Residential & Commercial Security - Locks, Keys & Dead Bolts - Lori Deadbolt ....mis-aligned set up?

I have a Lori self locking dead bolt on the front door that locks itself when you close the door.....at least it did until I had it removed and the brass polished! The guy must have put it back together wrong because now the tongue/trigger sometimes sticks and won't release and self lock unless I wiggle to adjust the placement of the inside plate portion....which works for a while until the door closing moves it out of allignment again!
Is this something I could take apart myself with a proper diagram or advise? I have called several locksmiths and they don't seem familiar with the Lori lock and can't promise to be able to fit it.
If anyone can help it would be greatly appreciated, thanks.

Hi Eister;
You might have me stumped..
I can't say that I've ever seen a self locking Lori deadbolt.
I'm wondering if perhaps a Lori cylinder was used in another manufacturers lock body..??
Does your lock actually throw a bolt into the frame, or would it be better described as two knuckles that align when the door is closed and a trigger throws a pin to lock them together when the door is closed?
"Ideal" once made such a lock as I describe, it had a square escutcheon plate and lever handle on the inside to open the door.
Weiser also tried a self locking deadbolt a few years ago, but it did'nt do well in the Canadian market and I beleive it was discontinued in Canada.

Perhaps someone else knows of what you ask, and will offer input as well.

Regards

I have a Lori self locking dead bolt on the front door that locks itself when you close the door.....at least it did until I had it removed and the brass polished! The guy must have put it back together wrong because now the tongue/trigger sometimes sticks and won't release and self lock unless I wiggle to adjust the placement of the inside plate portion....which works for a while until the door closing moves it out of allignment again!
Is this something I could take apart myself with a proper diagram or advise? I have called several locksmiths and they don't seem familiar with the Lori lock and can't promise to be able to fit it.
If anyone can help it would be greatly appreciated, thanks.

Hi Eister,

I can't say I've ever heard of this either. What I have seen is made by Schlage. I know them as spring bolts. They look like a regular latch, not a deadbolt, but the lock is a deadbolt type lock. This is what you may have.

One thing I noticed in your post is discussing how you have to wiggle it to get it to work. I read this as the lock is loose. If so, this is compounding the problem.

Try this. Take the 2 screws out from the inside of the door, and take the lock out of the door. The tail piece, (The part sticking out of the back of the lock), may be turned the wrong direction. With the lock out, but positioned as if it was in the door, turn the tailpiece all the way in the direction of the hinges. Next turn it back to verticle, and install it back into the door. Make sure the screws are snugged up, and the lock won't move when you try to move it. Now try it with the thumb turn/lever. It should retract the latch. If it does, next, try your key, by turning in the opposite direction, or towards the nearest edge of the door. That should also retract the bolt.

I hope this didn't confuse you. It's a bit difficult to describe.

Let us know if it worked.

cuedude

Hi and thanks for trying to tackle my problem.
I will try to describe things better and in the correct terms!

The door lock set is brass with an outside door handle and an inside door knob. Above that is a separate deadbolt with a turn lever on a square plate inside to manually open the door and a key hole plate outside.
The deadbolt is a silver colour with the name Lori on it and at the tip is a small 1/4" spring loaded protruding piece that I believe runs inside the length of the deadbolt and triggers the self closing action when it hits the plate on the door frame.
Both the plate on the door and door frame are normal looking and rectangular in shape.

My problem is with that little trigger now being affected by my tightening the screws that hold the corresponding back/inside square plate on to the door. It has to have a tightness that is not too tight or the deadbolt won't move. But when I do get it set correctly it is not tight enough to stop the plate from moving, which eventually sets it out of allignment again....none of this used to happen before it was taken apart.
I think he may have put something back incorrectly but hesitate to take it off as I really don't know what to look for.

Thanks again for any suggestions.

Hi and thanks for trying to tackle my problem.
I will try to describe things better and in the correct terms!

