I work at a school and I coach basketball. The basketball nets are raised and lowered by electric motors. The switch for these motors is activated by a key. The key is spring loaded so that a person wanted to raise or lower the baskets has to stand there and hold the key for several minutes while the motor does its business. If the key is let go, the moter stops.
In two of the locks, the spring has loosened enough that I can leave the key in the lock with out it springing back. This allows me to do other things.
My question is, how hard is it to break or loosen the springs on the other locks so that I can put three keys inn walk away and not stand there trying to twist multiple keys with two hands for two or three minutes?
Is it as simple as removing the cover plate and cutting the spring with a wire cutter?
I guess, I’m looking for someone with some lock experience.
There may be a reason for the spring in the first place. I would assume that the motor continues to run even after the goal is in the down position, if the key is still turned. By requiring human intervention to hold the key, this possibly prevents the motor from being burned out.
Sorry, it doesn’t answer your question.
This would probably be considered “defeating a safety device”, and if some bizarre accident happened, you might be liable. I wouldn’t do it, or if you think it’s that important, get an Administrator to sanction replacing the spring-loaded keys with non-return key switches.
It sounds like you’re trying to override a safety system, which is never a good idea.
An application of liquid nitrogen to the lock - place the key in the lock, turn it a little (to keep from damaging the pins) and give the key a light tap with a hammer - this should crack the fragile spring.
As mentioned above - don’t do it. It’s not a good idea to override the safety mechanisms.
Listen to what beowulff, postcards, and pan1 said.
Depending on your specific state and municipality’s laws and ordinances, defeating that safety mechanism could be a crime, and it could make you liable for anything that goes wrong, from something simple like having to reimburse the school for a burned-out motor to something major like being held liable for criminal negligence if the motor seized and started a fire, or overcranked, broke a cable, and hurt a student.
Defeating those locks is a very bad idea.
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On further reflection, and for the reasons stated, I’m locking this thread.
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