Deadbolt

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For the band see Deadbolt (band).

A deadbolt is a special kind of locking mechanism. They are more secure than ordinary key-operated locks because the weight of the locking bar is usually sufficient to increase break-in time to 10 or 15 minutes.

Unlike a spring-bolt (in which the bolt is held in place only by the pressure of a spring, and can easily be retracted), a deadbolt lock cannot be opened except by rotating the lock cylinder. (Note that some spring-bolt mechanisms incorporate anti-retraction devices that prevent the bolt from being pressed in when the door is closed.) Stories go that with a magnet, it is possible to open a non-secure deadbolt from the other side.

A variant of the standard deadbolt is the vertical deadbolt, which generally rests on top of a door. Vertical deadbolts resist jimmying (in which an intruder inserts a pry bar between the door and the frame and tries to pry the bolt out of the jamb).