Providing doors with reliable locking mechanisms is a top priority in private homes, office premises and apartments. The most common solution for this task is a metal lock, the mortise mechanism of which allows you to hide the device in the door niche, while maintaining a high level of reliability and security of a residential or commercial property.

Device and design features

The main difference between a mortise lock is that the mechanism is installed directly into the door recess, and this can be either an entrance door or an interior door. The locking system consists of two sets of elements - the first consists of external parts, and the second - internal ones. If we consider a lock for a mortise door in assembled form, then you can find the spindle, the outer part of the key, pressing the pad and the handle. The internal structure of the lock is formed by the following components:

• bolt with lever;
• body components;
• latch with lever;
• springs;
• rod handles (rotary);
• rotary plate;
• lever for holding;
• elements of the return system.

Almost all elements are made of metal, although the newest versions (mostly experimental) already use composite parts. One way or another, a metal mortise lock still remains the most common and reliable security device designed for doors. Despite established standards of performance mortise locks, there are several types of construction. The most popular ones include cylinder and lever ones.

Cylinder lock

Such mechanisms use a cylindrical tunnel intended for a key. During attempts to activate the lock, the pins together with the spring resist manipulation with the “wrong” key. If the appropriate key is used, all pins will be raised and the locking system will rotate the cylinder. On the market, cylinder-type mortise locks are presented in different variations for any door - the devices are combined with door leaves both in terms of technical parameters and aesthetics, which allows them to be used when equipping interior doors.

Level castle

Models of this family have less complex design compared to cylinder analogues. The operating features of the device are determined by the lever system, which ensures the secrecy of the mechanism. These elements form a groove along which the shank rack moves. If the correct key is used, the bolt plate allows access. Depending on the version, a lever mortise lock may have several security elements. Accordingly, the time required for hacking will depend on the number of levers. This does not mean that a 10-element model will necessarily be of better quality than a device with 6 levers, but it will make the attacker’s work more difficult.

Lock quality indicators

The general level of modern mortise locks is high enough to protect against an ordinary intruder; however, it is better to play it safe and immediately provide the door with the highest quality mechanism. So, what is taken into account when choosing? There are four main criteria for choosing a locking system, including:

• Secrecy. This indicator is rather theoretical, but it is expressed in specific numbers - the number of combinations (secrets). For example, a lever mortise lock can have a security of 100 and 100,000 units. In the first case, it belongs to the first category of secrecy, and in the second - to the fourth.
• Openability. This is the resistance of the locking mechanism to opening. For example, cylinder models are more resistant to manipulation, while lever models are more resistant to force.
• Performance. This characteristic indicates the working life of the lock, the degree of its wear, reliability and durability.
• Replaceability. A lock breaking can cause a lot of problems, which is why specialized companies even offer separate services for dismantling the mechanism. But there are also models (usually cylinder) that are easy to remove with your own hands using a screwdriver.

Installation

Inserting a lock into a door that was previously equipped with a similar device is not difficult. It is enough to unscrew the fasteners of the old mechanism and install the new one, after first comparing its dimensions with the opening. If the mortise lock mechanism is integrated into new door, then you will have to use special tool to adjust the opening.

Using a grinder, you need to cut out a niche along the edges intended for the lock body. Next, you can file the sides of the formed opening or expand the niche if the device does not fit into it. Then you need to mark the place for the larva. In accordance with its parameters, a place for a secret is also drilled on both sides of the canvas.

To check the accuracy of the dimensions of the created recess for the lock, you need to reinsert the housing into the appropriate place, secure it with hardware and install the cylinder. If everything is fine, you can start testing the movement of the crossbars with a key - this is how opening and closing are checked. Also, a mortise lock can be supplemented with various auxiliary security systems, including a chain, closers, overhead locking systems, etc. In some cases, it is advisable to combine several mortise mechanisms for greater reliability.

Conclusion

Mechanical locking systems are gradually giving way to electronic analogues, and in this sense, classic mortise devices are the most competitive. Thanks to its simple design, high reliability and relatively affordable price, the mortise lock is consistently in demand when equipping the doors of private houses, and in apartments, as well as in commercial premises. The versatility of its purpose and flexibility in installation allow it to be integrated into metal and wooden doors, taking into account both safety requirements and decorative preferences of the owners. The variety of models is wide enough for everyone to be able to choose the optimal lock model - by the way, along with cylinder and lever mechanisms, there are other versions of mechanisms, but they are less popular.

A mortise lock with a handle may differ in size, shape and material from which it is made A door lock is, of course, an integral part of the house. This installation must be of high quality, durable, and reliable. All locks are conventionally divided into three groups - mortise, overhead, padded. A mortise lock for a doorway is chosen very often.

Types of locks with handle

By mechanism type door locks There are lever, disk, cylinder, biometric. The lever design includes components, including a secret part. It is presented in a set of several plates, and together it is reliable mechanism protection. Such secret mechanism ensures coordinated operation of plates with figured cutouts; when opened, they are aligned with protrusions where the key bit is.

The lock handle should be selected depending on the style of the interior

The structure of the lever type, although it is simple, nevertheless, the principle of operation ensures high degree reliability. True, this design still has a drawback. Namely, it is designed in such a way that it has a large hole size, that is, a potential thief has the opportunity to check his master keys.

But there is no need to worry if you decide to choose lever lock. Today they produce not only simple models, but also mechanisms equipped with a special protective system. Therefore, burglars are unlikely to be able to get into the required grooves. And the mechanism, when burglars try to open it, is blocked with a master key.

