LocksmithArmy wrote:lol arbitrary statement... why not just go put abloy padlocks on with a high security hasp... or weld the gate shutand break the welde every morning...
putting titanium locks wont help either... if hes picking it that is...
if hes concealed a key just changing the lock would solve that... I wonder if they tried that.
if his problem is simply picking the cheapest solution would probably be a schlage primus... they are cheapish, for hi-sec, and can be put in any lock housing (rim, mortise, padlock)...
Arbitrary ?
Folger Adams/Southern Steel locks keep grown men locked in where the correctional staff want them... Doubtful a monkey would be able to fashion a tool to be able to bypass such a lock... Those locks also are able to withstand many men using furniture as a battering ram attempting to break down the solid doors they are installed in... Therefore such locks would be a proven technology usable on properly constructed animal enclosures for animals 2-3x the size/strength of a person...
The gate in question on the monkey cage is more than likely just standard chain link hardware with the folding gate catch with a padlock securing it and top/bottom plates preventing it from swinging past the closed position on one side...
Simply saying "use a Schlage Primus" because it is available in many formats would make no difference if the monkey is using a lost key -- someone can lose one of those keys also and given their size those are way too easy for an animal to conceal in a large pen/cage... A larger correctional lever type key is more difficult to conceal by design...
The Zoo is not going to put a special lock on that one cage, most Zoo's that I have ever heard of that aren't using Best SFIC padlocks use keyed alike locks and staff are either allowed animal access by having the one key or aren't... The point is keeping the visitors out of the animal areas and the animals inside... Not controlling which staff member can enter which cage...
One of the problems of such a system is the total lack of key accountability and the availability of replacement keys (two come with each padlock) and the fact that boxes and boxes of such locks are kept on hand for when one breaks or gets lost/dropped out of reach somewhere... While a Primus key would be more difficult replace, given the breakage rate in the rough service of a Zoo, there would be extras on hand... A Folger Adams/Southern Steel key is much more durable and replacement would be something more controlled due to the expense...
That issue sounds totally like a key or lock with the key inserted went missing near the monkeys and no one reported it...
~~ Evan
