DIY

We think we had four of these door catches when we arrived in our present house, probably original fittings so around eighty years old, with one having collapsed some years ago and replaced with something quite different and with one having been refitted, its door having moved away from its frame. The third is illustrated, rather luridly in telephone flash light, after repair, left. The fourth, so far, is as we found it.

If you click on the image and look carefully, you should be able to pick out the white paper pad that I have inserted to bring the keep up a few thou to match the position of the latch.

Is was the latch which failed, with the knurled knob which moved it back and forth on a spring, being completely jammed, after some years of creaking & catching action. So after the exploits with my clasp knife, noticed at reference 1, I was moved to attempt a bit of DIY.

Take the larger, right hand part, off the door, to find, to my surprise, that it is not a sealed unit. The back is open to view. But not to take apart, it having been brazed together in some cunning way.

The trouble was that the free end of spring loaded plunger which pushes the latch into the keep had come out of the hole which was intended to keep it in place. It must have been made with the plunger only just catching the hole when it was fully extended, this being how it was forced into position in the first place. Then, with wear over the years it slipped out and the loose end of the spring slipped into the hole, blocking any further movement.

Much deep thought, after which I though the answer was a slip of metal, perhaps 15mm by 5mm, to hold the plunger and its assembly down, to stop the free end of the plunger springing up from its hole. First attempt, sawn from a Chubb © keep plate, was too fat. Second attempt, sawn from some cheaper brand of keep plate, was just right at maybe 0.5mm. Held in place with sellotape © while the catch was screwed back onto the door.

All of which may give our successors pause to think, should they ever take it down again in some year to come.

Meantime, the catch now seems to be more or less working, although we shall try to remember not to shut the door in question by slamming it. And we shall look out for a replacement. And wonder how much we would have to pay an engineering shop to make up an exact replica.

Reference 1: http://psmv3.blogspot.co.uk/2018/03/trolley-134b.html.