Cylinder and disc locks

Cylinder locks are called so because the design includes a cylinder. And the rotation of this cylinder, which means the opening is carried out by turning the base of the key. Such locks are often used in everyday life, some call them Soviet, which in in this case means not modern, with a low degree of reliability.

A disc lock cannot be called modern; turning the key sets the discs in motion, that’s the whole scheme. But if it is a disk type with a handle, then its anti-burglary protection is not the worst.

Thus, disc and cylinder locks:

• They are not modern models;
• Their elements are reliable, but not so reliable that experienced burglars could not cope with the mechanism;
• A thief can simply pull out the lock cylinder to open the locking device;
• Therefore, you should not spend money on expensive models with a cylinder or disk mechanism, they are not worth it.

When purchasing a cylinder lock, you should ask the seller for documents confirming its quality

If you need an inexpensive lock, and you are going to place it where there is a low probability of burglary, you can purchase something from cheap Chinese products. The elements are simple, easy to open/close, and easy to assemble. Looking at the cross-sectional model of such locks, you can be convinced that this is not the most reliable built-in mechanism.

Interior mortise lock: device and design

The circuit of such a lock is combined with a handle. That is, it is equipped not only with a latch, but also with an exit to the handle. It also sets the halyard tongue in motion, this happens due to its connection with the rotary pin. Mechanisms, depending on the type of handle, can be rotary round, push-type or noba type.

The locking structure of interior doors consists of:

• Shutter;
• Moving plate;
• Lever;
• Springs;
• Latches;
• Cases.

For interior doors you can choose cheaper mortise locks than for entrance doors

Interior door locks (or whatever else this design is called - internal lock) cannot be called a full-fledged locking structure. Still, this is not the same as a lock for the front door. Interior lock consists of a handle, decorative overlays, a bolt and a locking mechanism. The details are that the larva of such a lock does not have an internal structure. That is, it is not difficult to unlock the mechanism, and it is not so difficult to assemble/disassemble it.

Metal entrance door lock

For input iron door(or wooden) structures of the overhead type, built-in and mortise are used. Most modern castles are mortise structures. It is inserted inside the door leaf and can be connected to the handle.

You can’t leave your front door without reliable locking hardware. The main part of the mortise model cuts into the door leaf. It turns out that only the key hole goes outside. The response part of such a bell has the form of a plate; it cuts into the box opposite. This is how the mortise system is installed on any entrance door.

Classification: types of keys for locks

The most common are English keys. But their reliability is low. An English lock has a flat key, with ridged grooves on one edge and a longitudinal dimple. In this case, the riflings rest against small pins in the lock, and then recess them to a certain depth.

When purchasing a lock you receive several sets of keys

Cross keys cannot be called reliable either. Only there are more secrets on the blank of such a key. IN English castles only from below there are pins in the larva. But in the cross castle they are on four sides. Such keys have four sides; if you look at the drawing, they resemble a screwdriver. Therefore, it is not difficult for a burglar to make a master key and open such a lock.

What are Finnish keys:

• This is half a round rod, which is cut across, with shallow machined grooves;
• This type of key lock is also not difficult to open;
• On a strong iron rod you can repeat the shape of a key without secrets, and even a novice burglar can make such a master key with his own hands.

The most reliable keys are lever and perforated. Small pits, notches, and holes are applied to perforated keys. There are even keys with magnetic inserts and a floating pin. It is difficult to break into such a system, especially if the lock cylinder is protected by a special bracket, and the set includes perforated keys with the owner’s secret card.

Detailed picture: English door lock

This is the most reliable cylinder lock. On the other hand, it is believed that it is not exposed to special risks, that is, it is used in everyday life. But the design is simple, it is easy to repair.

The English castle has excellent aesthetic qualities and reliability

What are the advantages of an English castle:

• If the keys are lost or the core is broken, installing a new core is not difficult at all;
• The lock is compact, as are the keys to it;
• You can insert another core into one mechanism.

The disadvantages include the same modest protection indicators. Therefore, such a lock is most often used with additional systems protection, of course, not with push-button-level designs, but with some kind of duplicate, more reliable lock. And sometimes it makes sense to install security bolts on the front door.

Locking mechanism for a plastic door

The locking mechanism can be single-locking or multi-locking. A single-point lock has only one locking point, meaning it will not provide reliable security and a tight fit to the door. The multi-point design is a locking mechanism for two- or even three-point door locking.

Locks for plastic doors can be partially plastic or entirely metal. The latter option is more common, as it has high strength. Otherwise, the choice is made according to the same criteria: type of lock, mechanism, etc. It can be an auto-lock, or a lock that can only be closed with keys.

A locking mechanism for a plastic door can be bought in a specialized store or on the Internet.

Many experts assure that it is not a matter of whether the castle is English, Finnish or French. The most reliable method of protection is a combined lock system. When combined different types locks, then theoretically it will be very difficult for a burglar to quickly deal with them. For example, a cylinder lock and a lever lock are installed. One set of master keys won't get you off here.

And it’s even easier to put a regular old latch inside. The latch is always easy to close. Yes, and this will be additional protection when the owner of the house.

Well there is simple rules security: if there are three doors on the site, and yours looks the most expensive, this will not stop a burglar. He is not as scared of not being able to cope with the construction as he is of not trying his luck to get into this particular, apparently rich apartment. And, of course, there is no need to show the keys in public; modern burglars can make a master key simply from a photo taken on a phone. Be careful and prudent.

Types of mortise locks with handles for entrance doors (video)

A modern lock is equipped not only with a spring, a latch and other well-known elements, it can also be a device with the owner’s secret card, etc. Because the choice is great, it’s a matter of opportunities and priorities.

