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sales@NicheLocks.com
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Manufacturer and Supplier of Cabinet Locks
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Lock Terminology
A-B-C-D-E-F-G-H-I-J-K-L-M-N-O-P-Q-R-S-T-U-V-W-X-Y-Z
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2 Way Keyhole |
There are two keyholes cut in the lock allowing the lock to be fitted in more than one direction. For example this may allow a cupboard lock to be used as a drawer lock. |
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Angle Striker |
A striker that has a right angle so it can wrap around an edge or protrude to receive the bolt. |
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Back Shoot |
A special kind of sliding door lock that has the bolt shooting out the back of the lock and locks 2 sliding and overlapping doors together. |
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BJ |
Short for Black Japanned. This is a black powder coated finish that can be applied to our steel locks and gives them a semi-gloss black look. |
| BJ/EB | Black Japanned lock body with an Electro Brass Plated Bolt. |
| BJ/SC | Black Japanned lock body with a Self Colour Bolt. |
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Black Japanned |
This is a black powder coated finish that can be applied to our steel locks and gives them a semi-gloss black look. |
| Body | This is where the main lock mechanism is contained within a plate and a cup or cap. |
| Bolt | The bolt is the component that actually does the locking. When the key is turned the bolt shoots out of the lock and secures the door to the frame. In box and chest locks the bolt is hidden and prevents the link from coming out of the lock when locked. |
| Bow | The top of the key where fingers grip the key to turn it. |
| Box Lock | A type of lock that is for use on boxes!!! It can also be used on chests / jewellery cases and anything that has a lid that closes down. A box lock always comes with a link that is fitted onto the box lid. |
| Brass | Most of our locks are made from this metal which is an alloy of copper and zinc. It gives a nice yellow colour and is the material that good quality cabinet's use for their fittings now and in the recent past. |
| Brass Plated | A process that places a thin layer of brass onto a different metal. |
| Bureau Lock | This lock is a customised cupboard lock. Instead of having a selvedge with a right angle it is increased to 105 degrees. This is especially useful for furniture that has doors or drawers with a sloping edge. |
| Cabinet | A cupboard with shelves or drawers for the safekeeping or display of objects. |
| Cabinet Lock | A lock suitable to be fitted to cabinets or anything similar. |
| Cap | Many of our locks have a cap that is fastened onto the plate. This creates the lock body, which contains the workings of the lock. |
| Chest Lock | This is a large version of a box lock that is suitable for use on large boxes or chests with heavy lids. |
| Clock Case | The body of a clock especially grandfather clocks and the like. |
| Countersunk | Most of our locks and accessories have countersunk fixing holes. This enables the fixing screws to be flush with the rest of the lock. |
| Cup | Our straight cupboard locks have a cup fastened onto the plate. This creates the lock body, which contains the workings of the lock. |
| Cupboard Lock | A lock suitable for cupboards. |
| Cut | A lock that is morticed into the back and edge of the wood. The back plate and selvedge are still visible but lie flush with the wood. Also called half mortice. |
| Cut Cupboard | A lock for cupboards that is cut into the wood from one side as opposed to a surface fixing straight cupboard lock or a full mortice lock. Sometimes called 'Half-Mortice'. |
| Desk | A piece of furniture normally having a flat or sloping top for writing and often has drawers. Some of our locks can be ordered with a sloping selvedge specifically for sloping desks. |
| Differs | When two locks differ it means the key from one lock will not open the other lock and vice versa. The more differs a lock can have, the more key combinations there are, so the more secure it is. The opposite of 'Keyed to Differ' is 'Keyed to Pass' or 'Keyed Alike'. |
| Distance to Pin | This is the distance from the 'pin/keyhole' to the 'selvedge/edge of the lock' where the bolt comes out. It is an important measurement when ordering replacement locks, as this distance will correspond with the keyhole in the door or drawer and the edge of the wood. In our drawer lock range we have a 'distance to pin lock' No.20DTP that has various large distance to pins. |
| Double Handed | A lock that can be used on both the right hand side and left hand side of a door. Our straight cupboard locks are double handed because the bolts shoot both to the left and right so they can lock a door in either direction. |
