Year: 1886

page_text: TOWU.
I, GEORGE WALKER of 25 Ness Bank, in the Town and County of Inverness,
North Britain, Timber Merchant do hereby declare the nature of this invention to
be as follows:-
This Invention, which relates to improvements in the construction of doors for
enabling them to be opened from the pressure of a crowd, is specially adapted in
cases where a catastrophe is likely to occur as such has often occured when a
number of persons contained in a building are become alarmed and rush towards'
the door-ways in order to make an escape.
The
The Invention consists in forming the door in two principal portions, the outer
of which constitutes a frame and within which is contained one or more panels'
which is or are capable of being forced out by the pressure of the crowd.
panel or panels is or are constructed with bevil edges which fit into corresponding
bevils in the frame, the bevils being so situated that the panel or panels cannot be
forced inwards. The panel or panels is or are provided round their edges with
spring bolts having hemispherical or part spherical ends. The ends of these bolts
fit into corresponding sockets formed or fixed in the frame-work of the door so that
when pressure bears upon them by the crowd from within, the bolts yield and the
panel or panels is or are forced outwards thus leaving clear space or spaces through
which the crowd can escape.
This Invention is applicable both to single and double doors.
ST JOHN V. DAY,
Petitioners Agent.

page_text: Improvements in the Construction of Doors for Enabling them
to be Opened from the Pressure of a Crowd.
I, GEORGE WALKER of 25 Ness Bank in the Town and County of Inverness,
North Britain Timber Merchant do hereby declare the nature of my invention for
IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF DOORS FOR ENABLING THEM TO BE OPENED
FROM THE PRESSURE OF A CROWD " and in what manner the same is to be performed,
to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement:-
My Invention, which relates to improvements in the construction of doors for
enabling them to be opened from the pressure of a crowd, is specially adapted in
cases where a catastrophe is likely to occur such as has often occured when a
number of persons contained in a building, such as a theatre, public halls or other
places of assemblage are become alarmed from the occurrence of fire or other cause
and rush towards the door ways in order to make an escape.
The Invention consists in forming the door in the two principal portions, the
outer of which constitutes a frame and within which is contained one or more
panels capable of being forced out by the pressure of the crowd. The panel or
panels is or are constructed with bevil edges which rest against a check in the door
frame or the edges of the panel may be partly bevilled and partly checked. These
edges fit into corresponding bevils or checks formed in the frame, the bevils or
checks being so situated that the panel or panels cannot be forced inwards. The
panel or panels is or are or may be provided round their edges, with spring bolts
having hemispherical or partly spherical ends. The ends of these bolts fit into
corresponding sockets forined or fixed in the frame-work of the door so that when
pressure bears upon them by the crowd from within, the bolts yield and the panel
or panels is or are forced outwards thus leaving clear space or spaces through
which a crowd can escape.
It is to be understood that instead of retaining the panel or panels within the
doors wholly by spring bolts, the said panels may be hinged at one edge and
retained by spring bolts engaging with one or more of its other three edges.
This Invention is applicable both to single and double doors.
In order that my said invention may be properly understood and readily carried
into effect, I will now proceed to describe the drawings hereunto annexed.
Figure 1, is an elevation of a single door constructed with a single relief or
emergency panel according to my present Invention.
Figure 2, is a perspective view of the same when opened after the manner of a
door of ordinary construction.
Figure 3, is a perspective view of the same with the relief or emergency panel
open, that is to say, in the position in which it is, after being opened from the
interior by force such for example as that due to the pressure of one or more
persons or of a crowd.
Figure 4, is a horizontal section; drawn to an enlarged scale and taken on the
line A. B. Figure 1.
Figure 5, is an elevation of a single door constructed with double relief or
emergency panels, the relative position of which when forced open from the
interior is indicated in perspective in dotted lines.