The door lock set is brass with an outside door handle and an inside door knob. Above that is a separate deadbolt with a turn lever on a square plate inside to manually open the door and a key hole plate outside.
The deadbolt is a silver colour with the name Lori on it and at the tip is a small 1/4" spring loaded protruding piece that I believe runs inside the length of the deadbolt and triggers the self closing action when it hits the plate on the door frame.
Both the plate on the door and door frame are normal looking and rectangular in shape.

My problem is with that little trigger now being affected by my tightening the screws that hold the corresponding back/inside square plate on to the door. It has to have a tightness that is not too tight or the deadbolt won't move. But when I do get it set correctly it is not tight enough to stop the plate from moving, which eventually sets it out of allignment again....none of this used to happen before it was taken apart.
I think he may have put something back incorrectly but hesitate to take it off as I really don't know what to look for.

Thanks again for any suggestions.

Hi eister,

I can tell by your description, I am way off base with this one. Sorry that I can't help with this. I'd really like to see something like this. Maybe one of the others can help.

cuedude

By your description, it sounds like a problem with binding on the bolt.
Could there have been a spacer ring or plate on the lock body that's been overlooked on the reinstallation, or put on the wrong side?
Did the same person who removed it reinstall it? If so, then I'd be asking him to make it right, or absorb the cost of having a Locksmith come out and fix it for you.
A reputable Locksmith would be able to come up with a remedy one way or the other.

Regards

Yes the same person that took it apart, put it back together. But it was over a year ago and he is no longer around.

I bet you are right about a spacer ring or something else put back wrong because he did pick up all the pieces that were here and put them all back....just not quite right I suspect.

The lock was purchased in Vancouver B.C. when we built our house 13 years ago... and they too are no longer in business!

Thanks for trying to help, unfortunately it sounds like we have a rather unique lock. None of the locksmiths I called had any experience with this Lori lock either and said they couldn't guarantee being able to fix it even if I had a service call.

Two suggestions here.

1. Where the front flange of the bolt mechanism sits in the wood of the edge of the door, It might be appropriate to pack out (shim) the flange. Sounds like there is a binding problem with the fitting. So packing out the lock flange may help to straighten the fitting and then the binding may improve.

2. Loosen the screws (on the bolt/latch) 1/4 turn until the spring latch moves freely.

3. Call a carpenter/handyman if you dont want to pay a locksmith

Two suggestions here.

1. Where the front flange of the bolt mechanism sits in the wood of the edge of the door, It might be appropriate to pack out (shim) the flange. Sounds like there is a binding problem with the fitting. So packing out the lock flange may help to straighten the fitting and then the binding may improve.

2. Loosen the screws (on the bolt/latch) 1/4 turn until the spring latch moves freely.

3. Call a carpenter/handyman if you dont want to pay a locksmith



Sorry to beat this to death, I do appreciate the feedback!!

But the lock worked perfectly before the fellow put it back so I keep thinking it is the assembly.
Something in backwards or if there is a part that should have been put on the other side of the trigger mechanism so as not to be affected by my tightening the screws holding the latch plate in place.

Suggestion #2 works... but the problem is the function of these screws holding the inside plate onto the door panel never used to affect the balance of tightness making the lock function.
When I get the tension right, it is so loose that it allows the plate to eventually move out of alignment and then the trigger binds up again!
Before it was taken apart these screws did nothing other than hold the plate on, so that's why I am thinking something is now up against the inside of this plate that shouldn't be.

I was hoping someone else may have this exact Lori Lock, but I guess the self locking type is not very popular......yes I have locked myself out.... twice!!
Thanks again.

Could you pack out the inside screws (under the furniture)?

this might allow you to have a tighter fit without the binding

Huge thanks.....you are brilliant!!

As you suggested I shimmed the inside latch plate so it is good and tight. This allowed me to adjust the set up without the door slamming causing it to forever slip out of alignment.

This thing has driven me nuts for years....many thanks again to everyone for all the suggestions.

Glad to have been of assistance....and thanks for the feedback and update