| Drawer | Drawer locks are similar to cut cupboard locks but have a bolt shooting up so that it locks the drawer at the top edge. |
| EB | Short for electro brass plating. A thin layer of brass is deposited onto the steel component giving a bright brass looking finish. |
| Escutcheon | An escutcheon is fixed to the front of the piece of furniture. It surrounds the keyhole and protects the wood from damage and gives a nice appearance. |
| Extruded | Some of our brass components are manufactured from extruded brass. Solid bars of brass are drawn through a die to give it a specific shape or profile. An extruded brass plate gives a nice 'sharp' 90-degree angle. |
| Face Fixing | Another term for a straight cupboard lock. These locks do not require any of the wood to be cut out apart from the keyhole. They are very east to fit. |
| Fancy Bow | A type of key that has a fancy design to the top or bow of the key as opposed to a plain design. |
| Finish | The final process of manufacturing that gives the lock its final look. Some finishes could be: sanded, self-colour, brass plated, black japanned. |
| Follower | The part of a wardrobe lock or spring latch that pulls the latch into the body of the lock allowing the door to open. There is a square hole in the follower to allow a spindle attached to a knob or handle to go in. When the knob is turned this turns the follower which opens the latch. |
| Fore-end | Another term for selvedge. This is the edge of the lock that houses the bolt or latch. |
| Hand | Some locks can only be used on the right hand side of a door and some only on the left hand side of a door. These locks require a hand to be stated when ordering (Left Hand or Right Hand). Straight cupboard locks are double handed so they can be used on either side of the door. |
| Iron | Most of our keys are made from malleable iron that is then given a nickel-plated finish. |
| Jewel Case | A small lock that is particularly suitable for jewellery cases as they are very small and narrow. |
| Key | The key is what unlocks the lock. It has 3 parts. The 'bow', where the fingers grip the key to turn it. The 'shank', that goes through the wood, longer shanks are needed for thick wood. And the 'bit', which goes into the lock to operate the levers and throw the bolt across. |
| Keyed | The number of keys per lock. For example: 1 keyed = 1 key per lock, 2 keyed = 2 keys per lock, and so on. |
| Keyed Alike | Also known as 'To Pass'. If you are ordering more than one lock you may have all the keys open all the locks. The opposite of keyed alike is 'To Differ'. |
| Keyed to Differ | When two locks differ it means the key from one lock will not open the other lock and vice versa. The more differs a lock can have, the more key combinations there are, so the more secure it is. The opposite of 'Keyed to Differ' is 'Keyed to Pass' or 'Keyed Alike'. |
| Keyhole | The hole in a lock or in cut in the wood to allow the key through. |
| Latch | A latch is spring loaded so that when it is opened it is automatically pushed back out ready to hold the door closed. It also has a bevel shape so that it can be slammed shut. A latch is normally opened with a knob or handle. |
| Left Hand | Some locks require a hand to be stated when ordering (Left Hand or Right Hand). Please be aware that different countries call left hand locks right hand and vice versa. Throughout our website we call a left hand lock one that fits to the left hand edge of the door (not the left hand door). All images on this site are of left hand locks where applicable. |
| Levers | The levers prevent the bolt sliding back and forward. They provide the security from being 'picked' and the more levers there are, the more complex the key is, and the more secure the lock is. |
| Link | Sometimes known as a 'mating receptacle'. The link comes with box and chest locks and is fitted to the lid. When the lid is closed the link enters the lock and when the key is turned it slides across and locks the link in place preventing the box or chest opening. |
| Lock | A device, usually operated by a key, for holding and securing a door or drawer or box shut. |
| Malleable Iron | Most of our keys are made from malleable iron that is then given a nickel-plated finish. |
| Mortice | A square hole cut into the wood, as in a mortice and tenon joint. Mortice locks fit into a mortice and so only the fore-end of the lock is visible. Often spelled mortise. |
| Mortise | Same as mortice, see above entry. |
| Nickel Plated | An electro plated finish applied to most of our keys to give a bright finish and help against corrosion. |
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Pass |
Also known as 'Keyed Alike'. If you are ordering more than one lock you may have all the keys open all the locks. The opposite of keyed alike is 'To Differ'. |
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Pin |
The metal cylinder in a lock, usually with a point on the end, which the key goes over and locates onto. The pin is located in the centre of the circular part of the lock keyhole. |
