Classic Entry Door Handles

Thumb latch handle sets are often used in  traditional styles of door hardware to make a  grand entry statement. The thumb piece on the front side of the door is usually one small decorative detail on a much larger back-plate. The Hedgerow, Grapevine and Willow collections all contain a thumb-latch entry set and we have designed to be an integral part of each set.

We also use the same mechanism on the Lizard entryway set where a less traditional butterfly is the thumb piece.

Understanding the function of the thumb piece

The thumb piece is used to activate the door latch that keeps the door closed. Our thumb latch sets have been designed for use with mortise locks which house the latch and deadbolt mechanism within a solid 6”H x 3”D x ½”W metal case installed inside the body of the door. The thumb piece has a seesaw motion so pressing down on the exposed thumb end pushes up the end that sits within the mortise box underneath the toggle area. When pushed up by the thumb piece the toggle plate pivots backwards which triggers a hammer plate backwards thereby releasing the latch and spring which kept the latch extended and the door closed. The hammer and spring, when released allow the latch to return into the body of the mortise thereby allowing the door to be pulled open.

Thumb-latches and mortise locks - continued discussion

In the previous post we used a photograph of a mortise lock to identify and name the locks components which we will describe here in more detail.
The turn piece, deadbolt, and keyed cylinder act together to lock the door. When the key is turned inside the cylinder one clockwise turn will unlock and retract the deadbolt and conversely one anti-clockwise turn will throw the bolt. The key can also be used to retract the latch and open the door by being turned one more click clockwise. This sophisticated mechanism is useful when you have a bag of groceries as you can unlock and open the door with the key and simply pull the door open all with just one hand.
The turn piece has one function only to release or throw the deadbolt and if you are on the inside of the door with that same bag of groceries you will definitely need another hand to press down on the thumb latch or lever to open the door by retracting the latch.

In a similar way the thumb latch on the outside of the door and the corresponding thumb latch or lever on the inside of the door act together with the latch mechanism to open and close the door. Our Hedgerow entry sets are available either as thumb latch to lever sets or thumb latch to thumb latch and Accurate makes specific models for each configuration.

Upward Sweep of Hedgerow Branches

We use the Accurate mortise lock because it is a superior lock and made in the US. We also like the custom configurations that Accurate offer such as their disk insert mortise which is better suited to our more fluid and artistic trim designs. Our Willow and Hedgerow levers have branches and leaves that curve upwards bringing the lever closer to the turn piece. To prevent ones knuckles from colliding with the turn piece Accurate make a disk insert that allows the turn piece to be installed higher in the lock body.

Note How The Disk Insert Creates an Alternative Higher Positioned Port For The Turn Piece

Thumb-latches and mortise locks discussed using a Willow Entry Set Example

 The Willow entry sets are configured for use with a mortise lock and keyed cylinder deadbolt. Why are these sets not configured for use with a less expensive tubular latch is a question we are often asked and will try to answer in this post.

 First point to make is that we only use Accurate’ s mortise lock which is made here in the US by a company that has been making superior locks for over 50 years. The lock is a complex 4lb mechanism contained in a robust 4” x 6” x ¾” case that sits inside the door and acts as a highly effective security barrier.

 The mortise lock has a series of portals that allow the lock to perform multiple functions.The picture below shows the deadbolt, latch, and toggle .

When the key is turned inside the cylinder it throws the deadbolt into the strike in the door jamb thereby locking the door.

The latch keeps the door closed and it is operated by the thumb latch which when depressed retracts the latch and when released throws the latch, the same task would be performed by a lever if the Willow thumb latch and lever combination were used. When the mortise lock is supplied the configuration of latch to latch or latch to lever needs to be specified so that the lock interior is built correctly.
The toggle acts as a second locking mechanism and one that works independently of the deadbolt. The toggle when pushed inward releases a mechanism that prevents the latch from locking. This allows the door to remain closed but not locked allowing guests to open the door without a key being needed. If the toggle is placed into a flush position it will throw the latch thereby locking the door without activating the deadbolt.

In a subsequent post we will explain the other functions this clever lock performs.