Improvements in or connected with Self-closing Doors or the like.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 6th Sept., 1894
Complete Specification Left, 6th June. 1895-Accepted, 6th Sept., 1895
Improvements in or connected with Self-closing Doors or the like.
We MORGAN DONNE of 57" Hatton Garden Engineer, and CHARLES JOSEPH
MATHIAS of 3 Eddiscombe Road Fulham Watchmaker both in the County of
Middlesex do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
The invention relates to improvements in or connected with self closing doors or
the like.
In public buildings the doorways are generally closed by means of two swing
doors hinged at the sides of the door frame and meeting at the centre there:f, and
doors of this class are commonly acted upon by means of powerful springs in order
to close them after opening and to retain them in their closed position against the
influence of wind.
Double doors of this character are expensive to produce and the spring arrange-
ments necessary in connection with each door further increase this cost.
Apart from the consideration of expense doors of this character are highly
objectionable inasmuch as they are a constant source of danger to persons passing
in and out by the same, that is to say it is no uncommon occurrence for a person's
hand, limb, or body to be caught between the two doors which when swinging
together from opposite directions have a sort of shearing action, thus being a source
of great danger to adults, but more especially to children.
Now the primary object of the present invention is to obviate the above defects.
For this purpose according to one application of the invention, we dispense with
the employment of two swing doors and substitute therefor a single dour of double
width thereby saving the cost of constructing two separate doors, and in lieu of
mounting the door upon centres of motion at one side or edge as heretofore we
mount it centrally of its width in suitable bearings so that it is capable of turning
to a position at right angles with the door frame.
The upper bearing consists of a stud or spindle carried by a metal fitting fixed
to the top edge of the door and entering a corresponding bearing formed in a metal
fitting fixed to the inside of the top of the door frame and the lower bearing
consists in part of a stud or spindle carried by a metal fitting fixed to the bottom
edge of the door and engaging a corresponding bearing formed in a metal fitting
countersunk in the floor or door frame the two studs or spindles being formed of
sufficient length to render the door capable of slight vertical movement for the
purpose hereinafter explained.
The upper plate of the lower bearing is formed with two inelined planes arranged
in a curve struck from the axis of the stud or spindle and provided at each end
with projections or stops, and the lower plate or fitting is formed with two corre-
sponding curved or circular inclined grooves or ball races, the inclines of the two
plates or fittings being so formed as to lie parallel to each other or approximately so.
A steel ball of suitable diameter is placed in each groove or race and the inclines
of the upper plate of the lower bearing rest thereon so that the balls support the
entire weight of the door.
Upon the door being turned upon its axes to open it, the balls will ride up the
inclines until their further progress is arrested by the ends of the grooves or ball
races or the stops or projections upon the upper plate at which time the door would

page_text: be at right angles with its frame, and open, leaving a clear way past it on both
sides.
Upon the door being released the balls will by reason of the weight of the door
run down the inclines and the door will swing into its normal or closed position, the
ends of the ball races which take the form of short inclines acting as buffers to
prevent the door swinging far beyond and to cause it to return to its normal position
should it swing beyond.
If desired a dwell or rest may be formed upon the inclines so that when the door
is open to its extreme position that is to say at right angles with its frame it will
there remain until it receives an impulse to close it but at all other positions it
will close automatically.
By reason of forming an incline upon the upper plate of the lower bearing
corresponding with that of the ball race we obtain the effect of a ball race having
twice the inclination or twice the length and the device is thus rendered very
sensitive in its action.
Inasmuch as the door rises and falls to some extent with relation to its frame
suitable beads or draught excluders extending half across the upper part of the
frame may be provided to act in conjunction with the receding parts of the door."
In some cases if desired the stops or shoulders of the inclined planes and grooves
or ball races may be dispensed with and the ball races and inclines may be formed.
double to enable the door to swing completely round.
By the means herein before described we obtain a self-closing door which by
reason of its being centrally mounted will not be liable to blow open, which will be
self-closing without the aid of springs of any character, which is less liable to
cause accidents than the double swing doors hereinbefore referred to, and which at
the same time is much cheaper to construct.
