Bathroom Doors with Thumb Turn Lock - Safety?

[bigalxyz]

Just had an alarming incident at home. My lodger was in her bathroom with the door locked. The lock is a brass thumb turn thingy with a square cross-section spindle - very much like this one: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Golden-Grace-Victorian-Polished-Bathroom/dp/B0BLZL5CK9

The thumb turn knob grabs onto the spindle inside via a little grub screw. The lock is old, the screw was worn, and today the thumb turn dropped off when she tried to unlock the door. Then she tried to grab the square cross section spindle and turn it with her fingers instead, but somehow managed to push it all the way through so that it fell out onto the hallway floor. She was then trapped.

I was able to get her out easily by pushing the spindle back in and turning the release thingy on the other end with a screwdriver. But what if she'd been here alone, or there'd been a fire.

Is this type of lock inherently unsafe? Or am I misunderstanding something. They're evidently widely used, so presumably someone (?) has decided that from a safety point of view they're ok, right...?

Would like to educate myself before I order replacement items. I've left a screwdriver in her bathroom so that she's got another way to turn the lock if the spindle drops out again, but obviously this is meant to just be a temporary fix/bit of peace of mind.

V grateful for anyone's comments.

Thank you.

 

[JohnD]

How did it push through the door?

There should have been an emergency release on the other side holding it in position.

That is where you should direct your efforts.

 

[JohnD]

I have been using the Altro bathroom locks, which seem to be very solidly made with a good action. They are available with an 8mm spindle which I should think will be more durable than the smaller old ones.

https://www.ironmongerydirect.co.uk/search/filter/ironmongery_brand%3e%7baltro%7d?query=bathroom%20lock

 

[bigalxyz]

How did it push through the door?

There should have been an emergency release on the other side holding it in position.

That is where you should direct your efforts.

Thank you. The lock does have the emergency release on the other end of the spindle, so that's ok, but there was nothing holding the spindle itself in position inside the lock - it just slid straight out. Not good. Maybe it's just old and something is broken?

 

[JohnD]

They usually have a release button that is shaped so it can't push through the rose or plate.

The spindle itself is not gripped.

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

Thank you. The lock does have the emergency release on the other end of the spindle, so that's ok, but there was nothing holding the spindle itself in position inside the lock - it just slid straight out. Not good. Maybe it's just old and something is broken?

On the outside of the door, they usually have a handle, which includes a screwdriver/or coin operated screw, to release the lock in an emergency. Doesn't help, if she locks the door, when alone in the house though.

 

[bigalxyz]

They usually have a release button that is shaped so it can't push through the rose or plate.

The spindle itself is not gripped.

Not this one it seems - I've just double checked. If I take the thumb turn off, the spindle just pushes straight out through the other side.

 

[bigalxyz]

On the outside of the door, they usually have a handle, which includes a screwdriver/or coin operated screw, to release the lock in an emergency. Doesn't help, if she locks the door, when alone in the house though.

The problem was that the spindle fell out onto the hallway floor beforehand - there's nothing to stop that from happening, which seems dodgy from a safety point of view. It does have the emergency release, so when I realised she was stuck, I was able to pick the spindle up off the floor, push it back into the door and then open the lock using a screwdriver from the other side. If she'd been here alone she might have had a problem.

 

[JohnD]

Not this one it seems - I've just double checked. If I take the thumb turn off, the spindle just pushes straight out through the other side.

You need new door furniture then.