Odd cabinet lock

PBcrackers

I’ve discovered that another one of my medical cabinet had the locks replaced at some point as I suspected. There are two holes on both bottom and top of cabinet for the doors and the way I found it with the locks seemed very odd and not original. While researching the company that made this one “M. Weiss & Co” I came upon a couple of them for same with an odd lock which I am sure is original and what mine should have. I can’t quite make out the name on the inside from the photos but I contacted the person that had the photos up. At any rate I thought I’d post it here as I’ve never seen any lock like this before and hoped someone could shed some light. Thanks!

Pschiffe

PBcrackers wrote
I’ve discovered that another one of my medical cabinet had the locks replaced at some point as I suspected. There are two holes on both bottom and top of cabinet for the doors and the way I found it with the locks seemed very odd and not original. While researching the company that made this one “M. Weiss & Co” I came upon a couple of them for same with an odd lock which I am sure is original and what mine should have. I can’t quite make out the name on the inside from the photos but I contacted the person that had the photos up. At any rate I thought I’d post it here as I’ve never seen any lock like this before and hoped someone could shed some light. Thanks!

This appears to be a custom cast aluminum housing for a then-common mortise bit key cupboard lock. The PDF attached is a catalog page from Eagle Lock Co. Catalog 52 © 1938 showing several styles of such locks. Your first image appears to show what could be a partial stamping of “Terryville” near the top of the lock. Terryville, CT was the long-time home to Eagle from 1854 until they went out-of-business in 1975.

Pete Schifferli

[unknown]

eaglecat52pg10401252016.pdf

805kB

PBcrackers

Thank you for your reply and help. I’d like to be able to track two of those down as my cabinet needs one for top and bottom doors. Sounds like it may be difficult tho if this is custom made.

Tom Gordon

mortice, bit key, cabinet locks are still available but not the casing - you may have to fit “straight cupboard locks” on the inside of the cabinet….which was way more common and neat.
Regards
Tom

PBcrackers

[HR][/HR]

Tom Gordon wrote
mortice, bit key, cabinet locks are still available but not the casing - you may have to fit “straight cupboard locks” on the inside of the cabinet….which was way more common and neat.
Regards
Tom

Figures it’d be some custom lock. My friend has a cabinet that we believe was made by the same company. Very similar in style/construction and same holes in both door/body. I would like to find the original lock but I guess that’s going to be like finding Jimmy Hoffa

[unknown]

PBcrackers

[HR][/HR]I forgot to add that while researching the company that made this cabinet I found out that they went out of business around 1936 or slightly before. I’d even looked under patents for Eagle if indeed they made that lock hoping to find maybe it there but no such luck.

PBcrackers

I’ve come across a bit more info as I started up again trying to find this lock. I’d given up for awhile but started researching again and came upon a catalog page from a company called Kny-Sheerer who was based in NY. In their 1915 catalog they had these cabinets which has that same type lock. They state as you can read in the text that the door “automatically locks”. Also says it’s nickel plated so I believe it was iron or steel. Based on what Pschiffe had said it does look like it’s a mortise lock in a special housing so I was pondering trying to make a casing myself from a clay mold and then doing some cold casting if I could find a lock but the “locking automatically” has me perplexed as I’m not well versed in this area. Any have any other ideas?

Pschiffe

PBcrackers wrote
I’ve come across a bit more info as I started up again trying to find this lock. I’d given up for awhile but started researching again and came upon a catalog page from a company called Kny-Sheerer who was based in NY. In their 1915 catalog they had these cabinets which has that same type lock. They state as you can read in the text that the door “automatically locks”. Also says it’s nickel plated so I believe it was iron or steel. Based on what Pschiffe had said it does look like it’s a mortise lock in a special housing so I was pondering trying to make a casing myself from a clay mold and then doing some cold casting if I could find a lock but the “locking automatically” has me perplexed as I’m not well versed in this area. Any have any other ideas?

It appears from your earlier image that the lock may have a “beveled” bolt (spring-latch) which would explain the locking automatically. Eagle Nos. 1821, 1823 & 1827 shown on the attached pdf also from Cat. No. 52 ©1938 illustrates such a lock.

Pete Schifferli

[unknown]

eaglecat52pg107-0001.pdf

398kB

PBcrackers

Ahh….now that makes total sense! Thanks so much for your help and info!!!