SCHLAGE 101

• Mortise locks have widespread commercial and institutional use particularly in hospitals and schools; they offer the most diverse functional choices which can include an integrated deadbolt for security while retaining the ability to allow single motion (the simple turning of the lever or knob) egress for occupant safety even when the outside lever is locked and the deadbolt thrown
• Multipoint locks are commonly mortise-based locks that have many uses but two-point locks are most often applied to interior double doors such as conference room doors; three-point locks are often used for exterior windstorm protection or high-security doors; you can also use a multi-point lock to secure storm shutters
• Cylindrical locks, sometimes called bored locks, are commercial grade locks with widespread use in retail, commercial office space, and the education sector, particularly K-12; they utilize a single latchbolt to secure the door so cannot provide the degree of security a mortise with deadbolt can offer however, door prep is much simpler and less invasive to the door than mortise prep because the latch or bolt locking mechanism is contained in the portion installed through the cross-bore
• Deadbolt locks, also known as deadlocks are perhaps the simplest form of auxiliary locking available. They are commonly used in residential dwelling or sleeping unit entries but have limited use in other areas where additional security is desired and allowed by code (places of detention, night locking, etc.) or where simple locking with occupancy indication is desired (restrooms or dressing rooms with push/pull hardware)
• Tubular locks are commonly grade 2 or grade 3 locks applied primarily to interior doors for residential use and light commercial applications with limited functions
• Interconnected locks combine a tubular lock with a deadbolt into one device. Typically used for residential front door applications, an interconnect lock provides the added security of a deadbolt while enabling single motion egress for safety
• Other locking products, such as Von Duprin exit devices may include exterior trims matched to the Schlage mechanical lock offering but are considered part of the exit device

Article, Door Hardware 101: A Basic Jargon Primer, provides more depth on these and many other lock devices and door hardware products.

You may also find this article helpful: Back-2-Basics: Lock Functions.

Mortise locks are the most secure type of lock with widespread commercial and institutional use particularly in hospitals and schools.

• The word mortise refers to the hole or recess cut into the door that receives the lock body, a mortise door prep is more involved than that of a cylindrical or tubular lock because of the combination of the mortise pocket and the throughcuts for lever and other components like cylinder housings and/or thumbturns
• With the exception of interconnected locks which feature a cylindrical or tubular lock in combination with a deadbolt, no other commonly applied door lock has the ability to combine multiple latching mechanisms in one device; a mortise lock can, depending on the function, feature a primary latch, a deadlocking auxillary latch, and a deadbolt - which is why they are considered the most secure lock type
• Mortise locks offer the most diverse functional choices which can include an integrated deadbolt for security while retaining the ability to allow single motion (the simple turning of the lever or knob) egress for occupant safety even when the outside lever is locked and the deadbolt thrown
• Besides offering the most functional choices, Schlage L Series mortise locks also offer the most trim options including levers, knobs, escutcheons, roses, thumbturns, ligature-resistant, and hospital latch trims
• The key cylinder of a mortise lock is not in the lever or knob, instead the key cylinder sits in a mortise housing that is standardized industry-wide in terms of how it fits into a mortise lock configuration enabling key systems to be more interchangeable

• Article: Door Hardware 101: A Basic Jargon Primer, provides more depth on these and many other lock devices and door hardware products

• For more information on what governs egress standards, read BHMA A156.41 – Standard for Door Hardware Single Motion to Egress

• You may also find this article helpful: Back-2-Basics: Lock Functions

Multipoint locks are commonly mortise-based locks that can extend latches through the door to the top and bottom of the door and frame enabling a user control of all latches at a single point.

