An Improved System of Momentary Stoppage of Doors or Bodies having too great an Acceleration of Speed.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 7th Sept., 1891
Complete Specification Left, 3rd June, 1892-Accepted, 13th Aug., 1892
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
An Improved System of Momentary Stoppage of Doors or Bodies
having too great an Acceleration of Speed.
I HENRI DE MARNEFFE, of 27 Rue Nysten, Liege, in the Kingdom of Belgium,
Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to an improved system of momentary stoppage of doors and
other bodies having too great an acceleration of speed.
The object of this invention is to prevent especially as regards doors, the incon-
venience due to the accelerations of speed acquired when they are closed automatically
by means of the various systems of closing now used, or to prevent their closing too
abruptly from any cause..
To realise my invention in respect of doors 1 use as momentary break a surface
inclined under the action of a spring or of an elastic buffer of any kind, which meets
a part of or a piece on the door or on the door case in such a way that when this
piece.comes into contact with this surface or meets it at a slight speed, it slides or
rolls along this surface at a regulated pressure, whereas when this piece comes
against the surface at too great a speed, that is to say with too great a force, this
surface by the compression or the extension of the springs or elastic buffers which
keep it at the desired inclination in relation to the piece on or part of the door to
permit the sliding or the rolling of this latter in a fixed direction, this surface inflects
thus varying its inclination in relation to the piece on the door,- so that this latter
can no longer either roll or slide along this surface so long as this surface has not
been brought back to its primitive inclination as regards the piece on the door by
the expansion of the spring or springs or of the elastic buffers with which it is
connected, at least in a determined direction, either directly or indirectly.
The various arrangements given as examples on the accompanying drawing show
the application of this arrangement to prevent the too rapid closing of doors.
Figures 1 and 2 clearly show the arrangement: the surface m pivots at the
point V of a square or angle piece K fixed to the door case C; this surface m is
one with the spring in the direction indicated by the arrow; the screw p provided
with two pins g, placed on either side of one of the arms of the square K serve to
regulate at will the inclination of this surface in relation to the piece or body n
of the door:
The piece n, Figure 3 is of one piece with two small hollow cylinders I, united by
the arm B upon which a roller may be placed at will, if it is desired to substitute
rolling for sliding on the surface m. Instead of the cylinders I, I may, naturally,
cause appropriate rods, or bars I, Figure 4, to move in suitable cylindrical, square
or other slides, or use the arrangement of rollers shown Figure 5.
This: done, assume that the door P upon which is fixed the frame 1, brings the
piece n-with too much violence in contact with the surface m; this latter under the
shock, takes a position analogous to that shown in dotted lines Figure 2, and
the springs, ..., forming break, stop the door; this latter thus arrested is driven
backward by the expansion of the springs and the surface m being.brought back-to
its primitive position, the roller n rolling along this surface, causes the cylinders I
to alide along the rods T of the frame land the door P in closing takes the position P¹
and the frame the position shown in dotted lines Figure 2.
In-Figure 6 the frame is replaced by a rod D pivotting at the point V' of the
plate p fixed on the door. A pin z serves as stop for the rod. D. This rod D may
or may not have a roller n at its end; it may be extended or not at D'; in the case
that this rod is extended at D', its end D may be provided with a roller a' ralling

page_text: on the door. A ring o" which may be fixed by means of pins or be tapped upon
any suitable part of the rod D, varies at will the tendency of this rod to lower.
Figure 7. gives three views of an arrangement. The surface m movable around
the point V and one with the springs r,, is fixed horizontally on the door case C.
The rod D pivots around the point V₁, carries the piece n at its upper end and the
counterweight Q at its lower end. In striking the surface m the piece n slides or
rolls upon this latter causing the rod D to pivot laterally. When the door P is
closed the piece n has slid below the surface m and occupies the position shown in
dotted lines; it is lower than the surface m and a part g of this latter prevents the
piece n from penetrating beneath the surface m; z is a stop piece. The screw
serves to regulate the inclination of the surface m and the tension of the springs 7, 7ª
Figure 8 shows another construction of the frame of Figure 3; here the frame T',
placed horizontally or nearly so, is fixed on the door by means of the pieces Q' and
may pivot on the axles E of these pieces; when this arrangement is used the
surface m should have a curved shape Figure 9, such that the piece n makes, at
every point of this curve a constant angle therewith.
