An Improved Apparatus for Controlling the Movement of Doors.
Year: 1897

page_text: An Improved Apparatus for Controlling the Movement of Doors.
I, JOHN DAVY POSTLE, of 17, Arundel Terrace, The Glebe, Sydney, in the Colony
of New South Wales, Civil Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this inven-
tion to be as follows:-
The invention is a mechanical apparatus or contrivance which, when attached to
the back or front of a door will admit of the door being fixed or maintained in any
desired position.
The invention consists primarily of the following parts, namely:-A metallic
vertical rod, to the bottom of which is attached a pad formed by preference of india
rubber or of leather. This rod, with pad attached, is capable of being moved for
a short distance up or down in a vertical direction. A stud is screwed into or
attached at right angles to the upper end of the vertical rod and to it is attached a
handle which permits of motion being communicated to the rod. A metallic
block, of a form admitting of its being screwed or attached to the back or to the
front of a door, is constructed with a vertical hole in it of about the same diameter
as the rod referred to above, in this hole the rod works. The front part of the
block is formed with a helical groove, the depth of the groove extends to the rod.
The width of this groove is slightly greater than the diameter of the stud screwed
into or attached to the vertical rod, in this groove the stud works freely. The rod
to which the pad is attached is further kept in position by being fitted in a guide
screwed to the door. As this guide is directly under the block, referred to, the rod
in its limited travel always moves vertically. The break is applied as follows.
The stud with handle attached is moved in the helical groove in the block so that
it occupies the highest position in it. When the rod is in this position the block
is screwed to the door, care being taken that a clearance of about one eighth of
an inch is left between the floor and the underside of the pad. Owing to this
clearance between the pad and the floor the break offers no obstacle to the move-
ment of the door but, when it is desired to fix the door in any required position the
handle, with stud attached, is moved and as the stud works downwards in the
helical groove, it descends as it would if working in an ordinary screw, during its
descent it necessarily carries with it the vertical rod to which it is attached. The
movement of the handle is continued till the pad touches the floor, a further pres-
sure is applied till sufficient temporary adhesion of the pad to the floor is produced.
When it is desired to move the door the handle is moved backwards with the result
that the stud rises in the groove carrying with it the rod and attached pad.
The helical groove in the block is practically a portion of a screw or the space
between two inclined planes, and, if the "pitch" is not too great the stud will
remain in any position in which it is left. The handle can be fitted and screwed
to the stud, this admits of the shoulder of the handle being screwed on the stud

page_text: till it is tight against the face of the block, thereby preventing any movement of
the stud in the groove or screw when the "pitch" is great.
The door break as described, can only be used on one side of the door; the fol-
lowing addition to it admits of the break being operated on, either from the back
or front of the door. This is effected as follows:-The upper end of the rod has
a key feathered in it, on this a bevel wheel is fitted so that the rod moves easily
in it. This wheel rests on the top of the block. Another bevel wheel is keyed
tightly on a spindle which spindle works in a bush let into the door at right angles
to the vertical rod and provided with a flange with screw holes in it to admit of
its being screwed to the door; or the spindle can work in a portion of the metallic
block provided with a hole for that purpose. Both bevel wheels are so fitted that
the teeth engage in a suitable manner. The spindle to which the bevel wheel is
tightly keyed, projects through the door, to the projecting part is fitted a handle
which can be made to be taken off, when desired, or the end of the spindle can be
flush with the surface of the door and recessed to any shape to admit of a suitable
key being inserted. When the handle (or key) is turned, the bevel wheel on the
spindle turns the bevel wheel on the rod and the rod with it.
up and down by the action of the stud in the helical groove or
planes, the pad can be either lifted or depressed by either
described.
Tatad this 1711
1 .
100%
As the rod is moved
between the inclined
handles or key as
HUGHES & YOUNG,
23, Coleman Street, London, E.C., Agents for Applicant.
An Improved Apparatus for Controlling the Movement of Doors.
I, JOHN DAVY POSTLE, of Arundel Terrace, The Glebe, Sydney, in the Colony of
New South Wales, Civil Engineer, 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 object of my invention is to provide an improved mechanism for holding
a door or gate in any desired position within its sweep of movement, or for more
securely closing the same. To obtain this result, I fasten vertically on the inner
face of the door by suitable bearings a movable metal rod to the lower end of which
is attached a pad of rubber or other suitable material. Fastened to the upper end
of this rod at a convenient height from the ground, is a handle standing out at
right angles and fixed thereto by a connecting rod or stud. This stud, one end
of which is screwed into or otherwise secured to the said vertical rod for the pur-
pose of operating it, moves in a helical slot horizontally set forming portion of the
upper bearings attached to the door. But in order that my invention may be
better understood, I now refer to the accompanying drawings which are to be taken
as part of this specification and read therewith.
Fig. 1, is elevation of inner face of a door with my mechanism in position, the
stop being now in operation. A is surface of door. B bearing block holding the
rod D and containing the helical slot E. 132 is plate by which bearing block is
fastened to the door. C is handle operating the rod D. B¹ is lower bearing. Fis
pad holder, and H is pad.
Fig. 2, is an elevation in which A is inner face of door. B is bearing block
fastened thereto in which the vertical rod D revolves and in which the helical
slot E is cut. C is handle operating rod D. G is stud secured to rod D) and con-
necting same with handle C. G' is roller revolving on stud G for the purpose of

