Patent GB-795521-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in door closing devices
IPC: E05B65/12
Filed: 1954-05-27
Abstract: 795,521. Door fastenings; door operating appliances. WILKS, G. L., and ROVER CO., Ltd. May 26, 1955 [May 27, 1954], No. 15725/54. Classes 44 and 65(1) A door closing device for motor vehicle or other doors whose final closing movement is resisted by rubber or other sealing means, comprises a pivoted locking jaw 15 for operative engagement with a peg 16 to pull the door into its closed position under the action of spring urged toggle mechanism armed as a result of operation of a door handle in an opening sense or initial opening movement of the door and brought into operation to effect door closure as a result of initial pivotal movement of the jaw consequent upon the latter contacting the peg during closing movement of the door or contacting a separate stop member, and pawl and ratchet mechanism 19, 22 for holding the jaws in a position in which it interengages with the peg to lock the door against accidental opening movement. As shown the device comprises two main supporting plates 1 and 2 which are spaced apart and carry fixed bearing members 3, 4 of the knife edge type. A component 5 carriade by a pair of spaced links 7 engages the bearing member 3 and the bearing member 4 is engaged by a component 6 which includes a rod 9. The rod 9 is slidable in a bearing member 10 which has a knife edge engaging the point of intersection of twoflat faces 12, 13 at the lower ends of each link 7. A coiled compression spring 8 surrounds the rod 9 and the spring 8, links 7,. rod 9, components 5, 6 and the bearing members form a toggle link mechanism which is retained in one or other of two positions by the spring 8, movement being limited by engagement of the bearing member 10 with the faces 12, 13. The locking jaw 15 is rigidly attached to the component 5. The pawl and ratchet mechanism comprises a plate 19 which is pivoted to the plate 1, the plate 19 having ratchet teeth 21. The pawl 22 is also pivoted to the plate 1 and it is loaded by a spring 24 into engagement with the ratchet teeth. The plate 19 is formed with a slot 25 in which a projection 26 can slide, the projection 26 being a continuation of the bearing member 10 which projects throug han arcuate slot 27 in the plate 1. In the closed position of the door the projection 26 cannot move in the slot 25 so long as the pawl is engaged with one of the ratchet teeth 21 and hence the jaw 15 cannot move. A safety locking. device is also provided, this consists of a pivoted catch 28 which trails when engaging and co-operates with a keeper plate on the door frame, the catch being loaded by a coiled spring 30. For releasing the pawl 22 and safety catch 28 so that the door can be opened, a spindle 37 is provided which is mounted in lugs 34-36 on the plate 1. At its lower end the spindle has a cam face 44 which co-operates with the projection 45 on the pawl 22 to move it from engagement with the ratchet teeth 21 and near its upper end the spindle has a lug 47, a pin 48 on which enters a slot in a link 50, the link 50 being pivotally connected to the catch 28. Rotation of the spindle 37 therefore releases both the plate 19 and the catch 28. The spindle 37 can be rotated either by an inside door handle or an outside door handle. The outside door handle 42 is attached to a channel shaped bracket 38 which is pivotally mounted on the upper end of the spindle 37. The lower part of the bracket 38 is extended and has an arcuate slot which engages an upstanding pin 40 carried by a lug 39 on the spindle 37 so that when the handle 42 is pulled the spindle 37 is rotated by engagement of the slot and pin 40. A coiled spring 41 encircling the upper end of the spindle 37 serves to return the handle to its normal position. The inside handle (not shown) is connected by linkage to th pin 40. The spindle 37 also carries a lever 52 which passes through a slot 53 in the plate 1 and engages one of the links 7; hence when the spindle 37 is rotated by either of the handles the toggle link mechanism is moved by the lever 52 over the dead centre position. In addition to the faces 12, 13, movement of the toggle mechanism may be limited by a stop 59 provided on one of the plates 1, 2 or the slot 60 through which the component 5 is connected to the jaw 15 may be dimensioned so as to restrict the movement of the locking jaw 15 and hence the toggle link mechanism. In a modification Fig. 5 one of the arms 18 of the jaw 15 can be extended so as to engage a stop 32 before the jaw engages the peg 16. A spring urged buffer 33 can also be provided to suppress noise and facilitate closure. A plate can be mounted on the door frame with which the top of the jaw engages in the locked position thus vertically locating the door.