IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF SPRING HINGES AND DOOR SPRINGS
Year: 1840

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN
WHITEHOUSE the younger, of Birchall Street, in the Borough of Birmingham,
in the County of Warwick, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her present most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent under the Great Seal of Great Britain, bearing date at West-
minster, the Seventh day of September, in the fourth year of Her reign, did,
for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said John
Whitehouse, Her especial licence, full power, sole privilege and authority,
that I, the said John Whitehouse, my exors, adñors, and assigns, or such
others as I, the said John Whitehouse, my exors, adñiors, or assigns, should
at any time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times
during the term of years therein expressed, should and lawfully might make,
use, exercise, and vend, within England, Wales, and the Town of Berwick-
upon-Tweed, my Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF SPRING
HINGES AND DOOR SPRINGS;" in which said Letters Patent is contained a pro-
viso that I, the said John Whitehouse, shall cause a particular description of
the nature of my Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed,
to be inrolled in Her said Majesty's High Court of Chancery within six
calendar months.next and immediately after the date of the said in part recited
Letters Patent, as in and by the same, reference being thereunto had, will
more.fully and at large appear.
NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, I, the said
John Whitehouse, do hereby declare the nature of my said Invention, and
the manner in which the same is to be performed, are fully described and

page_text: DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Figure 1 represents a spring hinge, partly in section, constructed according
to my Invention. Figure 2 is a top end view, and Figure 3 is the lower end
view of the hinge, Figure 1; and Figure 4 shows some of the parts
separately.
vi
a, a, is the spring barrel. It consists of a tube a, with two end or caps b, c,
affixed thereto. The end or cap has a cylindrical opening through it, in order
to receive the axis d, the neck b¹ formed on the cap being square, in order that
one of the flaps of the hinge may hold the barrel a from movement. The cap
or end c of the spring barrel is differently formed to the cap b, it having no open-
ing through it, the lower end of the spindle simply moving in a recess formed
in the cap c.. The capic has a similar square neck to the cap b, in order to the
flape of the hinge being applied in such manner as to hold the barrel a from
turning; and there is also a cylindrical neck c¹ to receive the lower end of
the flap of the hinge, and allow of its turning freely on such neck. The
flaps e and of the hinge are each made in two parts, joining at the middle
of the length of the flaps. The flap e of the hinge, by its projecting ends
embracing the square necks 6' of the caps b, c, and the flap f of the hinge at
one end by its projecting aid embraces the square head of the axis d, and
thus turns that axis when the flaps e, f, are opened, or closed, the other end
On the axis or
of the flapf moving on the cylindrical neck c¹ on the cap c.
spindle d is fixed or formed a short axis d, which carries a friction roller d³,
which acts on the inclined plane or surface g, such surface g being capable
of rising and falling, but not of turning, in the barrel a, as will be hereafter
explained. h is a spring which constantly presses on the upper surface of
the instrument g, with a tendency to force it to the end c of the barrel, as
will readily be understood on examining the Figures of the Drawing now
under description. The instrument g consists of a circular plate with a hollow
stem, the under surface of which plate is cut away to form the inclined sur-
face
9. there being a groove formed at g', in which is received a feather or
projection, which is fixed within the spring barrel a, whereby the surface g
can rise and fall on the axis d, but is prevented turning by a feather or pro-
jection so fixed within the barrel d. It will therefore be evident that if the
hinge when complete be affixed to a door and doorpost by the flaps e and f,
that the opening of the door will cause the instrument g to rise on the spindle.

