Electric strike.Electric strike with monitoring contact.
An electric strike is an access control device used for door frames. It replaces the fixed strike faceplate often used with a latch (also known as a keeper). Like a fixed strike plate, it normally presents a ramped or beveled surface to the locking latch allowing the door to close and latch just like a fixed strike would. However, an electric strike's ramped surface can, upon command, pivot out of the way when the lock on the door is in the locked position and the door is opened, allowing a user to pull/push the door to open it without operating the mechanical lock or using a mechanical key. After the door is opened past the keeper, the keeper returns to its standard position and re-locks when power is removed or applied, depending upon the strike's configuration.
Electric strikes are generally available in two configurations:
Fail-secure. Also called fail-locked or non-fail safe. In this configuration, applying electric current to the strike will cause it to unlock. In this configuration, the strike would remain locked in a power failure, but typically the mechanical lock can still be used to open the door from the inside for egress from the secure side. These units can be powered by alternating current, which will cause the unit to buzz, or DC power, which offers silent operation, except for a "click" while the unit is powered.
Hold-open. In this configuration, an electric current is applied to the strike, causing it to unlock and remain unlocked until it is used. As soon as the strike has been used, it goes back to standard locked position. This is used in many residential, commercial and industrial applications, the Hold-open function ease usage because the powering of the strike and the opening of the strike do not need to be exactly synchronized.
Fail-safe. Also called fail-open. In this configuration, applying electric current to the strike will cause it to lock. It operates the same as a magnetic lock would. If there is a power failure, the door opens merely by being pushed or pulled.
A new trend is a strike that is quickly reversible from fail safe to fail secure (and back again if needed). Some manufacturers require the opening of the solenoids, but others allow the reversing of the function within seconds (usually take less than 10 seconds) with only the movement of two external screws or a mechanical unlocking accessory which is directly accessible when the door is open. This is exactly the same principle as a child safety door lock which is installed on car doors.
Electric strikes on AC allow someone outside the door to hear when the door is open. The buzzing noise is typically made by applying alternating current (AC) to the strike instead of direct current (DC). When using a DC powered strike, the sound is almost imperceptible.
There are many manufacturers of electric strikes, and there are many things that have to be considered when buying one, i.e., type of jamb, type of locking hardware, whether one requires fail-secure, fail-safe or hold-open function, length of the latch, depth of jamb, voltage requirements and the length of the faceplate. Only in fail-safe situations, it is also a good option to choose a magnetic lock.
Before using a magnetic lock, the Fire Marshal or appropriate authority should be consulted. There are emergency egress issues that must be addressed before using a magnetic lock.
Types of electric strikes by locking device
Electric strikes can be differentiated in a number of ways, frame type it can be installed in, duty (continuous or intermittent), and which variety of locking mechanism on the door it can work with. The four most common locking mechanisms concerned with electric strikes are Cylindrical, Deadbolt, Mortise, and Rim Panic Exit Devices. Cylindrical electric strikes are generally the cheapest due to their use in residential markets. Deadbolts, also known as deadlocks, do not have a spring mechanism which generally means the strike for a deadbolt is 'hold' only (the deadbolt is thrown and it engages in the electric strike cavity, the electric strike can release it but cannot subsequently 'recapture it' since the deadbolt lacks the spring latching capability of the other lock sets). There are specialty electric strikes that hold the electric strike keeper open until the door with the extended deadbolt closes back into the electric strike to "recapture" the extended deadbolt. Mortise type locksets tend towards larger projecting latches from the door to engage deeper in the frame and electric strikes used for these locking mechanisms require more cutting and space in the frame. Rim exit devices (panic bars or crash bars) are required in many buildings as a 'single motion' means of egress and electric strikes used in these situations are typically different from electric strikes for other situations.
Rim panic electric strikes
Electric strikes for rim panic exit devices are sometimes, though not always, 'no cut' electric strikes - no cutting, in reference to a rim panic strike, means the strike is bolted to the surface of jamb without cutting into the frame or modifying it in any way (except for the drilling and tapping of mounting screw and/or anchoring pins). There are also specialty electric strikes used in vertical rod exit devices, however the exit device's bottom rod is usually deactivated and the specialty electric strike is mounted at the top of the door frame to work with the top latch of the vertical rod exit device.
In physical security and information security, access control (AC) is the selective restriction of access to a place or other resource, while access management describes the process. The act of accessing may mean consuming, entering, or using. Permission to access a resource is called authorization.
The pin tumbler lock, also known as the Yale lock after the inventor of the modern version, is a lock mechanism that uses pins of varying lengths to prevent the lock from opening without the correct key.
