Year: 1887

page_text: I BENJAMIN BANCROFT, of 231 Camberwell Road, in the county of Surrey,
Furnishing Ironmonger do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
This invention relates to improvements in apparatus for automatically effecting the
closing of doors and the like by the application of a spring shoe or box to the door
or the like.
In carrying out my invention I make use of a shoe or box adapted to be fixed to
one of the inner corners of the door; in the said shoe or box I place one or several
strips or blades of spring steel arranged vertically; one end of the strips or blades is
fixed in a loose plate in the shoe or box and the other end is fixed in a block round
which the shoe pivots or rotates the said block extending outside the shoe and being
fixed in the floor or frame of the door.
By this construction when the door or the like is opened the strip or strips of spring
steel will become twisted and when the door is released will in resuming its or their
straight position close the door.
I sometimes find it advantageous in order to prevent the door from being slightly
opened by gusts of wind or by like means to provide a spring which will cause a
sliding block or its equivalent to engage in a notch in the herein before described
fixed block when the door has been completely closed by the herein before described
strip or strips of spring steel.
It will be obvious that instead of fitting my spring arrangement in a shoe fixed to
the door or the like it can if required be fitted in a box let into the flooring or frame
of the door in which case the block, in which one end of the strip or strips of spring
steel is fixed, is attached to and is rotated by the door when the same is opened, the
action being otherwise the same as that hereinbefore described.
בדי
1 ..
يمم
G. F. REDFERN,
4, South Street, Finsbury, London,
Agent for the Applicant.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for Automatically Effecting the Closing
of Doors and the like.
I, BENJAMIN BANCROFT, of 231, Camberwell Road, in the county of Surrey,
Furnishing Ironmonger, 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 apparatus for closing doors, and the like, the invention
consisting mainly in utilizing the torsional power of a spring or springs for auto-
matically causing swing doors to close, the axial line of the said spring or springs
being co-incident with the centre on which the door turns in either direction.
In carrying out my invention I make use of a shoe or box adapted to be fixed to
one of the inner corners of the door; in the said shoe or box 1 place one or several
strips or blades of spring steel arranged vertically; one end of the strips or blades
is fixed in a loose plate in the shoe or box and the other end is fixed in a block
round which the shoe pivots or rotates the said block extending outside the shoe and
being fixed in the floor or frame of the door.
I find it advantageous in order to prevent the door from being slightly opened by
gusts of wind or by like means to provide a sliding block or its equivalent which
by means of a spring is caused to engage in a notch in the hereinbefore described
fixed block when the door has been completely closed by the herein before described
strip or strips of spring steel.
In order to enable my invention to be fully understood I will describe how it can
be carried into practice by reference to the accompanying drawings in which figures 1
and 2 represent an elevation partly in section and a central vertical section respectively
of an apparatus constructed according to my invention for automatically effecting
the closing of doors and the like, the said apparatus being shewn applied to the
lower part of a door or the like which is represented in its closed position. Figure 3
represents a horizontal section taken on the line A, B, of figure 1. Figure 4 is a
similar view to figure 1 but shewing the door or the like in its open position. Figure 5
represents a horizontal section taken on the line C, D, of figure 4. Similar reference
letters indicate similar parts throughout the drawings.
u, is the shoe or box which is fixed to the lower inner (or upper inner) corner of
the door A, the opening b, of the said shoe or box being formed square in cross
section. ,c, are the strips or blades of spring steel placed in the opening b, or one
strip or blade may be used. d, is the loose plate to which the upper ends of the
spring blades c, c, are fixed, the said plate being formed square so as to fit the
opening b.
e, is the block round which the shoe a, pivots and to which the lower end
of the spring blades c, c, are fixed, the lower part of the said block extending through
a bush, at the lower end of the opening b. The part of the block e, below the said
bush is formed square and fits into a square opening g, in a plate h, fixed to the

page_text: floor B (or frame) of the door. , i, are stops on the bushf, against which a
projection e¹, on the block e, bears when the door A, is fully open in either direction,
the said stops thereby preventing the door from being opened too far and overstraining
the spring.
By this construction when the door or the like is opened (as shewn in figures 4
and 5) in either direction the strips of spring steel c, c, will become twisted and when
the door A is released will in resuming their straight position close the door.
j, is the sliding block which I sometimes find it advantageous to employ for the
purpose of preventing the door from being slightly opened by gusts of wind or the
like; 1, is the spring which causes the sliding block j, to engage in the notch k, of
the stationary block e. By this means the door when in its closed position (that is to
say, when the resistance of the springs c, is weakest) is kept from moving on its
centre until a certain moderate force or pressure is applied thereto as in commencing
to open the door sufficient pressure must be exerted io cause the projection of the
sliding block j, to ride up out of the notch k. The said projection then bears on the
level face of the block and no further resistance, beyond that of the springs c, is
offered to the movement of the door.
It will be obvious that my arrangement of spring or springs c, can if required be
employed without the spring sliding block and notch just described.
Further instead of fitting my spring arrangement in a shoe fixed to the door or the
like as described it can if required be fitted in a box let into the flooring or frame of
the door in which case the block e, in which one end of the strip or strips of spring
steel c, c, is fixed, is attached to and is rotated by the door when the same is opened,
the action being otherwise the same as that herein before described.
My arrangement of spring shoe or box can be applied to a door or the like which
opens in one direction only.
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 :-
1. Utilizing the torsional power of a spring or springs for automatically losing
swing doors and the like which open in both directions on the same ceni é, the
said spring or springs being so arranged that the axial line thereof is coincident
with the said centre, and suitable means being provided for maintaining the door
in its closed position against a certain degree of pressure, substantially as hereinbefore
described.
2. A spring or springs arranged in such a manner that the torsional power thereof
is utilized for closing doors which open in both directions or in one direction only,
the said spring or springs being contained within and working in a shoe or box
adapted to be let into the stile of a door or into a floor or lintel substantially as
hereinbefore described.
3. The combination with a torsional spring or springs operating as set forth of a
spring sliding or locking block or its equivalent for the purpose of maintaining a
swing door in its closed position against a certain degree of pressure substantially as
herein before described.
4. The improved apparatus for automatically effecting the closing of doors and the
like hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.