Improvements in Door Closing Springs and Checks.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 13th Nov., 1893-Accepted, 16th Dec., 1893
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Door Closing Springs and Checks.
I, GEORGE FREDERICK NEWMAN, of the Firm of W. Newman and Sons,
of Hospital Street, in the City of Birmingham, Manufacturer, 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:-
My.invention relates to improvements in, and in the construction of, door-closing
springs and checks of that class let within a floor, and adapted to be applied to
single acting doors, or doors acting one way only, and has for its object simplicity
of arrangement of the parts with efficiency of action.
The spring part of the apparatus, which acts in unison with the check part,
is compressed on the opening of a door, whilst the check part, which consists of
a piston cushioning air within a cylinder, acts in unison with the spring part as
a retarding medium for checking the closing of a door just before the same reaches
the jamb.
Figure 1 of the accompanying drawings represents partly in plan and partly in
horizontal section a combined floor spring and check for a single acting door
constructed and arranged according to my invention.
The parts of both the spring and check mechanisms of the said combined
appliance are shown in the respective positions which they assume when a door
is closed, and which door is represented by the dotted lines running in the longer
direction of the box enclosing the mechanism.
Figure 2 represents a like view as Figure 1, but with the check parts removed, so
as to more clearly show the mechanism of the spring.
Figure 3 represents a transverse section upon the dotted lines A B Figure 1, but
assuming that the same is provided with all its accessory parts, and with the barrel
of the check shown in elevation.
Figure 4 represents a like view as Figure 1 without the barrel of the air check
being in section, and with the mechanism of the check and also the mechanism
of the spring shown in the respective positions which they assume when the door
is partly opened, or when the said door is in a partly opened position as is
represented by the dotted lines.
Figures 5, 6, 7 and 8 represent elevations and edge views, coupled together,
of the principal lever members of both the spring and check parts of the
mechanism.
The same letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the several figures
of the drawings.
In the check part of the mechanism, a is a barrel or cylinder, with the end
cap a', of the same jointedly connected to the offside end 2, of the box b, by a
pin or pivot a², about which the said barrel or cylinder turns horizontally as a
centre, so as to admit of the direct pull-out of the piston c, reciprocating within the
said barrel.
The said piston, which is preferably of a cup-leather type, is controlled by a
piston-rod c, passing outwardly through the neck or gland a³, of the outside
cover a, and with the outer end c², jointedly connected at c³, to the head or outer
end d', of a rocking lever cam d, having a quadrant slot d³, with acting cam faces
or inclines d³, d, and an abutment d', and with the same pivoted or jointed at do, to
a bracket e, directed from one of the inside walls, of the box b, which is sunken
or let within a floor.
The front cover of the barrel has an air inlet opening a', whilst the rear cover a',
has an air escape or check valve a, adjustably fitted and adapted to sufficiently

page_text: entrap the air at the front of the piston for the necessary checking (by cushioning
the air) of the closing of a door impelled by the released power of the pent-up
spring. This adjustable air escape consists of a screw a', taking within a screwed
hole a³, and the escape of air through the latter is regulated by the extent to
which the screw is screwed in or out. Thus, if the screw is only passed into
the wormed hole to a small degree, then the escape of air is more than when
passed to a greater degree, as the escaping air has to insinuate itself around and
between the threads of screw and screwed hole respectively.
In the spring part of the mechanism, f is a compound or packed spring, com-
posed of three coils f¹, f, f³, placed one within another, and with the same
threaded upon a loose stalk g, having a rear foot end g', taking its bearing upon
the partition stay 6, of the box b, and with the rear ends of the springs abutting
upon the said foot ends g, and with their other ends abutting against a bearer h,
capable of taking a following adjustment by rib-shaped middle parts h³, taking
within concaved seatings ³, upon the back 2, of a horizontal swinging limb i,
jointed at, and having a hole or clearance, through its.middle, wherethrough
the fore part of the stalk g, outwardly passes.
This said swinging limb i, has a head or end i', which bears against the snug,
of a horizontally working cam lever j, having a sickle-shaped end, with an inside
curvature j³, and mounted upon a pin j.
