Parts of a Door Handle - Push on Rose Lever Handles

A bustling cafe queue at 6:30am on a weekday. Half-awake commuters lined up behind you, half-patiently waiting for you to order.

“What’s the little coffee, like an espresso, but not?”

“Ristretto?”

“No, that doesn’t sound like it.”

“Cortado?”

“No, not that either, but it does have foam or milk in it, one of the two.”

“Macchiato?”

“Ah, that’s the badger. One macchiato please.”

It’s so frustrating when you know what you want, what you mean, but can’t recall or don’t know the words to communicate that to someone else.

And, whether it’s types of coffee, styles of jeans, door closer functions, or door handle parts, it’s not always fully explained at the moment you need it to be.

Everything is easier when you know the right words, and understand industry or niche-specific jargon or technical wording. So, whether you have a problem with your door handles, a certain part is damaged or not working, or you’re looking to describe them in order to find a replacement, we’re here to talk you through the parts of a door handle. 

Types of Door Handles

Asking how many types of door handles can be like asking how long a piece of string is.

However, in basic terms, there are two types.

Yes, only two.

While you’ll find hundreds, if not thousands of styles and designs of door handles, and in a huge range of finishes, they can be categorised into two main groups:

● Lever handles on rose

● Lever handles on a backplate

(We’re not talking door knobs here, or pull handles, or flush pull handles, or cupboard handles (see what we mean - handles can be like a can of worms), we’re talking levers.)

In this blog, we’re focusing on the first of these two groups, the different parts of a door handle lever on rose. 

Whether it’s a square, diamond, or round, narrow or wide, thick or thin, ornate or plain rose, the lever is return to door, mitre, curved, or scroll, the parts of a lever on rose door handle are pretty universal. 

This example is of push on rose lever handles, also known as a press on rose. Other variants of rose could have a screw on cover. Also, there are some with no additional cover plate - they have visible face fixings. 

How Do They Work?

Lever on rose or lever on backplate, fitted on one side or both sides of the door, a lever handle works by retracting a latch bolt within a locking mechanism. When the lever handle is moved down (depressed), the spindle rotates within the follower of the lockcase or latch body, pulling the latch bolt back. 

Once the latch bolt is retracted, the user is able to pull open the door using the handle. Releasing the lever also releases the latch bolt which returns to its original position, protruding from the door edge. 

What isn’t shown in our video is the strike plate that fits onto the door frame as this is part of the latch mechanism, supplied with mortice locks and bathroom locks in general. It is not something that is supplied with handles or knobs. This is a key element as without it, when someone closes the door, the bolt hits into and damages the door frame. 

Retracting the latch allows the door to open but it doesn’t need to be retracted to close the door. The bolt is bevelled but would still impact the door frame. Having a strike plate allows the latch to ride over a smooth surface, shutting firmly into the keep. 

Parts of a Door Handle

An overview of how the handles work doesn’t cover all of the detailed parts so let’s break these down:

● Lever handle/hand grip zone - the main bulk of the product and the part your hand wraps around to operate the handle.

● Return - the usually 90° angle where the lever grip turns and fixes into the rose.

● Sub plate - the fixing plate where the screws and/or bolt fixings secure the door handles to the face of the door.

● Bolt and screw fixings - face-fixing wood screws and through-the-door bolt fixings are used to secure the handles together and prevent the roses from rotating.

● Follower, spindle, and grub screw - a square handle follower accepts the 8mm spindle bar that connects the two handles through the latch or lockcase. The grub screw secures the handles to the follower.

● Spring and spring stop - the spring returns the handle to the horizontal position after it has been depressed. The spring stop prevents the lever from rotating too far.

● Circlip and washer - these both hold the spring and spring stop from jumping out, retaining them in place.

● Cover rose - a decorative cover to mask the fixings of the sub plate, which also prevents the fixings from being tampered with.

Where to Fit Lever Door Handles on Rose

Now you know how they work and what the parts are called, we’ll cover a little about when and where you’d install this type of door handle.

Most commonly used with a door latch on interior doors, rose door handles can be fitted in commercial and residential facilities. From bedrooms and bathrooms, to store rooms, offices, and communal meeting spaces, they’re a versatile type of door handle. They’re great for doors with a low volume of traffic - for busier spaces you’d fit a pull handle.

What makes them so versatile you ask? Well, they can be fitted with any length of tubular latch or different sizes of box-type mortice latches (our ultimate guide to door latches explains more about these and about 20 other types of latch). 

But it doesn’t stop there. Pair them with a bathroom thumbturn and coin release and you have bathroom door handles. Fit them with a sashlock and escutcheon and you have lever lock handles. Half sets can be used on escape door locks, or fitted as dummy handles to pull doors, like an airing cupboard.

These adaptable levers as well as being functional can also provide a uniform look and feel throughout your facility, used in conjunction with various locks, latches, and catches. The same design of handle across the property, in a matching finish, provides consistency and cohesion, and a uniform user experience. 

We have made fitting door handles that much easier. Watch our accompanying video below on how to fit this very same pair of  ARRONE AR961 return to door design safety levers. And where to fit them on the door? Look no further than our door handle height blog for guidance.  

Confidence in Door Hardware

Polished chrome modern internal door handle with a minimal rose, perfect for a contemporary office space, art deco stepped rose in antique brass with a square grip and straight lever for a town house residence, or a monkeytail scroll lever in a rustic black iron for a traditional cottage - all of these designs, styles, and finishes of lever door handles on rose will have very similar parts.

Fixing types, styles, and positions will vary a little but with our guide, you can now more confidently pick up the phone or draft an email describing the part of a door handle. You know you’ll be understood and are talking the same language as the manufacturer, supplier, and installer. 

If you’re unsure and need help, contact our customer services team today. Our GAI-qualified staff are on hand to help find the right door hardware and door controls for your project or facility. T: 01305 263300 [email protected]