John Tann 6 Lever

mercurial

The pictures below are of a John Tann Lever lock.

The lock opens in the conventional manner using the key.

However, there is a pin/button on the back of the lock, connected to a spring that holds the bolt in the unlocked position. When it is depressed, it frees the bolt & the bolt is shot closed by another spring. It cannot be locked using the key.

The lock case is stamped 328(second picture, lower left corner).

I would be interested to find out the approximate age of this lock.

…mercurial

Tom Gordon

I have this type of lock new in stock -they are still made for bank tellers drawers-allowing the drawer to lock instantly if the button is pushed but requiring the key to open it.

mercurial

I thought that was its intended purpose (cash drawer/till), thankyou for the confirmation.

Alan Morgan

Tom Gordon wrote
I have this type of lock new in stock

Do you have any true left hand versions? I normally now retrofit to a drawer pushbutton lock.
The ones I see are stamped AGB.

[unknown]

Tom Gordon

Depends what you call true LH-everyone else seems to get it wrong and when they dont, then I seem to get it wrong instead.
Easiest is to say that they are as per your picture - i have a couple at least of them as shown

mercurial

I doubt it is of any importance for the locks that Alan is looking to source(handing, and disambiguation thereof seems more important), but the example Alan pictured has the button to shoot the bolt on the keyhole side of the lock case. My lock can be unlocked (only) from the one side, and the button that shoots the bolt to the locked position is on the other side.

Do records exist to suggest an approximate age for my lock, given it(and key) is John Tann & it is numbered?

…mercurial

Parautoptic

Mark

Perhaps the pin is pushed by a stop of some sort such that the door/drawer just has to be slammed shut to lock. This would be faster and would help prevent the bolt shooting if the front button were pushed inadvertantly. I have seen both types in the past but never fitted, they were still in their boxes.

Philip

Ant

“Perhaps the pin is pushed by a stop of some sort such that the door/drawer just has to be slammed shut to lock. This would be faster and would help prevent the bolt shooting if the front button were pushed inadvertantly.”
As I have seen these on old slam action wooden tills and come to think of it on the metal tills used thirty odd years ago I can only agree with the above. That yes there was a brass plate (mounted on the inside) which engaged with the pin and caused the deadbolt to shoot.

Gary Stephenson

I normally see them on Tann undercounter safes in nat west banks, there is normally a number on the safe that would probably help you date it, same lock but most of the ones I see don’t have the Tann name on them.
Gary

Alan Morgan

Exactly as pictured Gary

mercurial wrote
I doubt it is of any importance for the locks that Alan is looking to source(handing, and disambiguation thereof seems more important), but the example Alan pictured has the button to shoot the bolt on the keyhole side of the lock case. My lock can be unlocked (only) from the one side, and the button that shoots the bolt to the locked position is on the other side.
…mercurial

The pushbutton lock is the new one I fitted, originally there used to be only the keyhole (now filled in grey but visible) right next to the new button.
The keep originally had a tab which pushes that tiny button on the back as you close the door. I could not get the exact lock so used the vertical up drawer lock instead.

[unknown]

Gary Stephenson

at one time we could buy the locks from kilby & gayford, but then they stopped supplying them as they wanted to do the work themselves.
I have one of the undercounter safes in the van, so I will get a picture of the striker plate & if there is a serial number on the safe possibly an age as well.
Gary

Gary Stephenson

some pictures of the safe that this lock is fitted to.
Gary

Ant

I see that they are still being used then. I hate to think how old the design is as I was working on these in the 70’s and 80’s. Discovered a deadbolt spring among my bits and pieces only the other day!

Alan Morgan

No wonder your van is overweight G.

Even after you get out 🙁grin): 🙁wasntme): 😛: