Improvements in Fastening Devices for Securing Folding and other Doors, Casements, Box Covers, and the like.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 13th Sept., 1893
Complete Specification Left, 13th June, 1894-Accepted, 14 h July, 1894
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Fastening Devices for Securing Folding and other
Doors, Casements, Box Covers, and the like.
We, WILLIAM PRIESSNITZ BONWICK, of 59 Blomfield Road, Maida Hill, in
the County of Middlesex, Engineer, and JAMES HENRY STONEHOUSE, of
57 Rutland Street, Mile End, in the County of Middlesex, Builder's Clerk, do
hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention has reference to simple and inexpensive constructions and
arrangements of fastening devices for folding and other doors, casements, box
covers and the like, whereby such doors, box covers or the like (hereinafter
referred to as doors) with which they are used, will, upon being shut, become firmly
held in the closed position, but nevertheless in such a manner that they can be
readily pulled open when desired.
A fastening device for this purpose according to this invention comprises a
spring catch mounted to turn in its own plane about a centre and formed at its
free end with a V or hook shaped projection adapted to engage with a keeper or
recessed part on or in the door to be secured, the arrangement of the pivot
relatively to the Vor .hook shaped projection being such that when the door is
approaching its closed position the free edge of the door will force the spring
catch sideways, and when the door arrives in the closed position the spring catch
will be released and will thereupon automatically move into a position in which it
will engage with the keeper or recessed part on the door and hold the door firmly
in the closed position until it is pulled in a direction to open it when the spring
catch will be again forced sideways and release it.
When applying the fastening to secure that door of a pair of folding doors that
is first closed, the spring catch may be so arranged that the second door, or a plate
or projection thereon, will, when the said second door is closed, hold the spring
catch in position so as to keep the first door locked or fastened so long as the
second door is kept closed.
Fastening devices according to this invention may be constructed in various
ways.
In one arrangement the catch is mounted to turn upon a pin within a recess in a
plate adapted to be fixed to the top or bottom, or other suitable part of a book-
case, door-way or the like having a door which it is desired to fasten in the
manner described, the free end of the catch piece being arranged to project
sufficiently forward to engage, under the action of a suitable spring with a keeper
or its equivalent at or near the edge of the door.
In another arrangement, specially suitable for fastening each or a pair of folding
doors in the manner described, the fastening is constructed with two pivoted catches
of the kind referred to, mounted side by side in a recessed plate and provided with
one or more springs, each catch being adapted to act independently of the other
and engage with a keeper on its respective door.
In this arrangement the keeper on the second door, or that last closed, also serves
to hold the spring catch of the first door in its closed position when the said second
door is closed.
In a modified form of this arrangement, the two catches are mounted in different
planes and so as to cross each other.
In another arrangement the spring catch, or each catch when two are used, is
located wholly within the recessed plate or holder in which it is mounted. In this
case the keeper with which the catch is to engage is constructed to enter the

page_text: recess and engage with the pointed or hooked end of the catch for which purpose
it may be formed with an eye or other suitable projection. When this arrangement
is used with folding doors, the second or outer door may be also fitted with a
projection adapted to enter the recessed plate and hold the catch in its normal and
closed position.
In another arrangement, the spring catch is split, its projecting ends being
arranged to take into and engage with a keeper fixed on the door, the projecting
ends of the catch being either of flat or spherical form and actuated by one or
more springs.
In a further arrangement the plate or holder to which the spring catch is pivoted,
is provided with a buffer of suitable material such as india rubber and is adapted to
be secured to the floor so that it can be used as a combined door stop and retainer
or holder, the spring catch engaging with a keeper on the door when the door is
opened to the desired extent.
In each case the spring catch may, instead of being provided with a separate
spring or springs, be provided with an extension adapted to act as a spring; or it
may be made of spring material such as steel strip or wire fixed so as of itself to
act as a spring catch.
The recessed plates or holders may be provided with cover plates. Also the
holders may in some cases be each of tubular or other form adapted to enter a
correspondingly shaped hole in the part to which it is to be fixed and provided
with a flanged part by which it can be secured in place.
As will be obvious spring catches according to this invention, may in some cases
be carried by the door or other movable part to be held in position and engage
with a suitable keeper fixed to the stationary part with which the fastening is
employed.
Dated this 13th day of September 1893
W. LLOYD WISE,
Per W. Cross,
46, Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, W.C., Agent for the Applicants.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Fastening Devices for Securing Folding and other
Doors, Casements, Box Covers, and the like.
