Year: 1887

page_text: Date of Application, 20th Apr., 1837
Complete Left, 20th Jan., 1888
Complete Accepted, 24th Feb., 1888
or Partitions.
We GEORGE THORNBOROUGH of Canal Street Ancoats Manchester in the county of
Lancaster Manufacturer and EDWARD LARMOUR of Canal Street aforesaid, Traveller,
do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
Doors or partitions are employed for dividing large rooms and it is customary to
make them either to slide vertically or horizontally with a view to remove them as
It is to the latter class of door
completely as possible from the space of the room.
that this invention relates and to those that are made to swivel on a central axis so as
to be placed in the same plane with the side walls of the room and thus take up but
little space. Such doors are usually hung on a central axis with a pinion at top and
bottom to cause the bottom and top to move together and thus retain the door in an
upright position. The weight of the door has hitherto been allowed to rest on or be
supported by the central spindle thus causing considerable friction and difficulty in
moving the doors and it is to obviate or remove this that the present invention is
chiefly designed.
It consists essentially in fitting the door with a separate supporting tube or bracket
fitted with a carriage or bearing running on rails to carry it, the bracket forming
bearings for the central axis on which the door turns.
In carrying out the invention we form the doors or partitions of ordinary shape or
structure as may be required or rendered necessary by the situation in which they
are to be placed. Fitted to each is a tubular bracket or other suitable bracket
preferably extending the entire length of the door from top to bottom which forms a
bearing for the central axis on which the door turns. This bracket is fitted with a
head or bearing which revolves in a loose cross head or supporting piece and may be
fitted with ball or anti-friction bearings to reduce the friction. The loose cross head
is in the form of a small trolly or carriage fitted with wheels or runners to fit upon
a couple of lines of rails. It is preferably fitted with three wheels two at one side
and one at the other so that they will allow for any slight inequality in the level of
the rails the rails are placed preferably in the framework above the door and are

page_text: sufficiently strong to bear the weight of the door. The central axis is fitted with a
small pinion top and bottom which gear into racks. This spindle or axis is free to
rotate without hindrance by friction caused by the weight of the door and as the door
is moved the rotation of the pinions causes the top and bottom to move synchronously
and retains the door in a vertical position.
It is obvious that the rails may be placed in the floor or below it and the moving
carriage or trolly placed below the door but we consider it preferable to place the
rails above the door and suspend the door therefrom.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or Connected with Swivelling Sliding Doors
or Partitions.
We, GEORGE THORNBOROUGH, of Canal Street, Ancoats, Manchester, in the County
of Lancaster, Manufacturer, and EDWARD LARMOUR, of Canal Street, aforesaid,
Traveller, 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:-
Doors or partitions are employed for dividing large rooms and it is customary to
make them either to slide vertically or horizontally with a view to remove them as
completely as possible from the space of the room. It is to the latter class of door
that this invention relates and to those that are made to swivel on a central axis so as
to be placed in the same plane with the side walls, of the room and thus take up but
little space. Such doors are usually hung on a central axis with a pinion at top and
bottom to cause the bottom and top to move together and thus retain the door in an
upright position. The weight of the door has hitherto been allowed to rest on or be
supported by the central spindle thus causing considerable friction and difficulty in
moving the doors and it is to obviate or remove this that the present invention is
chiefly designed.
It consists essentially in fitting the door with a separate supporting tube or bracket
fitted with a carriage or bearing running on rails to carry it the bracket forming
bearings for the central axis which maintains the door in a vertical position.
The drawing shows a transverse sectional elevation of door of wooden partition
fitted according to our invention.
The doors or partitions may be formed of such shape or structure as may be required
or rendered necessary by the situation in which they are placed. For ordinary
buildings such as school rooms and the like they may be made of wood as shown
though they may also be made of iron or other fire proof or fire resisting material.
To each door A is fitted a bracket B preferably tubular throughout its length and
extending the entire length of the door from top to bottom. The bracket B forms a
support for and bears the weight of the door and also a bearing for the central shaft C
which maintains the door in a vertical position. A bracket might be substituted for B
which could be attached to the door by a plate or by rods extending through the door
but we prefer the tubular bracket shown through which the central shaft C passes
concentrically.
The top end of the tubular bracket B is formed or fitted with a head or ball 6 by
which it is suspended from a cup bearing in a loose cross head or supporting piece E.
As shown this head b of the bracket B is suspended from and revolves in the cup
bearing e, forming therewith a universal joint. If found desirable for heavy doors we
may fit the bearing with balls or other antifriction device to reduce friction. The
loose cross head E is in the form of a small trolly or carriage fitted with wheels or

page_text: runners to fit upon a couple of lines of rails F. It is preferably fitted with three
wheels two at one side and one at the other so that they will allow for any slight
inequality in the level of the rails.
The rails F are supported in the framework above the door by strong iron brackets G
secured to the beam H the structure being made sufficiently strong to bear the weight
of the door.
The central shaft or axis C is fitted with a small pinion I top and bottom which
gear into racks J. This shaft or axis is free to rotate without hindrance by friction
caused by the weight of the door and as the door is moved the rotation of the pinions I
causes the top and bottom to move synchronously and retains the door in a vertical
position.
It is obvious that the rails may be placed in the floor or below it and the moving
carriage or trolly placed below the door but we consider it preferable to place the rails
above the door and suspend the door therefrom.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what
we claim is :-
:-
1. Swivelling sliding doors or partitions having a supporting bracket upon which the
door swivels independent of or separate from the central axis-fitted with a carriage
or bearing running on rails, and forming bearings for the central axis which maintains
the door in a vertical position substantially as described.
2. A swivelling sliding door or partition having a bracket or support fitted to the
door upon which it swivels a cross head or supporting piece running on rails which
support its weight and a separate or independent axis which maintains it in a vertical
position substantially as described.
Dated this 19th day of January 1887.
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
6, Bank Street, Manchester,
Patent Agents.