Improved Apparatus for Closing Doors.
Year: 1897

page_text: Improved Apparatus for Closing Doors.
I, HERMAN PRIESTER, of Lauenburg, Pomerania, Germany, Manufacturer, do
hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:―
My invention relates to that kind of apparatus for closing doors in which
there is fixed on the door a casing containing a coiled spring fixed at one end
to the casing and at the other end to a central spindle which is connected to the
door frame through the medium of an arrangement of levers, whereby a partial
rotation is imparted to the spindle so as to coil up the spring on the opening of the
door, which is afterwards closed by the uncoiling of the spring.
The said spindle extends into a second chamber in the casing where it carries
a laterally projecting plate that extends to the periphery of the cylindrical
chamber, from one side of which a radial partition extends close to the periphery
of the spindle, or of a boss thereon. The said chamber being filled with a liquid,
and the partition having a small hole through which liquid can pass from one
side to the other, the action of the appliance is such, that when the door is being
opened, the radial plate or piston can turn freely with the hinge pin, as the liquid
can then pass freely through a valve formed in the radial plate, but when the
door is being closed by the spring &c., the said valve closes and the liquid can
then only pass from the one side of the partition to the other through the small
hole, and the consequent restricted flow controls the closing of the door.
According to my present improvements in this apparatus the use of a valve
is dispensed with, and in lieu thereof a space is left between the outer edge of
the radial plate and the inner periphery of the chamber and also between the
inner edge of the partition and the surface of the spindle or boss thereon, and
upon the radial plate and the partition are fixed pieces of leather caoutchouc, or
other pliable material that project beyond the edge thereof and fit tight respec-
tively against the casing and the spindle or its boss and are so arranged that when
the plate is turned in the direction for opening the door, the liquid can pass
freely through the spaces between the plate and the casing and between the
partition and the spindle in forcing away the edge of the leather, but when
turned in the opposite direction for closing the door, the leather flaps close those
spaces, and the liquid can then only pass through the before mentioned small
hole in the partition.
The outer end of the chamber is closed by a piston like cover fitting therein
with packing and which is pressed inward so as to make a tight joint with the
outer edge of the radial plate and the partition, by means of a cap screwed ex-
ternally upon the casing. Through the piston cover a screw plug screws into
a threaded hole in the partition passing inward to the before mentioned small
hole formed transversely through it, so that by means of this screw plug the
rate of flow of the liquid through the hole can be regulated.
The inner surface of the cylindrical casing is made slightly tapering so as to
facilitate an accurate fit of the correspondingly tapered leather flap against it.

page_text: The spindle is also formed with a coned shoulder fitting through a coned hole
in the partition between the two chambers so as to prevent leakage of the liquid
into the spring chamber.
Data 1.
11 .
1007
ABEL & IMRAY,
Agents for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION..
Improved Apparatus for Closing Doors.
I, HERMAN PRIESTER, of Lauenburg, Pomerania, Germany, Manufacturer,. 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 follow-
ing statement:
-
$
My invention relates to that kind of apparatus for closing doors in which
there is fixed on the door a casing containing a coiled spring fixed at one end
to the casing and at the other end to a central spindle which is connected to the
door through the medium of an arrangement of levers, whereby a partial rota-
tion is imparted to the spindle so as to coil up the spring on the opening of the
door which is afterwards closed by the uncoiling of the spring.
The said spindle extends into a second chamber in the casing where it carries
a laterally projecting plate that extends to the periphery of the cylindrical
chamber, from one side of which a radial partition extends close to the periphery
of the spindle or of a boss thereon. The said chamber being filled with a liquid,
and the partition having a small hole through which liquid can pass from one
side to the other, the action of the appliance is such, that when the door is being
opened, the radial plate or piston can turn freely with the spindle as the liquid
can then pass freely through a valve formed in the radial plate, but when the
door is being closed by the spring &c., the said valve closes and the liquid can
then only pass from the one side of the partition to the other through the small
hole, and the consequent restricted flow controls the closing of the door.
According to my present improvements in this apparatus the use of a valve
is dispensed with, and in lieu thereof a space is left between the outer edge of
the radial plate and the inner periphery of the chamber and also between the
inner edge of the partition and the surface of the spindle or boss thereon, and
upon the radial plate and the partition are fixed pieces of leather caoutchouc, or
other pliable material that project beyond the edge thereof and fit tight respec-
tively against the casing and the spindle or its boss and are so arranged that when
the plate is turned in the direction for opening the door, the liquid can pass
freely through the spaces between the plate and the casing and between the
partition and the spindle in forcing away the edge of the leather, but when
turned in the opposite direction for closing the door, the leather flaps close those
spaces, and the liquid can then only pass through the before mentioned small
hole in the partition.
Fig. 1 of the accompanying drawing shews a vertical section and Fig. 2 a
cross section at XX of the above described improved apparatus, Fig. 3 shews
its arrangement on the door, and Fig. 4 shews a modification.
The casing A, which is fixed by lugs A¹ to the door B, as indicated at Fig. 3,
is divided by a partition A2 into an upper chamber C containing the actuating
coiled spring D, and a lower chamber E containing a liquid.

