Improvements in Door Springs and Checks.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 7th Feb., 1894
Complete Specification Left, 30th July. 1894-Accepted, 15th Sept., 1894
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Door Springs and Checks.
I, GEORGE FREDERICK NEWMAN of the Firm of W. Newman and Sons, of
Hospital Street, in the City of Birmingham, Manufacturer (partly a communication
from abroad by Gustave Van Mierlo of 13 Groeneburgwal, Amsterdam in the
Kingdom of Holland), do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
This invention relates to improvements in pneumatic checks for doors and the
check parts of combined door springs and pneumatic checks.
Doors fitted or provided with ordinary closing springs and pneumatic checks do
not fully close consequent upon the pressure of air within the barrel of the check
being greater than the force of the spring at that part of the closing, thereby
preventing the spring from overcoming the resistance offered by the latch of the
door, that is to say, the closing of the door ceases at the point where the latch
impinges against the striking-plate of the latch staple.
The object of this invention is to relieve the pneumatic appliance of all inside
air pressure, thereby allowing the spring to remain sufficiently active to overcome
the resistance offered by the latch to the closing of the door.
In carrying out this invention, the inner end cap of the barrel is provided with a
relief valve opening inwards, and with the inside pressure of the air exerting itself
at the back of it, so that when the air is cushioned within the barrel by the
traverse of the plunger working within it on the closing of a door brought about
by the giving out of the pent-up power of the spring, the said cushioned air exerts
itself against the valve until the door is just at the point of closing, when the relief
valve is opened by its impingement against a stop or opener lying within the
path of its motion, thus releasing the air and taking off the check from the
spring.
propose that the stop or opener should be adjustable so that the impingement
end could be adjusted to come within the path of the valve to a very great nicety,
so that immediately the latch came to the striking plate, then the relieve valve
could be opened and the pent-up air within the barrel allowed to escape, thereby
giving to the spring new life which then overcomes the resistance offered to the
closing of the door by the latch.
I propose that the adjustable stop or opener should consist of a peg or tip,
incapable of rotation but propelled and repelled by a swivelling nut. Or the opener
may be made in the form of an adjustable headed nut working upon a stalk and
being clamped by a jamb nut or other means. Or the opener may consist of a set
pin carried by a bracket.
It is understood that the whole of these openers or pegs are carried upon a
fixed part of the door framing although the same may if necessary be carried by
the door.
The combined spring and check may be mounted upon and carried by the door
or it may be mounted upon the door framing and moved by the door, and which
instrument has levers, arms, brackets, check valves and other parts found in ordinary
door springs and checks now in use.
The relief valve I propose should be fitted upon the inside face of the inner end
cap of the barrel and be assisted to its seat by a flat or other spring at its back,
whilst the entrance to the valve seating is flared so as to form a lead for the stop
or opener, whilst the end of the valve is laid bare through the said opening.
I wish it to be understood that I do not confine myself to the particular form of

page_text: relief valve employed, nor to the particular form of adjustable valve opener nor do
I confine myself to the means described for opening the valve by the impingement
of it against the stop, as a converse action may be obtained, and the opener or stop
may impinge against the valve, or on the other hand the valve may be opened
through the medium of an arm or a lever or levers which act in unison with the
closing of a door and open the valve and relieve the air pressure on the spring
requiring to be made further active for the purpose described.
Dated this done of Lah
PUO'L
1, GEORGE FREDERICK NEWMAN of the Firm of W. Newman and Sons, of
Hospital Street, in the City of Birmingham, Manufacturer (partly a communication
from abroad by Gustave Van Mierlo of 13 Groeneburgwal, Amsterdam in the
Kingdom of Holland), do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what
manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement :-
This invention relates to improvements in pneumatic checks for doors and the
check parts of combined door springs and pneumatic checks.
Doors fitted or provided with ordinary closing springs and pneumatic checks do
not, in some cases, fully close, consequent upon the pressure of air within the
barrel of the check being greater than the force of the spring at that part of the
closing, thereby preventing the spring from overcoming the resistance offered to
the closing of a door by a harsh or stiff latch, that is to say, the closing of the door
ceases at the point where the latch impinges against the striking-plate of the latch
staple.
The object of this invention is to relieve the pneumatic appliance of all inside
air pressure, thereby allowing the spring to remain sufficiently active to overcome
the resistance offered by the latch to the closing of the door.
In carrying out this invention, the inner end cap of the barrel is provided with a
relief valve, opening inwards, and with the inside pressure of the air exerting
itself at the back of it, so that when the air is cushioned within the barrel, by the
traverse of the plunger working within it, on the closing of a door, brought about
by the giving out of the pent-up power of the spring, the said cushioned air exerts
itself against the valve until the door is just at the point of closing, when the
relief valve is opened by its impingement against a stop or opener lying within
the path of its motion, thus releasing the air, and taking off the check from the
spring.
