Oh dear. Must be electric latch retraction. 😀
Thank you to John Danes of Susquehanna Door Service for today’s Fixed-it Friday photo!
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FF: Bottom Latch
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Sometimes all you can do is shake your head and laugh!
Or cry!
Indeed.
Perhaps it’s a new way of providing electrified latch retraction
It’s the “new” industrial design series.
Things that make scratch your head and go… hmmm!
SMH!! I’m curious to see if it actually works!
Shocking. I am just guessing here, but I would bet that is a Sargent Surface Vert rod device and they lost the original latch cover. The elec box works to hold the linkage pin in and keeps the beast working. Concrete and rubber mat says entry door so not fire rated. Creative fix even if it is uuuugly
Maybe it’s a very long delay closing for that snail to get by?
Thats a new one!!! Wow! I agree with the previous comments. Gotta admit its quite innovative… if it works.
High marks for creativity, low for aesthetics….still hope he comes back when the correct parts arrive and the repairs are made properly.
Could be an attempt at a guard for the bottom latch?
yes of course its a guard as its a certified steel box guarding all levels of attack for all the galaxy forces.
Yes, it is ‘rough’ to be more polite than ugly but I have done repairs on the back loading door of some oil field supply warehouse and looks are not valued by that company on that door so it could be a permanent solution. We do not know. John probably does but he may not be speaking. (Hello John.)
On the bigger picture, exposed vertical rods are vulnerable to damage always. They give higher security IF they work properly and that assumes the door is working and not shifted with wear or damage. Many of the existing designs are not tolerant to dirt and snow build-up much less drunks kicking them. And do NOT get me started on hand trucks moving freight. We need a better system and I think we will see it. (Hint: My preference is three point locking which grabs the frame at knee, waist and eye level and all moving parts built into the door or better protected than we see with vertical rods.)
Martin, I used to make my living installing some very good European 3 and 5 (and 7!) point mortise locks that lock the door up like a vault. The catch with them is they are not UL approved, and need special equipment to install in wood doors. Metal doors need to be prepared for them at the factory and I am not sure if any North American door companies do this. Many also need special knowledge to operate, as in 3 full turns of the key or thumbpiece to lock/unlock, so they are very much a niche item.
I now work for a school district and we constantly have issues with vertical rods from vandalism and carelessness on the part of custodians and maintenance staff. It is common to have rods bent, or bottom latches ripped right off the door by ride-on floor cleaners or scissor lifts. We have a program to replace as many vertical rod devices as possible with rim devices to get rid of those rotten rods. We are located on a river delta and also have issues with buildings moving with the water table which plays havoc with vertical rod strike adjustment and rules out internal rods as a solution.