How does cylinder lock work

The main parts of a door lock are the cylinder, bolt, box and strike plate. Understanding the different parts that work together to make a door handle and lock work, can help you fix minor problems on your own. The cylinder, or lock body, is the part of the door lock where you insert the key. Essentially, it recognizes the correct key when the pins move into their proper places. The lock engages a bolt inside the door. This piece of metal extends from the door into the frame and holds it closed.

There are two main styles of latch or bolt —a spring bolt and a deadbolt. It is designed to hold the bolt securely in the doorframe when the lock is engaged. The metal plate, which attaches to the frame of the door, is the strike plate. The purpose of the strike plate is to guide the bolt from the cylinder into the box of the frame and give added reinforcement to the locking mechanism.

Technology has brought vast improvements to home and commercial security. For a lot of people it takes a break in to highlight the importance. Make sure you have a lever lock on your door which is 5 lever and conforms to BS This is the lock that you need to have for both security and insurance purposes. I hope you have found this post on how a lock works interesting. Maybe you already knew how your locks worked? If not I hope this has been informative. Soon I will write a post explaining what is involved in changing both these lock types.

Contact Us. Your email address will not be published. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Here you can watch a really good animation that shows how a cylinder lock works. This video shows the workings of an actual lock in action. The fact the lever locks can be both locked and unlocked with a key makes them more secure. I would be happy to answer any questions you may have. This is typically used for residential applications; it can stand up to , cycles and five strikes using 75 pounds of force.

Double-cylinder locks in the grade 3 category are generally used as an additional security measure. While they can withstand , cycles, it is only certified to resist two strikes with 75 pounds of force. However, you can lower the risk of a break-in by using double-cylinder locks and deadbolts. Learn about a growing security risk for homeowners with cylinder locks: Lock Bumping.

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Chris is a volunteer firefighter and "Life Member" for East Whiteland Township Volunteer Fire Company and a huge Nascar fan who loves to go camping and enjoys the outdoors. Chris Strauss frequently blogs for Read other articles written by Chris Strauss. Discover what thousands of our customers already know: When you hire Great Valley Lockshop you can expect us to be prompt, passionate and genuinely enthusiastic about your project!

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