively locked. This arranged to provide lock contains extra security for the lock.

Note the many KEY several complex cuts needed on the wards. The key for key to allow it to clear this lock was elabo- the wards. These wards are called case wards. Case wards add a little security to a lock, since an additional cut must be made on a key just to allow it to slide into the keyway Figure 5.

Lock Mechanisms 5. A skeleton key is a key that has been ground down to make it very thin Figure 6. The wards of a warded lock are easily bypassed using a skeleton key. For this reason, warded locks are not recommended in circumstances where a high degree of security is desired. Warded Mortise Locks and Warded Rim Locks The warded door lock in Figure metal cabinet locking mechanism work is called a warded mortise lock, because it is installed in a recess in a door called a mortise.

By comparison, the warded rim lock metal cabinet locking mechanism work Figure 7A is surface-mounted on rather than in the door. Figure 8 shows the interior mechanism of a typical warded rim lock. The latch fits securely into a a warded lock.

When the latch metal cabinet locking mechanism work in place, the door will be held closed, but not locked, since no key is required to move it. The deadbolt is operated by a key or by turning a turnpiece inside the door. The door is truly locked when the deadbolt is thrown. They have been replaced by pin tumbler or disk tumbler locks in most cases.

The complexity of its internal mechanism 2. The ease of looking into the lock to see the mechanism In both of these cases, the warded lock offers little protection. Its mechanism is simple and the keyhole is large enough to view most of the inside of the lock. The simplest method of picking a warded lock is to use a pick key.

Several pick keys for warded locks are illustrated in Figure 9. A pick key is a spe- cially ground and cut piece of flat steel that will fit into the keyway of a lock. A small curved projection is left near the tip metal cabinet locking mechanism work the key pick. The remain- der of the key pick is quite nar- row. A pick key will open all but a few warded lock types. If you feel an internal ward interfering with the pick key, you simply stop and try another pick key.

However, despite the relative FIGURE 9—Key picks lack of security in warded like the ones shown locks, note that there are cir- here are useful for cumstances when the simplic- opening warded locks. For example, warded padlocks are a good choice for use in wet, sandy, or dusty environments where a more complex lock would rust or jam easily. Often, a warded lock will stop working, or will work only with difficulty.

You may also be called upon to repair small warded locks in antique furniture chests, cabinets, clocks, trunks, and so on. One good suggestion is to keep any old lock parts and any old bit and barrel keys you can find at junk shops, yard sales, and so on. One of the most common causes of warded lock failure is the buildup of dust Metal Cabinet Locking Mechanism Windows and debris inside the lock.

Paint is one of the biggest offenders. Repeated painting of a door over the years can leave a warded lock clogged and can make it impossible to insert or turn the key. After removing the cover plate, replace any rusted or worn parts.

Then, use a wire brush to clean dirt and old paint away from the affected lock parts. Unless absolutely nec- essary, stay away from commercial paint removers: they tend to attract lint after use. You can apply it using the spray assembly attached to the can. Lock Mechanisms 9. Locking It Up! Please com- plete Locking It Up! Check your answers with those on page The Lever Tumbler Mechanism Figure 10 shows an exterior view of metal cabinet locking mechanism work typical lever tumbler lock.

Lever tumbler locks are used on school lockers, cash boxes, suitcases, mailboxes, and safe-deposit boxes. The slim, flat de- sign of the lever tumbler lock is more appropriate for these ap- plications than a cylinder-type lock.

Modern lever tumbler locks almost always use flat keys, although some European models are operated with bit or barrel keys. The average lever lock is only slightly metal cabinet locking mechanism work secure than the warded lock; however, the lever locks used on safe deposit boxes are very secure.

Lever tumbler locks are available in a wide range of security levels. Some high- security lever tum- bler locks can have as many as sixteen lever tumblers. The more tumblers, the more difficult it is to invade the lock. High-security lever tumbler locks are used on some types of bank safe deposit boxes and on metal cabinet locking mechanism work types of public lockers.

This lock mechanism contains three lever tumblers. Regardless of the number of tumblers, however, the operation is essentially the same in all lever tumbler locks. Each lever tumbler is a metal cabinet locking mechanism work metal plate held in place by spring pressure.

Figure 12 shows the parts of one lever tumbler. Taking a close look at these parts will help you understand how the lever tumbler lock operates.

The lever is the most important part of the lever lock mechanism, since its move- ment controls the movement of the bolt. Other important components of the lever tumbler lock are the gate, the post, and the saddle.

Build Something Extraordinary With Our Large Selection of Quality Cabinet Locks and Latches at Rockler Woodworking and Hardware. Shop Cabinet Latches and Locks online at www.- and get Free Store Pickup at your neighborhood Ace. Jul 14,  · The lock mechanism in most filing cabinets works by lowering a metal bar that runs the length of the cabinet, preventing the drawers from opening. If you push the bar up, the drawers will open. Before you resort to attacking your locked cabinet with tools, try this trick: Tilt up the front of the filing cabinet and feel along the right side of.

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