I'm locked out!!!

[mgoat]

Hi everyone!
I'm new here...glad to have found this forum!

Sorry this is about to be so long but I'm hoping one of these details might be helpful...

So I recently got a 1988 Rowe R-92 and when I got it it had just gotten a new lock and key for the top door.
It was unlocked when I got it and when I was checking the lock I could only see the lock part itself moving.
I thought that was strange bc it didn't seem to do anything as far as locking into anything.
I didn't investigate it further bc I figured it was unlocked and I'd get to it later.
I opened and closed it a bunch of time over several days and then one time I tried the key but it didn't seem to lock it....then I pressed firmly down on the door and just left it.
The next day I went to lift the door and it wouldn't lift.
I tried the key and it easily turned exactly as it had before but it didn't unlock the door.
Looking at the manual it seems like the pivot links are not being moved by the lock.
Remembering back to when I looked at it previously, I definitely didn't see any arms moving..nor did I really notice any arms at all (they may have been hanging down)?
So my current theory is that the pivot links are not attached to the lock or perhaps missing?
I've called 5-6 locksmiths and none of them are willing to give it a shot so I'm stumped.
Is there *any* other way in?
I know some people have drilled the lock out and used tools to manipulate the pivot arms or springs....but I'm not totally clear on what is exactly holding it closed at the moment or where it is.
I have the service manual but I'm not seeing anything with detail...and I've looked on youtube etc but can seem to get a good look at the entire locking system so I'm not sure how to approach this.
Any help would be greatly appreciated.

[jukeboxmarty]

Normally, when you turn the lock with the key you should definitely feel the tension of the lock bolt pulling on the pivot links.

As other have mentioned, you may have to drill the lock to access the lock bolt and/or pivot links through the small lock hole.

 

The manual doesn't show much, but as you've already seen, the R-92's parts list for the front door assembly shows both the lock bolt and the pivot links... hopefully those parts are present on your machine!

If you can grab the lock bolt with a tool such as needle nosed pliers you could rotate it to actuate the pivot links.

As you surmised, if the lock bolt is not attached to a lock cylinder, the parts are probably hanging down quite a bit, and may out of sight from the lock hole.

Not the easiest job, just bring your patience!

The latch strikes (#19) in the upper door assembly latch into the unidentified latch parts circled in the lower door image. The rotation of the lock bolt will cause the pivot links to slide the unidentified latch parts, releasing the latch strikes. Not much additional info but hope that helps.

[mgoat]

Thank you so much for the thorough reply!!
So another question:
If, as I suspect, the pivot links are not there at all...what is the mechanism like that actually attaches the latch strike to the other points (circled)?
If I need to 'unhook' those latches themselves for some reason do you know what those connections are like?
For example, do the latch strikes need to go 'down' and then be pushed 'in' to un hook them?
Is there some kind of mechanism that can be manipulated at those points?
What exactly is on the other end of those pivot links that is doing what function to attach the strikes to their corresponding latch?
I can't seem to find any close up photos of the mechanisms themselves so I can make a plan of attack.
thanks again!

[jukeboxmarty]

I don't have any AMI/Rowe machines I can reference or photograph, and I really don't know enough about these models to answer off the top of my head.

Maybe someone who has one of these machines can snap some pictures of the mechanism.

[stingman]

This may or may not work.
If you notice in the diagram of a previous post, the very bottom of the front door has two shallow tabs that fit into the main frame.
With enough upward force on the front door (hopefully not damaging anything) you might be able to lift the door out of the slots.
You might have to apply some leverage at the bottom of the door towards the left then the right where it meets the main frame.


Good Luck,

Stingman