The stop or opener may be adjustable, so that the point of contact can be
determined to a great nicety and the release of the air accomplished immediately
the latch approaches the striking plate, thereby giving new life to the spring
which overcomes the resistance offered to the closing of the door by the latch."
I propose that the adjustable stop or opener should consist of a peg or tip,
incapable of rotation, but adjusted or propelled and repelled, by an expedient such
as a swivelling nut. Or the opener may be made in the form of an adjustable
headed uut, working upon a stalk, and being clamped by a jamb nut or other means.
Or the opener may consist of a set pin carried by a bracket.
It is understood that the whole of these openers or pegs are carried upon a fixed
part of the door. framing, although the same may, if necessary, be carried by
the door.
The combined spring and check may. be mounted upon and carried by the door,

page_text: or it may be mounted upon the door framing, an be moved by the door, and which
instrument has levers, arms, brackets, check valves and other parts found in ordinary
door springs and checks now in use.
I propose that the relief valve should be fitted upon the inside face of the inner
end cap of the barrel, and be assisted to its seat by a flat or other spring at its
back, whilst the entrance to the valve seating is flared, so as to form a lead for
the stop or opener, whilst the end of the valve is laid bare through the said
opening.
I wish it to be understood that I do not confine myself to the particular form of
relief valve employed, nor to the particular form of adjustable valve opener, nor do
1 confine myself to the means described for opening the valve by the impingement
of it against the stop, as a converse action may be obtained, and the opener or stop
may impinge against the valve, or on the other hand, the valve may be opened
through the medium of an arm, or a lever or levers, which act in unison with the
closing of a door, and open the valve and relieve the air pressure on the spring
requiring to be made further active for the purpose described.
Figure 1 of the accompanying drawings represents a door and door frame, fitted
with a combined door spring and pneumatic check provided with a relief or air-
liberating valve constructed according to one form of this invention.
Figure 2 represents an enlarged view, partly in section and partly in elevation,
of the said door closer and check, and the improvements appertaining to it for
setting free, or clearing the cylinder of, redundant air at a determined point of
the door's movement.
In the said view Figure 2, the door is shown in the position which it assumes
prior to the releaser acting upon the relief valve.
Figure 3 represents a like view of Figure 2, but with the door closed, and the
relief valve opened, and the whole of the redundant air, which would, at the point
of the closing of the door, neutralize the force of the spring, liberated.
Figure 4 represents, in section, and upon a still further enlarged scale, the inner
end of the cylinder, and also the supplementary relief valve and its contact, which
latter consists of a fixed peg, fitted with an adjustable sleeve.
Figure 5 represents an edge view of the cylinder and its auxiliary parts, and
Figure 6 is a plan of the valve contact.
In Figures 1 to 6, a is the barrel or cylinder, with an outer end cap a', and an
inner end cap a², and with the piston rod b, passing through a hole in the former, and
carrying at its inner end, a plunger 6', adapted to be reciprocated to and fro within
the cylinder by the movement of the said piston rod b, and with a coiled spring d,
surrounding the said piston rod, and disposed between the plunger and the inside
face of the outer end cap, and which plunger has a check valve situated within its
middle, and opposite to the hollow of the piston rod, which is open to the
atmosphere.
The outer end of the said piston rod is jointedly connected to the hooked end d²
of an arm or lever d', whose inner end d³, is jointedly connected to a bracket e,
attached or secured to the transom or architrave of a door frame f, whilst also
jointedly connected to the said hooked end d², is a second arm g, whose inner end is
jointed to a bracket h, secured to near the hinged side of the door i.
The said bracket h, (to which the inner end cap a², of the cylinder a, is jointedly
connected and hinged at ', by a snug a³,) or an independent bracket attached to an
adjacent part of the door, carries a stalk contact or valve opener j, which, on the
latch bolt of the lock approaching the striking plate, passes through the opening a³,
in the end cap a², of the cylinder a, and impinges upon the valve k, which
terminates the free end of a Hat spring k', secured at its fast end k², to the inside
of the cap a². m is an ordinary regulating outlet or valve, through which the air
will gradually escape.
Assuming the door to be closing, the same is checked when within about a foot
or so of the jamb, and then, as the said door slowly closes, and on the latch bolt of
its lock reaching the striking plate, the air lying at the fore part of the cylinder,

page_text: .
between the end cap a², and the plunger, balances the force exerted by spring;, so
that the door will not, in cases where the latch is stiff or harsh, fully close until the
said air is let free, and this is accomplished by the impingement end of the stalkj,
acting upon the valve k, and pushing the same inwards from its seat, and setting
free the pent-up air, when immediately the activity of the spring is allowed to
expend itself in the fully closing of the door.
