A DOOR CLOSING DEVICE

Abstract: A door closing device (2) for use by doors or similar pivoting wings being provided with exterior hinges (4) of the type comprising flange parts (6, 8) for fastening the respective hinge parts to the door (12) or the wing respectively a frame (10), said door closing device at least partly being adapted to surround the hinge, as the door closing device (2) consists of springy plate material and has form as a mainly cylindrical preferably tubelike member (14), which is provided with a longitudinal through-going slit (16, 18), and being adapted to be mounted by insertion around the hinge (4) from one end thereof in such a manner that opposite side edge parts of said slit (16) rest against said flange parts (6, 8) of the respective hinge parts for affecting a spring load between the flange parts (6, 8) for closing of the door (12) or the wing, as mounting of the door closing device (2) preferably is performed, when the door (12) or the wing is closed, that is that the door closing device (2) by opening the door (12) or the wing is tightened for affecting said spring load.

Description: A door closing device The present invention relates to a door closing device of the type described in the intro¬ ductory part of claim 1. From US-patent No. 1 810 293 a door closing device is known for mounting in connection with an exterior door hinge, which door closing device comprises a spiral spring, the spiral turns of which are intended to be placed around an upper extension of the door hinge pin, while free end parts of the spring engage with holding parts on the door and the door frame, respectively. This known door closing device is adapted to subsequent mounting in connection with an exterior door frame; but the mounting demands fastening of the said holding parts to the door plate itself and to the door frame, respectively. From US-patent No. 3 329 991 another door closing device is known, which also is in¬ tended to be mounted in connection with an exterior door hinge, and which has the purpose to close a door plate "just-ajar". This door closing device comprises a spiral spring, of which a central turn is secured to the hinge pin, while end parts of the spring partly are secured to the door frame and partly rest against the door plate. Around the hinge pin a holding arm of a separate spring part being placed in the frame groove - between this and a rear edge of the door plate, as the separate spring part is adapted to prevent the door being fully closed, that is ensure that the door is closed to a "just-ajar" position - as described to prevent a look into a lavatory or a bathroom in such a manner, that it at the same time is clearly visible, that the lavatory is not occupied. Of course the door may be closed manually and locked. The invention has for its purpose to provide a new and improved door closing device of the type mentioned in the introductory part, and which by simple provisions makes it possible to obtain an easy mountable, effective and cheap door closing device, which may be mounted on an exterior hinge, for instance a door hinge, and which neither re¬ quires securing to door plate nor door frame. The door closing device according to the invention is distinctive in that the door closing device consists of springy plate material and has form as a mainly cylindrical preferably tubelike member, which is provided with a longitudinal through-going slit, and being a- dapted to be mounted by insertion around the hinge from one end thereof in such a manner that opposite side egde parts of said slit rest against said flange parts of the respective hinge parts for affecting a spring load between the flange parts for closing of the door or the wing, as mounting of the door closing device preferably is performed, when the door or the wing is closed, that is that the door closing device by opening the door or the wing is tightened for affecting said spring load. By means of simple provisions an easy mountable, effective and cheap door closing device is obtained, which without demanding proper fastening to the door plate or door frame may easily be subsequently mounted on existing door hinges, as the cylindrical door closing device simply from one end part of a hinge is lowered around the hinge, whereafter the respective side edge parts of the longitudinal slit may engage flange parts of the hinge with a springy load towards each other, so that the door closing device by opening of the door is distorted to subsequently affecting said closing force on the door plate. Furthermore it seems to be important, that the door closing device according to the in¬ vention on the whole is not visible. Appropriately the door closing device according to the invention is such provided that the longitudinal slit comprises two mutual parallel slit parts, which are mutually displaced in such a manner, that the respective slit parts are adapted to co-operate with said flange parts of the hinge, which flange parts often are mutually displaced. Advantageously the door closing device according to the invention may furthermore be such provided that the longitudinal slit along a slit part, which in use preferably constitutes an upper half, at a side egde being provided with gripping means and at an