[Mort Guffman]

I was at a friend's house yesterday and saw this happen.

She went into the garagefrom the house and the door closed behind her.
She couldn't get back in. The lock was unlocked but it broke. Turning
the knob wouldn't retract the bolt.

I took off the doorknobs to look but that really didn't help.

Does anyone know a way to solve this problem?

I didn't think to try prying the bolt back with a screwdriver or
credit card shaped tool at the time but it might work.

The lockset looks to be a flimsy cheapo bedroom unit. It has the
little button in the knob you turn to set the lock.

Any comments are appreciated. I do have a chainsaw by the way.

mort

[BobK207]

Mort Guffman wrote:
I was at a friend's house yesterday and saw this happen.

She went into the garagefrom the house and the door closed behind her.
She couldn't get back in. The lock was unlocked but it broke. Turning
the knob wouldn't retract the bolt.

I took off the doorknobs to look but that really didn't help.

Does anyone know a way to solve this problem?

I didn't think to try prying the bolt back with a screwdriver or
credit card shaped tool at the time but it might work.

The lockset looks to be a flimsy cheapo bedroom unit. It has the
little button in the knob you turn to set the lock.

Any comments are appreciated. I do have a chainsaw by the way.

mort


Mort-

You said.....

"I took off the doorknobs to look but that really didn't help"

Did you just remove the knobs or the sharfts that the knobs fit on as
well?

Wth the door knobs removed & the trims rings as well

you should be able to see the screws (heads should be on the house
side" that hold the knob shaft assembly in the door. Remove the
screws & you'll be able to slid the shaft assembly out of the door

The only thing left now should be the bolt inb the edge of the door &
the sheet metal part that interfaces with the shaft assembly.

Stick a screwdriver into the sheet metal part attached to the bolt &
should be able to retract the bolt & open the door

Save the chainsaw for another day.

cheers
Bob

[[email protected]]

On Tue, 14 Nov 2006 01:22:33 GMT, Mort Guffman
wrote:

I was at a friend's house yesterday and saw this happen.

She went into the garagefrom the house and the door closed behind
her.
She couldn't get back in. The lock was unlocked but it broke. Turning
the knob wouldn't retract the bolt.

I took off the doorknobs to look but that really didn't help.


You had the right idea. Once you have the door knob off, completely
removed so that you can see through the hole. You should be able to
see either a 1/2 round / moon shaped object that you can rotate with a
screwdriver or a "T shape object that you can pull away from the jamb
side of the door towards the hinge. That should open the door.

-Lee



Does anyone know a way to solve this problem?

I didn't think to try prying the bolt back with a screwdriver or
credit card shaped tool at the time but it might work.

The lockset looks to be a flimsy cheapo bedroom unit. It has the
little button in the knob you turn to set the lock.

Any comments are appreciated. I do have a chainsaw by the way.

mort

[Stormin Mormon]

I've seen at least a few cases with Kwikset. Kitchen door to the
garage. Hinges spring loaded (fire codes). AFter awhile, the latch
breaks. The only solution is to take the knobs off, and destroy the
latch from the door knob hole.

--

Christopher A. Young
You can't shout down a troll.
You have to starve them.
..

"Mort Guffman" wrote in message
...
I was at a friend's house yesterday and saw this happen.

She went into the garagefrom the house and the door closed behind her.
She couldn't get back in. The lock was unlocked but it broke. Turning
the knob wouldn't retract the bolt.

I took off the doorknobs to look but that really didn't help.

Does anyone know a way to solve this problem?

I didn't think to try prying the bolt back with a screwdriver or
credit card shaped tool at the time but it might work.

The lockset looks to be a flimsy cheapo bedroom unit. It has the
little button in the knob you turn to set the lock.

Any comments are appreciated. I do have a chainsaw by the way.

mort

[Mort Guffman]

On Tue, 14 Nov 2006 01:54:57 GMT, "Stormin Mormon"
wrote:

I've seen at least a few cases with Kwikset. Kitchen door to the
garage. Hinges spring loaded (fire codes). AFter awhile, the latch
breaks. The only solution is to take the knobs off, and destroy the
latch from the door knob hole.

This was my take on it too, I think this is exactly what happened. I
got the knobs off both sides, exposing the inner assembly. It has a
square hole that the square shaft from the knobs turn. You can turn
the square hole, but the bolt unit does not retract from the door
jamb. However the other posters had some interesting ideas and I will
try the least destructive solutions first. Thanks very much for the
comments.

mort

[lee houston]

"Mort Guffman" wrote in message
...
I was at a friend's house yesterday and saw this happen.

She went into the garagefrom the house and the door closed behind her.
She couldn't get back in. The lock was unlocked but it broke. Turning
the knob wouldn't retract the bolt.


another quick option is to remove the pins from the door
hinges and open the door from the 'hinge side'. i.e, pulling
it offf the hinges and pulling the whole door away from
the latched side.

lee

[Stormin Mormon]

With a square hole, more likely Weiser. Same prescription. If you
can't pry the latch back with a screw driver, credit card, etc, then
you need to destroy the latch from inside the knob hole.

--

Christopher A. Young
You can't shout down a troll.
You have to starve them.
..

"Mort Guffman" wrote in message
...

This was my take on it too, I think this is exactly what happened. I
got the knobs off both sides, exposing the inner assembly. It has a
square hole that the square shaft from the knobs turn. You can turn
the square hole, but the bolt unit does not retract from the door
jamb. However the other posters had some interesting ideas and I will
try the least destructive solutions first. Thanks very much for the
comments.

mort

[Mort Guffman]

On Tue, 14 Nov 2006 03:20:39 GMT, "lee houston"
wrote:


"Mort Guffman" wrote in message
.. .
I was at a friend's house yesterday and saw this happen.

She went into the garagefrom the house and the door closed behind her.
She couldn't get back in. The lock was unlocked but it broke. Turning
the knob wouldn't retract the bolt.


another quick option is to remove the pins from the door
hinges and open the door from the 'hinge side'. i.e, pulling
it offf the hinges and pulling the whole door away from
the latched side.

lee

This is what I finally had to do (remove the pinsm pry the door open).
When I finally got it apart the bolt was jammed open. The locketset
brand was "Defiant".

Thanks to everyone who offered suggestions!

Mort