page_text: or axis d, and by such means the spring will be condensed within the barrel,
and the roller don the axis d will pass along the inclined surface, 9: and when
the door be left hold of the spring will cause the inclined surface to press on
the roller d', and be the means of turning the axis or spindle d, and thus close
the door. I would here remark, that the inclined surface may be affixed on
the spindle or axis d, and the roller d³ applied to a sliding instrument on 'the
axis d, in like manner to the door spring which I will now describe.
Figure 5 shews a door spring, partly in section, constructed according to my
Invention. Figure 6 shews a section of a door and doorpost, having a door
spring such as is shewn at Figure 5, applied thereto. Figure 7 shews the lower
end cap of the barrel a, a, which is similar to the cap c before described,
excepting that there is no cylindrical neck c¹, there being no flap used in this
apparatus. Figure 8 shews the spindle separately, which has the inclined surface
gaffixed thereto, and the socket d, which, with its roller d³, slides up and down
the spindle or axis d, such sliding socket being prevented turning in the
barrel a by a feather or projection acting as a stop. The sliding socket being
shewn in several views at Figure 9, its nature and construction will readily be
understood. In this door spring, as it is not to be used as a hinge, only one
flap e, is used, the arm f acting in this instance, as the flap f of the hinge
Figure 1; and it will be seen that in fixing this door spring the flap is
affixed to the door post by screws; and a plate i, having an opening through
it, is affixed to the door as is shewn, through which opening of the plate i
the end of the arm f passes, and such arm f embracing the square end of the
spindle d, it will cause that spindle to move round when the door is opened,
and it will be evident that the same effect will be produced as when the;
hinge, Figure 1, is used, and it will also be evident that whether the sur-
face g
is affixed to the spindle, or the roller applied to a rising socket, as
here described, or the roller d³ applied to the spindle or axis d, and the sur-
face g caused to rise and fall, the manner of working of the parts will in
substance remain the same.
I will now proceed to describe another arrangement of door spring:
Figure 10 shews an external side view of the spring box. Figure 11 shews
an external back view. Figure 12 is a plan in section of Figure 10, by which
the position of the parts on the interior can be seen. Figure 13 is a plan of
Figure 11. Figure 14 shows the spindle or axis and inclined surface g
separately. Figure 15 shows the sliding instrument & separately. Figure 16
shews a section of the door spring applied to a door, and Figure 17 is a plan
of the door spring and the plate by which it is connected to a door.
of these Figures the same letters are used to indicate the same parts as those
In each

page_text: already used in former Figures, for it will be found that in many respects
the door spring now under description is very similar to that above described.
d is the spindle or axis; g is the inclined surface fixed to the spindle or axis d.
At the lower part of the inclined surface g is formed a recess g³, into which
the roller d³ enters when the door is closed, consequently the door will have a
tendency at all times, when not pressed on or stopped, to keep closed. d³ is
the sliding frame which carries the roller d³. This frame d³, in place of sliding
as a socket on the axis d; as in the former Figures of the Drawing, in the
present apparatus slides up and down in vertical grooves d', formed in the
spring case. h, li, are springs pressing on the washer d³, and thus force the
roller constantly in contact with the inclined surface g. The apparatus is
contained in a box or case A, of cast iron, and covered as is shewn in the
Drawing. j,j, is a plate which is affixed by screws to the lower angle of the
door, such plate acting in a similar manner to the arm f of the former door
spring, there. being a square opening through the platej to receive the square
head d¹ of the spindle or axis d. It will be evident, that in place of having
the sliding frame d³ and roller d³, as shewn, they might be applied so as to
rise and fall on the axis d, as described in the former caso; but in strong door
springs I prefer the present arrangement. Figure 18 shews an external plan
of another door spring. Figure 19 is a longitudinal section, and Figure 20
a transverse section of the same. This arrangement differs from the preceding
only in as much as the shape of the box or case A, and also as to the
description of the springs used. In other respects the parts are the same as
those last described. And I would remark, in respect to these two last door
springs, that it will be seen that although the nature of the springs are diffe-
rent, the mode of applying them above the sliding apparatus ds will bring
about a similar action in closing the door. And it should be understood that
I am aware that it is not new to use an inclined surface similar to g on an
axis like d, for closing a door by a spring, yet in former constructions the
springs have been very differently applied. The peculiarity of the present appa-
ratus consists in the mode of placing the springs in respect to the surface g,
and in such manner as to obtain the direct action of such springs in a line
parallel with the axis d.
Having thus described the nature of my Invention, and the manner of per-
forming the same, I would have it understood that I do not claim any of the
parts separately, nor do I confine myself to the precise forms thereof, so long
as the character of my Invention be retained; but what I claim is,―
First, the mode of combining the parts into spring hinges, as described in
respect to Figures 1; 2, 3, and 4.

page_text: Second, I claim the modes of combining the parts d, d, g, and h, for a
door spring, together with suitable means of connecting such apparatus with
a door, as described in respect to Figures 5 to 20 inclusive.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Whitehouse, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Fourth day of March, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and forty-one.
w.
AND BE IT REMEMBERED, that on the Fourth day of March, in the
year of our Lord 1841, the aforesaid John Whitehouse came before our said
Lady the Queen in Her Chancery, and acknowledged the Specification afore-
said, and all and every thing therein contained and specified, in form above
written. And also the Specification aforesaid was stamped according to the
tenor of the Statute made for that purpose.
Inrolled the Sixth day of March, in the year of our Lord One thousand
eight hundred and forty-one.