Two-point locks

• Most often applied to interior double doors such as conference room doors where either a central mullion or the projection of a latch is not desired - see example
• Applications include fire-rated corridor pair doors, office suite pair doors, elevator lobby pair doors, and conference room pair doors
• They are compatible with wood or hollow metal doors
• Schlage LM9200 Series also offers a single (top point) version of this lock ordered as LBL (Less Bottom Latch)
• For more information on codes related to pair fire doors, read Q&A – Do pairs of fire doors require astragals?
• Follow-Up: 20 Minute Fire Doors provides a deeper dive into codes related to pair fire doors

Three-point locks

• Schlage LM9300 Series 3-point locks (in Steelcraft Palladin doors) are designed for tornado, hurricane or high security applications
• Latches at the top, side and bottom of the door provide protection from high wind speeds and are capable of taking 15-lb. projectile impacts up to 100 mph when paired with a Steelcraft Paladin tornado-resistant door
• Three-point locks can also be used for storm shutters - a four-sided, hinged frame that mounts against a window from the inside
• Applications include doors requiring hurricane protection (with Steelcraft H door); tornado shutters (with Steelcraft Paladin door); loading dock pair doors; kitchen exit pair doors; fire-rated single doors; and high-security doors
• For a bit of fun reading around the topic of the value of multipoint locks with some seriously good pointers on security and safety from our codes expert, Lori Greene, see Specifying Zombie-Resistant Door Openings

Cylindrical locks, sometimes called bored locks, are commercial grade locks with widespread use in retail, commercial office space, multi-family properties and even classroom doors. ND Series locks are capable of supporting HSLR anti-ligature trim and may be found in behavioral health facilities as well.

• Cylindrical locks utilize a single latchbolt and are simpler and less invasive to the door than mortise because the latchbolt locking mechanism is contained in the portion installed through the cross-bore
• Schlage offers commercial cylindrical hardware as grade 2 medium-duty and grade 1 high- to extra heavy-duty
• Cylindrical locks are durable, easy and very quick to install and are generally offered with a wide range of key cylinder options
• Levers usually require separate internal springs housed in a spring cage or the chassis to lift and keep levers horizontal making the rose larger than mortise – typically around 3.5 inches in diameter; knob designs do not require this extra spring force and these roses usually have a diameter around 2.5 inches
• Because they operate with a single spring loaded latchbolt, they cannot offer the level of security of a mortise lock however, higher-security can still be achieved using Grade 1 cylindrical locks with upgraded or high-security cylinders and Vandlgard (clutching) locked lever interaction
• The key cylinder of a these locks is in the lever (key-in-lever or KIL) or knob (key-in-knob or KIK) which requires the use of a tailpiece projecting from the back of the cylinder in order to interact with the lock mechanism
• For more information to help you choose the right cylindrical lock, read Understanding BHMA Grading and Testing
• The article, Door Hardware 101: A Basic Jargon Primer, provides more depth on these and many other lock devices and door hardware products
• You may also find this article helpful: Back-2-Basics: Lock Functions

The most common type of deadbolt lock is an independent auxilliary lock added to a door usually above a tubular or cylindrical lock as an added security measure in residential dwellings where allowed by code. However, they can take on other forms or be part of a lock structure. What defines them is that they have a bolt which requires a deliberate action to extend and retract. They are not spring loaded and so cannot self-lock.

• Deadbolt locks, also known as deadlocks are perhaps the simplest form of auxiliary locking available. They are commonly used in residential exterior door applications but have limited use in other areas where additional security is desired and allowed by code (places of detention, night locking, etc.) or where simple locking with occupancy indication is desired (restrooms or dressing rooms with push/pull hardware)
• Double cylinder deadbolts have more restrictions on their use as a matter of life safety
• Within the Schlage portfolio of mechanical locks deadbolts come in the form of simple single or double cylinder grade 1 and grade 2 deadbolts, large- and small-case grade 1 mortise deadbolts, and locks with deadbolts as an added feature (mortise, multipoint locks, and interconnected locks)
• Features that make a simple, common deadbolt more secure are:
  • The thickness of the bolt and the addition of a hardened steel pin inside helping make it anti-saw
  •  The angle of the trim (spin) ring on the outside - steeper angles are harder to grasp and wrench
  • An interior security shield that helps prevent prying attacks
  •  A metal dustbox or metal strike frame reinforcer that anchors deep into the door frame to help prevent kick-in attacks
  • The levels of administrative and physical security the cylinder offers
• The Schlage B Series includes a B250 deadlatch, which is similar to a deadbolt in outward appearance but has a springloaded latchbolt rather than a deadbolt making it more akin to a cylindrical lock without levers
• The article, Door Hardware 101: A Basic Jargon Primer, provides more depth on these and many other lock devices and door hardware products
• For more information on what governs egress standards, read Decoded: Deadbolts in a Means of Egress  

Tubular locks have a center spindle assembly that extends through the center of the lock body and latch, allowing for retraction of the latch when the lever (or knob) is rotated. While these type of locks are very common on interior doors and in residential applications, they are considered the least secure lock type.