Now the connection between the check part and the spring part is made, and
the said parts controlled and worked in unison, by and through an erect and
rotating axis k, connected at its upper square end to a shoe 7, fitted to the lower.
side hinged corner of a door m and having its upper part fitted with an arm k²,
and a depending anti-friction roller k³, which takes into the cam slot d' of the
rocking lever cam d and alternatively, as the door is opened and closed, acts upon
the cam sides d', d', whilst the lower end , which stepped into the bearing bb,
at the bottom of the box b, carries a branched or bifurcated arm or arms 4,
between which an anti-friction roller k, is mounted and runs, and takes its bearing
upon the inner curved face 13, of the cam lever j.
It will be seen that by the dropping of the socket 12, of the shoe l, of the door m,
upon the tapering and squared end ke, of the spindle k, and the opening of the door,
the whole of the members constituting both check and spring make angular move-
ments upon their joint centres, and the motion made by each is measured by the
angles between the lines drawn from the fixed points to the successive positions of
the said moving bodies.
Thus, the opening of the door m, communicates a part rotatory motion to the
axis k, and with it, the arms k", k, are turned through a quadrant. The roller k³,
of the arm k, which is in connection with the check mechanism traverses and rolls
up the curved or cam-shaped edge d', of the lever d, forces the same back upon its
joint centre d, pulls forwardly the piston rod c', and brings the piston c, up to the
near end of the barrel or cylinder until the same is stopped by the said piston
making its abutment upon the end cover. The air in the barrel in front of the
piston has escaped through the hole a³, and the barrel itself is made to take an
angular movement upon its joint so as to follow the curvilinear movement of its
connecting joint pin.
Now the rotation of the axis k, has not only turned the arm k³, but has also
turned the arm k*, which has been made, through its roller to impinge upon and
traverse the curved inside surface 3, of the lever cam j, and to lift the said lever
cam to an extent equal to the throw or curvilinear movement through which the
arm, has passed, and by which the inclined snug, is made to press rearwardly
upon the back end i, of the horizontally swinging limb i, mounted at, thereby
compressing the spring or springs, as the case may be between the impingement
plate and the foot j³.
On the door being fully opened, the roller of the arm A, is taken from the cam
slot of the lever cam, and when the said door is released, then the pent-up energy
of the spring is liberated and made to exert itself first upon the member i, through

page_text: the slightly oscillating impingement plate or bearer h, which is turned from right
to left and then forced against the lever cam j, which presses upon the roller k³, and
through it to the arms and through them to the spindle k, which is then rotated
and communicates motion to the check arm k2, and from thence to the oscillating
and slotted lever cam d, by the roller k, of the said arm k³, impinging upon the d
side or edge of the slot d thereby turning the said member d, which has a tumbler
action, again to the position as represented in Figure 1, with the abutment do,
taking its hearing upon the near side 63, of the box b, hence the cushioning of the
air between the back of the piston and the back of the barrel or cylinder, and the
rate of closing regulated.
Instead of employing a packed or compound spring, I may employ a single
spring, without an inner one being placed within an outer one.
The standing axis k, is supported, stayed and works within a bearing o³, of a
cross stay or bracket o.
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 :-
First. In the check part of single-acting door-closing springs and checks,
operating and controlling the piston by or through the medium of a rocking lever-
cam having a quadrant slot with acting cam faces or inclines and being worked by
or from off the vertical axis connected with the door, substantially as described and
set forth.
Secondly. In the check part of door-closing springs and checks, the combination
with the axis k, having an arm k², with roller or stud k³, of a rocking or tumbler
lever-cam d, and oscillating cylinder a, with its accessories, substantially as
described and set forth.
Thirdly. In the spring part of door-closing springs and checks, making the outer
end of the spring or a bearer at the outer end of the spring take its bearing upon a
horizontally swinging limb i, substantially as and for the purpose described and set
forth.
Fourthly. In the spring part of door-closing springs and checks, the combination
with the spring f, or springs f¹, f, f³, of a stalk g, with foot g² oscillating bearer h,
and swinging limb i, as set forth.
Fifthly. In the spring part of door-closing springs and checks, the combination
with the swinging limb i, having a stalk end through its body part, and located at
the outer terminal impingement of the spring situated at a lower level in the box
than the check part of the mechanism of a cam-lever j, with swell h² and curved
face, against which latter, the roller of the lower arm or arms of the door-
working axis comes, as set forth.
Sixtily. In door-closing springs and checks, the combination with the check
part of the mechanism, of the spring part thereof, substantially as described and set
forth.
Seventhly. In single-acting door-closing springs and checks, the improvements
in the construction, arrangement and combination of the parts, and also the working
and fitting of the parts of the apparatus or the combined apparatus, substantially as
described and set forth.
1000