As soon as the door is again opened, the relief valve opener is removed from its
acting position, and the valve is automatically closed by the spring k¹, of which it
forms the free end.
In the valve opener Figures 4 and 6 the length is made adjustable by screwing
the same, and fitting to it an adjustable sleeve j².
Figure 7 represents a door check, provided with my new or improved relief
valve, and fitted with a modified form of opener.
kis the spring valve and j is the valve opener, consisting of a partly screwed
stalk, screwing within a bracket h, carried upon the door i, and locked in its adjusted
position by the screwing home of a nut or washer j³.
Figure 8 represents in side elevation, partly in section, and Figure 9 in plan,
partly in horizontal section, a further modified form of relief or air-clearance valve
opener.
his a bracket affixed to a door, j is a partially screwed square stem, working
within plain square eyes h', h², made through the branches h³, of the end, of the
said bracket h, and with a rotating screw nut, passing around the stem j, and
lying within the gap between the branches 3, so that when the nut is rotated, the
said stem is traversed, and the distance between its outer end and the face of the
bracket carrying it is changed for the purpose described.
Figure 10 represents another form of adjustable opener, consisting of a loose and
plain stalk j, fixed within a socket or hole, made within the end of a carrying
bracket h, by a set screw j².
Figure 11 represents a modification of the valve opener, (shown in Figure 4),
having an adjustable sleeve. In this arrangement the rotating and inside-screwed
sleeve, which takes upon the partly screwed sleeve j, carried by the bracket h,
has a notched collar 3, (shown in plan in Figure 12) with one or other of the notches
of which, the free end of a spring detent j, engages, when released, and holds the
adjustable part fast.
Thus, assuming the part 2, requires to be adjusted, so as to stand out more or
less, then the spring detent, is pulled outwardly clear of the notches on the collar,
and then, after adjustment has been effected, the detent is released, falls into one or
other of the notches, and locks the rotating collar in a fixed position.
Figure 13 represents a bracket, having a non-adjustable air-clearance valve opener.
Figure 14 represents still another modification, in which the stalk or stem is
carried by the valve, so that impingement for the opening of the valve is made by
the bracket coming against the end of the stalk.
Thus, is a valve,. carried at the free end of a spring made fast to the inside of
the end cap of the cylinder, and having a stalk, which passes through a hole in
the said end cap a³, against the nose end of which stalk or peg, a plate or bracket h,
carried by and upon the door, impinges, so that on the door closely approaching the
jamb, the plate h, impinges upon the end of the stalk ko, pushing it inwards, and
lifting the valve k, from its seat, when the pent-up air located between the valve
end of the cylinder and the plunger is set free.
Figure 15 represents, partly in elevation and partly in section, a combined door
spring and air check provided with improvements constructed and arranged in
accordance with a further form of this invention.
In this arrangement, the air lying within the cushioning end of the cylinder is,
at near the termination of the stroke of the piston, set free, by the lifting of a
valve in the piston head on an arm of the said valve impinging either upon the end
of an adjustable stud let within the inner face of the inner cap, or upon the plain
inner face of the said inuer cap.

page_text: a is the cylinder, & the hollow piston rod, open to the atmosphere at its outer end,
and working through the end cap a', of the said cylinder, whilst a² is the inner end
cap, b' the cup leather plunger, and d the closing spring of the door, located within
the cylinder, and disposed around the piston rod, and between the piston and the
outer end of the cylinder. The cylinder is hinged to the bracket plate h, carried
by the door i.
k is a valve, with a cranked arm ², jointed at 43, to the middle part of the plunger,
and with a coiled spring disposed under the arm ², for taking home the valve to its
seat.
j i is a screw stud or stalk, for adjusting with exactness the time for opening the
valve on the setting free of the pent-up air, so as to leave the closing spring
free to fully close the door, and overcome the resistance offered by the latch bolt
of the lock.
Now assuming that the door has been opened, the piston taken to the rear end of
the cylinder, and the spring compressed, then on the releasing of the door, the air
within the cylinder is cushioned, the door silently checked in its movement by the
air being slowly forced through the regulating valve m, until the piston has nearly
completed its full traverse or stroke, and at a time just as the latch bolt of the door
comes upon the striking plate, then, in consequence of the arm k², of the valve
coming against the stud j, or the inner face of the cap a², the valve is immediately
lifted from its seat k*, and the air escapes up the hollow piston rod, which is open
to the atmosphere at 6³.
It will be clearly understood that the means for operating the release valve is
self-contained within the piston, and the opening is entirely dependent upon the
position of the said piston within the cylinder.
