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mills high top lock

PostPosted: Mon Sep 17, 2018 5:30 am
by bosmod
does anyone have any pics of how the lock mounts on a high top back door.

Re: mills high top lock

PostPosted: Mon Sep 17, 2018 7:27 am
by Tree-frog
Hope this helps, you don’t need the lock plate security cover though, but the right size screws and the back plate. Adjust the lock behind the lock cover to fit the hole correctly. You will need right size lock obviously and can use, otherwise use small bolts instead of screws

Re: mills high top lock

PostPosted: Mon Sep 17, 2018 8:17 am
by bosmod
i have the proper lock, have the screws for the door(2), but don't have that plate the two screws mount on top of the lock. what was confusing was the lock has 4 screw holes and no place to put screws into. the two screws will kind of hold the lock, but i didn't think that was correct. i appreciate the pics, they definitely helped.

Re: mills high top lock

PostPosted: Mon Sep 17, 2018 9:10 am
by JPCass
bosmod wrote:i have the proper lock, have the screws for the door(2), but don't have that plate the two screws mount on top of the lock. what was confusing was the lock has 4 screw holes and no place to put screws into. the two screws will kind of hold the lock, but i didn't think that was correct. i appreciate the pics, they definitely helped.

It is weird - basically, it's just a desk drawer or cabinet lock, and some of the new locks sold as replacements are literally nothing more than that. I don't know why Bell didn't work with Mills to come up with a version with a different back plate and bolt holes for mounting on metal doors - could they have been sticking with a configuration that Mills had been using in wooden cabinets, so that the locks would still be interchangeable? If I recall, prior to the switch to Bell locks in about 1930, Mills used Yale locks with a traditional style key, that looked every more like what you'd expect on furniture or cabinetry.

I believe that they take a 1/4-20 screw or bolt. I've seen them with nothing more than bolts holding them down, though I'd use some washers as well.

There have been a couple of the plate sets on eBay recently. I have an extra anti-tamper clip if anyone needs one.

Re: mills high top lock

PostPosted: Tue Sep 18, 2018 7:51 am
by bosmod
thank you for the added information. it makes more sense now.