We, WILLIAM PRIESSNITZ BONWICK, of 59 Blomfield Road, Maida Hill, in
the County of Middlesex, Engineer and JAMES HENRY STONEHOUSE, of
57 Rutland Street, Mile End, in the County of Middlesex, Builder's Clerk, 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 :-
This invention has reference to simple and inexpensive constructions and
arrangements of fastening devices for folding and other doors, casements, box
covers and the like, whereby such doors, box covers or the like (hereinafter
referred to as doors) with which they are used, will upon being shut, become
firmly held in the closed position, but nevertheless in such a manner that they can
be readily pulled open when desired.
A fastening device for this purpose, according to this invention, comprises a
spring catch mounted to turn in its own plane about a centre and formed at its
free end with a vee or hook shaped projection adapted to engage with a keeper or
recessed part on
or in the door to be secured, the arrangement of the pivot
relatively to the vee or hook shaped projection being such, that when the door is
approaching its closed position the free edge of the door will force the spring catch
sideways, and when the door arrives in the closed position, the spring catch will be

page_text: released and will thereupon automatically move into a position in which it will
engage with the keeper or recessed part on or in the door and hold the door firmly
in the closed position until it is pulled in a direction to open it, when the spring
catch will be again forced sideways and release it.
When applying the fastening to secure that door of a pair of folding doors that
is first closed, the spring catch may be so arranged that the second door, or a plate
or projection thereon, will, when the said second door is closed, hold the spring
catch in position so as to keep the first door locked or fastened so long as the
second door is kept closed.
Fastening devices according to this invention may be constructed in various
ways.
In the accompanying illustrative drawings,
Figs. 1 and 2 are elevations at right angles to each other showing one
construction of fastening device according to this invention applied to a book-case
doorway or the like having folding doors.
Fig. 3 is a horizontal section on the linee of Fig. 1.
Fig. 4 is an elevation of the inner side of a portion of the pair of folding doors
showing a recess and keeper on the one to be secured by the fastening device, and
a securing plate on the other.
In this arrangement, 1 is the catch in the form of a flat plate mounted to turn in
a horizontal plane upon a pin 2 within a recess 3, in a bent plate 4 which is cast in
one with or is secured to an angle plate 5 whereby it is adapted to be fixed as
for example by screws 5 to the top 6 of a book-case door-way or the like
having a hinged door 7 which it is desired to fasten in the manner described.
8 is a spring carried by a pin 8" and arranged to act against the inner side of the
bent plate 4 and also against the catch 1, so as normally to hold the catch in
the position shown in full lines in Fig. 3. The free end of the catch is provided
with a vee or hooked shaped projection 1 and is arranged to project sufficiently
forward to engage, under the action of the said spring with a keeper 9 or its
equivalent secured near the edge of the door on the inner side thereof. The edge
portion 7 of the door 7 is formed with a recess 7b to receive the said projecting
end of the catch and enable the latter to engage the keeper without the necessity of
causing the keeper to project beyond the edge of the door.
The projection 1 is arranged, as shown, to extend from one side of the catch
lever 1 which is so mounted in the plate 4 that it will be normally held by the
spring 8 in a position inclined to the plane of the door when closed, as also will the
outer free edge 1 of the said projection 1. By this arrangement as the door 7 is
moved into its closed position, the keeper 9 thereon will act upon the inclined free
edge 1 and force the spring catch sideways into the position shown in dotted lines
in Fig. 3, and upon the door arriving in its closed position the projection 1* will
slip over the keeper into the position shown in full lines in the said figure so as to
act against the outer face of the keeper and retain the door 7 in the closed position
until it is pulled in a direction to open it, when the keeper 9 will act against the
inner edge 1 of the projection 1" and cause the spring catch to be again forced
sideways into the dotted position and so release the door. The said inner edge 1°
of the projection 1ª is as shown so arranged relatively to the adjacent edge or part of
the catch that it will be parallel or approximately so to the plane of the door 7
when the door is closed so that it can then bear throughout its length against the
outer face of the keeper 9. This is a feature of considerable practical importance
as it ensures the door 7 being retained quite closed notwithstanding any shrinkage
of the door 7 that may take place in the direction of the width of the door.
the second of the pair of hinged or folding doors. It is provided on the inner side,
hear its free edge, with a securing plate 11, which, when the door is closed, will
ecure the spring catch 1 in its closed position so as to keep the first door 7 locked
or fastened so long as the second door is kept closed, which may be done by
providing it with an ordinary lock bolt engaging the first door.
