Improvements in Combined Door Springs and Checks.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 15th Dec., 1891-Accepted 16th Jan., 1892
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Combined Door Springs and Checks.
I, JOSEPH BARDSLEY, of No. 332 Jay Street, in the City of Brooklyn, County
of Kings and State of New York, United States of America, Manufacturer, do
hereby declare the nature of my invention and in what manner the same is to
be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:-
The invention relates to improvements in combined door springs and checks and
consists in the devices hereinafter described and particularly pointed out in the
claims.
Referring to the accompanying drawings
Figure 1 is a detached front elevation of a combined door check and spring con-
structed in accordance with the invention, shown applied to a door, the latter being
partly broken away;
Figure 2 a top view of same, the position of the parts of the device being shown
by full lines and by dotted lines, the latter illustrating the position when the door
is partly open;
Figure 3 is a central vertical section on an enlarged scale of same, the section
being on the dotted line 3-3 of Figure 4;
Figure 4 is a transverse section of same on the dotted line 4-4 of Figure 3;
Figure 5 is a vertical section of same on the dotted line 5--5 of Figure 4;
Figure 6 is a vertical section of same on the dotted line 6-6 of Figure 5:
Figure 7 is a detached view illustrating the upper end of the actuating spindle
with the cam carried thereby, and indicating by the Figures 1, 2, 3, 4 respectively
the different positions at which said cam may be set for the purpose of adapting the
door spring and check for either a right or left hand door or for the inner or outer
side of said door;
Figure 8 is a sectional view on the dotted line 8-8 of Figure 9, of the casing
which when in use encloses the spring and other features of the invention, and
Figure 9 is a sectional view of same on the dotted line 9-9 of Figure 8.
Within the
In the drawings A designates the door; B the lintel above the same and C the
casing containing the spring and other parts hereinafter specifically referred to.
The casing C is secured to the upper portion of the door by means of the
screws D, as illustrated more particularly in Figure 1, and contains two chambers
lettered E, F, respectively, separated by a shelf or partition G.
chamber E and resting upon the shelf G is the helical spring H one end I of
which is hooked upon a lug J formed within the casing C, while the other end
thereof snugly enters a vertical slot K formed in the sleeve L which encompasses
the upper portion of the actuating spindle M. The spindle M is seated in the
lower portion of the casing C and extends upwardly through the same, being
provided upon its upper portion with the said sleeve L and being squared on its
upper extremity N to receive the end of the lever O, the latter being held in place
by means of a washer and screw P. The sleeve L is formed with the toothed
wheel Q, the latter being at the upper end of said sleeve and immediately below
the lever O. The chamber E of the casing C is provided with the cap R held in
place by screws S (see Figure 2) and being provided with an opening at about its
centre, said opening being surrounded by the vertical flange T which extends
upward within the annular groove V formed in the lower side of the toothed
wheel as illustrated in Figures 3 and 5. It is to be noted that the toothed
wheel Q with its sleeve L, while surrounding the actuating spindle M is independent
of the same and that its functions is during the opening of the door to wind the
spring H around itself, the inner end of said spring being as above described held

page_text: in the slot K of said sleeve. The lever O however being on the squared end of
the actuating spindle M will, during the opening of the door, serve to rotate said
spindle. Within a slot W of the lever O is pivoted the pawl X having the lug or
extension Y and engaging point Z, the latter being adapted, as illustrated in
Figure 3 to engage the teeth of the wheel Q at such times as it may be desired to
cause the movement of the lever O to rotate said wheel and thus wind the spring H.
It will be understood that when the door is open, the tension of the spring will
operate to reverse the movement of the sleeve Land wheel Q and thus through the
lever O and its connections to close the door.
As may be observed by reference to Figures 1 and 2, one end of the lever O is
secured upon the upper end of the actuating spindle M, while the other end thereof
is pivotally secured to the extensible rod a which is pivotally secured to a lug b
fastened to the lintel B by means of screws d.
The lower chamber F of the casing C constitutes a cylinder to receive the
reciprocating piston e having the heads f, g, the latter being provided with the
openings and the former with the openings and valve 3, the latter being
loosely held upon the screw k and being adapted to regulate the flow of liquid
through said openings as hereinafter more fully explained. The middle portion
of the piston e is cut away to receive the cam m and to permit the passage through
it of the lower portion of the actuating spindle M as illustrated more fully in
Figures 3 and 5. The end of the cylinder formed in the chamber F is provided
with the threaded cap n which is adapted to firmly close the end of said cylinder
after the piston e has been introduced therein.