Good luck with your choice and strong locks!

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You write about a baron in a castle - at least have a rough idea of ​​how the castle was heated, how it was ventilated, how it was lit...
From an interview with G. L. Oldie

When we hear the word “castle”, an image of a majestic fortress appears in our imagination - business card fantasy genre. There is hardly any other architectural structure that would attract so much attention from historians, military experts, tourists, writers and lovers of “fairy-tale” fiction.

We play computer, board and role-playing games where we have to explore, build or conquer impregnable castles. But do we know what these fortifications actually are? Which interesting stories related to them? What do the stone walls hide behind them - witnesses of entire eras, grandiose battles, knightly nobility and vile betrayal?

Surprisingly, but true - the fortified dwellings of feudal lords in different parts world (Japan, Asia, Europe) were built on very similar principles and had many common design features. But in this article we will focus primarily on medieval European feudal fortresses, since they served as the basis for the creation of a mass artistic image of a “medieval castle” as a whole.

Birth of a fortress

The Middle Ages in Europe were a turbulent time. The feudal lords, for any reason, organized small wars among themselves - or rather, not even wars, but, in modern language, armed “showdowns”. If a neighbor had money, it had to be taken away. Lots of land and peasants? This is simply indecent, because God ordered sharing. And if knightly honor was affected, then it was simply impossible to do without a small victorious war.

Under such circumstances, large aristocratic landowners had no choice but to fortify their homes with the expectation that one fine day their neighbors might come to visit them, and if they don’t feed them bread, let them slaughter someone.

Initially, these fortifications were made of wood and did not resemble the castles we know in any way - except that a ditch was dug in front of the entrance and a wooden palisade was placed around the house.

The manorial courts of Hasterknaup and Elmendorv are the ancestors of the castles.

However, progress did not stand still - with the development of military affairs, the feudal lords had to modernize their fortifications so that they could withstand a massive assault using stone cannonballs and rams.

The European castle has its roots in antiquity. The earliest structures of this kind copied Roman military camps (tents surrounded by a palisade). It is generally accepted that the tradition of building gigantic (by the standards of that time) stone structures began with the Normans, and classical castles appeared in the 12th century.

The besieged castle of Mortan (withstood the siege for 6 months).

The castle had very simple requirements - it must be inaccessible to the enemy, provide surveillance of the area (including the nearest villages belonging to the owner of the castle), have its own source of water (in case of a siege) and perform representative functions - that is, show the power and wealth of the feudal lord.

Beaumarie Castle, owned by Edward I.

Welcome

We are heading to the castle, which stands on a ledge of a mountain slope, at the edge of a fertile valley. The road goes through a small settlement - one of those that usually grew up near the fortress wall. Simple people live here - mostly artisans, and warriors guarding the outer perimeter of defense (in particular, guarding our road). These are the so-called “castle people”.

Scheme of castle structures. Note that there are two gate towers, the largest one standing separately.

The road is laid in such a way that the newcomers always face the castle with their right side, not covered by a shield. Directly in front of the fortress wall there is a bare plateau lying at a significant slope (the castle itself stands on a hill - natural or embankment). The vegetation here is low so that there is no cover for attackers.

The first obstacle is a deep ditch, and in front of it is a shaft of excavated earth. The moat can be transverse (separates the castle wall from the plateau) or crescent-shaped, curved forward. If the landscape allows, a moat encircles the entire castle in a circle.

Sometimes dividing ditches were dug inside the castle, making it difficult for the enemy to move through its territory.

The bottom shape of ditches could be V-shaped or U-shaped (the latter is the most common). If the soil under the castle is rocky, then ditches were either not made at all, or they were cut down to a shallow depth, preventing only the advance of infantry (it is almost impossible to dig under the castle wall in the rock - therefore the depth of the ditch was not of decisive importance).

The ridge of the earthen rampart lying directly in front of the ditch (which makes it seem even deeper) often carried a palisade - a fence made of wooden stakes dug into the ground, pointed and tightly fitted to each other.

A bridge spanning a moat leads to the outer wall of the castle. Depending on the size of the ditch and bridge, the latter is supported by one or more supports (huge logs). The outer part of the bridge is fixed, but the last section (right next to the wall) is movable.

Scheme of the entrance to the castle: 2 - gallery on the wall, 3 - drawbridge, 4 - grate.

Counterweights on the gate lift.

Castle gate.

This drawbridge is designed so that in a vertical position it covers the gate. The bridge is powered by mechanisms hidden in the building above them. From the bridge to the lifting machines, ropes or chains go into the wall openings. To facilitate the work of people servicing the bridge mechanism, the ropes were sometimes equipped with heavy counterweights, taking part of the weight of this structure on themselves.

Of particular interest is the bridge, which worked on the principle of a swing (it is called “tipping” or “swinging”). One half of it was inside - lying on the ground under the gate, and the other stretched across the ditch. When inner part rose, covering the entrance to the castle, the outer one (which the attackers sometimes already managed to run into) sank down into the ditch, where the so-called “wolf pit” was built (sharp stakes dug into the ground), invisible from the side while the bridge was lowered.

To enter the castle when the gates were closed, there was a side gate next to them, to which a separate lift ladder was usually laid.

The gate is the most vulnerable part of the castle; it was usually not made directly into its wall, but was located in the so-called “gate towers”. Most often, the gates were double-leaf, and the doors were knocked together from two layers of boards. To protect against arson, they were lined with iron on the outside. At the same time, in one of the doors there was a small narrow door, which could only be passed through by bending over. In addition to locks and iron bolts, the gate was closed by a transverse beam lying in the wall channel and sliding into the opposite wall. The cross beam could also be inserted into hook-shaped slots on the walls. Its main purpose was to protect the goal from being attacked by attackers.