In Figure 10 the pivoting point is at V. The stem of the screw p¹ is provided
with one or several spiral springs ; the screw p', serves at the same time, as
regulating screw for the inclination of the surface m. This arrangement permits
(see dotted lines Figure 10) the piece n to slide or roll along the curve a, a' when it
renches the point a where it begins. This point is fixed so that the piece n may
reach it with such force as may be desired.
The Figures 11 to 17 show various modifications. In Figure 14 the spring & may
be fixed either to the door case C or to the bar F.
In the major part of the above indicated constructions the surface m might
naturally be indirectly one with the springs; evidently it would be sufficient to
insert a lever L (see Figures 16 and 17).
Dated this Seventh day of September 1891.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Improved System of Momentary Stoppage of Doors or Bodies
having too great an Acceleration of Speed.
I HENRI DE MARNEFFE of 27 Rue Nysten, Liege in the Kingdom of Belgium,
Manufacturer, 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 relates to an improved system of momentary stoppage of doors and
other bodies having too great an acceleration of speed.
The object of this invention is to prevent especially as regards doors, the incon-
venience due to the accelerations of speed acquired when they are closed automatically
by means of the various systems of closing now used, or to prevent their closing too
abruptly from any cause.
To realise my invention in respect of doors, 1 use as momentary break a surface
inclined under the action of a spring or of an elastic buffer of any kind, which meets
a part of or a piece on the door, or on the door case, in such a way that when this
piece comes into contact with this surface or meets it at a slight speed, it slides or rolls
along this surface at a regulated pressure, whereas when this piece comes against
the surface at too great a speed, that is to say with too great a force, this surface by
the compression or the extension of the springs or elastic buffers which keep it at the
desired inclination in relation to the piece on or part of the door to permit the sliding
or the rolling of this latter in a fixed direction, this surface inflects thus varying its

page_text: inclination in relation to the piece on the door, so that this latter can no longer either
roll or slide along this surface so long as this surface has not been brought back to
its primitive inclination as regards the piece on the door by the expansion of the
spring or springs or of the elastic buffers with which it is connected, at least in a
determined direction, either directly or indirectly.
The various arrangements given as examples on the drawing left with the
Provisional Specification show the application of this arrangement to prevent the
too rapid closing of doors.
g
Figures 1 and 2 clearly show the arrangement:-the surface m pivots at the
point V of a square or angle piece K fixed to the door case C; this surface m is one
with the spring in the direction indicated by the arrow; the screw e provided
with two pins 9, placed on either side of one of the arms of the square K serve to
regulate at will the inclination of this surface in relation to the piece or body n of
the door.
The piece n, Figure 3 is of one piece with two small hollow cylinders I, united by
the arm B upon which a roller may be placed at will, if it is desired to substitute
rolling for sliding on the surface m. Instead of the cylinders I, 1 may, naturally,
cause appropriate rods, or bars I, Figure 4, to move in suitable cylindrical, square
or other slides, or use the arrangement of rollers shown Figure 5.
This done, assume that the door P upon which is fixed the frame 1, brings the
piece n with too much violence in contact with the surface m; this latter under the
shock, takes a position analogous to that shown in dotted lines Figure 2, and
the springs r,. forming break, stop the door; this latter thus arrested is
driven backward by the expansion of the springs and the surface m being brought
back to its primitive position, the roller n rolling along this surface, causes the
cylinders I to slide along the rods T of the frame and the door P in closing takes
the position P¹ and the frame the position shown in dotted lines Figure 2.
In Figure 6 the frame is replaced by a rod D pivoting at the point V1 of the
plate P fixed on the door. A pin z serves as stop for the rod D. This rod D may
or may not have a roller n at its end; it may be extended or not at D¹; in the case
that this rod is extended at D', its end D¹ may be provided with a roller o¹ rolling
on the door. A ring o" which may be fixed by means of pins or be tapped upon any
suitable part of the rod D, varies at will the tendency of this rod to lower.
Figure 7. gives three views of an arrangement :-The surface m movable around
the point V and one with the springs r,, is fixed horizontally on the door case C.
The rod D pivots around the point V₁, carries the piece n at its upper end and the
counterweight Q at its lower end. In striking the surface m the piece n slides or
rolls upon this latter causing the rod D to pivot laterally. When the door P is
closed the piece n has slid below the surface m and occupies the position shown in
dotted lines; it is lower than the surface m and a part of this latter prevents the
piece n from penetrating beneath the surface m; 2 is a stop piece. The screw
serves to regulate the inclination of the surface m and the tension of the springs r, t¹³.
