Night Latch or Rim Lock: Which to Order for Each Door
Order a rim night latch when a door only needs to latch itself shut and open by key from outside. Order a rim lock with a deadbolt when the door needs a key-thrown bolt. Order a mortise lock only when the door edge is thick enough to take a pocket.
The set to order
| Part | What to check | Models |
|---|---|---|
| Night latch | Latches itself when the door closes. Key outside, pull knob and deadlocking snib inside. | 564, 564 MB |
| Rim lock with deadbolt | 13mm latch and a 25mm deadbolt throw on rim deadbolt versions. Backset 60mm. | 556, 558 |
| Rim lock for metal doors | Steel case fixed by screws or welding. Backset 50mm. Suitable for wooden or metal doors. | 5835, 5836 |
| Double cylinder rim lock | Key on both sides. Check the exit rule for your project first. | 5689, 5688 |
| Rim lock with chain | Chain fitted at the keeper, as photographed. | G559, 5681 |
| Vertical bolt rim deadlock | Twin vertical bolts into a two-loop angle keeper. H101 has an inside thumbturn. F102 is double cylinder. | H101, F102 |
| Electric rim lock | Electric and manual operation for intercom and access systems. Voltage confirmed against your drawing. | 1073S, 1073D |
| Lever rim lock | Lever operated box lock. 023 ET is keyed outside. 023 PS is passage. | 023 ET, 023 PS |
| Mortise set | Lever plates, mortise lock body, euro cylinder with keys, spindle and strike plate. Backset 45mm. | 9088 SS |
| Rim cylinder | Brass, flat tailpiece, 3 brass keys. Have the tailpiece confirmed against the lock you are ordering. | X2 |
The three locks in one table
All three secure a door, but they fix to it differently and they lock differently. The first question on the order is what the door can take. The second is whether a spring latch is enough or the door needs a bolt thrown by a key.
| Night latch | Rim lock with deadbolt | Mortise (mortice) lock | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Where it sits | On the inside face of the door | On the inside face of the door | In a pocket cut into the door edge |
| What passes through the door | The cylinder and its tail bar | The cylinder and its tail bar | The spindle and the cylinder |
| How it locks | Spring latch locks when the door closes | Latch, plus a bolt thrown by the key | Latch and bolt in one case |
| Door preparation | Screw holes and one cylinder hole | Screw holes and one cylinder hole | Pocket, spindle hole and cylinder hole |
| Stahlock models | 564, 564 MB | 556, 558, 5836, 5689 | 9088 SS, LC5845 |
Which door gets which lock
- Timber door that should lock whenever it closes: night latch 564 or 564 MB.
- Exterior door that needs a bolt as well as a latch: 556 or 558.
- Metal door or gate: 5835 or 5836, which fix by screws or by welding.
- Door beside glass, where a hand could reach the inside knob: a double cylinder such as 5689 or 5688.
- Door that should open only part way until the caller is identified: G559 or 5681, photographed with a chain at the keeper.
- Door where prying the frame away is the concern: H101 or F102, whose twin vertical bolts drop into a two-loop angle keeper.
- Door released by an intercom or access system: 1073S or 1073D, which work electrically and by hand.
- Door used with a lever rather than a knob: 023 ET, a rim box lock with its own latch bolt and box strike.
- Door with a stile deep enough for a pocket: mortise set 9088 SS, which has a 45mm backset.
Before you choose a double cylinder
A double cylinder needs a key on both sides. If the key is not at hand, nobody can open that door from the inside. Building and fire codes in many countries, including the International Building Code and NFPA 101, restrict key-only operation on the inside of an exit door. Check the rule for your project before you order 5689, 5688 or F102 for a door on an escape route. If the door is an exit, order a single cylinder with an inside knob, such as 556 or H101.
What to state on the order
- Door thickness: 35mm to 55mm is standard on these rim locks.
- Thinner or thicker doors: 30mm to 60mm is available on request.
- Backset: most models list 60mm (2-3/8 in).
- 5833, 5835 and 5836 list a 50mm backset.
- Opening direction: an angle strike is standard for inward-opening doors.
- Outward-opening doors: a flat strike is available, and we do not recommend it.
- Handing: most rim models are reversible, so one lock serves left and right hand doors.
- Cylinder: state single or double, because the choice changes how the inside is operated.
- Finish: state the color, because cases are painted or plated by model.
- Electric models: voltage and fail mode are not listed, so have them confirmed against your drawing.
The numbers that separate the models
| Model | Type | Case or size | Bolt or latch |
|---|---|---|---|
| 564 | Night latch, zinc alloy | 90 x 58mm case | 10mm latch, inside deadlocking snib |
| 564 MB | Night latch, matt black | 89 x 58 x 25mm case | Zinc alloy latch bolt, brass thumbturn button |
| 5689 | Double cylinder, double throw | 100 x 100mm case | Round twin bolts in the photographs |
| 5681 | Rim lock with chain | 120 x 97 x 30mm case | Bolts project 17.5mm and 33mm |
| 5835 | Rim lock for wood or metal doors | 100 x 85 x 25mm, 1.2mm steel sheet | Zinc-plated iron two/three-throw deadbolt |
| 5836 | Rim lock for wood or metal doors | 100 x 85 x 25mm, 1.5mm steel sheet | Brass two/three-throw deadbolt |
| F102 | Vertical bolt, double cylinder | 116 x 79mm case, 36 x 80mm keeper | Twin vertical bolts |
Questions buyers ask
Is a night latch the same as a rim lock?
A night latch is one kind of rim lock. Both mount on the inside face of the door. A night latch has a spring latch only, while a rim deadlock adds a bolt thrown by the key.
Mortise or rim lock for an old timber door?
Choose a rim lock when the door is thin, has a glazed stile, or you do not want to cut it. It needs screw holes and one cylinder hole. A mortise case needs a pocket in the door edge, so measure the edge against the case first.
Can one rim lock serve left and right hand doors?
Most models in this family are listed as fully reversible, left or right hand. Check the listing of the model you order, and state the handing on the purchase order so the strike arrives correct.
What does the inside deadlocking button do?
On models such as G559 it stops the outside key from working and protects the latch against picking. Use it when the room is occupied and nobody should enter from outside.
What voltage do the electric rim locks use?
Voltage is not listed for 1073S or 1073D. Send your intercom or access system details and have it confirmed against your drawing before you order.
Sources
Codes change and vary by place. Confirm with the authority for your project.