A child safety lock is a special-purpose lock for cabinets, drawers, bottles, etc. that is designed to help prevent children from getting at any dangerous things or contents. Young children are naturally curious about their surroundings and will always explore, but as they may be unaware of dangerous substances or situations, the results can be fatal. Numerous cases of poisoning have resulted from eating brightly colored pills or spilling cleaning solvents.
A deadbolt or deadlock is a type of lock morticed into a wooden door. Then, using a key from either side of the door, a bolt is thrown into the door frame, thus securing the door. It is distinct from a spring bolt lock because a deadbolt can only be opened by a key or handle. The more common spring bolt lock uses a spring to hold the bolt in place, allowing retraction by applying force to the bolt itself. A deadbolt can therefore make a door more resistant to entry without the correct key, as well as make the door more resistant to forced entry. A deadbolt is often used to complement a spring-bolt lock on an entry door to a building.
A mortise lock is a lock that requires a pocket—the mortise—to be cut into the edge of the door or piece of furniture into which the lock is to be fitted. In most parts of the world, mortise locks are found on older buildings constructed before the advent of bored cylindrical locks, but they have recently become more common in commercial and upmarket residential construction in the United States. The design is widely used in domestic properties of all vintages in Europe.
A crash bar is a type of door opening mechanism which allows users to open a door by pushing a bar. While originally conceived as a way to prevent crowd crushing in an emergency, crash bars are now used as the primary door opening mechanism in many commercial buildings.
Door furniture or door hardware refers to any of the items that are attached to a door or a drawer to enhance its functionality or appearance.
A door handle or doorknob is a handle used to open or close a door. Door handles can be found on all types of doors including exterior doors of residential and commercial buildings, internal doors, cupboard doors and vehicle doors. There are many designs of door handle, depending on the appropriate use. A large number of handles, particularly for commercial and residential doors, incorporate latching or locking mechanisms or are manufactured to fit to standardised door locking or latching mechanisms.
A door closer is a mechanical device that regulates the speed and action of a door’s swing. Manual closers store the force used to open the door in some type of spring and reuse it to close the door. Automatic types use electricity to regulate door swing behavior.
A latch or catch is a type of mechanical fastener that joins two objects or surfaces while allowing for their regular separation. A latch typically engages another piece of hardware on the other mounting surface. Depending upon the type and design of the latch, this engaged bit of hardware may be known as a keeper or strike.
A lock bypass is a technique in lockpicking, of defeating a lock through unlatching the underlying locking mechanism without operating the lock at all. It is commonly used on devices such as combination locks, where there is no natural access for a tool to reach the locking mechanism. Because the mechanism itself is not being manipulated, this could technically not be considered lockpicking at all. However, it does fall under the repertoire of techniques used to open locks. Lock bypass is one of the most important parts of locksmithing, especially with respect to public buildings which must be able to be opened from inside in case of fire, thus allowing the use of "letter box tools" among other techniques. Locks may be bypassed by a variety of other techniques including loiding, i.e. the "credit card" technique, against self-closing "latch systems."
An electronic lock is a locking device which operates by means of electric current. Electric locks are sometimes stand-alone with an electronic control assembly mounted directly to the lock. Electric locks may be connected to an access control system, the advantages of which include: key control, where keys can be added and removed without re-keying the lock cylinder; fine access control, where time and place are factors; and transaction logging, where activity is recorded. Electronic locks can also be remotely monitored and controlled, both to lock and to unlock.
An exit control lock, also known as an exit control device, exit lock, or simply an exit control, prevents or deters unauthorized exit.
A car door is a type of door opening, typically hinged on its front edge, but sometimes attached by other mechanisms such as tracks, for entering and exiting a vehicle. Doors most often integrate side windows for visibility from inside the car and can be locked to secure the vehicle.
The term door security or door security gate may refer to any of a range of measures used to strengthen doors against door breaching, ram-raiding and lock picking, and prevent crimes such as burglary and home invasions. Door security is used in commercial and government buildings, as well as in residential settings.
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An electromagnetic lock, magnetic lock, or maglock is a locking device that consists of an electromagnet and an armature plate.
A lockset is the hardware and components that make up the locking or latching mechanism that can usually be found on a door or other hinged object but can also include sliding doors and dividers. The components of a lockset can include the door handles, latch bolt, dead bolt, face plate, strike plate, escutcheon, thumbturn, push button, turn button, and other trim. The lockset and associated hardware typically defines a door's function and how a user could access the two adjacent spaces defined by the opening associated with the lockset.
A night latch is a lock that is fitted on the surface of a door; it is operated from the exterior side of the door by a key and from the interior side of the door by a knob.
An electromagnetic door holder is a simple electromechanical mechanism which can be used to hold a fire door or security door open until given a signal to release. A fire alarm control panel or a similar emergency control system usually controls the door holder.
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