Jerry Smith from Baltimore City Truck 15 sent in these photos of homemade supplemental lock. While the crew of Truck 15 was out doing some area familiarization they ran across this double door set-up at a local school. From the outside, the presence of a supplemental lock is obvious due to the tell-tale carriage bolts. But not so fast, take notice that there are only one set of carriage bolts per door, this should make you suspect something beyond a typical drop bar set-up. A quick peek in the window should also allow you to rule out a drop bar. However, the steel mesh on the windows and the set back of the lock from the windows, the likelihood of being able to inspect the lock from the outside in minimal. After asking some questions, and taking a peek inside, they determined the lock was home-brewed by the school’s building maintenance shop. As you can see in the pictures below there are two metal angles that insert into slots that are bolted on the door. The angles are secured in place by a pin that goes through a hole drilled in the mullion between the doors, and finally secured with a padlock. Forcing the door via traditional methods is certainly achievable, but may prove to be troublesome. A sideways V cut around the carriage bolts would certainly make quick work of the lock. This would allow the lock to remain in place, and the door to open freely.
While an interesting lock I doubt that it would hold up to a proper attack from the irons. The angle iron is simply not that strong.
With the address over the doorway I would likely say that this is a front entrance. With that being said I seriously doubt that this lock could or should pass inspection. The presence of this device needs to be sent over to the folks in code enforcement.
Id just cut the heads off the bolts from the outside and allow the door to seperate from the lock setup. Like cutting a drop bar on other doors.
HAHAHAHA… Code enforcement!!
I use mullion cubes when I make gravy.
….and donkey steaks.
looks like bi-lateral Pneum’s if you ask me.
Well here in FL schools fall outside most local codes, so code enforcement is out. Lots of options on this one. Be prepared.