Old "dangly weight" snib

jdeacon

It was suggested that people might be interested in these pictures I put up on the ICL forum. They’re of a lock on the on a front door to a flat. It’s assymmetric; in fact the key looks more like a seven-lever safe lock key. The lock faceplate said Chubb:

The “snib”'s weight is normally hanging down, in which case the latch-bolt is free to move:

But with the “snib” activated, that spike will be in the bolt which then can’t move. The problem was that slamming the door caused the weight to jump up and activate, locking you out:

kaellman

Nice. Never seen that one before. Im thinking the system on picure is something installed “on-top” of the lock. I dont see any real reason to it tho, unless you cant open the lock once the snib is activated. Or is there?

OT, whats the ICL forums?

Ian D. Lewis

I think the reason the snib is hinged so that it does not stick to far out of the door when it is open. This prevents damage to clothes of passers by and also damage to walls.

kaellman

Thats true, never thought of that. Prevents you from leaving the room if u slam the door aswell🙂

Tom Gordon

It should be a 4 or 5 lever lock operating as a nightlatch. Doesn’t the snib also operate to leave the lock “on the latch” ie swingfree? I have it in a catlaogue somewhere but I forget where.
Cheers
Tom

Paul Prescott

I thought they were 6 lever ..

Tom Gordon

I think that the cylinders were 6 lever but you may be right on these too.
Cheers
Tom

kaellman

Tom Gordon wrote
I have it in a catlaogue somewhere but I forget where.
Cheers
Tom

Who makes these locks? Chubb?

Tom Gordon

In my Chubb 1952 catalogue the 3L10, 3R10 and 3R20 are available as either 5, 6 or 7 lever mechanisms

jdeacon

It was, I think, a 6 or 7 lever lock. It operates as a nightlatch. The hinged part seems to be there mostly to prevent the spike engaging unintentionally; there is no spring; the dangly weight is all that keeps the spike out of the bolt. You would be able to spike it locked or unlocked.