Improvements in Self-closing Appliances for Doors, Windows, Gates, and the like.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 22nd Dec., 1894
Complete Specification Left, 23rd Sept, 1895-Accepted, 26th Oct., 1895
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Self-closing Appliances for Doors, Windows, Gates,
and the like.
I, WILLIAM WHITELEY, the younger, of Westbourne 'Grove, London, W.
Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of my said invention to be as follows:
My invention relates to that description of self-closing appliances for doors,
windows, gates and the like, in which the closing is effected by a weight suspended
by a rope which passes over pulleys and is attached to the door, window, gate or
the like.
The object of my invention is to effect improvements in such self-closing
appliances whereby the descension of the weight, and consequently, the speed of
closing of the door, is capable of being regulated so as to prevent the slamming
which is so usual with the self-closing appliances of the description hereinbefore
set forth.
According to my invention, I enclose the weight in a tube attached to the door
frame and by regulating the escape of the air from beneath the weight, the speed
of the descension of the weight is governed.
The lower end of the tube is fitted with a suitable valve or valves for controlling
the admission or emission of air to and from the tube.
The weight is cast with two tubes (one preferably of a 'larger diameter than the
other) having through ways from the top of the weight to the bottom; the larger
tube being in the centre of the weight and of such a diameter as to allow the rope
to slide easily there. The smaller tube is fitted at the top with a suitable
regulator to control the flow or escape of the air from beneath the weight, the
lower end of the weight being fitted with a cup leather or other suitable packing
to act as a piston in the tube.
The rope, on being passed through the centre and larger tube in the weight, is
attached to an auxiliary weight which keeps the topo taut and prevents the Lope
being caught by the door should the door be suddenly pushed or shut before 'the
weight has descended.
Suitable means are provided for preventing noise or jarring of the parts
cousequent from rough usage.
The doo 18 provided with a bracket, to which the rope is attached, the ope
travelling over a swing pulley (fitted with a guard to keep the rope in place) fixed
in a line above the tube. The swing pulley is so constructed as to be icadily
released when access to the weight is desired..
Where my invention is applied to double action or swing doors and the like
I provide a bracket plate mounted with three pulley wheels for guiding the rope.
The auxiliary weight may, in some cases, be hung from the bracket end of the
rope, the rope being secured to the weight in the tube.
Dated 22nd December 1894.
GEO.
DOWNING,
8 Quality Court, London, W.C., Agent.

page_text: Improvements in Self-closing Appliances for Doors, Windows, Gates,
and the like.
I, WILLIAM WHITELEY, the younger, of Westbourne Grove, Loudon, W.
Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of my said 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 that description of self-closing appliances for doors,
windows, gates, and analogous structures, in which the closing is effected by a
weight suspended by a rope which passes over pulleys and is attached to the door,
window, gate or the like.
The object of my invention is to effect improvements in such self-closing
appliances, whereby the descension of the weight, and consequently, the speed of
closing of the dooi, is capable of being regulated so as to prevent the slamming
which is usual with this class of self-closing appliance, also the appearance is
greatly improved
And in order that my said invention may be particularly described and ascer-,
tamed, reference is hereby made to the accompanying drawings, in which, similar
letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.
Fig. 1 is a sectional elevation and Fig. 2 a plan of one method of carrying out
my invention.
Fig 3 is a sectional elevation, Fig 4 a sectional plan and Fig. 5 a plan of a
Inodification of the above
Figs 6, 7 and 8 are detail views.
According to my invention, I enclose the weight A in a tube B attached to the
door frame and by regulating the escape of the air from beneath the weight, the
speed of the descension of the weight is governed For this purpose or for
admitting air the Lube B is sometimes fitted with any suitable construction of
valve C.
The weight A 18 preferably cast with tubes or passages D, E, the larger tube E
being in the centre of the weight and of such a diameter as to allow the rope F to
slide easily therein. The smaller tube D is fitted at the top with a suitable
regular G to control the flow or escape of air from beneath the weight The
weight is preferably fitted with a cup-leather H, or enclosed in oiled felt so as to
act as a piston in the tube
The rope is passed though the tube E in the weight A and attached to an
Auxiliary weight I which keeps the rope taut and prevents it being caught by the
door should the door be suddenly pushed or shut before the weight has descended.
A rubber pad or buffer Jas shown in Fig. 1 or a spring is intei posed as shown in
Fig 3 to lessen jarring of the parts.
The door is provided with a bracket (not shown in the drawings) to which the
rope is attached, the rope travelling over a swing pulley, such as K in Figs. 1 and 2,
fixed in a line above the tube B
In the modification shown by Figs 3, 4 and 5, the auxiliary weight is fitted in
a separate tube L, the rope passing, over a pulley M mounted on the cover N
and under a pulley O attached to the weight A, to the swing pulley K which in
this case is mounted in a tubular frame P pivoted in a frame Q axially with tho
longitudinal axis of the tope.
Figs. 6 and 7 illustrate a swing pulley fitted with a pair of gunde pulleys R for
use with double action doors. Fixed pulleys fitted with guards or guide pulleys
may be substituted for the swing pulleys shown, and any or all of the pulleys are
preferably fitted so as to be readily detached when access to the weight is desued.

page_text: In Fig. 3 the pulleys K and M are both mounted upou a cover N which is capable
of being removed for gaining access to the weight, whilst holes are formed to
admit of the regulator G being adjusted without disturbing the working parts.
In using my improved appliance for double action doors, the weight A may be
used alone as shewn in Fig 8, the rope being attached to a plate S carrying a
buffer spring T aud weight A, through which the rope passes. Thus any strai
caused by a sudden movement of the door is absorbed by the spring and increases
the wearing period of the rope.
The auxiliary weight I may, in some cases, be suspended, in a tube fixed to the
door, from the bracket or door end of the rope, the other end being secured to the
weight A.
The tube B may be of any suitable shape in section, a cncula tube being
ebown in Figs 1 and 2 and an oval tube in Figs. 3, 4 and 5, the oval tube being
preferred in the latter arrangement of parts to prevent the weight rotating in the
tube.
Stops U are provided on the swing pulley frames whole found necessary as
shown in Fig. 6.
In some cases a stiff back or other chain may be employed instead of a 1ope, so
as to resist a possible pressure of wind in the direction in which the dooi is
closing.
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
1 claim 15
-
1 The improvements in self-closing appliances for doors, windows, gates and
the like, substantially as described.
2. In self closing appliances of the description aforesaid, the combination of a
weight A, htted with a regulator G and cup leather or other packing II, enclosed
in a tube B, with or without the auxiliary weight I operating substantially as
he embelore described and illustrated by the drawings.
3. In self-closing appliances of the description aforesaid, the method of and
means for regulating the speed of descension of the weight in the tube, substantially
as described.
4. In self-closing appliances of the description claimed in Claims 2 and 3, the
combination therewith of a pulley K mounted in a tubular frame P, pivoted, in
a frame Q, axially with the longitudinal axis of the rope substantially as described
and illustrated by Figs. 3 and 5 of the drawings.
5. In self-closing applauces, the combination and ariangement of parts,
substantially as described and illustrated by Figs 3, 4 and 5 of the drawings
6. In sell-closing appliances of the description aforesaid, the application and use0
of buffer spings or stops J, T interposed between the working parts to prevent
noise and lessen strain on the rope, substantially as described.
Dated 23rd September 1895
GEO.
DOWNING,
8 Quality Court, London, W.C., Agent