According to a modification of the present invention the device is rendered
capable of application to ordinary single or double doors mounted at their edges
upon or adjacent to the door frame.
In mounting doors of this character we employ only a single inclined plane and
groove or ball race and we are thus enabled to dispense with a large portion of the
fittings of the lower bearing, thus rendering the same neater and suitable for
application to existing or other doors of ordinary dwelling houses or the like.
Dated this 6th day of September 1894.
WHITE & WOODINGTON,
27 Southampton Buildings, London, Agents.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or connected with Self-closing Doors or the like.
We, MORGAN DONNE of 57° Hatton Garden Engineer and CHARLES JOSEPH
MATHIAS of 3 Eddiscombe Road, Fulhan Watchmaker both in the County of
Middlesex 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 :-
The invention relates to improvements in or connected with self-closing doors
or the like.
In public buildings the doorways are generally closed by means of two swing
doors hinged at the sides of the door frame and meeting at the centre thereof, and
doors of this class are commonly acted upon by means of powerful springs in order
to close them after opening and to retain them in their closed position against the
influence of wind.
Double doors of this character are expensive to produce and the spring
.arrangements necessary in connection with each door further increase this cost.

page_text: Apart from the consideration of expense doors of this character are highly
objectionable inasmuch as they are a constant source of danger to persons, passing
in and out by the same, that is to say it is no uncommon occurrence for a person's
hand, limb, or body to be caught between the two doors which when swinging
together from opposite directions have a sort of shearing action, thus being a source
of great danger to adults, but more especially to children.
Now the primary object of the present invention is to obviate the above defects.
For this purpose, according to one application of the invention, we dispense
with the employment of two swing doors and substitute therefor a single door of
double width thereby saving the cost of constructing two separate doors, and in lieu
of mounting the door upon centres of motion at one side or edge as heretofore we
mount it centrally of its width in suitable bearings, so that it is capable of turning
to a position at right angles with the door frame.
The upper bearing consists of a stud or spindle carried by a metal fitting fixed
to the top edge of the door and entering a corresponding bearing formed in a metal
fitting fixed to the inside of the top of the door frame and the lower bearing consists
in part of a stud or spindle carried by a metal fitting fixed to the bottom edge of
the door and engaging a corresponding bearing formed in a metal fitting countersunk
in the floor or door frame, the two studs or spindles being formed of sufficient
length to render the door capable of slight vertical movement for the purpose
hereinafter explained.
The upper plate of the lower hearing is formed with two inclined planes arranged
in a curve struck from the axis of the stud or spindle and provided at each end with
projections or stops, and the lower plate or fitting is formed with two corresponding
curved or circular inclined grooves or ball races, the inclines of the two plates or
fittings being so formed as to lie parallel to each other or approximately so.
A steel ball of suitable diameter is placed in each groove or race, and the inclines
of the upper plate of the lower bearing rest thereon so that the balls support the
entire weight of the door.
Ipon the door being turned upon its axes to open it, the balls will ride up the
inclines until their further progress is arrested by the ends of the grooves or ball
races, or the stops or projections upon the upper plate at which time the door would
be at right angles with its frame, and open leaving a clear way past it on both
sides.
Upon the door being released the balls will by reason of the weight of the door
run down the inclines and the door will swing into its normal or closed position the
ends of the ball races which take the form of short inclines acting as buffers to
prevent the door swinging far beyond, and to cause it to return to its normal position
should it swing beyond.
If desired a dwell or rest may be formed upon the inclines so that when the door
is open to its extreme position that is to say at right angles with its frame or there-
about it will there remain until it receives an impulse to close it but in all other
positions it will close automatically.
By reason of forming an incline upon the upper plate of the lower bearing
corresponding with that of the ball race the device is rendered very sensitive in its
action.
Inasmuch as the door rises and falls to some extent with relation to its frame,
suitable beads or draught excluders, extending half across the upper part of the
frame may be provided to act in conjunction with the receding parts of the door.
In some cases if desired the stops or shoulders of the inclined planes and grooves
or ball races may be dispensed with and the ball races and inclines may be formed
double to enable the door to swing completely round.
