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Guys

A customer (P&O) have ASSA sash cases secured with ASSA cylinders on their ferry doors. From time to time a cylinder fails - no problem, but they are starting to have a problem with the lock cases themselves.

Someone goes into a cabin then cannot get out because the thumbturn either continually turns or is jammed. Similar problem from the key side. This indicates that the problem is with the deadbolt being stuck, jammed or something.

The shipwright onboard is left with no alternative except to release the door with a crowbar and effect repairs later. I have not done too much with ASSA's and have limited knowledge of them so my question is " Is there a better way of dealing with this problem, such as a place to drill, locks are behind large handles, or something much cleverer?"

He has tried drilling out the cylinder plug to access the case and using a screwdriver, sometimes it works sometimes not. Obviously a solution is required that is fairly quick as if they are arriving in port and a driver is stuck in a cabin he has to be got out (even if he is french).

I look forward to a host of ideas to solve this.

Hello Kentlocksmith, give air bags a try. Especially with the light weight materials that are used to build interior structures on ships. 

Cheers Neil but these are heavy metal lined doors

Sounds like the bolt is getting stuck in the frame of the door and the cylinder is being forced in order to send bolt across, suggest door locks are checked to see if  this is happening ive come across something similar but on wooden doors in a conference centre when a lot of keeps were slightly out, could be with the heavy doors they have dropped a touch

Regards

Derek

Yep, I've got to agree with Derek. Heavy metal doors, will likely to have dropped, so the bolt is resting on the bottom of the keep and wont retract. I'd try to take the weight off the door somehow, by airbag underneath, or lever it up somehow, and just see if the bolt will then retract.