Improvements in and relating to Doors for Fire-engine Stations and other Buildings or Structures.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 18th July, 1893
Complete Specification Left, 17th Apr., 1894-Accepted, 9th June, 1894
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to Doors for Fire-engine Stations and
other Buildings or Structures.
I, WILLIAM PATERSON, of 46 College Street, Glasgow, Lanarkshire, Chief
Officer, Fire Brigade, do hereby declare the nature of my invention to be as
follows:-
This invention has reference to and comprises a new or improved construction
and arrangement and combination of the parts of doors and their fittings, and
method of operating same, so that they can be instantaneously freed or actuated to
automatically open and slide or fold into small space, and leave a clear open space
for the immediate departure or entrance of vehicles and the like, and be specially
applicable for use at fire brigade stations or other buildings or structures where
instantaneous and clear opening of doors is requisite.
In carrying my invention into practice under one arrangement as applied to a
duplex door which opens up from the centre in two halves or main parts, each half
of the door would be formed in two parts hinged together on a vertical axis
preferably by double plate hinges near the middle; and vertical acting duplex
bolts would be fitted near these hinges with an operating lever at the centre, and
cords would be taken from these levers and passed over guide pulleys and connected
to a single cord, the pulling of which will withdraw each of the vertical bolts from
their top and bottom locking sockets and release the doors to be automatically
opened as hereinafter described. A rail or bar is carried in the fixed frame above
the door, and sockets or eyes attached to the centre jointing ends of each half of
door slide and are guided on this rail, these sockets being preferably formed on or
attached to vertical adjustable or swivelling spindles or bolts secured to each
adjacent end part of door. A cord is attached by a clip plate or other fastening to
each of these spindles and a weight is attached to the other end of each of these
cords to slide up and down in a boxed in part at the inner hinged ends of each half
of door.
The action of opening the door is as follows:-When the central cord is pulled
by hand the locking bolts are released from the notches in the framework at the
upper and lower edges of door, and the two halves of door thus freed will be auto-
matically operated by the falling weights pulling on their outer free ends, so that
the inner part of each half will fold flush in with the line of door at right angles to
its former position, and the other or outer part will be drawn by the pulling weight
and socket sliding on rail to fold at its hinges over in the opposite direction to lie
parallel and close to the inner part, so that both halves of the door will thus be
simultaneously operated to automatically fold over each by their doubled hinged
parts and lie in duplex folded parallel line at right angles to their former position.
In closing these doors they are pulled by hand into their central position and the
bolts liberated to lock in their notches.
In applying these improvements to a single opening door, it would be formed in
two parts and jointed by hinges in the centre, substantially the same as described
for each half of the double doors, and have a cord and weight and sliding collar at
its front or opening end; and the vertical locking bolts would be operated by a
single cord and instantaneously released to free the door, when it would be auto-
matically opened by the pulling weight and sliding socket for its two hinged parts

page_text: to fold over in parallel adjacent line at right angles to their former position all as
herein before described.
11
T1 1000
W. R. M. THOMSON, & Co.,
96, Buchanan Street, Glasgow, Agents.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to Doors for Fire-engine Stations and
other Buildings or Structures.
WILLIAM PATERSON, 46 College Street, Glasgow Lanarkshire Chief Officer,
Fire Brigade 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 and comprises a new or improved construction
and arrangement and combination of the parts of doors and their fittings, and
method of operating same, so that they can be instantaneously freed or actuated to
automatically open and slide or fold into small space, and leave a clear open space
for the immediate departure or entrance of vehicles and the like, and be specially
applicable for use at fire brigade stations or other buildings or structures where
instantaneous and clear opening of doors is requisite.