If it is desired to permit the closing of the door etc. with a force greater than the
resistance of the springs r, r², then the end of the surface m is curved outward and
the point of stoppage z is replaced by a spring or elastic buffer which permits the
counterweight to swing in the two directions. In this case, under the force
indicated, the piece n slides in the opposite direction (to the right, Figure 7) on the
surface m and is stopped by the curved end of this latter. Then, under the violent
effort, the springs r, are completely compressed by the surface m and the door
may close.
Figure 8 shows another construction of the frame of Figure 3; here the frame T',
placed horizontally or nearly so, is fixed on the door by means of the pieces Q¹ and
pivots on the axles E of these pieces; when this arrangement is used the surface m
should have a curved shape Figure 9, such that the piece n makes, at every point
of this curve a constant angle therewith.
In Figure 10 the pivoting point is at V.
The stem of the screw p³ is provided

page_text: with one or several spiral springs ; the screw pl, serves at the same time, as
regulating screw for the inclination of the surface m. This arrangement permits
(see dotted lines Figure 10) the piece n to slide or roll along the curve a, a¹ when
it reaches the point a where it begins.
This point is so fixed that the piece n reaches it when actuated with a certain
determined force.
In Figure 11, the surface m is constituted by the rectilineal extension, downward,
of a spring spirally wound, fixed to the door case C, which extension has the desired
inclination.
Iu Figure 12, the surface m is constituted by one arm of a two arm'd bent lever,
pivoting at V, the other arm of which is connected to a spring r fixed to the door
case C
In Figure 13, the surface m is constituted by a curved lever, pivoting at the
point V, and kept at the desired inclination by a spiral spring fixed to the door
case C and to the curved lever.
In Figure 14, the surface m is constituted by the inclined arm of a rectilineal
lever having two arms, pivoting at V on the rod fixed to the door case C; the
lever is kept at the required inclination by a spiral spring fixed on the one hand
to the door case C or to the rod Fan 1, on the other hand to the other arm of the
lever.
In Figure 15, the surface m is constituted by a lever pivoting at V and fixed to
the door case C by an intermediate piece. The inclination of the lever is regulated
by a screw p which passes through the lever at its upper part. This screw is
enveloped by a spiral spring r, and it is screwed onto the door case C; in the normal
state of the lever it is kept in its position by the head of the screw p.
In the major part of the above indicated constructions the surface m might
naturally be indirectly one with the springs; evidently it would be sufficient to
insert a lever L (see Figures 16 and 17).
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. As momentary brake for doors, the special application of a surface m the
inclination of which, in relation to a body or piece n, is in solidarity or conjunction
either directly or indirectly with springs or elastic buffers of any kind, this inclination
being so regulated, in relation to this body, that this latter may roll or slide upon
this surface when the pressure is exerted without shock or without too considerable
a shock, whereas, when this surface is met with too great violence the momentary
deformation which this shock causes the spring or elastic buffer to undergo, has for
result to give to this surface directly or indirectly in conjunction with these springs
or elastic buffers, such an inclination, in relation to the striking body, that this
latter can neither slide or roll, in a fixed direction, upon this surface.
2. Specially, a roller or rod, movable in a frame fixed upon the door or upon the
door case, capable of sliding upon a surface fixed to the door or to the casing, which
surface under the action of springs, takes an inclined position forward and, under
too violent a shock for the resistance of the spring, takes a position too slightly
inclined or driven-in, in relation to the roller or rod, until the violent force of the
door is partially stored in the spring and in this position, momentarily prevents the
sliding of the roller or of the rod upon the inclined surface until the expansion of
the springs has brought back this inclined surface into its normal position,-whereas
in this latter position, it permits the roller or the rod to slide upward for the complete
closing of the door.
3. The arrangement shown Figure 6, in which a rod D provided or not provided
with a roller and extended at D with or without roller o', pivots on the door and
acts as set forth in Claim 2 on the inclined surface also mentioned in Claim 2,
eventually the arrangement of a ring or of a counterweight o' on the rod D.

page_text: 4. The arrangement shown Figure 7, in which a rod D carrying, on the one hand,
the body or piece n aud, on the other hand, the counterweight Q pivots laterally
and thus permits the piece n to slide upon the surface m and lower than this surface.
Dated this First day of June 1892