Improvements in Appliances for Closing Doors and the like.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 26th Mar., 1891
Complete Specification Left, 23th Dec., 1891-Accepted, 30th Jan., 1892
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Appliances for Closing Doors and the like.
I, GEORGE SHENTON, of 31 Moorgate Street, in the County of Middlesex,
Gentleman, communicated by Georg Weickum, Austria do hereby declare the
nature of this invention to be as follows:-
My invention relates to improvements in appliances for effecting the automatic
closing of doors, gates and the like, and has for its object the production of a simple
and effective contrivance without springs, or complicated mechanism, and which
requires no lubricant for the reduction of friction.
In carrying out my said invention I provide a casting, preferably of circular
form, with two oppositely inclined radial projections on the face thereof, with a
semi-spherical recess or socket formed between said projections, at the lowest part
of the incline of each. A central pin is attached to or formed upon said casting,
and serves as a centre pin for a cylindrical cap or cover, which may be freely turned
upon the casting, and also encloses it. A shoe or plate is fitted to, or formed upon
said cover, for the purpose of attachment to the bottom of a door or the like. A
ball or sphere is placed in the semi-spherical recess before mentioned, and the cover
with the door attached thereto is borne by said ball or sphere. When in use, the
casting is sunk into, or attached to, the floor, or threshold and the door attached
to the shoe or plate upon the cover, the upper part of said door being attached to
the jamb or frame by a hinge that allows a certain free vertical movement. The
relative positions of the casting and cover are such that the ball is resting in the
recess when the door or the like is perfectly closed. A recess, radial groove, or
guide is formed in or upon the inner surface of the cover to correspond to the shape
of the ball, and to form a guide therefor. When the door or the like is opened in
either direction, the ball is caused to ascend one of the radial inclines, thus raising
the cover and the door, and, when said door is released, the ball slowly descends
by the action of gravity until it rests in the recess when the door or the like is
perfectly closed. As a modification of the foregoing 1 may construct a plain
casting, with a circular groove upon the upper face thereof, and a central pin upon
which is fitted so as to revolve freely a cover or cap with a circular groove formed
upon
its inner face corresponding to that upon the casting. Two or more balls are
placed in the grooves between the faces of the casting and the cover so that the
latter, and any weight imposed upon it, is carried upon and by said balls. The
casting is attached to the door jamb, frame or threshold in such a manner that
the groove faces are inclined angularly relatively to the vertical line of the door.
A projecting pin is fitted to the door or the like, the end of which fits into a socket
in the cover, so that the act of opening revolves said cover upon the central pin.
In this case the descent of the cover upon the inclined surfaces separated by the
balls, effects the automatic closing of the door or gate.
In other cases of application I may further modify the construction of the device
or contrivance according to my invention to meet various requirements. I may
attach a casting to the door which projects at right angles in the direction of
opening, and is provided with a radial slot or groove, carrying a ball, which
supports the door or the like upon a radial inclined path or guide attached to the
threshold or frame, the radius of the casting and that of the guide being taken from
the centre of suspension of said door or the like, and both the under surface of the
slotted or grooved casting, and the upper surface of the guide may be oppositely
inclined to facilitate the closing action. I may in other cases, attach the casting in
which the ball is retained by a slot or groove, to the threshold, frame, or floor, and

page_text: fix an inclined projection upon the door, and at right angles thereto, in order to
effect the same object.
The chief feature of my said invention is the combination of an inclined plane or
planes with a ball or balls in such a manner that the door or the like is supported by
a rolling and constantly changing surface, and is automatically closed by the descent
of said ball or balls on the inclined plane or planes, or the descent of said plane or
planes upon the rolling ball or balls, the action thereof being due to gravity, and I
may modify the construction and arrangement of the various parts in any suitable
manner, without departing from the principle embodied in my invention, as herein-
before described.
Dated this 25th day of March 1801
FREDK. WALKER,
11, Furnival Street, Holborn, London, E.C., Agent for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Appliances for Closing Doors and the like.
1, GEORGE SHENTON of 31 Moorgate Street, in the County of Middlesex,
Gentleman communicated by Georg Weickum Austria, 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:-
My invention relates to improvements in appliances for effecting the automatic
closing of doors, gates, and the like, and has for its object the production of a simple
and effective contrivance without springs, or complicated mechanism and which
requires no lubricant for the reduction of friction.
In carrying out my said invention I provide a casting preferably of circular form,
with two oppositely inclined radial projections on the face thereof, with a semi-
spherical recess or socket formed between said projections at the lowest part of the
incline of each. A central pin is attached to or formed upon said casting, and
serves as a centre pin for a cylindrical cap or cover which may be freely turned
upon the casting, and also encloses it. A shoe or plate is fitted to, or formed upon
said cover, for the purpose of attachment to the bottom of a door or the like. A
ball or a sphere is placed in the semi-spherical recess before mentioned, and the
cover with the door attached thereto is borne by said ball or sphere. When in use,
the casting is sunk into or attached to the floor or threshold and the door attached
to the shoe or plate upon the cover, the upper part of which door is attached to the
door or frame by a hinge that allows a certain free vertical movement. The relative
positions of the casting and cover are such that the ball is resting in the recess
when the door or the like is perfectly closed. A recess, radial groove or guide is
formed in or upon the inner surface of the cover to correspond to the shape of the
ball and to form a guide therefor. When the door or the like is opened in either
direction, the ball is caused to ascend one of the radial inclines, thus raising the
cover and the door, and, when said door is released, the ball slowly descends by
the action of gravity until it rests in the recess when the door or the like is
perfectly closed. As a modification of the foregoing I may construct a plain
casting with a circular groove upon the upper face thereof and a central pin upon
which is fitted, so as to revolve freely, a cover or cap with a circular groove formed
проп its inner face corresponding to that upon the casting. Two or more balls are
placed in the grooves between the faces of the casting and the cover so that the
latter, and any weight imposed upon it is carried upon and by said balls. The
casting is attached to the door jamb, frame or threshold in such a manner that
the grooved faces are inclined angularly relatively to the vertical line of the door.
A projecting pin is fitted to the door or the like, the end of which fits into a socket
in the cover, so that the act of opening revolves said cover upon the central pin.
In this case the descent of the cover upon the inclined surfaces separated by the
balls, effects the automatic closing of the door or gate.

