IMPROVEMENTS IN DOOR FASTENERS
Year: 1882

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Alexander Melville Clark of the firm of A. M. and
W. Clark of 53, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Patent Agents.
for an invention of IMPROVEMENTS IN DOOR FASTENERS Communicated to
him from abroad by Charles Arthur Crongeyer of Detroit in the County of
Wayne and State of Michigan, United States of America and George William
Busch of Walkerville, in the Province of Ontario, Dominion of Canada
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Alexander Melville Clark
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 25th May 1882.
ALEXANDER MELVILLE CLARK of the firm of A. M and W Clark of 53 Chancery
Lane in the County of Middlesex Patent Agents "IMPROVEMENTS IN DOOR
FASTENERS." [Communicated to him from Abroad by Charles Arthur Crongeyer
of Detroit in the County of Wayne and State of Michigan United States of
America and George William Busch of Walkerville, in the Province of Ontario,
Dominion of Canada]
The object of this Invention is to provide a new and improved device for
fastening doors which device can be attached to any door rapidly and conveniently
without any implements. According to this Invention a metal strip is provided at
one end with a flat hook and a rod is pivoted to the opposite end of this strip.
The outer end of the rod is screw threaded. A U shaped piece or latch provided
with a long and a short shank is provided in its curved middle part with an
aperture through which the rod is passed in such a manner that the ends of the
shanks of the U shaped piece project towards the hooked end of the strip. The
U shaped piece can be locked on the rod in the desired position by means of a
milled nut which is screwed on the threaded end of said rod. The ends of the
long shank of the U shaped piece is provided with a head having a flat smooth
outer surface which head is adapted to rest against the inner surface of the door.
The end of the short shank of the said piece is cut off smooth at right angles to
adapt the end of this short shank to rest against the moulding of the door casing
or frame. An arm provided at its inner end with jaws is pivoted to the end of

page_text: the short shank and this arm is of such length that when it is swung outward its
end will be about flush with the end of the long shank. This arm is provided on
its outer end with a flat head adapted to rest against the door casing. The ends of
the jaws of the arm are cut off at right angles in such a manner that the ends of
the jaws and the end of the short shank will be flush when the arm is folded. The
arm is provided in its under surface with a groove or recess for receiving the short
shank when the arm is folded. The operations is as follows:-
The hook is placed against the jamb of the door and the door is closed whereby
the hook will be forced into the wood of the jamb. In order to permit of swinging
the door the U shaped piece must be turned in such a manner that the shanks will
both be in the same vertical plane with the rod. When the door is closed the
U shaped piece is turned so that the end of the long shank will rest against the
door. If the door casing is provided with a moulding the arm is swung back so
that the end of the short shank can rest against the moulding. If the door casing
is not provided with a moulding the arm is swung outward so that its flat head or
end rests against the door casing. If attempt is made to open the door, it will
press against the end of the long shank and as the rod is pivoted and can swing
the end of the arm will be pressed against the door casing or the end of the short
shank will be pressed against the moulding and as this piece is so adjusted that
the short shank sets against the moulding or the end of the arm against the casing
of the door, and as the U shaped piece is locked in this position by the milled nut
on the rod, the piece which is and acts as a latch will rest against the door and its
casing or the moulding of this casing, and thus prevents opening of the door. In
place of the U shaped piece a latch of any other suitable construction can be used
but I prefer to use the U shaped piece. Other devices may be used for locking
the Ushaped piece in position in place of the nut..
This device can be used on any door independent of the thickness of the same.
It can be attached very easily without the use of any implements, it does not mar
the appearance of the door and keeps the door locked or closed perfectly. It can
be folded very compactly and can be attached very easily and is especially adapted
for travelers as the doors of many hotels are not provided with proper locks.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Alexander Melville Clark in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
25th November 1882.
"
ALEXANDER MELVILLE CLARK of the Firm of A, M, and W, Clark of 53 Chancery
Lane in the County of Middlesex Patent Agents "IMPROVEMENTS IN DOOR
FASTENERS A communication to me from abroad by Charles Arthur Crongeyer, of
Detroit in the County of Wayne and State of Michigan, United States of America,
and George William Busch of Walkerville, in the Province of Ontario, Dominion of
Canada.
The object of this Invention is to provide a new and improved device for
fastening doors which device can be attached to any door rapidly and conveniently
without the aid of any implements.
In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a sectional plan view of the improved
door fastener, showing the swinging arm folded. Figure 2 is a sectional plan view
of the same, showing the swinging arm extended, so as to rest against the door
frame. Figure 3 is a perspective view of the underside of the swinging arm.
Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.
A metal strip A is provided at one end with a flat hook B, and a rod C is pivoted
to the opposite end of this strip. The outer end of the rod C is screw threaded.
A U shaped piece or latch D provided with a long shank D¹ and a short shank D
is provided in its curved middle part with an aperture through which the rod C is
passed in such a manner that the ends of the shanks of the U shaped piece D,
project towards the hooked end of the strip A as shown. The U shaped piece D
can be locked on the rod C in the desired position by means of a millet nut F
which is screwed on the threaded end of the rod C. The end of the long shank D¹.
of the piece D is provided with a head d having a flat smooth outer surface which
head is adapted to rest against the inner surface of the door H. The end d² of the
short shank D2 of the piece D is cut off smooth at right angles to adapt the end of
this short shank to rest against the moulding J of the door casing or frame. An
arm L provided at its inner end with jaws M is pivoted to the end of the short
shank D² and this arm is of such length that when it is swung outward its end
will be about flush with the end of long shank D¹. This arm L is provided on its
outer end with a flat head adapted to rest against the door casing. The ends of
the jaws M are cut off at right angles in such a manner that the ends of the jaws
and the end of the short shank D will be flush when the arm L is folded as shown
in Figure 2. The arm L is provided in its under surface with a groove or
recess N for receiving the shank D' when the arm L is folded as shown in
Figure 2.
The operation is as follows:-
The hook B is placed against the jamb of the door and the door H is closed
whereby the hook B will be forced into the wood of the jamb as shown. In order
to permit of swinging the door the U shaped piece D must be turned in such a
manner that the shanks D1 D2 will both be in the same vertical plane with rod C.
When the door is closed the piece D is turned so that the end d of the long shank D'
will rest against the door as shown. If the door casing is provided with a moulding
as shown in Figure 1 the arın L is swung back so that the end d of the short
shank D' can rest against the moulding. If the door casing is not provided with
a moulding the arm L is swung outward so that the end rests against the door
casing as shown in Figure 2. If an attempt is made to open the door, that is, to