Behind the gate there was usually a lowering grate. Most often it was made of wood, with lower ends bound in iron. But there were also iron gratings made from steel tetrahedral rods. The grille could be lowered from a gap in the arch of the gate portal, or located behind them (with inside gate tower), descending along the grooves in the walls.

The grate hung on ropes or chains, which in case of danger could be cut off so that it would quickly fall down, blocking the path of the invaders.

Inside the gate tower there were rooms for guards. They kept watch on the upper platform of the tower, asked the guests the purpose of their visit, opened the gates, and, if necessary, could shoot with a bow all those who passed under them. For this purpose, in the arch of the gate portal there were vertical loopholes, as well as “resin noses” - holes for pouring hot resin onto the attackers.

Tar noses.

All on the wall!

The most important defensive element of the castle was the outer wall - high, thick, sometimes on an inclined base. Processed stones or bricks made up its outer surface. Inside it consisted of rubble stone and slaked lime. The walls were placed on a deep foundation, under which it was very difficult to dig.

Often double walls were built in castles - a high external one and a small internal one. An empty space appeared between them, which received the German name “zwinger”. The attackers, overcoming external wall, could not take with them additional assault devices (bulky ladders, poles and other things that cannot be moved inside the fortress). Once in the zwinger in front of another wall, they became an easy target (there were small loopholes in the walls of the zwinger for archers).

Zwinger at Lanek Castle.

At the top of the wall there was a gallery for defense soldiers. WITH outside The castle was protected by a strong parapet of half human height, on which stone battlements were regularly located. You could stand behind them at full height and, for example, load a crossbow. The shape of the teeth was extremely varied - rectangular, round, swallowtail-shaped, decoratively decorated. In some castles, the galleries were covered (wooden canopy) to protect the soldiers from the weather.

In addition to the battlements, behind which it was convenient to hide, the castle walls were equipped with loopholes. The attackers fired through them. Due to the peculiarities of using throwing weapons (freedom of movement and a certain shooting position), the loopholes for archers were long and narrow, and for crossbowmen they were short, widening on the sides.

A special type of loophole is a ball loophole. It was a freely rotating wooden ball fixed to the wall with a slot for firing.

Pedestrian gallery on the wall.

Balconies (the so-called “machiculi”) were installed in the walls very rarely - for example, in the case when the wall was too narrow for the free passage of several soldiers, and, as a rule, performed only decorative functions.

At the corners of the castle, small towers were built on the walls, most often flanking (that is, protruding outward), which allowed the defenders to fire along the walls in two directions. In the late Middle Ages, they began to be adapted for storage. The inner sides of such towers (facing the castle courtyard) were usually left open so that an enemy who broke into the wall could not gain a foothold inside them.

Flanking corner tower.

Castle from the inside

The internal structure of the locks was varied. In addition to the mentioned zwingers, behind the main gate there could be a small rectangular courtyard with loopholes in the walls - a kind of “trap” for attackers. Sometimes castles consisted of several “sections” separated internal walls. But an indispensable attribute of the castle was a large courtyard ( outbuildings, well, rooms for servants) and the central tower, also known as the “donjon”.

Donjon at Vincennes Castle.

The life of all the inhabitants of the castle directly depended on the presence and location of the well. Problems often arose with it - after all, as mentioned above, castles were built on hills. The solid rocky soil also did not make the task of supplying water to the fortress any easier. There are known cases of castle wells being laid to a depth of more than 100 meters (for example, Kuffhäuser Castle in Thuringia or the Königstein fortress in Saxony had wells more than 140 meters deep). Digging a well took from one to five years. In some cases, this consumed as much money as the entire interior of the castle.

Due to the fact that water had to be obtained with difficulty from deep wells, issues of personal hygiene and sanitation faded into the background. Instead of washing themselves, people preferred to care for animals - especially expensive horses. It is not surprising that townspeople and villagers wrinkled their noses in the presence of castle inhabitants.

The location of the water source depended primarily on natural causes. But if there was a choice, then the well was dug not in the square, but in a fortified room, in order to provide it with water in case of shelter during a siege. If, due to the nature of the occurrence groundwater If a well was dug behind the castle wall, then a stone tower was built above it (if possible, with wooden passages into the castle).

When there was no way to dig a well, a cistern was built in the castle to collect rainwater from the roofs Such water needed purification - it was filtered through gravel.

The military garrison of castles in peacetime was minimal. So in 1425, two co-owners of the castle of Reichelsberg in the Lower Franconian Aube entered into an agreement that each of them would provide one armed servant, and pay two gatekeepers and two guards together.

The castle also had a number of buildings that ensured the autonomous life of its inhabitants in conditions of complete isolation (blockade): a bakery, a steam bath, a kitchen, etc.

Kitchen at Marksburg Castle.

The tower was the tallest structure in the entire castle. It provided the ability to observe the surrounding area and served as a last refuge. When the enemies broke through all the defense lines, the population of the castle took refuge in the donjon and withstood a long siege.

The exceptional thickness of the walls of this tower made its destruction almost impossible (in any case, it would have required great amount time). The entrance to the tower was very narrow. It was located in the courtyard at a significant (6-12 meters) height. The wooden staircase leading inside could easily be destroyed and thereby block the attackers' path.

Entrance to the donjon.

Inside the tower there was sometimes a very high shaft going from top to bottom. It served either as a prison or a warehouse. Entry into it was possible only through a hole in the vault of the upper floor - “Angstloch” (German - terrifying hole). Depending on the purpose of the mine, the winch lowered prisoners or provisions into it.

