Mortice Locks & Mortise Locks

In the UK this type of lock is commonly known as the Mortice Lock, over the other side of the pond it the USA it is better known as a Mortise Lock but both are pronounced exactly the same and are the same design of lock.

The Mortice lock sits inside the door in what is known as a pocket. A lock smith or joiner will create a pocket for the mortice lock to be positioned in the door. This typically requires a good level of skill and accuracy commonly using a mortice jig to cut the mortice lock pocket into the door.

Mortice Locks and Mortise locks were the most common type of lock to be used on both front and back doors before the cylinder lock was mass produced.  Mortice locks are commonly found on older buildings and houses today.

Parts used to construct a mortice lock are as follows.

Lock Body
This is the main unit and housing of the locks that sits into the door in a pocket.

Key Cylinder
Used to operate the mortice locks open and closed functions.

Lock Trim
The lock trim is the decorative piece of metal that sits around the lock body on the the doors mortice lock over the pocket. These are available from various styles and colours.

Strike Plate or Keep Box
The strike plate or keep box is situated onthe the door frame. Another small pocket is made on the door frame pricisley opposite where the mortice lock sits when the door is closed. The lock sits into stike plate when the door is shut and the mortice or mortise lock is in the locked position. A strike plate offer additional strength to the door frame as well as a more quality finish to the installation.

A good advantage about using a mortice or mortice lock in this day in age is that it cannot be bumped. Lock bumping is a rapidly increasing crime that allows criminals to open cylinder locks with great ease. For more information on lock bumping and solutions you should see the link below.

Lock bumping – Pickbuster.co.uk
Because of the mortice locks design and build it does not work in the same way as a cylinder lock and does not having moving pins attached to springs that allow a criminal to bump the lock.
The Mortice and mortise locks require additional lock parts to be installed for proper usage.