By the means hereiubefore described we obtain a self-closing door which by
reason of its being centrally mounted will not be liable to blow open which will be
self closing without the aid of springs of any character which is less liable to cause
accidents than the double swing doors hereinbefore referred to, and which at the
same time is much cheaper to construct.

page_text: According to a modification of the present invention the device is rendered
capable of application to ordinary single or double doors mounted at their edges
upon or adjacent to the door frame.
In mounting doors of this character we employ only a single inclined plane and
groove or ball race and we are thus enabled to dispense with a large portion of the
fittings of the lower bearing, thus rendering the same neater and suitable for
application to existing or other doors of ordinary dwelling houses or the like.
And in order that the said invention may be inore clearly understool and readily
carried into effect, we will proceed ailed by the accompanying drawings more fully
to describe the same.
and showing the door in its closed position.
Figure 2 is a sectional elevation of parts representing the upper and lower
bearings thereof.
Figure 3 is a horizontal section taken on the line 1-1 of Figure 2.
Figure 4 is a vertical section of the lower bearing represented at Figure 2 but
taken at right angles thereto.
Figure 5 is a sectional elevation of the lower bearing showing the parts in the
position they would assume with the door at right angles with its frame or open.
Figure 6 is an elevation representing part of the lower bearing provided with
dwells or rests.
Figure 7 is an elevation of the lower bearing showing the same formed with
double inclines to enable the door to swing right round.
Figure 8 is a horizontal section taken on the line 2-2 of Figure 7.
Figure 9 is a sectional elevation showing a device applicable to single doors
and
Figure 10 is a horizontal section taken on the line 3-3 of Figure 9.
In the several figures in which like parts are indicated by similar letters of
reference Figures 2 to 10 are drawn to an increased scale with respect to
Figure 1.
Referring to Figures 1 to 5 a represents the door, represents the door frame,
c represents the upper bearing, and d represents the lower bearing.
The door a which is formed of double width is designed to take the place of the
ordinary two swing doors commonly employed, and which are mounted at their
outer edges upon the door frame so as to meet at their inner edges.
The door a according to the present invention is mounted centrally of its width
in bearings at c, d, so that it is capable of turning at right angles with the door
frame thus leaving a passage on each side between it and the door frame.
The upper centre or bearing which is represented more particularly at the upper
part of Figure 2 consists of a stud or spindle e' carried by a metal fitting e lixed to
the top edge of the door a and entering a corresponding bearing formed in a
metal fitting c² fixed to the inside of the top of the door frame b.
The lower bearing consists in part of a stud or spindle carried by a metal
fitting fixed to the bottom edge of the door a and entering a corresponding
fitting partly countersunk in the floor or door frame and the two studs or
spindles are formed of sufficient length to render the door a capable of slight
vertical movement for the purpose hereinafter explained.
The upper plate d of the lower bearing is formed with two inclined planes d³
arranged in a curve struck from the axis of the stud or spindle d' and provided
at each end with projections or stops das will be seen more particularly on
reference to Figure 5, and the lower plate or fitting is formed with two corre-
sponding curved or circular inclined grooves or ball races d' as shown more
particularly at Figure 4, and the inclines ds of the two plates or fittings d d are
so formed as to lie parallel to each other or approximately so.

page_text: A steel ball of suitable diameter is placed in each groove or race d³, and the
inclines of the upper plate d of the lower bearing rest thereon, so that the
balls de support the entire weight of the door u.
Upon the door a being turned on its axes c'd' to open it, the balls de will ride
up the inclines d d until their further progress is arrested by the ends of the
grooves or ball races or by the stops or projections upon the upper plate d, at
which time the door will be at right angles with its frame and open as represented
at Figure 5 leaving a clear way past on both sides thereof.
Upon the door a being released the balls de will by reason of the weight of the
dour run down the inclines and the door a will swing into its normal or closed
position as represented at Figure 1, the ends of the ball races d³ which take the
forms of short inclines acting as buffers to prevent the door swinging far
beyond and causing it to return to its normal position should it swing beyond the
same.