If there were no prison premises in the castle, then the prisoners were placed in large wooden boxes made of thick boards, too small to stand up to their full height. These boxes could be installed in any room of the castle.

Of course, they were taken prisoner, first of all, to obtain a ransom or to use the prisoner in a political game. Therefore, VIPs were provided with upper class- guarded chambers in the tower were allocated for their maintenance. This is exactly how Frederick the Handsome “spent his time” at the castle of Trausnitz on Pfeimde and Richard the Lionheart in Trifels.

Chamber at Marksburg Castle.

Abenberg Castle tower (12th century) in section.

At the base of the tower there was a basement, which could also be used as a dungeon, and a kitchen with a pantry. Main hall (dining room, common area) occupied an entire floor and was heated by a huge fireplace (it distributed heat only a few meters, so iron baskets with coals were placed further down the hall). Above were the chambers of the feudal lord's family, heated by small stoves.

At the very top of the tower there was an open (less often covered, but if necessary the roof could be dropped) platform where a catapult or other throwing weapon could be installed to fire at the enemy. The standard (banner) of the owner of the castle was also erected there.

Sometimes the donjon did not serve as a living space. It could well have been used only for military-economic purposes (observation posts on the tower, dungeon, food storage). In such cases, the feudal lord’s family lived in the “palace” - the living quarters of the castle, standing apart from the tower. The palaces were built of stone and had several floors in height.

It should be noted that the living conditions in the castles were far from the most pleasant. Only the largest palaces had a large knightly hall for celebrations. It was very cold in the dungeons and palaces. Fireplace heating helped, but the walls were still covered with thick tapestries and carpets - not for decoration, but to preserve heat.

The windows let in very little sunlight (this was due to the fortification nature of the castle architecture); not all of them were glazed. Toilets were arranged in the form of a bay window in the wall. They were unheated, so visiting the outhouse in winter left people with a unique feeling.

Castle toilet.

Concluding our “tour” of the castle, we cannot fail to mention that it necessarily had a room for worship (temple, chapel). The indispensable inhabitants of the castle included a chaplain or priest, who, in addition to his main duties, played the role of a clerk and teacher. In the most modest fortresses, the role of a temple was played by a wall niche where a small altar stood.

Large temples had two floors. Commoners prayed below, and gentlemen gathered in a warm (sometimes glassed-in) choir on the second tier. The decoration of such rooms was quite modest - an altar, benches and wall paintings. Sometimes the temple served as a tomb for the family living in the castle. Less often it was used as a refuge (along with the donjon).

There are many tales told about underground passages in castles. Of course, there were moves. But very few of them led from the castle somewhere into the neighboring forest and could be used as an escape route. As a rule, there were no long moves at all. Most often there were short tunnels between separate buildings, or from the keep to the complex of caves under the castle (additional shelter, warehouse or treasury).

War on earth and underground

Contrary to popular misconception, the average size of the military garrison of an ordinary castle during active hostilities rarely exceeded 30 people. This was quite enough for defense, since the inhabitants of the fortress were in relative safety behind its walls and did not suffer such losses as the attackers.

To take the castle, it was necessary to isolate it - that is, to block all food supply routes. That is why the attacking armies were much larger than the defending ones - about 150 people (this is true for a war of mediocre feudal lords).

The issue of provisions was the most painful. A person can live without water for several days, without food - about a month (one should take into account his low combat effectiveness during a hunger strike). Therefore, the owners of a castle preparing for a siege often took extreme measures - they drove out all the commoners who could not benefit the defense. As mentioned above, the garrison of the castles was small - it was impossible to feed an entire army under siege conditions.

The inhabitants of the castle rarely launched counterattacks. This simply did not make sense - there were fewer of them than the attackers, and they felt much calmer behind the walls. A special case is forays for food. The latter were carried out, as a rule, at night, in small groups that walked along poorly guarded paths to the nearest villages.

Not less problems the attackers had it too. The siege of castles sometimes lasted for years (for example, the German Turant defended from 1245 to 1248), so the question of logistics for an army of several hundred people arose especially acutely.

In the case of the siege of Turant, chroniclers claim that during all this time the soldiers of the attacking army drank 300 fuders of wine (a fuder is a huge barrel). This amounts to about 2.8 million liters. Either the census taker made a mistake, or the constant number of besiegers was more than 1000 people.

The most preferred season for starving a castle was summer - there is less rain than in spring or autumn (in winter, the inhabitants of the castle could get water by melting snow), the crops were not yet ripe, and old supplies had already run out.

The attackers tried to deprive the castle of a source of water (for example, they built dams on the river). In the most extreme cases, “biological weapons” were used - corpses were thrown into the water, which could provoke outbreaks of epidemics throughout the area. Those inhabitants of the castle who were captured were mutilated by the attackers and released. They returned back and became unwitting parasites. They might not be accepted at the castle, but if they were the wives or children of the besieged, then the voice of the heart outweighed considerations of tactical expediency.

The residents of the surrounding villages who tried to deliver supplies to the castle were treated no less cruelly. In 1161, during the siege of Milan, Frederick Barbarossa ordered the hands of 25 townspeople of Piacenza who were trying to supply food to their enemies to be cut off.

The besiegers set up a permanent camp near the castle. It also had some simple fortifications (palisades, earthen ramparts) in case of a sudden attack by the fortress’s defenders. For protracted sieges, a so-called “counter-castle” was built next to the castle. Usually it was located higher than the besieged one, which made it possible to conduct effective observation of the besieged from its walls and, if the distance allowed, to fire at them from throwing weapons.