opposite side edge being provided with sliding means, for instance in form of an edge bulb or a thickness, while the longitudinal slit along the other slit part, which in use preferably constitutes a lower half, at an side edge - on level with the gripping means of first-mentioned half - is provided with an edge bulb or a thickness and at opposite side edge - on level with the edge bulb or the thickness of first-mentioned half - is provided with gripping means. Appropriately the door closing device according to the invention is such provided that said gripping means of said slit parts consist of sharp edges or by point gripping teeth, and that said edge bulb consists of a rolled up edge bulb, that said thickness advan¬ tageously may be provided with a longitudinal cavity. Or the door closing device according to the invention may be provided as a screw- shaped, open plate cylinder with mutual parallel edge parts, which in the longitudinal direction of the door closing device is such displaced that one edge part may rest against a side of one of said flange parts of the hinge, while the other edge part may rest against an opposite side of said other flange part of the hinge. In this case the door closing device advantageously may furthermore be such provided that the mutual parallel edge parts both are provided with sharp edges or with point gripping teeth along the mainly length of the respective edge parts and the middle edge parts - which edge parts are overlapping each other - being provided with short edge bulbs or thicknesses. To ensure good contact between the door closing device and said flange parts at the passage to the hinge body and to avoid torsion and/or bending said sharp edges or said gripping teeth are provided in radial bended-in edge parts. In a particular simple manner the door closing device according to the invention may be such provided that said gripping means consist of interior sharp edge parts of holes being provided from exterior side along a side edge part of said slit part, and that said sliding means consist of interior projections, being provided from exterior side along an opposite side edge part of said slit part. The invention is explained in more detail in the following with reference to the drawing, in which :- Fig. 1 shows a horizontal sectional view through a door hinge with an embodiment for a door closing device according to the invention, Fig. 2 shows an embodiment for a door closing device according to the invention - mounted on a door hinge - and seen from the back, that is from the flange parts of the door hinge, Fig. 3 shows the door closing device cf. Fig. 2 - seen from the front, Fig. 4 shows another embodiment for a door closing device, according to the invention - mounted on a door hinge - and seen from the back, that is from the flange parts of the door hinge, Fig. 5 shows the door closing device cf. Fig. 3 - seen from the front, Fig. 6 shows a door closing device cf. Fig. 2 - provided with mounting tools, Fig. 7 shows - in 2 views - how the door closing device cf. Fig. 2 is mounted around the door hinge - by opening of the door closing device by squeezing the mounting tools between 2 fingers, whereafter the door closing device may be lowered over the hinge, Fig. 8 shows a door closing device cf. Fig. 2 and another embodiment for the moun¬ ting tools, Fig. 9 shows, how a door closing device cf. Fig. 2 is mounted on a similar manner - as shown in Fig. 7 - but by means of an alternative embodiment for the mou¬ nting tools, Fig. 10 shows a sectional view of the mounting tools used in Fig. 9, Fig. 11 shows an ending view of the mounting tools shown in Fig. 10, while Fig. 12 shows an alternative door closing device with holding parts at opposite ends. In the horizontal sectional view shown in Fig. 1 an embodiment for a door closing device 2 is shown, which also is shown in Figs. 2 and 3, and which is mounted around a door hinge 4 with flange parts 6 and 8, which serve for securing the door hinge 4 to a door frame 10 respectively a door plate 12. The door closing device 2 has shape as a tube-shaped (cylindrical) member 14 made from thin spring steel or possible of another suitable springy material, for instance plastic, and which longitudinally is provided with mutual displaced, parallel slits 16 and 18, which by lowering the door closing device 2 down around the door hinge 4 are adapted to receive the respective flange parts 6 and 8 of the hinge. The upper slit 18 is - to the right in Fig. 2 - along an edge part provided with gripping teeth 20 and along opposite end part - to the left in Fig. 2 - provided with an exterior open edge bulb 22. In a similar manner the lower slit 16 - to the left in Fig. 2 - is provided with gripping teeth 24 and - to the right in Fig. 2 - provided with an exterior open edge bulb 26. The gripping teeth 20 and 24, which preferably are directed radially inwards against the hinge in the passage zone between this and the flange parts 6 and 8, are adapted to rest against the flange parts 6 and 8 on the side facing the door frame 10 respectively the door plate 12, while the edge bulbs 22 and 26 are adapted to rest against the opposite sides of the flange parts 6 and 8, as the edge bulbs 22 and 26 by sliding exterior on the back of the