Inasmuch as the door a rises and falls to some extent with relation to its frame b
suitable beads or draught excluders extending half across the upper part of the
frame at each side of the door may be provided to act in conjunction with the
receding parts of the door, and when employing beads or draught excluders they
may be caused to answer the purpose of stops to limit the movement of the door
in one direction and in this case the stops upon the lower plate of the lower
bearing may be dispensed with.
In the example given at Figure 6 the lower plate of the lower bearing is.
formed with a dwell or rest d' in continuation of, the inclines so that when the
door a is open to its extreme position, that is to say at right-angles with its frame b
or thereabout it will there remain until it receives an impulse to close it, but in all
other positions it will close automatically. By reason of forming upon the upper
plate of the lower bearing, inclines corresponding with those of the ball race d,.
the device is rendered very sensitive and effectual.
T
In the example given at Figures 7 and 8 the stops or shoulders d * of the
inclined planes and grooves or ball races are dispensed with, and the ball
races and inclines d³ are formed double to enable the door a to swing.
completely round and yet come to a position of rest in its normal position as
represented at Figure 1.
By the means hereinbefore described a self-closing door is obtained which by
reason of its being centrally mounted is not liable to blow open, which is self-
closing without the aid of springs of any character, which is less liable to cause
accidents than the double swing doors hereinbefore referred to, and which at the-
same time is much cheaper to construct.
In the example given at Figures 9 and 10 the device is shown applied to an
ordinary single door a mounted upon or adjacent to the door frame b or it might.
represent one of a pair of double doors similarly mounted, but in this latter case
the device would need to be modified as hereinafter described.
In this example only a single inclined plane d³ and inclined groove or ball race d³
is employed, and it is thus possible to dispense with a large portion of the fittings
of the lower bearing d rendering the same neater and suitable for application to
existing or other doors of ordinary dwelling houses and the like.
In applying the device to double doors arranged to swing in both directions it
would be necessary to duplicate the the inclined plane d³ and grooves or ball
race d³.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what we
claim is :-
:-
1. A door or the like mounted at its centre with capability of vertically moving
and rotating upon axes or bearings the lower bearing being formed in two parts
one fixed with the door and the other with the door frame or floor and each of such
parts being formed with two sets of inclined faces and the lower ones with grooves.

page_text: or
races concentrically disposed around the axis and a ball within each race
interposed between the inclines substantially as herein shown and described.
2. A device for rendering doors or the like self closing comprising a horizontal
plate fixed with the door, a corresponding plate fixed with the door frame or floor a
vertical stud upon one part working in a corresponding hole in the other part, two
sets of inclines concentrically located upon opposite sides of the axis in each
plate corresponding concentric grooves or ball races in one plate and two balls
located within the grooves and between the inclines of the plates substantially as
herein shown and described.
3. A device for rendering doors or the like self closing comprising a horizontal
plate fixed with the door, a corresponding plate fixed with the door frame or floor a
vertical stud upon one part working in a corresponding hole in the other part an
inclined plane arranged in a concentric curve upon one part a corresponding inclined
groove or race in the other part and a ball located within the groove and between
the parts substantially as herein shown and described.
4. A device for rendering doors or the like self closing comprising a horizontal
plate fixed with the door, a corresponding plate fixed with the door frame or floor,
a vertical stud upon one part working in a corresponding hole in the other part, an
inclined plane arranged in a concentric curve upon one part, a corresponding
inclined groove or race in the other part a ball located within the groove and
between the parts and a stop or stops to limit the movement of the ball substantially
as herein shown and described.
5. A device for rendering doors or the like self closing comprising a horizontal
plate fixed with the door, a corresponding plate fixed with the door frame or
Hoor, a vertical stud upon one part working in a corresponding hole in the
other part, an inclined plane arranged in a concentric curve upon one part, a corre-
sponding inclined groove or race in the other part, a ball located within the
and between the parts and a depression or dwell or rest in a suitable position in the
groove substantially as herein shown and described.
Dated this 6th day of June 1895.
groove
WHITE & WOODINGTON,
27 Southampton Buildings, London, Agents.