Year: 1887

page_text: Date of Application, 21st Feb., 1887
Complete Left, 21st Nov., 1887
Complete Accepted, 23rd Dec., 1887
I ROBERT ADAMS of 17 Blackman Street Southwark, in the County of Surrey
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of my said invention to be as follows:-
The object of my invention is to manufacture improved apparatus for closing doors,
and checking such closing to prevent slamming, such closing and checking apparatus
being capable of adjustment and application to their respective purposes either sepa-
rately or together, or in combination with other door springs and checks.
This invention is chiefly, but not exclusively, intended to further improve the
methods of operating upon doors, described in relation to, and shewn in Figs. 21
and 22 of No. 271886, with special regard to the arrangement of the Links, levers and
bearings, or their equivalents or auxillaries and in certain arrangements shewn in
No. 44478.
My invention consists in the application of a combination of links, together forming
a kinematic chain, of which chain a portion of the door itself forms one of the
elements.
One or more of the links of the chain is or are connected to a door spring or check,
or door-spring and check; and the kinematic chain is so constructed that, as the door
opens, the leverage decreases, thereby counteracting the increased leverage of the
spring.
One portion of the apparatus consists of the application of a cylinder or barrel fitted
with a piston, an inlet valve, a regulated outlet valve, and sometimes with a spring;
the cylinder is, in some cases, fixed, in others fitted to oscillate on a centre from any
desired point or axis, or its or their equivalent; the piston rod is, in some cases,
rigidly fixed to the piston, in others it is hinged or jointed directly to the piston, so as
to act as a vibrating connecting rod, oscillating through a slot in the cylinder cover
TU 11

page_text: or an equivalent guide: or the end of the cylinder may be otherwise or entirely open,
the outer end of the piston rod or connecting rod is attached to fixed or moveable
points or bearings, brackets, links, arms, staples, or combinations of the same, or other
suitable appliances in order to utilize the force of the spring and checking appliances,
or either or both of them, as the case may be. I sometimes find it convenient to
transpose the movement of the piston (as described) to the cylinder and that of the
cylinder to the piston or piston rod.
The apparatus may be affixed to the inside or to the outside of the door and door
Frame, and at or near the top, underneath, in the floor, or in any other convenient
position or manner.
I sometimes prefer to use my ball or other valve for admitting air to the cylinder
fitted in the piston or elsewhere, with a spring or otherwise, and having a side slot or
slots perforations, or their equivalents for the passage of the air.
The exit valve has a screw for regulating the amount of opening or passage, in
order to check the motion of the piston, when the door is closing.
The checking may be effected by means of air, oil, or other suitable fluid.

page_text: Improvements in Door-closing Appliances and Checks for
the same.
I ROBERT ADAMS of 17 Blackman Street, Southwark, in the County of Surrey,
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of my said invention and in what manner the
same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement:
The object of my invention is to manufacture improved apparatus for closing doors,
and checking such closing to prevent slamming, such closing and checking apparatus
being capable of adjustment and application to their respective purposes either sepa-
rately or together, or in combination with other door springs and checks.
This invention is chiefly, but not exclusively, intended to further improve the
methods of operating upon doors, described in relation to, and shewn in Figs. 21
and 22 of No. 2718, with special regard to the arrangement of the links, levers,
and bearings, or their equivalents or auxiliaries, and also to improve certain arrange-
ments shewn in No. 444788
My invention consists in the application of a combination of links, together forming
a kinematic chain, of which chain a portion of the door itself one of the elements.
One or more of the links of the chain is or are connected to a door spring or
check, or door spring and check and the kinematic chain is so constructed that, as
the door opens, the leverage decreases, more or less, thereby utilizing or counteracting
the increased power of the spring.
;
One portion of the apparatus consists of the application of a cylinder or barrel
fitted with a piston, an inlet valve, a regulated outlet valve, and sometimes with a
spring the cylinder is, in some cases, fixed, in others fitted to oscillate on a centre
from any desired point or axis, or its or their equivalent: the piston rod is, in some
cases, rigidly fixed to the piston, in others it is hinged or jointed directly to the
piston, so as to act as a vibrating connecting rod, oscillating through a slot in the
cylinder cover, or an equivalent guide: or the end of the cylinder may be otherwise
formed or partly covered or left entirely open; the outer end of the piston rod or
connecting rod is attached to fixed or moveable points or bearings, brackets, links,
arms, staples, or combinations of the same, or other suitable appliances, in order to
utilise the force of the spring and checking appliances, or either or both of them, as
the case may be. I sometimes find it convenient to transpose the movement of the
piston (as described) to the cylinder and that of the cylinder to the piston or
piston rod.
The apparatus may be affixed to the inside or to the outside of the door and door
frame, and at or near the top, underneath, in the floor, or in any other convenient
position or manner.
I sometimes prefer to use iny ball valve for admitting air to the cylinder, fitted in
the piston or elsewhere, with a spring or otherwise and having a side slot or slots,

