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  1. #1
    Join Date
    Oct 2013
    Location
    Port Angeles, Washington, USA
    Posts
    29
    Country: United States

    Default Two-Key Cabinet/Door Latch; What's It Called?

    The body is about 3" X 2" x 3/4", Brass. I have three of them, essentially identical and keyed-alike. Two of the larger keys are steel, with cast-on zinc(?) handles; the three smaller keys are steel.

    The large key enters first through the door or panel, piloting on the hole in the body on the latch face. The body is secured to the door on the side away from entry, as the bolt and countersunk attachment tabs indicate. A half-turn CW withdraws the bolt, allowing the door to be opened toward the large key.

    BUT: in order to withdraw the large key, the small key must be inserted from the face of the latch (inside the secured space) and turned a quarter-turn CCW, thereby allowing the bolt to return to at-rest position, and freeing the large key (which has been captive) to be fully rotated CCW and removed. At no time is the small key captive.

    My apology for inappropriate terminology...I am not very familiar with locks and their components.

    Anyone familiar with this odd (to me) arrangement? What use/purpose was this designed to satisfy?

    Thanks for lookin'...wlw
    Attached Thumbnails Attached Thumbnails P1130073.JPG   P1130076.JPG   P1130075.JPG   P1130074.JPG   P1130077.JPG  

    P1130078.JPG   P1130079.JPG  

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Oct 2010
    Location
    Tonawanda, NY, USA
    Posts
    900
    Country: United States

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by wlwhittier View Post
    Anyone familiar with this odd (to me) arrangement? What use/purpose was this designed to satisfy?
    Thanks for lookin'...wlw
    I suspect this was intended to allow the large key to be removed at times by authorized personnel to secure whatever enclosure the lock protected while at other times allowing free access via the large captive key. Perhaps originally from a traffic control box? My two cents.

    Pete Schifferli

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Nov 2005
    Location
    Seattle WA
    Posts
    1,327
    Country: United States

    Default

    It would keep someone from pocketing the key and Pete is correct from what I know. Cool lock thanks for showing us.

    You did fine on the terminology.

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Oct 2013
    Location
    Port Angeles, Washington, USA
    Posts
    29
    Country: United States

    Default

    Thank you, Pete and Dean...I'm pleased to have offered something unusual and worthy of comment.

    Traffic Signal control box sounds spot-on.

    They appear to be very well made, but two of the three seem worn enough that the large key can be, with little force, turned far enough to over-ride capture. I'm gonna take one of those apart just to see what I can learn...and oil all of them (carefully) after reassembly. Perhaps they're just dry enough for things to stick when they ought to slide, or some such.

    I also find it odd that the maker wasn't proud enough of his handiwork to put his name on it.

    wlw

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