10 is

page_text: Figs. 5 and 6 are similar views to Figs. 3 and 4 respectively, showing another
arrangement, specially suitable for fastening each of a pair of folding doors 7, 10
in the manner described. In this case the fastening is constructed with two pivoted
horizontal catches 1 1* each of the kind referred to, mounted side by side in a
recessed plate 4, and each adapted to act independently of the other and engage
with the keeper 9 or 11 on its respective door, and retain same in the closed
position, but nevertheless in such a manner as to enable each of the doors 10 and 7
to be pulled open in the order mentioned. In this case the keeper 11 is slotted
at 11, and the door 10 is formed with a recess 10 to receive the free end of the
second catch 1". 8 is a spring common to the two catches. It has its central
portion arranged to bear against a pin 8 and its ends engaged in slots in the
catches 11 and has a tendency to straighten, so that it normally holds the catches
in the position shown.
In this arrangement, the keeper on the second door 10, or that last closed, also
serves to secure the spring catch 1 of the first door 7 in its closed position, when
the said second door is closed.
Fig. 7 is a similar view to Figs. 3 and 5 illustrating a modified construction of
the fastening device ;
Figs. 8 and 9 are respectively elevations of the outer and inner side thereof;
and
Fig. 10 is an elevation of part of a door with keeper for use with such device.
In this arrangement, which is suitable for retaining a single door, the plate 4 to
which the catch 1 is pivoted, is fixed to the vertical face or side of a fixed part 6"
of a door frame or the like over a recess 6 therein, and is caused to project
laterally through the opening in the plate, as indicated in full lines in Fig. 7, by
the action of a spring 8 which is coiled around the pivot pin 2 between the
bifurcated pivoted end of the catch and has one end bearing against the back of
the catch and the other end against the plate. 7 is the hinged door to be retained;
it is provided with a recess 70 at its free edge or end and slotted striking plate 9 to
receive and engage the catch 1 in substantially the same manner as the catches in
the other arrangements hereinbefore described.
Figs. 11 and 12 are vertical sections at right angles to each other showing
another arrangement in which the horizontal spring catch 1, or each catch if two
be used as in Fig. 5, is located wholly within the recessed plate or holder 4 in which
it is mounted. In this case the keeper 9 with which the catch is to engage, is
constructed to enter the recessed plate or holder 4 and engage with the pointed or
hooked end 1 of the catch for which purpose it is shown formed with an eye 9*.
This arrangement is suitable as a box fastening the plate or holder 4 with catch
being secured within a recess 12* in the front portion 12 of the box or in one of
the doors and the keeper being secured to the box lid or cover 13.
The arrangement is also suitable for use with sliding doors and the like.
Fig. 13 is an end elevation and Fig. 14 a plan showing a further arrangement in
which the plate or holder 4 in which the spring catch 1 is pivoted, is provided with
a buffer 14 of suitable material, such as india rubber, and provided with flanges 5
whereby it is adapted to be secured to a floor by screws 5* so that it can be used
as a combined door stop and retainer or holder, the spring catch engaging with a
keeper 9, on the door 7 when the door partly shown in dotted lines in Fig. 14 is
opened to the desired extent.
The recessed plates or holders 4 may be provided with cover plates as shown
at 5 in Figs. 1 and 2. Also the holders may in some cases be each of tabular or
equivalent form as shown for example in plan and front elevation in Figs. 15 and 16
respectively so as to be adapted to enter a correspondingly shaped hole in the
part 6 to which it is to be fixed and provided with a flanged part 5 by which it
can be secured in place. 7 is the door to be secured provided as before with
recess 7 and keeper 9.
As will be obvious spring catches according to this invention, may in some cases

page_text: be carried by the door, or other movable part to be held in position, and engage
with a suitable keeper fixed to the stationary part with which the fastening is
employed.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the sail
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what.
we claim is :-
1. A fastening device for doors and the like, comprising a catch 1 mounted to.
turn in its own plane about a centre and formed at its free end with a vec or
hook shaped lateral projection 1* adapted to engage a keeper or recessed part on or
in the door to be secured and having one of its free edges, viz. 1b inclined to the
plane of the door to be secured and the other riz. 1° in or parallel to the plane of
the door, and a spring that normally holds the catch in its engaged position the
arrangement of the pivot relatively to the vee or hook shaped projection being
such that as the door is approaching its closed position it will force the spring catch
sideways and when it arrives in the closed position the spring catch will be released
and will thereupon automatically move into a position in which it will engage the
keeper or recessed part on or in the door and retain the door firmly in the closed
position until it is pulled in a direction to open it, when the spring catch will be
again forced sideways and release the door substantially as hereinbefore described
with reference to the several examples illustrated in the drawings annexed.
2. The improved fastenings for doors, constructed arranged and operating
substantially as hereinbefore described with reference respectively to and shown
in Figs. 1 to 4 inclusive; in Figs. 5 and 6; in Figs. 7 to 10 inclusive; in
Figs. 11 and 12; in Figs. 13 and 14 and in Figs. 15 and 16 of the drawings.
annexed.