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Rev. A.1, 8/01 Page- 2
2.2 HOLLOW METAL (STEEL) FRAME MOUNTING
Remove the existing ANSI 4 7/8” strike plate (it will be discarded) and experimentally try to fit
the Mortise UnLatch in the resulting cavity. In some cases the cavity will be large enough to
accommodate the Mortise UnLatch and you will have nothing to do but pull the wires up the
hollow door frame and screw the Mortise UnLatch into place. In other cases you will find a
“dust box” within the frame that will get in the way of the Mortise UnLatch. The dust box must
be cleared away to make room. Generally, a sabre saw, dremel tool or a drill with a fly cutting
bit is the most effective tool to do this. You can also find that the edge of the dry wall panel
interferes with the Mortise UnLatch. Simply chip away some of the dry wall with a screwdriver.
Once you are able to fit the Mortise UnLatch into the frame, vacuum out any concrete dust
and metal shavings (these can work their way into the UnLatch mechanism and cause
problems) and loosely mount it and proceed to Section 2.4, adjusting for latch/deadlatch
location. Note that the face of the Mortise UnLatch is protected by a removable film.
Leave this on during the “pre-mounting” so as to preserve the metal finish against scratching
and to block the possible entry into the mechanism of dust or metal shavings. Remove the film
when you adjust the unit for latch/deadlatch location (Section 2.4).
2.3 WOOD FRAME MOUNTING
For installation in a wood frame use a chisel to create a space for the Mortise UnLatch behind
the existing strike. Remove the strike and place the template (last page of this manual) on the
door (registering it to the strike mounting holes). This will show you the space that must be
chiseled out. As you get close to finishing the chiseling job, experimentally try to fit the body of
the Mortise UnLatch in the cavity. This will avoid chiseling too big a space. A tight fit is
preferred as it helps the solidity of the mounting. Normally, with a wood frame, the wires will be
run inside the wall. Simply drill from the back of the cavity you have created rearward into the
wall space to admit the wires. To mount the Mortise UnLatch to the wood frame, use the two
#12 x 1” furnished flat head wood screws. Once you are able to fit the Mortise UnLatch into the
frame, vacuum out any wood dust and metal shavings (these can work their way into the
UnLatch mechanism and cause problems) and loosely mount it and proceed to Section 2.4,
adjusting for latch/deadlatch location. Note that the face of the Mortise UnLatch is protected
by a removable film. Leave this on during the “pre-mounting” so as to preserve the metal
finish against scratching and to block the possible entry into the mechanism of dust or metal
shavings. Remove the film when you adjust the unit for latch/deadlatch location (Section 2.4).
2.4 ADJUSTING FOR LATCH/DEADLATCH LOCATION
One of the remarkable features of the Mortise UnLatch is that it adjusts to suit different
models of North American mortise locks. With conventional electric strikes, the strike model
typically needs to be matched to the lock/latch model and this complicates sourcing the electric
strike. There is one known exception: Sargent model 7800 or 8200 in retrofit (the lock is
already present). The Sargent lock can not normally be accommodated because its springlatch
and deadlatch pin are positioned so close to the bottom of the opening. To employ the Mortise
UnLatch with Sargent, purchase the accessory tab kit, model #STK-1. These new mounting
tabs sufficiently reposition the Mortise UnLatch to make it work with the Sargent Lock. Note that
in new construction, when the door and frame have been specifically prepared for the Mortise
UnLatch and Sargent 7800/8200, the accessory tab kit is not needed.
Adjustment of the Mortise UnLatch is necessary because different lock manufacturers vertically
position both the springlatch and deadlatch pin in widely differing locations along the lock body.
The Mortise UnLatch accommodates this by allowing positional adjustment of its springlatch
plunger (the component which pushes in the springlatch) and then operating the deadlatch pin
though moving “deadlatch fingers” which fill the rest of the strike opening.
The adjustment procedure is accomplished in two logical steps. First you must determine the
position of the springlatch plunger and then perform the adjustment to set that position.
2.4.1 DETERMINING SPRINGLATCH PLUNGER LOCATION
The goal of this determination is to vertically align the Mortise UnLatch’s springlatch
plunger with the lock’s springlatch. The deadlatch pin will then be “automatically” operated
by the deadlatch fingers regardless of its position on the lock. It’s important, however, to
determine the position in such a way that maximum tolerance is achieved in the event that the
door shifts against the frame.
To begin, loosely mount the Mortise Unlatch and close the door so that you can see the top and
bottom of the lock’s springlatch. Draw lines on the lip of the Mortise UnLatch’s strike which
correspond to the lock’s springlatch position. Next dismount the Mortise UnLatch. The drawn