View of Eltz Castle from Trutz-Eltz Counter-Castle.

The war against castles had its own specifics. After all, any more or less high stone fortification presented a serious obstacle to conventional armies. Direct infantry attacks on the fortress could well be crowned with success, which, however, came at the cost of great casualties.

That is why, in order to successfully capture the castle, a whole complex of military measures was necessary (the siege and starvation have already been mentioned above). Among the most labor-intensive, but at the same time extremely successful ways overcoming the castle's defenses involved undermining.

Undermining was done for two purposes - to provide troops with direct access to the castle's courtyard or to destroy a section of its wall.

Thus, during the siege of the Altwindstein castle in Northern Alsace in 1332, a brigade of sappers of 80 (!) people took advantage of the diversionary maneuvers of their troops (periodic short attacks on the castle) and over the course of 10 weeks made a long passage through solid rock into the south-eastern part of the fortress .

If the castle wall was not too large and had an unreliable foundation, then a tunnel was dug under its base, the walls of which were strengthened with wooden struts. Next, the spacers were set on fire - just under the wall. The tunnel was collapsing, the base of the foundation was sagging, and the wall above this place was falling apart.

Storming of the castle (14th century miniature).

Later, with the advent of gunpowder weapons, bombs were planted in tunnels under castle walls. To neutralize the undermining, the besieged sometimes dug counter-undermining. Enemy sappers were poured with boiling water, bees were released into the tunnel, feces were poured into it (and in ancient times The Carthaginians launched live crocodiles into Roman mines.

Curious devices were used to detect tunnels. For example, large copper bowls with balls inside were placed throughout the castle. If a ball in any bowl began to tremble, this was a sure sign that a tunnel was being mined nearby.

But the main argument in attacking the castle were siege engines - catapults and rams. The first were not much different from those catapults that were used by the Romans. These devices were equipped with a counterweight, which imparted the greatest force to the throwing arm. With proper dexterity of the “gun crew,” catapults were quite accurate weapons. They threw large, smoothly hewn stones, and the combat range (on average, several hundred meters) was regulated by the weight of the projectiles.

A type of catapult is a trebuchet.

Sometimes the catapults were loaded with barrels filled with flammable materials. To give the defenders of the castle a couple of pleasant minutes, catapults threw the severed heads of prisoners to them (especially powerful machines could even throw whole corpses over the wall).

Storming the castle using a mobile tower.

In addition to the usual ram, pendulum ones were also used. They were mounted on high mobile frames with a canopy and looked like a log suspended on a chain. The besiegers hid inside the tower and swung the chain, causing the log to hit the wall.

In response, the besieged lowered a rope from the wall, at the end of which steel hooks were attached. With this rope they caught the ram and tried to lift it up, depriving it of mobility. Sometimes an unwary soldier could get caught on such hooks.

Having overcome the rampart, broken the palisades and filled in the ditch, the attackers either stormed the castle using ladders or used tall wooden towers, the upper platform of which was flush with the wall (or even higher than it). These gigantic structures were doused with water to prevent the defenders from setting them on fire and were rolled up to the castle along a plank flooring. A heavy platform was thrown over the wall. The assault group climbed up the internal stairs, went out onto the platform and fought into the gallery of the fortress wall. Usually this meant that in a couple of minutes the castle would be taken.

Silent Sapa

Sapa (from the French sape, literally - hoe, saper - to dig) is a method of digging a ditch, trench or tunnel to approach its fortifications, used in the 16th-19th centuries. The switchback (quiet, secretive) and flying glanders are known. Work with a shift gland was carried out from the bottom of the original ditch without workers going to the surface, and with a flying gland - from the surface of the earth under the cover of a previously prepared protective embankment of barrels and bags of earth. In the 2nd half of the 17th century, specialists - sappers - appeared in the armies of a number of countries to perform such work.

The expression to act “on the sly” means: to sneak, slowly, unnoticed, to penetrate somewhere.

Fights on the castle stairs

From one floor of the tower it was possible to get to another only along a narrow and steep spiral staircase. The ascent along it was carried out only one after another - it was so narrow. In this case, the warrior who went first could only count on his own ability to fight, because the steepness of the turn was chosen in such a way that it was impossible to use a spear or long sword from behind the leader’s back. Therefore, the battles on the stairs were reduced to single combat between the defenders of the castle and one of the attackers. Namely the defenders, because they could easily replace each other, since there was a special extended area behind them.

In all castles, the stairs twist clockwise. There is only one castle with a reverse twist - the fortress of the Counts Wallenstein. When studying the history of this family, it was discovered that most of the men in it were left-handed. Thanks to this, historians realized that such a design of stairs greatly facilitates the work of the defenders. Most swipe with a sword you can apply it towards your left shoulder, and a shield in your left hand best covers your body from this direction. Only the defender has all these advantages. The attacker can only strike to the right side, but his striking hand will be pressed against the wall. If he puts his shield forward, he will almost lose the ability to use weapons.

Samurai castles

Himeji Castle.

We know the least about exotic castles - for example, Japanese ones.

Initially, samurai and their overlords lived on their estates, where, apart from the “yagura” watchtower and a small moat around the dwelling, there were no other defensive structures. In case of a protracted war, fortifications were erected in hard-to-reach areas of the mountains, where it was possible to defend against superior enemy forces.

Stone castles began to be built at the end of the 16th century, taking into account European achievements in fortification. An indispensable feature of a Japanese castle are wide and deep artificial ditches with steep slopes that surrounded it on all sides. Usually they were filled with water, but sometimes this function was performed by a natural water barrier - a river, lake, swamp.

