Understanding Locks & Latches

Joseph Giles offer both Orange Body and Yellow Body mortice locks and latches for premium quality Architectural Door Hardware installations.

At The English Tapware Company we offer boutique hardware discernably sourced from around the UK.

We believe that hardware is the perfect way to offer luxurious touchpoints throughout a project.

Here is a basic guide to unravel the complex world of mortice lock & latch hardware so you can begin the conversation with your clients and our dedicated hardware specification team.

Mortice means “recessed into the edge of the door”

SPECIFYING PASSAGE DOORS:

This is the main premium mortice ‘non-locking’ latch type:

Orange body latch LA1155

premium offering
highest quality brass & steel
requires lever or knob to operate latch
minimum recommended door thickness is 35mm
includes dust box

SPECIFYING PRIVACY DOORS:

A privacy door is any internal hinged door with a lock that is operated by hand rather than a key. A person inside the room can gain privacy by turning the thumb-turn.

If there is an emergency, a coin can be used to open the door from the outside.

Privacy turns and emergency releases are specified as a set to complement the design of the operating knob or lever.

Orange Body Lock LA1156

premium offering
highest quality brass & steel
requires lever or knob to operate latch
requires thumb turn to operate lock bolt (alternatively specify Euro cylinder for keyed locking)
minimum recommended door thickness is 35mm
includes dust box

SPECIFYING EXTERNAL DOORS:

External doors are any door that has one side exposed to the exterior of the building.

This type of door will be a hinged or pivot door.

SINGLE DOORS: External doors (excluding main entrance door) are generally set up the same in a project as the passage doors, with the addition of a locking function.

DOUBLE DOORS: If you have double external doors, usually the doors will be dressed symmetrically, with one lever being functional and operating the lock (active) and the other purely fixed and aesthetic (passive).

ENTRANCE OPTION I - DEADLOCK

These are the main mortice ‘keyed’ lock types:

Orange Body EURO LOCK LA1154

Premium offering
Highest quality brass & steel
Requires lever or knob to operate latch on inside only
Requires key to operate lock bolt via Euro cylinder on outside
Operate lock with thumb turn on inside.
Minimum recommended door thickness is 35mm
includes dust box

ENTRANCE OPTION II - EASY EXIT

With this type of latch the door is ALWAYS locked from the outside (you’ll need a key) and always able to be UNLOCKED from the inside (great to easy-exit, not great for keeping kids inside). If you wish to use this option with kids, we recommend a lockable flyscreen or additional deadlock too.

Orange Body EURO NIGHT LATCH LA1157

Premium offering
Highest quality brass & steel
Minimum recommended door thickness is 35mm
Includes dust box
On the outside you only have an escutcheon, with a non-operating handle, lever or knob.
On the inside you will have a one way operating spindle any decorative hardware is installed in this spindle hole will operate the latch/lock.
On the inside the cylinder can either have a thumb turn or key function.

DOUBLE DOORS

You can apply any of the principles of passage, privacy or entrance doors to double doors. The difference is you will need to navigate whether you have Flush or Rebated doors, and you will require door bolts to fix your passive door into the frame.

ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS FOR DOUBLE FLUSH DOORS

DOOR BOLT type: Concealed flush bolt

REQUIREMENTS: Two pieces - one at top and one at bottom of passive door. May be different lengths.

BOLT LENGTHS: When choosing a flush bolt length, it is important that the finger tab used to operate is situated at a height that is reachable for an adult without any need for steps. We recommend a maximum height of 1800mm for the finger tab from the floor.

ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS FOR DOUBLE REBATED DOORS

Specify bolts as above, and add Rebate Kit too.

REBATE KIT

REQUIREMENTS: Must be compatible with the lock or latch and in matching finish.

DEPTH OF REBATE: Rebate kits come standard in 13mm depths but can also be special ordered at 19mm or 25mm depths too.

PRIVACY SLIDING DOORS WITH LOCK

Sliding Door Lock LA1165

This innovative ‘YELLOW’ sliding door look is recessed into the door and the deadbolt is operated by a privacy snib from the inside and emergency release from the outside. Once the snib turn is operated, the deadbolt extends and two metal plates protrude (north and south) from the deadbolt, locking into the strike plate.

These locks are usually installed on doors that lead into a cloakroom, bathroom or WC. The privacy snib and emergency release will need to be compatible with a 8mm square spindle.provides a clever and original way of pulling out a sliding door from its pocket. Once the small brass button is pressed, the little brass handle pops out, thus providing a grip with which to pull the door.

PRIVACY SLIDING DOORS WITH LOCK + DOOR END PULL

Sliding Door Lock with Pull LA1163

The LA1163 also incorporates a handle that enables the door to be pulled out of the pocket, when the button is pressed the handle pops out.

These locks are usually installed on doors that lead into a cloakroom, bathroom or WC. The privacy snib and emergency release will need to be compatible with a 5mm square spindle.

SLIDING DOORS - DOOR END PULL ONLY

Door End Pull SF1086

Just for fun, we thought we would show you this door end pull in the same Yellow body series.

This innovative sliding door end pull provides a clever and original way of pulling out a sliding door from its pocket. Once the small brass button is pressed, the little brass handle pops out, thus providing a grip with which to pull the door.

FULL GUIDE