When you’re out shopping for locks, you need to know exactly what you’re looking to buy. You need to know exactly what you want and what will work best for your requirements.
This is why we, at Key4Freedom, have created this brief guide to teach you how rim cylinders and night latches work and how they are both used as part of a single mechanism to ensure maximum security.
What is the night latch mechanism?
Although rim cylinders and night latches are fundamentally different kinds of locks, they are part of the same locking mechanism. They are used together to maximize functionality, ease of use, and security.
The rim cylinder and the night latch are installed on either side of the door and are combined together through a small metal arm. The night latch, which is installed on the external face of the door, requires a key to operate. On the inside of a door is the night latch. When the key is turned in the rim cylinder, it activates the night latch through the metal bar to unlock the door.
How does the night latch mechanism function?
A standard night latch mechanism contains the following components.
Rim cylinder
Installing the night latch requires a hole in the door and the rim cylinder is placed through the hole. The metal arm bar protrudes through the other end of the door and goes into the main lock body.
Mounting plate
The mounting plate holds the lock in place as it allows both the outer rim cylinder and the inner lock body to be screwed into the door and held in place.
Lock cam or body
The main body of the lock contains most of the functional features. Two of the most common features include the knob which can be turned to unlock the door and the latch bolt which can be activated through the knob on the inside and the rim cylinder lock on the outside. Some locks also contain a slide function which enables the users to deadlock the bolt from the inside or let it stay open for convenience.
Which kinds of doors require the night latch?
The night latch mechanism can only be installed on wooden doors and is commonly used as a latch. You can either install the night latch on its own or pair it with other locks in order to maximize security.
Installing the night latch is relatively simple and only requires a hole to fit in the rim cylinder. However, these locks are easy to manipulate. This is why you need to pair it with a mortice lock which would require a separate pocket, or mortice, to be created within the door.
Advantages of a night latch
- Night latches are fairly reliable as they require a key, rather than a handle to unlock the door from the outside.
- The night latch is designed for simplicity and convenience. Its latch bolt allows the users to slam the door shut from the inside, rather than turning the key.