Within the walls of the cylinder F is formed the port t consisting of a horizontal
portion and a vertical portion as shown by dotted lines in Figure 5, the vertical
portion of the port t having an opening adjacent to the left hand end of the
cylinder F and the horizontal portion of said port having an opening in the walls
of the cylinder F adjacent to the actuating spindle M as illustrated by dotted lines
in Figure 5. The shelf or partition G between the chambers E, F, of the casing C
is cut away at its central portions, as illustrated in Figure 5, to permit the passage
through it of the actuating spindle M with its cam m and it is at this middle
portion of the said shelf or partition G that the horizontal end of the port has an
opening; the purpose of the port is to permit the passage of the oil or other
liquid within the casing C from one side to the other of the head of the
piston e. In order to regulate the flow of oil or other liquid through the port t
I have provided the adjusting screw w, as illustrated in Figure 5, which passes
downward through the cap R and shelf or partition G, the point of the screw
entering the port t at the junction of its vertical and horizontal portions and thereby
being adapted upon the rotation of the screw to restrict the size of the port t and
regulate the flow of the oil or other liquid through the same.
The screw w is
provided with a suitable milled head in order to facilitate its adjustment.
After the piston e has been inserted into the cylinder formed by the chamber F
and the cap n secured in place, the spindle M is inserted downward through the
pistone and the spring H with the gear wheel Q and sleeve L introduced into the
chamber of the casing; the oil or other liquid, indicated in the drawings by
dotted lines, having been poured into the casing, the cap R is secured by the
screws S, whereupon the jointed arms or levers Ŏ'a and casing C may be secured
to the door in position to effectuate the objects for which it was constructed.
α
The position of the actuating spindle M with its cam m illustrated in the
drawings is such as to adapt the device for a right hand door, and in this position
it is illustrated in Figure 1. Upon the door being opened the spring H will,
through the medium of the lever O, pawl X, toothed wheel and sleeve L, be
caused to wind upon itself, thus creating a tension opposing the opening of the
door and which will upon the door being released close the same. During this
operation the actuating spindle M will also owing to the lever O being secured
upon its squared upper end, have a rotary movement imparted to it, thereby
bringing the cam m against the head g of the piston e, forcing said piston toward

page_text: the right hand end (looking at Figure 5) of the cylinder F and driving the oil or
other liquid through the port h into the middle portion of the casing.
The movement of the piston e toward the cap n is without much opposition since
the opening his of sufficient diameter to permit the oil or other liquid to freely
pass through the same into the middle portion of the cylinder F. After the door
has been opened and then released the spring H will, by reversing the movement of
the sleeve L and toothed wheel Q, act through the lever O and arm a to close the
door and at this time the cam m will come into contact with the head of the piston e
and thereby reverse the movement of the latter, causing it to leave the right hand
end of the cylinder F and approach the left hand end thereof. During this move-
ment of the piston e toward the left hand end of the cylinder F the oil between the
head and the end of the cylinder will be forced through the port and this being
of restricted diameter will retard the flow of the oil and the movement of the
piston e to such extent that the door may close gently. While the piston e is
moving toward the left hand end of the cylinder F the pressure of the oil will close
the valve platej against the openings and thus prevent the escape of the oil except
through the port t. Upon opening the door however, the piston e moves toward
the right hand end of the cylinder Fand at this time the oil passes into the inner
ends of the openings and operates to free the valve plate j from contact with the
end of the piston e and thus a free passage is formed for the oil from the middle
portion of the cylinder F to the left hand end thereof.
It will thus be observed that while the spring H operates to close the door its
force is controlled by the action of the piston e in the cylinder F.
The pawl X being pivotally secured in the lever O and having the extension Y
may be readily lifted from contact with the toothed wheel Q whenever desired.
By reason of the pawl X the movement of the lever may be communicated to
the sleeve L while at the same time said lever is engaged in rotating the actuating
spindle M. The extension Y has been applied to the pawl X as a matter of
convenience merely, and hence does not form an essential feature of the invention.
The casing C is provided at opposite sides with the lugs J as illustrated more
clearly in Figure 4, and the purpose of thus arranging said lugs is to permit
the reversal of the spring H whenever it may be desired to adapt the device
for a left hand door or vice versa. The arrangement of the spring H and cam m
illustrated in the drawings is such as said devices should be given when the
combined spring and check is to be applied to a right hand door, and under
this condition the indicating notch on the upper end of the spindle M will
be in line with the numeral "1" on the lever O, as shown in Figure 7.