• Tubular are commonly grade 2 or grade 3 as commercial locks
• They are light- to medium-duty and generally offered in limited functions like single cylinder keyed entrance or storeroom and basic, non-keyed (passage, privacy, and dummy) functions
• In the Schlage commercial lock portfolio, tubular locks are most commonly used in multi-family applications, however, the LT Series matches L Series mortise sectional design making it a good alternative to lower security commercial spaces like conference rooms; there is also a hospital latch tubular offering called the HL/PL Series
• The article, Door Hardware 101: A Basic Jargon Primer, provides more depth on these and many other lock devices and door hardware products   

Interconnected locks combine a tubular lock with a deadbolt into one device. Typically used for residential front door applications, an interconnect lock provides the added security of a deadbolt while enabling single motion egress for safety.

• Common applications include dwelling and sleeping unit entry doors like multi-family, military housing, and small hotel/motel guest entrances
• Interconnected locks meet Life and Safety code requirements for single motion egress by enabling simultaneous retraction of two or more bolts
• See What are mechanical deadbolt locks? and What are tubular locks? above for information on the lock components
• The key cylinder of an interconnect lock could be either in the deadbolt or it could be double locking with a cylinder in both deadbolt and lever
• The article, Door Hardware 101: A Basic Jargon Primer, provides more depth on these and many other lock devices and door hardware products
• For more information on what governs single motion egress requirements, read Decoded: Single Operation Egress

The locking and unlocking operation of a mechanical lock can only be activated manually whereas these operations in an electrified lock may be manual (turning a lever, thumbturn or key) and/or via the application or removal of electricity.

• Electrified locks enable fail safe/fail secure operation created when power is applied or removed
• Electrified locks can be integrated with electronic access control as well as fire alarm systems
• Door prep for mechanical locks is much simpler and lower cost since there is no need for electrical wiring or a power source
• Mechanical locks are generally offered in more functions and may have some options to add monitoring while electrified lock functions will be limited but likely will have more monitoring options
• Depending on the manufacturer, electrified and mechanical locks may be offered within the same product lines such as the Schlage L Series mortise , L Series electrified mortise and related multipoint locks or the ND Series cylindrical and ND Series electrified cylindrical locks allowing them to be visually identical on the door so that both solutions can operate within a building's single aesthetic
• For more Q and A on electrified locks go Electrified Locks 101

The locking and unlocking operation of a mechanical lock can only be activated manually whereas these operations in an electronic lock may be manual such as through the use of a key (generally used only as a backup operation in case of a rare power loss) or, more likely, they are initiated through the use of a code on a keypad, a locking/unlocking internal electronic button, or the presentation of a credential to a reader component.

• Electronic locks can be integrated with electronic access control as well as fire alarm systems
• Electronic locks, as part of an integrated system can offer centralized lockdown capability, monitoring of who used an entry and when, the convenience of no-tour credential assignment and privilege revocation, as well as credential options that can be used for vending and other applications
• Battery operated electronic locks can enjoy the same or similar level of door prep as a mechanical lock
• Mechanical locks are generally offered in more functions while electronic locks will likely come with monitoring features standard to the lock
• Depending on the manufacturer, electronic and mechanical locks may be offered within the same product lines such as the Schlage L Series mortise mechanical and electronic locks, or the ND Series cylindrical mechanical and electronic locks allowing them to operate within a building's single aesthetic with modest visual differences due to the presence of a credential reader on the electronic locks
• For more Q and A on electrified locks go Electronic Locks 101

Mechanical locks are commonly offered in the most diverse forms (types of locks), aesthetic choices (levers, roses, escutcheons or alternative trims), optional features (occupancy indication, monitoring, etc.), and functions.

