A Brief History of the Mortice Lock
What is a Mortice Lock? Let’s start by taking a look into the heritage of the Mortice Lock. A Mortice lock is a lock that requires a pocket (this is actually called the Mortice) to be cut into the door in which the lock is to be fitted. Their popularity has waned nowadays due to the versatility of the Euro Cylinder and Yale Locks. This is because they were traditionally used in older properties that were built before the advent of Euro Cylinder and Yale Locks.
Mortice Locks have enjoyed a bit of renaissance period recently due to the demand in their use in upmarket residential construction. They are now seen as a bit of a style statement for properties wanting something a bit more historic and quirky.
Mortice locks have been used as part of the doors hardware system since the 18th century. But the Mortice Lock was only ever used in the most expensive houses. This changed somewhat, in the mid 19th century, where Mortice locks usage was more widespread in more modest housing.
How do they work?
The working parts that make up the Mortice Lock are the lock body, strike plate, the lock trim and the keyed cylinder. This cylinder operates the locking and unlocking function of the lock body. European Mortice Locks use lever mechanisms instead of cylinders.
Historically, the mechanism of a Mortice Lock uses lever locks. The older Mortice Locks did use warded lock mechanisms. The installation of a Mortice Lock is best left to a specialist Locksmith. This is due to the precision cutting of the pocket and the tricky installation of the external trim. Locksmiths generally use a morticising jig for this procedure.