Inside, the castle was a complex system of defensive structures, consisting of several rows of walls with courtyards and gates, underground corridors and labyrinths. All these structures were located around the central square of Honmaru, on which the feudal lord's palace and the high central tenshukaku tower were erected. The latter consisted of several gradually decreasing rectangular tiers with protruding tiled roofs and pediments.

Japanese castles, as a rule, were small - about 200 meters long and 500 wide. But among them there were also real giants. Thus, Odawara Castle occupied an area of ​​170 hectares, and the total length of its fortress walls reached 5 kilometers, which is twice the length of the walls of the Moscow Kremlin.

Ancient charm

Castles are still being built today. Those that were state property are often returned to the descendants of ancient families. Castles are a symbol of the influence of their owners. They are an example of an ideal compositional solution, which combines unity (defense considerations did not allow the picturesque distribution of buildings throughout the territory), multi-level buildings (main and secondary) and the utmost functionality of all components. Elements of castle architecture have already become archetypes - for example, a castle tower with battlements: its image sits in the subconscious of any more or less educated person.

French castle of Saumur (14th century miniature).

And finally, we love castles because they are simply romantic. Knightly tournaments, ceremonial receptions, vile conspiracies, secret passages, ghosts, treasures - when applied to castles, all this ceases to be a legend and turns into history. The expression “the walls remember” fits perfectly here: it seems that every stone of the castle breathes and hides a secret. I'd like to believe that medieval castles will continue to maintain an aura of mystery - because without it, sooner or later they will turn into an old pile of stones.

With the construction of housing and the emergence of stratification in society based on property, the need arose to lock houses and protect their private property. Almost none left globe places where people don't use it. Over the course of a long time, the door frame locking devices have been modified. Manufacturers sought to make the lock more reliable, improving its quality. However, the function of the door lock remained the same - it is to lock doors and preserve property. Door locks are also installed on interior doors.

The main function of a door lock is to lock doors and protect your home.

Types of door locks

All locking devices include:

• fixing device;
• a special locking box made of metal;
• valve;
• key for moving the bolt.

Its purpose depends on the design of the door lock. Method of attaching locking mechanisms to door device divides them into:

• mortise, they are installed inside;
• invoices are fixed on the inside of the doors.

It is necessary to remember that door locks and mortise locks are made for “left” and “right” doors; it is not recommended to turn them over when installing them. This may contribute to their abnormal functioning.

Mortise lock device.

There are universal door locks in which it is possible to switch from the left to the right door, and vice versa. This can be done by rearranging the deadbolt or latch. This operation is carried out without disassembling the entire lock.

A curious type of overhead door lock is the beam lock. It has two bolts. They move horizontally across the entire width of the door. This lock also protects the door from the side where the hinges are located.

The mortise type of door locks is more difficult to install, hence there is a high probability that the quality installation. The place of the door leaf where they are inserted is thoroughly weakened. And its closer location to the outer surface makes the doors more accessible to a burglar. We must pay tribute mortise locks, which are less visible and more convenient to use.

Overhead door locks do not have the same disadvantages as mortise door locks. They are easier to install; they do not reduce the strength at the installation sites. Overhead locks work great on doors that open inward. This type A door lock perfectly protects against attacks from the outside, but it is not a hindrance to a burglar inside the room. The disadvantage of rim locks is the change appearance doors for the worse.

Door lock diagram.

Nowadays they make door locks with multiple deadbolts. They are called multi-point locks. A reliable locking system is one whose bolts (crossbars) are distributed along the longest possible length of the door end.

The most well-known door lock mechanism is the mortise lock. It includes:

• frame;
• front plank part;
• drive lever;
• main action deadbolt;
• bolt with a special latch.

Regardless of what kind of fastening to the doors, the adaptation of the current locking mechanisms contains two components:

• secret, with its help the key to the lock is recognized;
• the actuator performs the locking.

Types of secrets

Mechanical secretions are manufactured in various versions:

1. In the shape of a cylinder. The basis is a special part - a cylinder. In the middle there are pins - elements that prevent the lock from being picked. This type of castle is called an English castle. It is the most common.
2. Coded. It opens when you enter the key by typing the required numbers.
3. Suvaldny. Finding several teeth on the key that determine the number of levers.
4. Electronic. It is created on a drive built inside.

Types of actuators

Cylinder type lock: 1 - body cylinder mechanism, 2 - cylinder (core) with a code mechanism, 3 - key hole, 4 - code pins (pins), 5 - locking pins (pins), 6 - driver/cam, 7 - mounting hole, 8 - spring, 9 - key, 10 - separation line between the body and the cylinder.

There are several systems that are used as an actuator. This:

• mechanical, when the closure is performed by a metal rod that fits into a special groove;
• electromechanical, there is a deadbolt with an electric drive;
• electromagnetic, the locking mechanism is a magnet.

The reliability of the locking system of a lever door lock depends on the number of plates. Their large quantity contributes more reliable protection premises.

This type of lock system consists of the following elements:

• the bolt is the transverse mechanism of the bolt;
• lever - a metal plate;
• specially designed hole for a key.

This system operates on the principle that all plates occupy the established positions; only in this case can the key be turned. The plates are placed under the influence of the teeth of the key in clearly designated positions. This allows the key and door lock mechanism to be turned. But if at least one of the plates is not in its intended groove, then the entire device will not work. That is, the key is the lock code.

Such door locks are quite difficult to open using force. Level door locks have long term operation and a high degree of reliability. The advantages include their high secrecy and simplicity of design. If all assembly rules and safety standards are observed, such a lock is difficult to crack.

Structure of a cylinder lock system

Level lock diagram.

