IMPROVEMENTS IN THE METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR CLOSING AND FASTENING DOORS."
Year: 1881

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Leggott, of Bradford, in the County of York,
Ironmonger, for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE METHOD OF AND
APPARATUS FOR CLOSING AND FASTENING DOORS."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Leggott at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 28th January 1881.
WILLIAM LEGGOTT, of Bradford, in the County of York, Ironmonger.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN. THE METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR CLOSING AND
FASTENING DOORS."
ה
The object of this Invention is to close doors by means of tension put upon a
spring in the act of opening the door. The tension of the spring shuts the door.
I accomplish the above object by inserting into the bottoin of the hanging style
of the door the centre of a toothed pinion, which works into a rack placed in
guides; at the end of this rack is a screwed spindle, round which is coiled a spring
secured in its position by a slight tension caused by nut and washer upon the
same; this nut and washer have also to regulate the amount of tension required
on the spring. When the door is opened the pinion actuates the rack, which puts
upon the spring the tension required to close the door when liberated. In order
to lock the door I arrange a bolt, which locks the rack and consequently fastens
the door.
This arrangement will apply to all existing doors, and is of simple and inexpensive
application.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said William Leggott in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 28th July
1881.
WILLIAM LEGGOTT, of Bradford, in the County of York, Ironmonger."
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE METHOD OF AND
APPARATUS FOR CLOSING AND
FASTENING DOORS."
The object of this Invention is to close doors by means of the strain put upon
a spring whilst in the act of opening the door, and consists in securing the spindle
of a pinion to the bottom part of the door "style." This pinion gears into a sliding
rack which is placed in suitable guides, and to the rack is secured a spindle around
which is coiled a spiral spring secured in position by a nut screwed on the said
spindle. When the door is opened the pinion actuates the said rack, putting a
strain upon the spring; upon the door being released the spring expands and the
tension of the same closes the door.
When applying my improvement to swing doors I mount the pinion as before
mentioned, but use two racks and springs fixed in suitable positions which close
the door when opened either way.
In the accompanying Drawings Figure 1 represents a sectional elevation of my
apparatus as applied to ordinary doors which open in one direction; the section
line is through A, B, in Figure 2, which is a plan of the apparatus, and Figure 3 is
a cross section through line C, D.
So much of the apparatus as is not secured to the door "style" is inserted in a
recess formed beneath the floor line, and secured therein by screws passing through
the lugs E, which form part of casing box F. Mounted in this casing box is
pinion G, supported by footstep G¹ and journal formed in box cover; the top
portion of pinion spindle J is formed square, and inserted into plate K secured to
the bottom style of door L. The pinion gears into rack M, to which is secured
spindle or bar N, around which is coiled spiral spring N¹ and secured thereon by
nut 0.
.
When the door is opened the pinion G will be actuated, and gearing into rack M
will cause the spindle or bar N to move in the direction of arrow, thus putting a
strain upon the spiral spring N', and on the release of the door the spring expands
and the tension of the same reverse the motion of the rack and pinion and closes
the door.
The apparatus required for closing swing doors is constructed in a little different
manner, inasmuch as two racks and springs are required.
Figure 4 represents a sectional elevation of the apparatus suitable for swing
doors, the section being through line 1, 2, in Figure 5, which is a plan of the same,
and Figure 6 a cross section through line 3, 4.
The casing box F¹ is inserted in a recess below floor line, and pinion G³ mounted
therein, as before described. Gearing into the teeth of this pinion are two racks
M' and M2, and secured to each rack is a spindle N2 and N³ around which are
secured spiral springs, as before described. "When the door is at rest the ends of
the flat springs P and P' are in the indentations formed in the racks for the
purpose of holding the door firm in its normal position, and the teeth of the pinion
are geared in the centre of the two racks.
4
When pressure is applied to the door the pinion turns, as before described,
and causes the racks to slide in their respective guides in the direction of the
arrows, or vice versa, according to the direction in which the door is opened; on
the release of the door the spring upon which the strain is put will cause the door 5
to close in the manner as before described.
What I claim as my Invention is,-
The
arrangement and combination of the several parts of mechanism for closing

page_text: doors, substantially in the manner hereinbefore described and as illustrated by the
accompanying Drawings.
The arrangement and combination of a pinion gearing into a sliding rack (placed
in suitable guides), to which is secured a spindle around which is coiled a spiral
spring, substantially in the manner hereinbefore described and as illustrated by the
accompanying Drawings.
The arrangement and combination of a pinion gearing into a sliding rack (placed
in suitable guides), substantially in the manner and for the purpose hereinbefore
described and as illustrated by the accompanying Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Leggott, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twenty seventh day of July, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and eighty one.
WILLIAM LEGGOTT. (L.S.)