page_text: In other cases of application, I may further modify the construction of the device
or contrivance according to my invention to meet various requirements. I may
attach a casting to the door which projects at right angles in the direction of opening
and is provide with a radial slot or groove carrying a ball, which supports the
door or the like upon a radial inclined path or guide attached to the threshold or
frame, the radius of the casting and that of the guide being taken from the centre
of suspension of said door of the like and both the under surface of the slotted
or grooved casting and the upper surface of the guide may be oppositely inclined to
facilitate the closing action. I may in other cases attach the casting in which the
ball is retained by a slot or groove to the threshold, frame or floor, and fix an
inclined projection upon the door and at right angles thereto in order to effect the
same object.
The chief feature of my said invention is the combination of an inclined plane or
planes with a ball or balls in such a manner that the door or the like is supported
by a rolling and constantly changing surface and is automatically closed by the
descent of said ball or balls on the inclined plane or planes or the descent of said
plane or planes upon the rolling ball or balls, the action thereof being due to gravity
and I may modify the construction and arrangement of the various parts in any
suitable manner, without departing from the principle embodied in my invention as
hereinbefore described.
In the accompanying sheet of drawings I have illustrated various methods of
carrying my invention into practice.
Like letters of reference indicate corresponding parts throughout the figures.
Fig. 1 is an elevation partly in section showing the appliance, and a portion of
the door and jamb or frame to which the latter hinged.
Fig. 2 is a horizontal section on line of Fig. 1.
Fig. 3 is an elevation at right angles to Fig. 1, the cover and the door being in
section.
Fig. 4 is a section partly in elevation of a modification of my invention, and
Fig. 5 is a plan thereof with the door omitted.
Figs. 6 & 7 are respectively a plan and a vertical section of another modifi-
cation.
Fig. 8 is a vertical section of a further modification.
:
In the arrangement shown in Figs. 1, 2, & 3, D is the door hinged at i to the
jamb or frame J; the bottom of this door is fixed to a plate or shoe secured to or
formed with the circular cover e turning upon the pin d centrally fixed to or formed
with the casting a. The latter is of circular form as shown in Fig. 2 and is furnished
with two inclined paths & ascending in the direction of the arrows (Fig. 2). These
two paths terminate at their lower extremities into a circular recess wherein the
ball or sphere g is located when the door D is closed, as shown in Figs. 1, 2, & 3.
This ball bears against the under surface of the guide formed upon the under
surface of the cover e, and thus supports the door D connected to the latter by the
shoe or plate as before mentioned.
The hinge is of such a nature as will allow the door a certain amount of vertical
motion. When the door D is opened, the cover e is turned and causes, by the aid
of the guide, the bally to move up one of the inclined paths in the direction of
the arrows (Fig. 2) until it reaches the highest point thereof, when the door is
opened to its fullest extent. The door D being now released, the ball will roll
down one of the paths according as to which side the door is turned, until it
reaches the circular depression when the door will be secured in its closed
position.
In the arrangement shown in Figs. 4 & 5 the bottom of the door D is furnished
with a pin extending into the socket & formed on the cover e. The casting is
provided with two circular paths composed of a descending and ascending part as
shown by the arrows in Fig. 5, these two parts leading to a circular recess or
depression in each of which is located a ball g, when the door is closed.
The cover e in this case turns upon the two balls in either direction, so that when

page_text: the said balls have reached the recesses (Fig. 5) the door D will be shut and
may afterwards be opened in either direction up along the opposite ascending
inclines.
The above described appliances for automatically closing doors apply to swing or
suspended doors, but the arrangement shown in Figs. 6 & 7 apply to doors hinged
in the ordinary manner and opening in one direction only. In this case the guide g
is fixed to the door D and is furnished with a path or depression inclining in the
direction of the arrow, while the casting is provided with a path or depression /
ascending in the same direction.
In some cases I may form the inclined path on the under surface of the guide
which is fixed to the door D, the casting a having merely a straight path and a
circular depression for the ball y as shown in Fig. 8 in which the door Dis
closed.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is:
1) The method of automatically closing swing and other doors by means of one
or more balls carrying the door and travelling upon an inclined plane, substantially
as herein described and shown.
2) The different appliances shown in Figs. 1 to 8 for the purpose of automatically
closing swing and other doors, substantially as herein described.
Dated the 28th day of December 1891.
FREDK. WALKER,
11, Furnival Street, Holborn, E.C., Agent for the Applicant.