Should it be desired however to apply the combined door spring and check to
a left hand door it would be necessary to reverse the spring H so that its
hooked end I (see Figure 4) would engage the lug at the right hand side
of the casing C and also to bring the indicating notch c on the spindle M in
line with the nuneral "2" on the lever O, thereby adapting the combined
spring and check for a left hand door without altering the initial position of
the piston e within the cylinder F. The combined door spring and check
herein before described is also adapted to be placed upon the outer side of either
a right or left hand door, and when so applied the casing C will be secured to
the jamb and the lug to the door. When the device is to be adapted for the
outer side of a right hand door the notch. on the spindle M will be brought
into line with the numeral "3" on the lever O, and when adapted for the
outer side of a left hand door said notch will be brought into line with the
numeral "4" on said lever. The relation of the spindle M and lever is thus
changed as the device is adapted for its different locations in order that the
initial position of the piston e when the door is closed (being that illustrated in
the drawings) may remain unaffected by the reversing of the position of the
casing C and lever arms O, a. Under all the changed positions of the casing C
and arms O, a, the initial position of the piston e with relation to the cylinder F
and cam m, when the door is closed, remains the same, and it is for convenience

page_text: in preserving this condition that the numerals "1," "2," "3," "4" are provided.
In this manner uniformity of action in the piston e is secured under all the
positions of the casing C and arms O, a, while the reversal of the spring H
ensures the closing of the door under said positions.
In the foregoing Specification I have referred to the element m as a cam for
purposes of description; it is in reality however simply an arm or lever extending
from the actuating spindle M for engagement with the piston e, in order that the
latter may receive its movement from said spindle. In referring to the cam I do
not therefore wish to confine the invention to that which might technically be con-
sidered a cam.
Attention may also be called to the pivoted pawl X adapted to
have a vertical movement when desired and capable of engaging the toothed wheel
of a door spring in either direction with but one edge; the operation of this pawl is
positive and its use convenient and effectual.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is:
1. A combined door spring and check consisting of the casing forming the spring
chamber and the horizontal liquid holding cylinder, the latter extending beneath
said chamber, combined with the actuating spindle extending through said chamber
and into said cylinder, the horizontally reciprocating piston within said cylinder,
the valve controlled port in said piston, the passage for the liquid around said
piston, the cam on said spindle to effect the reciprocation of said piston, the helical
spring encompassing said spindle, and means substantially as described for winding
said spring and rotating said spindle; substantially as set forth.
2. The combined door spring and check consisting of the casing forming the
chambers, the helical spring in one of said chambers, and the piston reciprocating
horizontally and longitudinally in the other of said chambers, in combination with the
actuating spindle for operating said piston in connection with a checking liquid, the
sleeve and toothed wheel encompassing said spindle and receiving one end of said
spring, the lever arm on the spindle and the pawl connecting the said arm and
toothed wheel; substantially as set forth.
3. The casing having the two chambers, one being in the form of a horizontal
cylinder, the cap R closing one chamber, and the capin sealing the outer end of
said cylinder, combined with the reciprocating piston in said cylinder, the actuating
spindle M passing through said chambers, the cam m on said spindle in position to
be carried against the vertical face of said piston, the sleeve Land toothed wheel Q
on said spindle, the spring H held at one end by said casing and at the other by
said sleeve, passages for the liquid from one side to the other of said piston, the
lever arm on said spindle, and a pawl connecting said lever arm with said toothed
wheel; substantially as set forth.
4. The jointed lever arms and the spindle on the end of which the lever arm O is
mounted, combined with the spring H encompassing said spindle and adapted to
wind and unwind with the rotation thereof, the toothed wheel on said spindle, and the
vertically acting pawl X pivoted in the slot W of said lever O and having the single
point 2 adapted to engage the said toothed wheel in either direction without shifting
either the wheel or pawl; substantially as set forth.
5. The casing containing the spring, the actuating spindle, the liquid and cylinder,
combined with the piston open at its centre and having heads f, g, with openings h, i,
the valve j, the port t and adjusting regulator w; substantially as set forth.
Dated this 14th day of November 1891
JOSEPH BARDSLEY.
Haseltine, Lake & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, Agents for the Applicant.