


There is little record of door handle development between the Fall of Rome and about 1000 CE. In Asia, China by the 4th Century CE was producing a range of automated doors, door locks and door bars. Doors excavated from Lake Nemi and dated to around 1st Century CE feature knob-shaped handles. Although interior doors were less common in Rome than in modern buildings, the Romans had recognisably modern interior doors including door handles. The bolt or bar bracket acted as a handle. Houses were almost always occupied so most lockable doors would feature a sliding bolt or a drop-in bar that allowed the building to be locked from the inside. Although available, these key lockable doors were relatively rare. Subsequently Roman domuses and insulae incorporated lockable doors of a different design but also opened by a combined handle/key. The keys of these locks, which could be as large as two feet long, also functioned as door handles to slide a locking bolt and open the door. Key operated door locks have existed at least since Egyptian civilisation. Locking or latching mechanisms have existed from about the same time. Usually made of stainless steel.ĭoor handles have been in existence at least since the Neolithic period.

The Lever Privacy is functionally similar to the Lever Bathroom in that it is locked by turning a snib on the inside and can be unlocked from the outside in emergencies.This lock is fitted with a mortice sash with the attached to a 5mm spindle which passes through the door. The Lever Bathroom is typically used on bathroom doors as they can be locked and unlocked easily from the inside by turning the snib, but in an emergency can be opened from the outside by fitting a coin or similar object into a slot and rotating it.This locking mechanism is used on doors which can be opened by turning the handle if not locked, but can also be locked, requiring a key to open them. Just the like the lever latch, the door can be opened and shut by pushing the handle, but it can also be locked with a key. This allows a key to be inserted into the door to control a mortice sash lock. This type of handle on a backplate consists of a lever with a keyhole cut just below it. The Lever lock door handle on a backplate is another type of door handle which operates similarly to the lever latch door handle.A spring or similar mechanism causes the latch to return to its protruding state whenever the knob is not being turned. The end of the cylinder is the " latch bolt" (more simply known as the "latch"), which protrudes into a space carved out of the door frame, and which prevents the door from being opened if the knob is not turned. Pushing the lever or turning the knob pulls the cylinder in the direction of the turn. The doorknob has a spindle running through it that sits just above a cylinder, to which the spindle is connected.
#Copper door install#
The lever latch handle is easy to install and use, and is available in a variety of styles and finishes. This type of door handle is used on interior doors that do not require to be locked. Pushing the handle down rotates the spindle, operating the tubular latch mechanism inside the door, allowing it to be opened. The door handle has only a lever handle or knob which operates this latch. Doors fitted with this handle have a latch that keeps the door shut. The most common type of door handle is the Lever latch or Latch door handle on a backplate found in residential houses and commercial and public buildings.Some door handles are also arm- or foot-operated to reduce transmission of contagious illnesses. Door handles have been in existence for at least 5000 years, and its design has evolved since, with more advanced mechanism, types, and designs made. Examples include brass, porcelain, cut glass, wood, and bronze. Door handles can be made out of a plethora of materials. The most common types of door handle are the lever handle and the doorknob. 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. There are many designs of door handle, depending on the appropriate use. 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. Various examples of door handles throughout historyĪ door handle or doorknob is a handle used to open or close a door.