They also offer these features:

• Mechanical locks are highly durable and reliable, particularly commercial grade 1 locks which are made to endure many years in challenging environments and abusive conditions with minimal maintenance
• Mechanical locks are likely to carry a longer warranty
• They can be installed, managed and serviced by locksmiths or onsite maintenance personnel without electrical training
• Schlage grade 1 mortise and cylindrical mechanical locks feature trim options to make them suitable for specific functions within the health care industry such as ligature-resistant and push/pull trims
• Mechanical locks are generally lower cost than electrified or electronic versions
• Historic buildings may more readily be upgraded with mechanical locks that fit existing hole patterns on the door as compared to electrified or electronic solutions
• Entries with mechanical locks can convert to an electronic solution without modification to the door by adding wiring for an electric strike or magnetic lock to the door frame and a reader on the wall (note that the use of magnetic locks may be limited by some states; any type of conversion of this kind must follow local codes)
• Some grade 2 mechanical locks are made to be visually identical to their grade 1 cousins and can be used on interior doors and lower traffic areas as a cost saving measure (example Grade 1 ND and Grade 2 ALX Series)

• By nature, mechanical locks require manual operation to lock and unlock or even to manage the lever and open the door may present a challenge to some who are disabled
• All keyed locks require the issuance and tracking of the keys to ensure the security integrity of the room or sometimes the entire building
• Keys can be lost or stolen forcing a rekeying which, depending on scale, can get expensive
• Mechanical key use cannot be tracked by who is entering the door or when which is one reason electronic solutions can be so valuable
• For more information on ADA requirements read the iDigHardware Accessibility article for additional information or assistance
  

In order to interpret the code requirements for a particular jurisdiction, it’s crucial to know which codes have been adopted. Most states adopt a model building code, with or without state-specific modifications. This information can often be located by doing an online search – for example, Massachusetts State Building Code or New York City Fire Code. The Authority Having Jurisdiction (AHJ) has the final say at the local level, but here are some of the common codes that govern mechanical locks:

• NFPA 101 - Life Safety Code
• IBC - International Building Code
• IFC - International Fire Code
• Click here to find the Allegion Code Expert (ACE) in your state
• For the 101 on codes take the 52-minute Crash Course in Codes
• For more information on code adoption related to mechanical locks, please visit iDigHardware.com or download the Allegion Codes Reference Guide

• Grading is defined under ANSI/BHMA testing with each lock type having a specific standard: Mortise - A156.13; Deadbolts - A156.36; Tubular - A156.2; etc. which are periodically updated and will often be listed with the date in this manner: ANSI/BHMA A156.36-2020, Grade 1
• Other certifications or requirements defined by local codes based on the lock type desired
• UL Listings: These include UL10C standard for positive pressure fire tests of door assemblies (in Canada this is CAN/ULC-S104) and UL 437 which is specific to high-security key cylinders
• Windstorm: ICC-500 for tornado shelters and Florida Building Commission for hurricane protections
• Government requirements: Buy American Act (BAA) and/or TAA listed
• Click here to find the Allegion Code Expert (ACE) in your state
• For more information on building code adoption related to mechanical locks, please visit iDigHardware.com
• Most information regarding grading, certifications and listing can be found on individual product pages, here are compendium resources of Allegion Windstorm and BAA/TAA qualified products

Features and options will vary greatly by type of lock and model. Mortise, because of the size and configurability of the chassis, will tend to offer more options. But here are a few things to look for:

• Cast spindles with multiple points of lever connection: these will tend to provide the highest degree of stability over time in terms of minimizing droop or wobble on the lever
• Field configurable handing: eliminates the need to know the door handing in advance and makes repurposing of the lock easier
• Fire-rating: this may come standard or as an option but a 3-hour UL 10C listed latch ensures the lock can remain secured in the event of a fire
• The availability of a wide range of key system options
• Depending on your application, functions that enable single motion egress from a locked state may be required by code - for more information about code adoption visit iDigHardware.com

You can contact Allegion Customer Service (Sales Support) or Technical Support (Product Support) by phone or by email.

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• For Customer Service PRESS 1 then select Mechanical Locks & Keying Systems PRESS 1
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To contact by email:

• For Sales Support (Customer Service for all Product Categories and Regions): support@allegion.com
• For Technical Product Support: mechanical_locks_techprodsupport@allegion.com

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