An Improved Apparatus for Closing Doors opening both ways.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 19th Jan., 1897--Accepted, 21st Aug., 1897
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION:
An Improved Apparatus for Closing Doors opening both ways.
I, FRÉDÉRIC DOSSOGNE of 32 courte rue d'Argile, Antwerp, in the Kingdom of
elgium, Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what
anner the same is to be performed to be particularly described and ascertained in
nd by the following statement :-
My invention relates to an apparatus intended to close automatically, doors opening
n both directions. The apparatus is shown, by way of example in the accompanying
drawings.
Figure 1 represents the apparatus fixed to the door, in a state of rest.
Figure 2.is a longitudinal section of the apparatus, at rest..
Figure 3 represents the apparatus as it appears when the door is opened towards
the side where the apparatus is fixed.
Figure 4 when the door is opened on the opposite side.
Figures 5, 6 and 7 show the apparatus furnished with oil brakes in longitudinal
section and in the three chief positions.
Figure 8 is a view in transverse section on the line x-x of Figure 5.
Figure 9 is a view in transverse section on the line y-y of Figure 6.
Figure 10 is a view of the chief piston.
Figure 11 shows the construction of the packing-boxes of the brake-cylinders.
Throughout the views similar parts are marked with like letters of reference.
The apparatus consists of a metal cylinder A closed at both ends by a screw-threaded
stopper a, a¹.
The stopper a has on the outer side, a hinge b by means of which the cylinder A is
attached to the door.
The opposite stopper a¹ has a central opening passing through it, admitting the
lever B, the free end of which is jointed to a hinge c, fixed on the upright, or post,
of the door-frame.
This lever B is of conical form at its other end and forms with the rod Can
articulated joint.
This rod C has a shorter diameter than the lever B and is intended to pass through
The opening of
a ring D covering the joint when the apparatus is in a state of rest.
this ring is conical on the side of the lever B in order that the conical end of the
latter may insert itself in the ring and push it back when the door is opened towards
the side where the apparatus is fixed.
On the side turned towards the small rod C, the opening of the ring is cylindrical,
5 so as to stop the lever B but allow the rod C to pass through.
This rod C has a sliding movement in a little cylinder E, which rests against the
stopper (b. This cylinder carries in the part next the said stopper, an outer collar e
on which rests one end of a spiral spring F, the other end resting against the ring D.
This small cylinder carries, within it at the opposite end a little collar el adapted to
0 stop the end of the rod C by means of a small piston e² with which the latter is
provided.
The working of the apparatus will be readily understood..
When the apparatus is at rest, that is to say, when the door is in its normal o

page_text: closed position the articulated joint is sunk in the ring D, while the small rod C rest
with its position e² against the collar e¹ of the small cylinder E.
If, now, the door is pushed towards the side on which the apparatus is fixed, the
lever B will rest against the ring D. The spring will be compressed and the small
rod C will slip into the cylinder E. As soon as the door is left to itself, the spring
being relaxed, brings it back to its normal position.
If, however, the door is pushed towards the opposite side to that on which the
apparatus is fixed, the lever B will pass out through the opening of the stopper a¹,
the joint will fold and the rod C, will draw the small cylinder E by means of the
piston e² and the collar e¹; the outside collar e of the small cylinder will compress the
spring which will relax as soon as the door is set free, as in the preceding
movement.
To prevent the door from oscillating or opening and shutting itself several times
over, the apparatus may be furnished with oil-brakes. This apparatus is shown by
Figures 5 to 11.
Inside the small cylinder E, there are two auxiliary cylinders E¹, E2 in which the
pistons e', e have a sliding movement. Their rods a¹ and a² are fixed in the ring D
in such a manner that when the apparatus is in a state of rest the three pistons, e², e', es
are at the commencement of their stroke, that is to say, resting against the
collar e¹..
The piston e² is cut away so as to slide between the outer wall of the cylinders E¹, E²,
and the interior wall of the cylinder E (see Figure 10).
The cylinders E' E2, are closed in their lower part, but the cylinder E is open.
The cylinders E¹, E² are filled with oil or other lubricating liquid, and the small
pistons are slightly deflected on their rods, so that when these pistons descend
the liquid can pass between the raised portion of the pistons and the adjacent wall of
the auxiliary cylinders. When the pistons re-ascend, the' oil passes under them,
through a little opening provided in their lowered part.
To prevent the liquid from escaping out of the auxiliary cylinders, the latter are
stopped by means of packing-boxes Figure 11.
These boxes are composed of a hollow nut f screwed to the collar e¹ above the
auxiliary cylinders. In the cavity of this nut is lodged an india-rubber ring which
fits tightly round the piston rod. On this nut, a second one f2 is screwed which
holds the ring in its place, allowing a certain play in the horizontal direction.
When the door is pushed towards the side on which the apparatus is fixed the
ring D will cause the three pistons e², e', e5, to descend simultaneously into the
cylinders E, E', E².
The oil or liquid will pass above the small pistons e, e5, and will prevent any
unnecessary oscillation of the door, when it is swung owing to the pressure of the
liquid which flows back only slowly through the little openings underneath the
pistons e', e'.
When the door is pushed towards the side opposite that on which the apparatus is
fixed, the cylinder E along with the auxiliary cylinders E¹, E2, being drawn by the
rod C, whilst the rods c', c², remain fixed, the pistons e', e', will plunge into the liquid
and the same brake action will be effected as in the previous case, when the door is
allowed to swing back.
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) An apparatus intended for automatically closing doors, which open inwardly
and outwardly and distinguished by a cylinder in which a spring is compressed-when
the door is opened in one direction-by a lever articulated to the door-post and
entering a disk on which rests the end of the spring, and-when the door is opened
in the other direction-by a small interior movable cylinder, furnished with an outside
collar, on which rests the other end of the spring, this small cylinder being drawn by

page_text: a rod jointed to the lever and furnished, at its free end, with a piston sliding in the
small cylinder and retained by a collar inside the latter.
(2) In the apparatus described under Claim 1, the arrangement of an oil-brake
distinguished by two auxiliary cylinders filled with a liquid lubricant and lodged in
the movable cylinder, the said auxiliary cylinders enclosing two pistons, connected
by a rigid rod to the ring D, and slightly deflected to allow the passage of the liquid
above the piston and pierced with a small opening to allow the return of the liquid
under the piston, by a slow movement which prevents any unnecessary oscillation of
the door when it is allowed to swing back into its normal or closed position,
substantially as described above and as shown in the accompanying drawings.
1005
ROBERT E. PHILLIPS, Assoc. M. Inst. C.E., M.I. Mech. E.,
Consulting Engineer and Patent Agent,
70, Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Associate Agent.