page_text: move it, in the direction of the arrow a¹ it will press against the end d of the long
shank D¹ and as the rod C is pivoted and can swing the end of the arm L will be
pressed against the door casing or the end d² of the short shank D2 will be pressed
against the moulding J and as this piece is so adjusted that the short shank D³
rests against the moulding J, or the end of arm L, against the casing of the door,
and as the piece D is locked in this position by the nut F, the piece D which is
and acts as a latch will rest against the door and its casing or the moulding of this
casing, and thus prevent the opening of the door. In place of the piece Da latch
of any other suitable construction can be used but I prefer to use the U shaped piece
shown.
Other devices may be used for locking the U shaped piece D in position in place
of the nut F.
This device can be used on any door independent of the thickness of the same.
It can be attached very easily without the use of any implements, it does not mar
the appearance of the door and keeps the door locked or closed perfectly. It can
be folded very compactly and can be attached very easily and is especially adapted
for travellers as the doors of many hotels are not provided with proper locks.
Having described the nature of the invention and the manner of performing
the same I declare that what I claim as the Invention to be protected by the
hereinbefore in part recited Letters Patent is :-
1st The strip A having hook-end B combined with a device having the shank or
arm D¹, the hook end forced into the casing and the arm pressed against the door
as and for the purpose described.
2nd The strip A having hook end B, combined with a screw C connected there-
with, a nut F working on said screw and a tube D having shank D' as and for the
purpose described.
3rd The combination with the hook ended strip A of a tube D having arms
or shanks D' D² and pivoted to the hook ended strip A as and for the purpose set
forth
4th The combination with the tube having shanks D' D2 of the folding arm L
pivoted to the end of the short shank D2 as and for the purpose set forth.
5th The combination with the hook ended strip A of a device pivoted to its
lower end, having an arm or shank, on one side of pivot, supported against the
door and an arm or shank, on the other side of the pivot, bearing against the casing
of the door or its moulding as and for the purpose specified.
In witness whereof I the said Alexander Melville Clark have hereunto set
my hand and seal this twenty-fourth day of November, AD 1882