question on schlage keyed entry knob

[majik]

Hello,

I recently bought and installed 3 schlage knobs (similar to the ones seen here. They all work fine with the exception that when the lock button is turned to the lock position, the door knob (from the interior side) itself still turns and will open the door as if unlocked. Fortunately, the door does remain locked from the outside. Essentially, if you go outside without realizing that the lock button is in the locked position, you can essentially lock yourself out.

I am not sure if that's a "feature" seeing how I can't find anything in the manual about that. Like I said, I installed 3 of these doorknobs and they all act the same way. I would assume that if I did something wrong, at least one of the three would have ended up right.

Can anybody shed some light? Is that how these should be?

Thanks!

[LocksmithArmy]

Sadly they are suppsoed to act like this, so you cannot lock yourself in.

Just imagine if you pushed the button and closed the door... Then how would you get out?

Maby some smart person on here can tell you how to make it so it unlocks the door when you turn the knob instead of just opens it, but I cannot.

Good luck

[majik]

Humm...That would make it easier to lock yourself out, if you ask me. If you want to go out and just turn the knob, it'll turn and open the door. If it so happens that it was "locked" and you close the door (and don't have the keys on you), you've just locked yourself out.

Anyway I just wanted to make sure that it is a "feature" and that I didn't install them wrong somehow. Thanks.

[FarmerFreak]

Yes, it is a feature. A lot of residential knobs/levers will lock both inside and outside. But all of the commercially rated knob/levers only lock the outside.

I'm not exactly sure why. But if I had to guess I would guess that it has something to do with fire codes. If someone was in a hurry to get out of a fire, the knob had better let them out without them having to know exactly how the lock works (IE turning the button).

Now I'm not sure which Schlage lock you have. I think the one you have a link to is a residential grade knob which I also think would lock the inside and the outside. If you have a heavier grade Schlage Then the button should have two actions. The first action is simply pushing the button in, this locks the door but turning the inside knob or a key on the outside unlocks it. The second action is if you push the button in and turn it. This keeps the door locked until someone physically turns the button back.

I haven't had my hands on a "new" residential Schlage for a while so it is possible that they don't lock the inside knob anymore.

Hope this helps
Farmerfreak

[LocksmithArmy]

Humm...That would make it easier to lock yourself out, if you ask me. If you want to go out and just turn the knob, it'll turn and open the door. If it so happens that it was "locked" and you close the door (and don't have the keys on you), you've just locked yourself out.

Anyway I just wanted to make sure that it is a "feature" and that I didn't install them wrong somehow. Thanks.

yes easier to lock yourself out but impossible to lock yourself in

sorry if I confused anyone

[straightpick]

All Grade 1 and Grade 2 locksets work this way. Pushing the button in locks the outside knob; rotating the inner knob releases the inner button. Pushing in and turning the inside button deadlocks the outer knob. Turning the inside knob will open the door but will NOT release the deadlock function; it must be manually turned to release. This was initiated by safety concerns so people in public buildings wouldn't have to know how the lock worked (there are a lot of strange functions in commercial hardware that are not readily apparent if you are not familiar with them). No doubt they have been a good source of income from people locking themselves out, much the same as electric car locks have been. Only the Grade 3 locksets lock the inside and outside knobs, requiring the button to be turned to exit. Cheaper to make and fewer parts are required for Grade 3 locksets.

[majik]

LocksmithArmy, Ahhh I apologize for assuming you meant "out" . But your explanation ("in" vs "out") does make sense.

Anyways thanks for the feedback everyone. The lock I linked to is a Grade 2, residential. I actually got a Grade 1 but couldn't find it on the Home Depot or Schlage's website.

It doesn't have a "button" you push, but rather a thingy you turn (as seen here). When in locked position, the outside of the knob does lock but the remains unlocked. Also, it won't go to unlocked position when turned from the inside.

I also assumed it was for safety reasons. I will try messing with it, such as pushing it while turning, to see if it gets the results I'd prefer.

[straightpick]

If it just has two screws that hold the lock halves together it is Grade 3 hardware.

[poor paperclip picker]

I have dealt with these schalges before. I believe there is a way to have the inside knob lock also. If you push in the thing you turn to lock it, and turn it, it should lock the inner door knob. Then you just push it in and turn it the other way, and it will unlock the inner knob.

I am not sure if that is an exact explanation, but it is something along those lines

[globallockytoo]

I have dealt with these schalges before. I believe there is a way to have the inside knob lock also. If you push in the thing you turn to lock it, and turn it, it should lock the inner door knob. Then you just push it in and turn it the other way, and it will unlock the inner knob.

I am not sure if that is an exact explanation, but it is something along those lines

I dont think so.

Schlage have designed their knobs to comply with the International Building code rules regarding emergency egress. Specifically, primary entrance doors must be able to have an escape function at all times. That is why you can lock the external knob but internal knob is always unlocked.

[poor paperclip picker]

I have dealt with these schalges before. I believe there is a way to have the inside knob lock also. If you push in the thing you turn to lock it, and turn it, it should lock the inner door knob. Then you just push it in and turn it the other way, and it will unlock the inner knob.

I am not sure if that is an exact explanation, but it is something along those lines

I dont think so.

Schlage have designed their knobs to comply with the International Building code rules regarding emergency egress. Specifically, primary entrance doors must be able to have an escape function at all times. That is why you can lock the external knob but internal knob is always unlocked.

I do have one of these knob sets though. I remember I got confused the first time I accidentally locked the inner knob. Maybe it is not a schlage knobset, but it is a schlage cylinder.

[WolfSpring]

I think what the original poster is saying is as the door is locked an you go out of it, the knob turns, making the exiter think it is unlocked, at this point the button should pop out and unlock the door so if you shut the door behind you it is unlocked, but the button is not popping out and as you close the door it becomes locked an you cannot get back in. If this is what he is saying I've ran into this twice in my life.

1. The knob turns one way to stay locked, the opposite will unock and realease the button(I'm not thinking this is the deal because the poster does not come off as he has not tried multiple attempts.

2. (being he installed 3 this is unlikely as well) the strike plate does not line up with the bolt(i dont know the official name) and the lock is not effectively locking into place to "set" the lock, so when you turn the inside knob it is still in essence not set, yet the outer handle is locked in place. And the inner cannot reset the lock. It is possible all 3 are done this way but unlikely.

Thats just my experience with how I interpret the situation. I am by no means anything more then a begginer lock picker and locksmith wanna be one day.