page_text: The spindle F extending through chambers C and E is connected by the
actuating lever G to the sleeve H to which the inner end of the spring D is
attached, the outer end of this being fixed to the casing A.
In chamber E the spindle F has an enlargement F¹ in a groove in which is fixed
the radial plate I that extends nearly to the side of the casing A and which has
fixed to its one side a piece of leather, caoutchouc or other suitable material J
that fits close against the side of the casing.
To the casing A, on the opposite side to the plate I is fixed a partition K which
fits against the enlargement F1 of the spindle and also has a piece of leather or
other material L fixed to it fitting against the enlargement_F¹.
A small pas-
sage M is formed through the partition K and leather L. The lower end of
chamber E is closed by a piston-like cover N fitting into it pressed inwards by
a ring O screwed on to the threaded end of the casing, so that by screwing up
the ring the cover N is made to fit water-tight against the ends of the plate I
and partition K, and also to cause these to fit water-tight against the partition A².
A screw P passes through a hole in the cover N and screws into the partition K
so that its inner end can be made to close more or less the passage M, and thus
restrict the flow of liquid through the latter.
The action of the apparatus is as follows:-When on the opening of the door,
the spindle F is turned in the direction of the arrow Fig. 2, the spring D is
wound up so as to have its tension increased, and the plate I is turned in the same
direction in chamber E; this motion can take place freely because the liquid
on the front side of plate I can readily pass through the space between this and
the casing, in pushing away the leather J. The rotation of the spindle F on the
opening of the door is effected by the lever G which is connected by any suitable
known lever arrangement with the door, so as to be turned on opening the door.
As such arrangement forms no part of my present invention it need not be further
described.
On the door being allowed to close, this is effected by the uncoiling of the
spring 1 acting in the known manner through spindle F and lever Gupon
the door. In this motion of the spindle F and plate I in the contrary direction
to the arrow Fig. 2 the leather J fits close against the casing A, preventing the
liquid from flowing back through the space between I and A, and consequently
the speed with which the spindle F is rotated by the spring D is controlled by the
restricted flow of the liquid through the passage M, so that by regulating this
passage by means of the screw 1 the door can be made to close more or less
slowly.
Fig. 4 shews a modification in which the partition K is formed in one with
the casing A while the plate I is formed in one with a boss I¹ which is fixed on the
spindle F; the chamber E is made slightly taper, so that the leather J
on the plate I, which is made with a corresponding taper can be kept a close
fit by the piston cover N on screwing up the cap Ŏ. The spindle F fits with a
tapered part F¹ in a tapered hole in the partition A2 so that a liquid-tight fit is
maintained on pushing up the cover, without the use of packing. The cover N
is provided with packing at N¹.
this
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is
1. In apparatus for closing doors of the kind herein referred to constructing
the plate I that is rotated by spindle F in the chamber E so as to leave a space
between it and the side of the chamber, which space is closed by a piece of leather
or other material J fixed on the one side of the plate so as to allow the liquid in
the chamber to pass freely through the said space on turning in the direction for
opening the door, but to prevent such flow on turning in the contrary direction,
substantially as described.

page_text: 2. In apparatus for closing doors of the kind referred to in the first claim con-
structing the cover N to operate as a piston, in being forced inwards by the
screwed cap 0, substantially as described.
3. In apparatus for closing doors of the kind referred to in the first and second
claims, constructing the chamber E, and plate I with leather or other packing J,
with a taper, so that on forcing up the piston cover N a fluid tight fit can be
maintained, the spindle F being also made to fit with a coned shoulder F1 in
the coned opening of the partition, substantially as described with reference to
Fig. 4.