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I found some of these cool old Sargent cylinders at a scrap metal dealer last year with my daughter. Once I gutted them I discovered an extra ring around the rear of the plug, something akin to a truncated version of a master ring but only allowing different pinning on pin 6, or so I thought.

It turns out this ring piece provides the 'Hotel Function' found on many hotel room doors (non electric types). It's a simple yet elegant solution.

From the Sargent 'Cylinders and Components' Catalog here's a description:



Basically, when you're inside the room and lock the deadbolt all guest keys and maid (master) keys cannot open the door (read: retract the deadbolt). However, emergency keys will throw/retract the deadbolt as well as open the latch bolt.

The ring piece accomplishes this by limiting the travel of the plug for guest/maid keys so only the latchbolt is engaged. Wheras, emergency keys can turn the plug all the way around, thus engaging the deadbolt.


Here's some pictures:

Sargent Mortise Cylinders x2 - Each with own key - KD


Rear of cylinder and tailpiece.


Tailpiece removed - ring piece now visible surrounding plug.


Front view with ring piece in-place. See 5 round pin chambers and 1 square slot in ring piece for 6th pin.


View inside the cylinder from back with plug removed. Ring piece still in-place.


Ring piece


Rear of cylinder - ring piece removed.


Dissassembled. Gotta love the bittings you can find on Sargent


Pins - master pins found on all except chamber 6.


Keys x2 - each KD.



Kind regards,
Sean



Note:
Big thanks to Jim (Cledry) for the help and informing me that this was a hotel function cylinder.

That would look great in my collection

Love that huge bow key and that extra ring looks very interesting. Great find