How do locks work

Inside a pin tumbler lock there are — yep you guessed it, pins. Upper pins sit between springs and the pin tumblers. The spring and upper pins are fully extended and the pin tumblers are aligned inside the barrel of the lock. When a key is inserted into the lock they press against the pin tumblers forcing them into the upper chamber pins and compressing the springs.

They pins are then pushed to align flush with the shear line. The pins are designed to be different in height and configuration. These will match with the dents of the cuts on a correct key. When a key with a profile that matches the lock is inserted it aligns the pins correctly.

This means that the shear line is clear of any pins in the way, which allows the key to turn. The cam which rotates to catch the bolt of the lock is triggered once the key has rotated the barrel. This rotation allows the lock to either unlock or lock. If the lock is empty of water, open the gates by pushing against the balance beams. Take the boat in steadily then close the gates.

Try to keep the boat in the middle of the lock to avoid anything catching as the water rises. If the lock is full of water, moor up below the lock whilst your crew empty the lock by slowly raising the paddles. When the lock is empty, go in. When the gates are closed, your crew can then move to the far end of the lock and slowly open the top, 'ground' paddles.

These are situated either side of the lock, winding up the ground paddles, followed by any centre lock paddles, if fitted, to fill the lock.

Always wind slowly to avoid making a tidal wave in the lock which will throw the boat backwards against the bottom gates. Leave the pawl or safety catch in place whilst raising the paddles. Once the paddles are up and you are happy with the flow and its effect on the boat, remove the windlass from the mechanism. If you find you need to control the movement of the boat, do it with gentle bursts of throttle - forward if the boat is moving backwards, reverse if the boat is moving forwards.

Your crew must understand the importance of opening the paddles slowly, to prevent the boat moving about too much in the lock. When the lock is full, open the top gate and steer the boat out of the lock. Whilst you are doing this, your crew will shut the top paddles. They then shut the gate behind the boat while you moor up for them to get back on board.

If another boat is coming towards you, your crew should leave the gate open for them. If the lock is full, the crew can open the gate and you can steer the boat in.

However, if the lock is empty and no boat is approaching from below, the lock will need to be filled by winding up the paddles nearest to your boat. When the lock is full open the gate and steer in. Close the gate and lower the paddles. Keep the back of your boat clear of the cill on the top gates. Open the paddles to the front of the boat to empty the lock. As the lock empties, continue to look behind you to check that the back of the boat is clear of the cill. Use gentle bursts of throttle to keep the boat steady.

When the water levels are equal steer, the boat out of the lock. Close the gates and lower the paddles before you continue your journey unless another boat is coming towards you. You should always ensure the safety of your boat, yourself, your crew, children, pets and bystanders. These are some points to help:.

A windlass dropped onto bare toes can be extremely painful! Cite This! Try Our Crossword Puzzle! What Is the Missing Number? Try Our Sudoku Puzzles! More Awesome Stuff. How Lock Picking Works Lock picking allows people to open locks with only a few tools. Learn how to pick a lock, how pin and tumbler locks work, and about types of keys, re-keying and master keys.

Then test your skills with our Lock Picking Quiz! How Combination Locks Work Combination locks use wheel packs to set the combination inside the lock, a design that has stayed the same for the past years. Learn about combination locks and see pictures of the inside of a combination lock.