hinge 4, the door closing device 2 permits itself to open (get bigger diameter), when the door is opened, that means when the door plate 12 - as shown in Fig. 1 - is swung out in relation to the door frame 10. In Figs. 4 and 5 the hinge 4 is shown mounted with another embodiment for a door closing device 28 having an open cylindrical screw-shape, and which along an edge part 30 is provided with gripping teeth 32 intended to engage with one side of the flange part 8. The edge part 30 is - below the gripping teeth 32 - provided with a short exterior open edge bulb 34 adapted to rest against one side of the flange part 6, while the door closing device 28 opposite the edge part 30 has an edge part 36 with gripping teeth 38 being adapted to engage opposite side of the flange part 6, as the edge part 36 furthermore above the gripping teeth 38 are provided with a short exterior open edge bulb 40 adapted to rest against the flange part 8 above the gripping teeth 32 - that is that the door closing device 28 has a function quite similar to that of the door closing device 2. In Figs. 6 and 7 is illustrated, how the door closing device 2 for instance may be mounted on the door hinge 4 by use of mounting tools 42 and 44 being bended from wire, and comprising free end parts being adapted partly to surround the door closing device 2 and to be partly entered into the edge bulbs 22 and 26. By squeezing together the mounting tools 42 and 44 - as shown - the door closing device 2 may be opened, that is having a bigger interior diameter, so that it easily may be descended and positioned around the hinge 4. In Fig. 8 functional similar mounting tools 46 are shown, which are produced from plate, and which along a free edge has a catch-shaped bended part 48, which may grip in the exterior open edge bulbs 22 and 24, or which possible may grip around the edge bulbs 22 and 24, while opposite edge parts of the mounting tools 46 are squeezed together between to fingers for descending the door closing device 2 around the hinge 4. In Figs. 9 to 11 alternative mounting tools 50 are shown, where opposite end parts are provided partly with gripping parts and partly are mutual cranked, so that the mounting tools 50 may be used for mounting of the door closing devices 2 on both right- and left- winged hinges 4, and so that - cf. Fig. 9 - a more symmetrical squeezing together of the mounting tools 50 between two fingers is obtained by mounting of the door closing device 2 for opening and descending of the latter around the hinge 4. It shall be mentioned, that the door closing device according to the invention dependent on the actual choise of plate material (the actual spring load) either may be adapted to close a door or a similar pivoting wing fully or being adapted to close the door to a "just-ajar" position. Furthermore it shall be mentioned, that it will be within the scope of the invention, that the door closing device may be integrated with a hinge. For instance a free edge part of a screw-shaped door closing device may be adapted to be connected permanently to a flange part of the hinge, while an opposite edge part of the door closing device is provided with an edge bulb or a thickness being adapted to rest against an other flange part of the hinge. Alternatively, opposite edge parts of the door closing device may be adapted for permanent fastening to the respective flange parts of the hinge. Or the door closing device may possible consists of a tube-shaped basis part with projecting flange parts being adapted to - as by a hinge - to be fastened to a frame respectively a door, that is that the door closing device at the same time forms an extra hinge with a Ω-like cross section. Finally it shall be mentioned, that the door closing device according to the invention of course also may be adapted to mounting on hinges with more than two flange parts. If for instance it is about a hinge with three flange parts, of which the exterior are adapted to be secured to a frame, while the middle flange part is adapted to be secured to a door, the longitudinal slits of the door closing device may be split up in three sections. That is that the outer sections at one side are provided with edges or gripping teeth for co-operation with two of the flange parts of the hinge, while the middle section at opposite sides are provided with edge or gripping teeth for co-operation with the middle flange part, as the flange parts of the slit sections on level with the edges or the gripping teeth only are provided with a recess. However, a door closing device with only two slit sections will of course also be able to serve a hinge with more than two flanges, as the door closing device just is mounted over two hinge flanges being placed beside each other, and being adapted to be secured to frame respectively door or wing. The alternative door closing device 52 shown in Fig. 12 is - at opposite ends - provided with special holding parts 54 consisting of end parts 56 being separated from the basis part of the door closing device 52 by means of extra wringled slits 58. The holding parts 54 may such grip around opposite ending parts of a hinge - in order to prevent, that the door closing device 54 jumps off, when the door for instance is opened extra much.