page_text: Figures 6 and 7 are respectively elevations of two different arrangements of
double or folding doors as constructed according to my present Invention and
hereinafter more particularly described.
Figure 8, is a longitudinal section, drawn to an enlarged scale, of a hemispherical-
ended bolt, such as is employed under my Invention. !
1
In the door which is represented at Figures 1, 2 and 3, of the annexed drawings,
I have so arranged the relief or emergency panel a, that, by force applied interiorly
it is caused to open outwards in the manner represented at Figure 3; but, the
said panel, which, together with the frame b, constitutes a door of ordinary
dimensions, may, along with such frame a, be opened inwardly in the manner
represented at Figure 2, that is to say, in a manner corresponding to that of a
door of ordinary construction. The two vertical sides, and upper part of the
frame b, are of wood, while the fourth and lower side c, in order to present less
obstacle, and thereby reduce the liability to trip anyone passing through the door,
is preferably constructed of iron; or the entire door and frame may be made
wholly of iron. This rail c, is rigidly secured to the lower ends of the vertical
sides of the frane b, and consequently serves to stiffen the whole structure. The
frame b, is mounted or hung on the hinges d, within the door frame e, in a manner
similar to that of an ordinary door, and the said frame is or may be fitted with the
usual furnishings viz:-a spring latch and its handle f, and a lock g, as shewn
more particularly at Figure 2. The panel, a, is mounted or hung on the hinges h,
(Figure 3), which are so secured to one of the vertical sides of the frame b, that the
said panel is capable of opening outwards, that is to say, in a direction the reverse
of that of the frame b. The edges of the panel a, are checked in the manner
shewn in section at Figure 4, or they may be as herein before stated,, partly
bevilled in addition to being checked, so that, by fitting against corresponding
bevilled or checked edges formed in the frame b, the said panel is secure against
pressure applied externally thereon. The panel a, is retained in its position
within the frame b, with resistance sufficient to withstand all ordinary strains, by.
hemispherical-ended bolts such as that shewn at i, Figure S, or by the equivalents
thereof. The ends of these bolts i, or their equivalents engage with recesses formed
in metal plates secured to and in the frame b, in a manner now well-known and,
common to all such bolts. The spiral springs j, (Figure 8) which tend always to.
force the bolts i, outwards, are of such elasticity that whenever any abnormal
pressure is brought to bear against the inner side of the panel a, the bolts i, by.
virtue of the convexity of their outer ends, are forced back or inwards against the
pressure of such springs, and the said panel, thus left unlatched, opens outwards in
the manner represented at Figure 3 of the annexed drawings. At Figure 1, two-
of these last described spring bolt arrangements, are represented in dotted lines,.
but, I desire it to be understood, that one or more than two such spring. bolt
arrangements may be applied thereto, and they may be arranged in the free
vertical edge, or in either or both of the horizontal edges of the panel, or they may
be distributed over the vertical and horizontal edges thereof.
In addition to the provision of these last mentioned bolts i, or their equivalents,,
the panel a, is or may be provided with other spring latches which are so con-.
structed with handles, levers or their equivalents that they can be readily released.
but only from the innerside of the panel a.
The door which I have represented at Figure 5, of the annexed drawings is one
fitted with the two relief or emergency panels, and I, which are capable of
opening outwards after the manner of ordinary folding doors. Each of these,
panels is mounted or hung on hinges h, as shewn in dotted lines and secured:
respectively in and to the two vertical sides of the frame b. The panels k, and Z,,
as in the example hereinbefore described are fitted with spring bolts i, or their
equivalents which, as represented in dotted lines at Figure 5, are applied to the.
upper and lower edges of the said panels. This construction of door being other-.
wise similar to that hereinbefore described, no further description is necessary, it.
being explained that when any abnormal pressure is brought to bear against the

