Corbin Unit Lock Disassembly

[Shieldr]

Hello, all. I'm primarily a safe and vault technician these days, but one of my local locksmith customers asked me for help with this lock. It needs to be disassembled and rekeyed. Any input or advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

[Pschiffe]

Hello, all. I'm primarily a safe and vault technician these days, but one of my local locksmith customers asked me for help with this lock. It needs to be disassembled and rekeyed. Any input or advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

That's an ancient one, but presuming it's P & F Corbin or Russwin; the Corbin Russwin UT5200 Parts and Service Manual may be of some help, see especially pgs. 34-46:
http://www.corbin-russwin-hardware.com/Parts_UT5200.pdf

Pete Schifferli

[Shieldr]

Hi Pschiffe! Long time no see! Not much action over at LC these days.

That link's a great resource, but I suspect even the oldest style might not cover the lock we have here. I was able to find an old catalog that seems to show the same lock mechanism (pages 427 and 428), but no tips on how to disassemble it.

https://archive.org/details/CatalogN...ware/page/n491

Good to see you're still around!

[Pschiffe]

Hi Pschiffe! Long time no see! Not much action over at LC these days.

That link's a great resource, but I suspect even the oldest style might not cover the lock we have here. I was able to find an old catalog that seems to show the same lock mechanism (pages 427 and 428), but no tips on how to disassemble it.
https://archive.org/details/CatalogN...ware/page/n491
Good to see you're still around!

Yup, still kickin; many locksmiths now lurk over on the excellent paid membership ClearStar Security Network website. I believe the P&F Corbin unit lock shown on pg. 427 of Cat. 28M (c)1942 cylinder removal instructions are covered on pg. 34 of the reference I cited?

Pete

[Shieldr]

I'm a lifetime member over on Clearstar, too, just picked it up during the sale, but I still haven't logged on yet.

Unfortunately, I don't see any retainers! Here are some more pictures.

[Doug MacQueen]

I think they did the right thing because that looks like the oddball version that we rarely saw at the Cleveland Key Shop. Double rollers cylinder too. Don't believe we ever saw any Yale Double rollers. A.J. Hoffman was just a kid working at MASCO A-One lock when I was working at the key shop.

[Doug MacQueen]

It's been about 40 years since I took one of those apart. Unfortunately those are not the correct pictures to help me remember. Hidden half c clips requiring something to be slid sideways to expose them? Maybe closer pics of the innards would help?

[Shieldr]

I pulled the pin that holds the outside trim in place, removed the cotter pin that connects the latch to the linkage arm, and poked and prodded just about every which way on this thing, and haven't found any holes or access points to any hidden retainers. No C-clips, either, unfortunately. The pin that holds the inside knob in place is more of a rivet, and peened in place.

The square spindle inside the heart of the mechanism slops back and forth a little, but not enough to allow me to remove the two steel 'wings' that retract the latch. After a thorough soaking of Triflow, we can finally insert the key, but it won't turn.

Were any of these locks assembled with hidden spring retainers that required a drilled hole for disassembly?

[wylk]

One interesting difference with the Taylor patent is that it describes a sleeve which is cut into at least two parts. This sets it apart from O'Keefe's patent, so technically there is no conflict between the two patents.

[Shieldr]

The lock cylinder has a single plug and body, no concentric rotating rings.