locking rather than lockpicking

[gardener]

hello all.

Does anyone know if there is a mechanism that allows Rim Locks to self lock? By rim lock I mean an old fashoned type (but only 6 months old) with sprung latch and key locking dead bolt, that has no automatic deadbolt facility. Could it be possible for an internal tumbler to become broken that could cause a door to lock

[Evan]

@gardener:

So what is your problem ?

Did your jimmyproof (interlocking finger bolts) stop working with the outside cylinder ?

Or do you have a night latch that has been locked from the inside using a "snib" to make the keys inoperative ?

~~ Evan

[gardener]

well, a rim lock on one of our buildings has locked. This building door is normaly just closed on the upper spring latch, there is no longer a key for the lower part of the lock, so it has not been key locked however the main key locking bolt part of the door has become active and the door is now bolted/locked shut. This is a bit of a pain as we are going to have to remove the door or try to pick the lock to get back in! And I wondered if perhaps some mechanism within the lock can have failed and allowed the sliding 'dead lock' part of the lock to slide into the bolted position? If so can I try to reverse this and get the door open!!

I am sorry if my lock specific terminology is vague - I hope I have explained it properly.

[Evan]

@gardener:

It sounds like someone has locked the door and used another way out of the room...

Is there another way into that room with the locked door, either another door or a window ?

It is better to call out a locksmith to open the mysteriously locked door as a locksmith can fit a key to it when they open it for you and you won't be locked out again...

If part of the lock is indeed broken, then attempting to pick it will be futile and it will need to be opened by someone who knows what they are doing, potentially using destructive methods which can not be discussed in the open section of this forum...

~~ Evan

[gardener]

no, there was no way that a key could have been used. the shed is stone walled & tiled roof and unaccessible except through the door, also I lost the key when on holiday last year I guess it must have broken inside somehow...

[EmCee]

If there is a snib on the rim latch case on the inside (button/switch which locks the latch open or closed as Evan said) then it's possible that this has dropped after the door was shut last time. Quite often people tend to slam the door or it slams under its own weight, and this vibration can jiggle the snib.

If it's a stone walled shed with no other way in, you really need to call a locksmith who will be able to id the exact problem and fix it. If the problem is the snib then you won't be able to pick the lock open and a locksmith will know how to open the lock with a lot less damage that you would be likely to cause in order to open it (but as said, destructive or bypass techniques cannot be discussed in the open forum).

Cheers...

[Squelchtone]

... and a locksmith will know how to open the lock with a lot less damage that you would be likely to cause in order to open it ...

[in a fake Scottish accent] I opened me shed laddy..




Squelchtone

[Rickthepick]

Sounds like a dropped snib,
theres a few ways to undo it,
Call a locksmith if you arent a problem solver