Claims: CLAIMS: 1. A door closing device for use by doors or similar pivoting wings being provided with exterior hinges of the type comprising flange parts for fastening the respective hinge parts to the door or the wing respectively a frame, said door closing device at least partly being adapted to surround the hinge, characterized in that the door closing device consists of springy plate material and has form as a mainly cylindrical preferably tubelike member, which is provided with a longitudinal through-going slit, and being adapted to be mounted by insertion around the hinge from one end thereof in such a manner that opposite side egde parts of said slit rest against said flange parts of the respective hinge parts for affecting a spring load between the flange parts for closing of the door or the wing, as mounting of the door closing device preferably is performed, when the door or the wing is closed, that is that the door closing device by opening the door or the wing is tightened for affecting said spring load. 2. A door closing device according to claim 1, characterized in that the longi- tudinal slit comprise two mutual parallel slit parts, which are mutually displaced in such a manner, that the respective slit parts are adapted to co-operate with said flange parts of the hinge, which flange parts often are mutually displaced. 3. A door closing device according to claims 1 or 2, characterized in that the longitudinal slit along a slit part, which in use preferably constitutes an upper half, at a side egde being provided with gripping means and at an opposite side edge being provided with sliding means, for instance in form of an edge bulb or a thickness, while the longitudinal slit along the other slit part, which in use preferably constitutes a lower half, at an side edge - on level with the gripping means of first-mentioned half - is pro- vided with an edge bulb or a thickness and at opposite side edge - on level with the edge bulb or the thickness of first-mentioned half - is provided with gripping means. 4. A door closing device according to claim 3, characterized in that said gripping means of said slit parts consist of sharp edges or by point gripping teeth, and that said edge bulb consists of a rolled up edge bulb. 5. A door closing device according to claim 3, characterized in that said thickness is provided with a longitudinal cavity. 6. A door closing device according to claim ^characterized in that the door closing device is provided as a screw-shaped, open plate cylinder with mutual parallel edge parts, which in the longitudinal direction of the door closing device is such displaced that one edge part may rest against a side of one of said flange parts of the hinge, while the other edge part may rest against an opposite side of said other flange part of the hinge. 7. A door closing device according to claim 6, characterized in that the mutual parallel edge parts both are provided with sharp edges or with point gripping teeth along the mainly length of the respective edge parts and the middle edge parts - which edge parts are overlapping each other - being provided with short edge bulbs or thicknesses. 8. A door closing device according to claim 4, characterized in that said sharp edges or said gripping teeth are provided in radial bended-in edge parts. 9. A door closing device according to claims 1 or 3, characterized in that said gripping means consist of interior sharp edge parts of holes being provided from exterior side along a side edge part of said slit part, and that said sliding means consistof interior projections, being provided from exterior side along an opposite side edge part of said slit part.

Inventors: ADLER TORBEN, ISAKSEN RUNE FINK, ADLER, TORBEN, ISAKSEN, RUNE, FINK
Applicants: ADLER TORBEN, ISAKSEN RUNE FINK, ADLER, TORBEN, ISAKSEN, RUNE, FINK
Application year: 1993
Main classification: E05F1
IPC codes: E05F1