In carrying my invention into practice under one arrangement as applied to a
duplex door which opens up from the centre in two halves or main parts, each half
of the door would be formed in two parts hinged together on a vertical axis
preferably by double plate hinges near the middle; and vertical acting duplex
bolts would be fitted near these hinges with an operating lever at the centre, and
cords would be taken from these levers and passed over guide pulleys and
connected to a single cord, the pulling of which will withdraw each of the vertical
bolts from their top and bottom locking sockets and release the doors to be
automatically opened as hereinafter described. A rail or bar is carried in the fixed
frame above the door, and sockets or eyes attached to the centre jointing ends of
each half of door slide and are guided on this rail, these sockets being preferably
formed on or attached to vertical adjustable or swivelling spindles or bolts secured
to each adjacent end part of door. A cord is attached by a clip plate or other
fastening to each of these spindles and a weight is attached to the other end of
each of these cords to slide up and down in a boxed in part at the inner hinged
ends of each half of door.
The action of opening the door is as follows:-When the central cord is pulled
by hand the locking bolts are released from the notches in the frame work at the
upper and lower edges of the door, and the two halves of door thus freed will be
automatically operated by the falling weights pulling on their outer free ends, so
that the inner part of each half will fold flush in with the line of door at right
angles to its former position, and the other or outer part will be drawn by the
pulling weight and socket sliding on rail to fold at its hinges over in the opposite
direction to lie parallel and close to the inner part, so that both halves of the door
will thus be simultaneously operated to automatically fold over each by their
doubled hinged parts and lie in duplex folded parallel line at right angles to their
former position. In closing these doors they are pulled by hand into their central
position and the bolts liberated to lock in their notches. In applying these
improvements to a single opening door, it would be formed in two parts and jointed
by hinges in the centre substantially the same as described for each half of the
double doors, and have a cord and weight and sliding collar at its front or opening
end; and the vertical locking bolts would be operated by a single cord and
instantaneously released to free the door, when it would be automatically opened
by the pulling weight and sliding socket for its two hinged parts to fold over in

page_text: parallel adjacent line at right angles to their former position all as hereinbefore
described.
In order that my said invention may be most fully understood and readily
carried into effect, I will proceed to describe the drawing bereunto annexed.
Fig. 1 is a front elevation of the folding doors.
Fig. 2 is a vertical section.
Fig. 3 is a sectional plan.
The folding doors consist of two doors (A & B) each door being hinged at its
centre and forming leaves (A' A²), (B' B²).
The leaves (AB) are firmly hung on hinges (C C C C) attached to the wall
of building. The upper and outer side of these doors close against a head-
piece (D), and above these doors when closed is a channel iron (E.) fixed to the
lintel of the door and running parallel with the outer face. On the upper side of
the doors (A2 B2) and at their outer ends I provide guides or pins (G G) projecting
upward and entering the channel iron (E). By this means the outer edges of the
doors (A2 B2) when folding are guided in a straight line running between the
hinges (C C). To these pins (G G) I attach by means of links and cords (M M)
balance weights (N N) which in their descent will assist and complete the opening
of the folding doors. These balance weights are encased as shewn. On the
doors (A2 B2) I also provide locks with bolts, which can be shot upwards and
downwards into sockets on the lintel of door and floor below, this lock being
actuated by levers (L. L) and cords (H. H) which run to a position near
coachman's seat of engine or other convenient spot. When the coachman pulls
these cords (H. H) and releases the bolts (P. P) and continuing to pull starts the
folding doors, the balance weights (NN) complete the operation until the
doors (A' A, B¹ B³) are as in dotted lines. The centre spindles (KK) of
the locks (F F) are carried through the doors to the outer side, and by means of a
square or socket end can be turned by a key or wrench so that the doors can be
opened from without as well as within.
Having now described the nature of my said invention and the manner of
performing the same I would have it understood that I claim.
Firstly. The arrangement of channel iron with guide pin at top of folding doors
to guide the ends of these doors when folding when the retaining bolts are
released as illustrated and described.
Secondly. In connection with the locks (F F) the addition of extending spindle
with key or wrench to open the doors from the outer side as illustrated and
described.
Thirdly. The application of balance weights actuated by cords to assist the
opening of the folding doors as illustrated and described.
Dated this 16th day of April 1894.
WILLIAM FATERSON.