| Plate | The plate is a major component of the lock that creates the main body of the lock when fastened to a cap or cup. On straight cupboard locks it is flat but in all others it has a 90-degree angle. |
| Polished | When an item is polished it has a very bright finish and is reflective. |
| Powder Coated | Our black japanned steel locks have a powder coated finish and gives them a semi-gloss black look. Powder coating is a method of applying a decorative and protective finish. |
| Reversed | Our spring latch is available with a reversed latch for face fixing. |
| Right Hand | Some locks require a hand to be stated when ordering (Left Hand or Right Hand). Please be aware that different countries call left hand locks right hand and vice versa. Throughout our website we call a right hand lock one that fits to the right hand edge of the door (not the right hand door). All images on this site are of left hand locks where applicable. |
| Riveted | A method of fixing components together. A part of one component is inserted into a hole in the other and the excess metal is spread out and flattened to fix them together firmly. |
| Roll Top Desk | A piece of furniture that has a roller type cover to instead of a door or flap. Our Roll Top Desk lock is designed especially for this type of furniture. |
| Sanded | A lot of our locks have a decorative sanded finish. As well as being attractive, sanding or linishing removes any excess metal from rivets, and leaves the metal flat and even. |
| SC | Short for Self-Colour. When a lock or component is self-colour it has not been coated or plated or had any extra finishing done. It will have the appearance of the bare metal. |
| Screwed | Many of our locks have screws to fix the components together. |
| Self-Colour | When a lock or component is self-colour it has not been coated or plated or had any extra finishing done. It will have the appearance of the bare metal. |
| Selvedge | Another term for fore-end. This is the edge of the lock that houses the bolt or latch. |
| Showcase | Showcase cabinets normally have glass-fronted doors with thin wooden edges. This means there is little wood to house a lock and therefore we have a special range of showcase locks that are very slim and narrow. |
| Sliding Door | Sliding doors usually require a special type of lock. Our sliding door locks have a hooked bolt to 'grab' the door shut. |
| Slotted | Strikers, or striking plates, come either slotted to allow the bolt through, or plain un-slotted. |
| Spring Till / Drawer | Our Spring Till lock has a sprung and bevelled bolt to allow the drawer to be 'slammed' shut and automatically lock. Often used in cash till drawers. |
| Standard Differs | When locks are ordered 'to differ' they will be made with standard differs. The number of standard differs varies between locks and states how often a differ or combination is repeated. For example, if the standard differs of a lock is 12 differs then each of the first twelve locks shall operate under a different key but the 13th lock onwards will start to repeat the same 12 differs. |
| Steel | We have a comprehensive range of locks manufactured from steel, as this was the material most cabinet locks were made of before brass became more common. Many people 'antique' their steel locks so that they are aged and rusted when fitted to the furniture. |
| Straight Cupboard | Straight cupboard locks fix directly to the surface of the wood (face fixing) and are the easiest locks to fit. The only wood that needs to be cut away is a keyhole. |
| Striker | Or Striking Plate. These help protect the edge of wood where the bolt locks into. Either a slotted striker, which allows the bolt through, or a plain un-slotted striker would be required depending upon the location of the lock. |
| Thread Escutcheon | A thread escutcheon is the shape of a keyhole and is hammered or driven into the keyhole in the wood to help protect the wood. |
| Till | Similar to a drawer, especially when money is kept inside, as in cash tills. |
| To Pass | Also known as 'Keyed Alike'. If you are ordering more than one lock you may have all the keys open all the locks. The opposite of 'To Pass' is 'To Differ'. |
| Trap Door Striker | A special sort of striking plate that comes as standard with a Roll Top Desk Lock. When the roll top is unlocked and opened, the striker has a flap on a sprung hinge that closes so that there is no hole to be seen in the striker. |
| Tumbler | Similar to a lever but with a simple mechanism. Basically it holds the bolt in the locked or unlocked positions. |
| Wardrobe | Our wardrobe locks have both a locking bolt and a sprung latch so that a knob or handle is always used to open the door, but when security is required the key can be turned to lock the door shut. |
Contact Us
A & E Squire Ltd
61 Coltham Road
Willenhall
West Midlands
WV12 5QF
United Kingdom
Phone 01922 473199
Contact Us On WhatsApp
sales@NicheLocks.com