page_text: inner side of the panels k, and 7, the said panels open outwards into the position in
which they are represented in dotted lines at Figure 5.
The folding doors to which, at Figure 6, I have represented my improvements
as applied, are such as may be employed for closing the entrance of a public hall
or of a school, factory, barracks or other large buildings, for which a large door
space is requisite. In this arrangement the frames m, and n, are each mounted or
hung on hinges o, which are secured in and to the door frame p. The relief
panels q, and, as in the examples herein before described, are mounted or hung on
the hinges h, represented in dotted lines at Figure 6, and secured in and to one of
the vertical sides of the frames m and n, respectively. The frame n, is provided
with the sliding bolts 8, the lower of which, in the ordinary well-known manner,
engages with a recess formed in the floor and the upper of the said bolts engages
with the socket t, secured to the upper part of the door frame p. In the inner and
contiguous vertical sides of the frames m and n, are fitted the locks u, and v,
respectively. Each of these locks is constructed with two bolts, one of which, say
for example, one of the bolts of the lock u, engages with the opposite frame n,
while the other of such bolts engages with the panel q, the said two bolts being so
arranged that they are withdrawn or unlocked simultaneously by a key inserted in
the lock from either the outer side only or from both the outer and inner sides of
the door. The two bolts of the lock v, in a manner the reverse of that hereinlast
described, engage, one with the frame m, and the other with the panel r. Besides
these fastenings the panels are each provided with one or more bolts i, similar to
that herein before described with reference more particularly to Figure 8 of the
annexed drawings and as represented in dotted lines at Figure 6, or the equivalents
thereof.
As the doors m, and n, are locked with the bolts u and v, in the position shewn
at Figure 6, it is obvious that these doors cannot be opened from the outside with-
out unlocking both of the bolts u, and v, by which act the doors m, and n, are
released from each other. The door m, is then free to be pushed open from the
outside when access is also provided for dislodging the bolts s, which being done,
the door n is also capable of being pushed open from the outside. When a number
of persons have entered the building through the doors so opened, and they are
again shut, the panels q, and r, being then retained in their places by the spring
bolts, or their equivalents are capable of being pushed outwards by the pressure
of a crowd against them.
In place of using two double bolting locks such as are shewn at u and v, at
Figure 6, other or equivalent latches or bolting arrangements may be substituted,
for example, such latches as are hereinbefore mentioned with reference to Figures 1, 2
and 3, which fastenings can only be opened from the inside. The fastenings
however, form no part of my present Invention.
The folding doors of Gothic form, to which at Figure 7, I have represented my
improvements as applied, are there shewn as provided with four sliding bolts, two
secured to each of the frames m, and n, thereof, and, by the withdrawing of which
either or both doors may be opened. The relief panels q and r, in a manner similar
to that herein before described are retained in their position within the frames m,
and n, by spring bolts i, which yield when an abnormal pressure is applied against
the inner side of the panels. These panels may, when desired, be secured against
being opened from the outside by means of a horizontally sliding bolt such as that
represented in dotted lines at w, or by a pivoted bar such as that represented in
dotted lines at x. These fastenings being of ordinary and well-known construction,
and in themselves constituting no part of the present Invention, no further
description thereof is necessary.
It desire it to be understood that in place of connecting the hereinbefore
described relief panels with the frames surrounding the same, the said panels
may be disconnected therefrom, that is to say, they may be supported in position
only by spring bolts and at times, it may be, also by locks u, and v, er by equiva-
lent fastenings. When of such construction, the relief panels under pressure, are.

page_text: forced out en masse thereby leaving the openings through the doors clear and
unobstructed.
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
The improvements in the construction of doors consisting of a panel or panels
contained and so supported in the door frame that they cannot be forced inwards
from the outside but can or may be forced outwards when an abnormal pressure
produced by one or more persons applied at the inner side thereof, renders the
withdrawing of the ordinary bolts an impossibility, all substantially as and for the
purposes herein before described with reference to the annexed drawings.
Dated this thirteenth day of Aucnct 1996
ST JOHN V. DAY,
Applicant's Agent.