page_text: perforations or their equivalents for the passage of the air, in a similar or equivalent
manner to those described in Figs. 14 and 24 No. 4447 but other suitable valves
may be used.
The exit valve has a screw for regulating the amount of opening or passage, in
order to check the motion of the piston, when the door is closing. The checking may
be effected by means of air, oil, or other suitable fluid.
And in order that my said invention may be particularly described and ascertained,
reference is hereby made to the accompanying drawings, in which similar letters of
reference indicate corresponding parts.
Fig. 1. is an elevation, and Figs. 2 and 3 horizontal sections, shewing one method
of applying my invention to the inside of the cloor.
In Figs. 1 and 2 the door a is shewn closed, and in Fig. 3 it is shewn open.
The door a is hinged at b. c is the lintel or transom, to which the barrel d is fixed
by the bracket z as shewn. e is an arm fixed to the door by the plate e'.
The link is pivotted to the arm e. f is a plate screwed to the transom, having a
double-link pivotted thereto. g is a vibrating piston-rod, forming a connecting rod
between the piston inside the cylinder and the pivot h.
The ends of the links and f, and the end of the piston rod y are united at / by
a screw or rivet, upon which they respectively pivot.
When the door is in a closed position, as shewn in Figs. 1 and 2, the leverage of
the combination is at or near its most advantageous position; and, as the door is
opened the leverage decreases, as shewn in Fig. 3, where the joint is shewn much
nearer to the transom than in Fig. 2.
Fig. 4 is an elevation, and Figs. 5 and 6 horizontal sections, shewing a method of
applying my invention to the outside of the door.
In this arrangement the barrel d is screwed to the door by the bracket; and the
plate and double link fare also fixed to the door. i is a plate fixed to the transom,
to which the arm & is pivoted. The form of this arm k is clearly shewn in Fig. 4, and
its direction with respect to the links f¹ in Figs. 5 and 6. The junction of the piston
rod g with the arm & is a short distance from the end of the link. The leverage in
this arrangement also decreases as the door opens, as shewn in Fig. 6.
Fig. 7 is a horizontal section, shewing an arrangement in which the lower link f
and the link e are elongated, and the plates fand er are placed farther apart. With
this exception the arrangement is similar to that shewn in Figs. 1, 2 and 3. Fig. 8
is an elevation of the plate f, links ff and, shewing the method of construction.
Instead of placing the usual spring in the barrel, I sometimes place a coiled spring
in or near the position shewn by the dotted circle 1, (Fig. 7.) such spring acting upon
the links or upon the pivot or axle, to which it is fixed by suitable connections.
Figs. 9 and 10 shew an arrangement for still further reducing the leverage, after
the slotted link m has passed beyond an angle of 90° with the transom. The plate e is
fixed to the door, and the link e is pivotted to the plate e. The pivot unites the
links and n with the piston rod g, and also passes up through the slotted link m.
o is the inlet valve for the air, and p is the outlet valve, which is regulated by a screw,
as usual in the construction of air checks.
The arm e, attached to the plate e¹ is sometimes formed with a slot, running parallel
with the door; which arrangement allows the link to work in a similar manner to
that shewn in Figs. 21 and 22 of my former Specification No. 27188.
The relative sizes, forms, and methods of constructing the joints und brackets may
be varied to suit the different positions and fittings of the door. In some cases I find
it advantageous to fit an additional link, as shewn by a dotted line at r in Fig. 2, the
end of which works in a slotted brackets, shewn also in dotted lines in a similar or
analogous manner to that shewn in Figs. 21 and 22 of No. 27188.
I sometimes add two links as shewn at t u (in dotted lines) in Fig. 2; having a
heel piece at v to limit the range of motion of the link t when necessary. In this
arrangement the link e' may be dispensed with.
In some cases the inner end of the link is lengthened and carried farther back
and pivotted to a horizontal plate upon the top of the door.

page_text: The brackets fand z and their mode of connections with the cylinder and frame
may be otherwise constructed so as to be more suitable for fixing to very narrow
transoms and rails.
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. The manufacture and use of door springs and door checks, or door springs or
door checks alone, fixed to the transom, and operating by means of and in combination
with the arm e, links e & f¹, pivotted to the plate f, fixed to the transom, and united
to the piston or connecting rod 9, severally operating substantially as hereinbefore
described and partially illustrated in Figs. 1. 2 and 3 of the drawings.
2. The manufacture and use of door springs and door checks, or door springs or
door checks alone, fixed to the outside of the door, and operating by means of and in
combination with the link pivotted to the plate fixed to the door, arm k pivotted
to the plate i, attached to the lintel, and vibrating piston rod g severally operating
substantially as hereinbefore described and partially illustrated in Figures 2, 3
and 4 of the drawings.
3. The modification of the arrangement shewn in Figs. 1. 2 and 3 of the drawings,
substantially as hereinbefore described and shewn in Figs. 7 and 8 of the drawings.
4. The further modification of the aforesaid arrangements substantially as hereinbefore
described and shewn in Figs. 9 and 10 of the drawings.
5. The manufacture and use of door springs and door checks, either together or
separately, in which the cylinders are caused to oscillate from or upon trunnions or
their equivalents at the ends or other convenient portions of the cylinders, the piston
rod being in that case sometimes fixed to the piston, substantially as herein before
described.
6. The general constructions and arrangements and the several modifications and
combinations thereof, constituting my improvements in door-closing appliances and
checks for the same, substantially as hereinbefore described and illustrated in the
drawings.