Figure 16 represents a still further form of this invention and is a modification
of the arrangement represented in Figure 15.
The valve, or the lever carrying the valve, is fitted to the inside face of the
inner end cap, and the said valve is opened or lifted from its seat by the impingement
of the piston against the lever.
a is the cylinder, 1 the piston, 6 the piston rod, and a² the inner end cap, having
fitted upon its inside face, a lever k², having a valve k, at one end adapted to cover
a valve seat k³, and with an arm k, directed inwards, and upon which a spring k',
impinges. The cylinder is hinged to the bracket plate h, carried by the door i.
Now assuming that the door has been checked, and that the latch bolt is on the
point of coming upon the striking plate, the piston, which has now nearly made its
complete traverse, strikes the arm k, and turns the lever 2, upon its fulcrum, and
takes the valve k, from its seat, when the compressed air is set free, and escapes
into the atmosphere through the hole in the cap. On the piston making its back
traverse, the relief valve k, then returns to its seating.
Figure 17 represents a still further form of this invention. In this arrangement,
the relief valve is operated through one of the bracket arms of the apparatus,
instead of either through a stalk or stud carried upon the door, or through the
piston as in the manner described.
a is the cylinder, consisting of a barrel, enclosed by end caps a¹, a², and with the
piston rod b, working through the end cap a, and a plunger or piston head b¹,
working to and fro within the cylinder, and with a spring d, located, as before,
around the piston rod, and between the back end of the cylinder, and the piston,
and with the end cap a², having an outlet a³, a spring valve k, opening inwards, and
a bent lever k, fulcrumed at k³, and having an arm k, coming within the path of a
finger g', of an arm g, fulcrumed at g², to a bracket h, to which the cylinder a, is
also jointed at a³.
The outer end of the arm g, is jointedly connected to the hooked inner
end d, of a second arm d, jointed at d, to the transom or architrave e, of a
door i.
Now assuming that the door has been opened as usual, the piston travels to the
back end of the cylinder, and the door closing spring is compressed, arms d, and y,

page_text: are made to turn outwardly upon their respective joints, in manner that the
finger g', leaves the end arm k, which lies within the radial path of the
said arm.
The door, in closing, is drawn by the force of the spring, and is checked, in the
usual way, by the cushioned air, which slowly escapes through the regulating
valve m, and as the door nears its closing point, and the latch bolt its striking plate,
then the finger g', comes against the arm k, of the lever k³, and forces the peg ko,
inwards, and takes the valve k, from its seat, as represented, and the entrapped or
pent-up air is set free, and escapes through the opening a³, in the cap a², into the
atmosphere.
By thus relieving the cushion of air from the front of the piston, the energy left
in the spring is just sufficient to force the latch bolt past the striking plate, and the
door fully home.
It is to be understood that this invention is equally applicable to air checks alone,
and that the springs employed for closing of the door may be of any approved con-
struction, and further, that my relief valve may be applied to all kinds of checks,
whether having arms of the "Norton" type as represented, or other forins of arms,
or without arms. Further, I wish it to be understood that the whole of the air
relief valves herein described are so arranged that they may be readily put into or
out of use, according as to whether their use is necessary or not.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
First. In air checks for doors, or in combined air checks and closing springs for
doors, providing or fitting the cylinder, or an end of the check cylinder, with an air
pressure relief valve, or an air clearance valve, for the purpose as set forth.
Secondly. In air checks for doors, or in combined air checks and closing springs
for doors, providing or fitting the cylinder, or an end of the check cylinder, with an
air-pressure relief valve, or a supplementary air-clearance valve which is impinged
upon and opened, at given point of the piston's traverse by the end of a contact
stalk carried by the door or equivalent, substantially as and for the purpose as
described and set forth in Figures 1 to 6.
Thirdly. In the air pressure relief valves of door checks, or of combined air
checks and closing springs for doors, carrying and opening the valve upon and by
the piston, substantially as and for the purpose as described and set forth in
Figure 15.
Fourthly. In the air-pressure relief valves of door checks, carrying the said
valve upon an inside end of the check cylinder, and opening the same through the
medium of the piston, substantially as and for the purpose as described and set forth
in Figure 16.
Fifthly. In the air-pressure relief valves of door checks, mounting the said valve
upon an inside end of the check cylinder, and opening the same through the medium
of a finger, carried by one of the arms of the apparatus, substantially as and for
the purpose as described and set forth in Figure 17.
Sixthly. In the contact stalks or valve openers of air-pressure relief valves for
oor checks, making the same adjustable, substantially as and for the purpose as
described and set forth.
Dated this 28th day of July 1894
GEORGE FREDERICK NEWMAN,
By Henry Skerrett,
6, Livery Street, Birmingham, Agent for Applicant.