Help! - Older Craftsman Tool chest - lock pushed in

[dnet]

Need help opening my grandfather's tool chest

He has this style of lower tool chest:


When I moved, it looks like the lock itself (where the key goes) pushed into the cabinet and is no longer visible. The chest is locked and I can't open any of the drawers. I have no idea how to open it at this point.

Any ideas or suggestions?

 

[Gordon84]

I can't visualize the problem from the picture. It looks like both locks have a place to insert the key.

 

[dnet]

Sorry about that, the pic is one I found online. Not my box but the same model.

The lower box, where you insert the key, somehow got pushed into the box and is not longer visible. Not sure how to open the box now

 

[Cruzan80]

Generally, those twist a lever, which raises/lowers something in the back which holds the drawers inside. Is there any space between the drawers you can peer in, or get a piece of metal in? Worst case, if you flip the entire box over, the drawers should unlock. Just a mess to unload then.

 

[subroc]

Need to see an actual image of your box and problem.

Shine a light in the hole and see if you can find and see the lock.

BTW, we are talking about the bottom box not the top box or chest?

 

[dnet]

Subroc, bottom box is the problem.

Cruzan, No gap to see or look in. I only have the hole through which the lock body would have gone. If I look through I do see a rod that looks like it goes from the front to the back of the box

 

[The Cobbler]

sounds like the cylinder plug came out of the housing?
if you see a rod there, try lifting it to see if it unlatches the drawers .
as said a picture would help too

 

[dnet]

sounds like the cylinder plug came out of the housing?
if you see a rod there, try lifting it to see if it unlatches the drawers .
as said a picture would help too

The entire lock assembly fell backwards into the drawer - plug and all. There is only the red sheetmetal of the body left. The rod goes from the front to the back of the cabinet (horizontally) not vertically, so it seems like twisting might be what needs to happen.

Unfortunately my camera on my phone is broken, otherwise I'd do my best to get some pics up

 

[The Cobbler]

sounds like you just need to fool with it till you figure out what needs to happen . just try to visualize that the lock rotates with the key, see how that could have moved the bar that's still there

 

[NUTTSGT]

sounds like the cylinder plug came out of the housing?
if you see a rod there, try lifting it to see if it unlatches the drawers .
as said a picture would help too

Shouldn't the rod rotate to unlock ?

Can you grab it with needle nose vice grips ?

 

[RTM]

I imagine you would need a set of bent nose needle nose to get thru the hole, grab the front to back rod, and twist, as the lock face will keep you from reaching straight in. Alternately, figure out which way it would twist, and stick a long rod thru the keyhole, and lift up the bar at the back. Will need lots of leverage, so more than a few inches sticking out the front.

Typically the vertical bar drops into a pocket in the back of the drawer, pic here in a minute or three. The rod has little fingers sticking out, and each finger vertically extends down into a pocket like this, stopping the drawer from opening.

I dont know that turning the box over will do anything, if all drawers are locked shut. Usually there is a bit of tension that keeps the vertical bar in place, it shouldn't just fall out of the slot when inverted, but I could be wrong.

 

[WWheeler]

... Worst case, if you flip the entire box over, the drawers should unlock. Just a mess to unload then.

+1 this

 

[rockettauto]

13,14,15 are the mechanisms. Yes, the rod should be twisted. There are flats at the tip of the rod, so you can stick a small wrench in there to grab the rod to twist it, I want say 1/4" but it's somewhere around there.



This video shows the channel in the back that the rod lifts. Which is why turning it upside down works.

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=https://m.youtube.com/watch%3Fv%3D5S0RyDRHo1Y&ved=2ahUKEwjE4-yKiez_AhXMkmoFHXFKB_EQjjh6BAgtEAI&usg=AOvVaw3TGsYhqT8p-ACBv5PAk-oK

 

[rockettauto]

Never tried this, but you might also consider some five minute jb stick, stuffed into a small socket on an extension. Shove it onto the rod, wait five, turn.

 

[alinc100]

I'd almost bet this Snap On Carb Jet socket(or something similar) would slip right over the rod:

 

[WWheeler]

13,14,15 are the mechanisms. Yes, the rod should be twisted. There are flats at the tip of the rod, so you can stick a small wrench in there to grab the rod to twist it, I want say 1/4" but it's somewhere around there.



This video shows the channel in the back that the rod lifts. Which is why turning it upside down works.

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=https://m.youtube.com/watch%3Fv%3D5S0RyDRHo1Y&ved=2ahUKEwjE4-yKiez_AhXMkmoFHXFKB_EQjjh6BAgtEAI&usg=AOvVaw3TGsYhqT8p-ACBv5PAk-oK

That's a great video that should help a lot in this situation.

Just looking at that I'd have lubed that whole mechanism up with an inordinate amount of garage door lube or open gear lube or something similar that won't attract dust and dirt while I was in there.

 

[subroc]

Forceps. Not saying it will work, but worth a try to grip the rod and rotate to free a drawer or drawers.

 

[dnet]

13,14,15 are the mechanisms. Yes, the rod should be twisted. There are flats at the tip of the rod, so you can stick a small wrench in there to grab the rod to twist it, I want say 1/4" but it's somewhere around there.



This video shows the channel in the back that the rod lifts. Which is why turning it upside down works.

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=https://m.youtube.com/watch%3Fv%3D5S0RyDRHo1Y&ved=2ahUKEwjE4-yKiez_AhXMkmoFHXFKB_EQjjh6BAgtEAI&usg=AOvVaw3TGsYhqT8p-ACBv5PAk-oK

That picture helped a lot. Something happened to the rod, and it was set back a lot further than I would have expected. I was able to hold the rod up with a bent wire scrap and after some trial and error found a socket that would fit on it and got it open. Interesting to note the lock body is not in any of the drawers, I can only assume it somehow fell down below the drawers to the bottom, but now need to figure out how to remove the drawers

 

[Cruzan80]

There are small bent pieces that have a tab bent into them. Just lift them out (horizontally, away from the center of the box), and you can get past the part that holds it in.

 

[The Cobbler]

usually those cam locks won't fall inwards as there's a trim ring that won't let it . any chance it fell off thru the front?

 

[RTM]

usually those cam locks won't fall inwards as there's a trim ring that won't let it . any chance it fell off thru the front?

Hit them with a BFH, they go in, trim ring falls off. At least that is what a former friend told me about newer locks.

 

[The Cobbler]

Hit them with a BFH, they go in, trim ring falls off. At least that is what a former friend told me about newer locks.

but then there's noticeable damage to the box and it didn't just fall in

 

[rockettauto]

That picture helped a lot. Something happened to the rod, and it was set back a lot further than I would have expected. I was able to hold the rod up with a bent wire scrap and after some trial and error found a socket that would fit on it and got it open. Interesting to note the lock body is not in any of the drawers, I can only assume it somehow fell down below the drawers to the bottom, but now need to figure out how to remove the drawers

Cool deal, I kind of figured it would help more to visualize what you were dealing with than anything.

I would guess the lock body fell out, more than in. If the horseshoe clip comes off it's pretty much free to fall out.