page_text: facilitating its movement along the course of the helical slot. B' is bearing secur-
ing lower end of rod to the door. F is pad holder, and F is free joint in which
end of rod is held and revolves. H is pad having its lower horizontal surface
either flat, concave, or corrugated for the purpose of making a firm joint with the
surface of the floor I. The helical slot E (which is given whatever pitch is con-
sidered necessary) terminates in two horizontal or slightly elevated ends or rests E
for the purpose of holding the handle stud from slipping back along the slot. To
save trouble in adjusting my apparatus, the revolving rod D may be made in two
pieces with a screw or other suitable connection so arranged as to lengthen or
shorten the said rod till a perfect adjustment be obtained.
Fig. 3, is elevation similar to Fig. 2, but showing an additional mechanism for
operating my stop from the outside of the door when such is desirable, as in the
case of ship cabin doors, front doors of houses etc. This additional mechanism
consists of a toothed wheel J, secured with a key or by any other suitable means
to the upper portion of rod D in such a manner that the said rod D when elevated
or lowered can pass freely therethrough. This toothed wheel J is rotated by
another K vertically set and geared thereto. The said wheel K is operated through
being securely keyed to a spindle L passing through the door from the inner face A
to the outer face N. This spindle L is turned by the handle M which may be
permanently fixed thereto, or may be a detachable key-handle. B2 is surface of
plate screwed to the face of the door. This plate with the bearing block B and
the bush B3 in which the spindle L is held, may be made all in one casting. To
revert to Fig. 2, when the handle C is pressed forward, the stud G moving within
its roller G along the slot E depresses the rod D to the extent of the pitch of the
said slot and finally rests in the horizontal end extension E¹. If the mechanism
be properly adjusted, the pad H will then be pressed hard against the floor sur-
face I, and it will be impossible without exerting great force to move the door.
When the handle is forced back again along the slot till the stud G reaches the
other rest at the opposite extremity thereof, the upward pitch of the said slot will
lift the rod D, thus releasing the pad from contact with the floor. If the handle
shown in Fig. 3, be used to operate the mechanism, the movement is exactly
similar, for when the rod D is revolved by the cogged wheel J it carries without
the handle C and the stud G is forced along the helical slot. If the slot E were
merely a segment of a screw thread with a sharp pitch and without the horizontal
terminal rests E', any considerable pressure on the door when fastened would
result in the stud being forced along the slot and thus release the pad rendering
the stop ineffective. When deemed desirable to diminish the pressure necessary
to make the pad operative, a spiral or other metal spring may be placed above the
pad H and between it & the inside of the holder F which is recessed out to
receive H. This will allow my mechanism to be effectively used with less strain
on the door or its hinges.
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:
CLAIMS.
1. In an improved mechanism for holding doors or gates in any desired position,
a sliding partially revolving rod such as D raised and lowered through being
revolved by a handle such as C connected therewith by a stud such as G moving
by means of a roller such as G¹ in helical slot such as E terminating in rests such
as E' as herein fully described and as illustrated in the drawings.
2. In an improved mechanism for holding doors or gates in any desired position,
a pad holder such as F gripping a pad such as H pressed into contact with or
lifted from the floor by a rod such as D) and having a flat or concave surface facing
the floor and making when pressed into contact therewith a perfect joint for the
purpose herein described and as illustrated in the drawings.

page_text: 3. In an improved mechanism for holding doors or gates in any desired position,
an alternative method of operating the same, consisting of a handle or handle key
such as M operating the mechanism of the door stop from the outside as herein
fully described and as illustrated in the drawings.
Dated this 1st day of January 1898.
HUGHES & YOUNG,
23, Coleman Street, London, E.C., Agents for Applicant.