The cylinder locking mechanism can be applied or mortise. It has a secret device in the middle. These door locks are manufactured:

• one-sided, they can be opened with a key on only one side;
• double-sided, these locks have two cylinders and cannot be opened from the inside without a key.

In order to close a home with such a lock, it is necessary to perform certain actions: a key is inserted into a hole that has a limited protrusion. This hole is in a cylinder, part of which always turns, but will only do so when the proper key is inserted. The rest of the device will remain motionless - this is the body. The executive device is the pins. They serve to lift the key. Their position will determine whether the constipation is open or closed.

The door lock will open only when all coded elements are completely aligned.

Interior door locking system

Scheme of the lock design of an interior door with dimensions.

In some cases, it is necessary to close the door between rooms, and then they opt for a special original lock built into the door. It includes:

• turning plate;
• gate;
• spring;
• lever for holding;
• latch;
• case cover.

Over the years, people have developed the habit of locking it with special door locks when leaving home. They were once very simple. In our time, the use of computer technology has led to the emergence of invisible locks. They do an excellent job of protecting your home from burglary. If the door locks are simple and inexpensive, then it is not difficult to drill and knock them out. The lock structure hidden in the door operates exclusively from the radio frequencies of a special key fob.

From this we can conclude that the best solution would be to purchase one high-quality constipation device. You can also combine different types of door locks in one locking system, this will complicate the work of burglars. It must be remembered that when choosing, you must carefully examine such a design for all sorts of flaws so that it does not fail at the right time.

In almost every apartment or house, interior doors have locks various designs. At first glance, it seems, why do you need such a lock, and even on the doors separating your own rooms? But as they say, all sorts of cases happen, and as marketing statistics show, more and more people are ordering the installation of interior doors with locks.

Locking devices may include various additional elements, such as handles, unlocking devices, and remote controls. remote control, all this creates additional amenities when working with a lock. It should be noted that such a locking device is constantly in use and will have to be periodically cleaned and lubricated to avoid its failure, and for this you need to know the structure of the interior door lock, which will be the subject of our conversation today.

What locks are used on interior doors?

For some reason, most ordinary people believe that in interior doors, in addition to the simplest mechanical locks they don't install anything. But really, why install it in a door like this? secure lock, because no one will hack it different ways, its task, like a simple latch, is to indicate that the door is closed and you should not try to enter the room.

In fact, the most locks are installed on interior doors. different types and the point here is not in burglary resistance, but in features and ease of use. Of course, you can’t install bulky rim locks on an elegant interior door, but compact mortise versions of locking devices have not yet been canceled. So, what types of locks are suitable for installation on interior doors?

• Mechanical locks are the undisputed leader. They are most often installed on interior doors because they are the cheapest and their service life is quite long. If the owner does not have any special requirements for controlling the door leaf, then a mechanical locking device is the most reasonable choice.
• Electromechanical locks in Lately are increasingly used on interior doors. Their advantages are ease of control, including the possibility of remote opening and closing. Oddly enough, they last longer than mechanical locks, although the price of such locking devices is not at all low.
• Electromagnetic locks on interior doors have recently been often installed in communal apartments. Consumers find it convenient to use such a lock to restrict access to common areas, for example, to the kitchen. At the same time, the electromagnetic locking device for interior doors looks compact and aesthetically pleasing, and can be used for a long time even in conditions of significant traffic.

In addition to the indicated types of locking devices, locks are installed on interior doors. permanent magnets. These, it must be said, are quite exotic and rarely seen devices. Experts do not recommend using them due to an unpleasant drawback, which is expressed in residual magnetization, due to which the mechanism operates unstable.

Very often, the opening mechanism or handles of such locks break when the magnet is unlocked from the mating part. Due to the complexity of the design, high cost and short service life, we also do not recommend that you install such a lock and we will not discuss it further.

Mechanical locks on interior doors and their design

As we have already noted, mechanical locks on interior doors are very common. It is precisely because of their popularity among consumers that a fairly large number of companies produce and sell such devices. Moreover, each of the commercially available mechanical locks has its own design features. In this paragraph, we will look at the design of a popular mechanical mortise lock with an “L” shaped handle, which may already be installed in your interior door. This lock consists of the following elements:

1. face plate;
2. latch and its springs;
3. handle springs;
4. tetrahedral hole for the handle;
5. latch lever and lever arm;
6. locking device with a spring;
7. crossbar;
8. locking device housing;
9. secrecy mechanism;
10. mounting holes and mounting screws.

Components of electromechanical locks used in interior doors

Mortise electromechanical locks For interior doors, in addition to high-quality installation, they also require electrical communications. Such a locking device consists of the following elements:

The device of electromagnetic locks

The electromagnetic lock installed on interior doors is designed quite simply. Its most complex part is represented by a control element, the diagram of which will not be considered within the framework of this text, since this is the subject of a separate article. The components of an electromagnetic lock are:

1. Control block;
2. reed switches made of transformer steel;
3. dielectric housing;
4. winding;
5. a steel plate that plays the role of a counterpart;
6. pen;
7. power connector.

Operation and maintenance of interior door locks

In conclusion, I would like to focus on the following thought. No matter how expensive and perfect your lock “standing guard” on the interior door may be, you should not forget about caring for it.

After all, there is nothing more detrimental to a locking device than room dust, lack of sufficient lubricant and loose fasteners. As practice shows, you need to spend about 20-30 minutes to remove the lock body, clean and lubricate the mechanism, tighten loose fasteners and put the device back together. Carry out this procedure once a year, thereby you will avoid troubles with serious damage and replacement of the interior lock.