Improvements in or relating to Apparatus for Closing or Holding Open Doors, Windows, and the like.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 16th Apr., 1898-Accepted, 13th Aug., 1898
Improvements in or relating to Apparatus for Closing or Holding
Open Doors, Windows, and the like.
I, HENRY PORTER, of Ridgetown, in the Province of Ontario, Canada, Attorney,
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:-
The object of my invention is to provide an exceedingly cheap, simple, easily
operated and durable device for automatically closing or holding back swinging
doors, windows and similar structures and prevent their slamming.
To this end my invention consists in the peculiar features and combinations of
parts more fully described hereinafter and pointed out in the claims.
In the accompanying drawings,
Figure 1 represents a top perspective view of my device wherein the door to
which it is attached is shown in closed position, and
Figure 2, a top view of my device with the door in closed position, dotted lines
indicating the positions assumed by the parts when the door is thrown half and all
the way back.
The reference letter a, indicates an ordinary house door hung in a common
rigid frame b, upon hinges c. To the upper part of the door is attached by
screws d, a flat spring or elastic bar or arm e, which extends backward in the direc-
tion of the hinges, projecting outwardly and obliquely upward beyond the top of
the door and terminating at a point on the frame portion lying inside the axis or
hinges of the door, or more explicitly, at a point over that portion of the frame
lying between the axis of the door and its free end. The free end of the spring
is connected with the frame by a hinge-like.connection consisting of an S-shaped.
link f, the opposite ends of which pass through a screw eye g, on the frame at a
point between the axis of the door and where the fixed end of the spring is attached.
The screw eye is placed on the frame so that the hook f¹, on the link will pass
through it horizontally in order to allow the outer end of the link to swing in the
arc of a horizontal circle to the right or left over the axis of the door during the
opening and closing movements of the latter. The free end of the spring should
be so connected that the link will pull gently but constantly upon it, in order to
hold the door closed.
The preferred construction of my device having now been set forth, I will
describe its operation. If the door be closed, a slight pressure on it will be all that
is necessary to start it open. A continuation of the pressure will cause the link
to draw the end of the spring nearer to the door, at the same time carrying the end
of the spring and the outer end of the link horizontally from left to right, around
until they pass over the dead centre, or in other words, over and behind the hinges
or axis of the door, whereupon the direction of pull upon the spring will be
reversed and transferred to the opposite side of the axis of the door to hold it open.
During this movement the end of the spring arm will turn as on a pivot in the
outer hook f", of the link and the inner hook f¹, will turn in the same way on the

page_text: screw eye g.
of the door by a connection having two pivotal points.
Thus the free end of the spring arm is connected to the frame portion
While the preferred form of my device has been shown and described, yet it is
evident that the structure could be infinitely varied in many slight ways that might
suggest themselves to a skilled mechanic without departing from the scope and
spirit of my invention.
One of the advantages of my invention is that it can be so adjusted that it will
hold the door back when it is once opened or will prevent the door from staying
open at any point. Another great advantage consists in the slight resistance
which is offered by the door in the initial movement in opening the door whereby
little strength is needed to overcome the resistance of the spring.
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. The combination with a hinged door and its casing, of a plate spring fixedly
secured to and having its free end projecting away from the door, and a link secured
to the free end of the spring and to a relatively immovable object, such as the door
frame, the arrangement being such that the free end of the spring passes over and
behind the axial line of the hinges of the door, whereby the door is closed and is
held open, substantially as described.
2. The combination with a hinged door and its casing, of a plate spring fixedly
secured to and having its free end projecting away from and above the top of the
door, and a link secured to the free end of the spring and to a relatively immovable
object, as the door frame, the arrangement being such that the free end of the spring
passes over and behind the axial line of the hinges of the door, whereby the door
is closed and is held open, substantially as described.
3. The combination with a hinged door and its frame, of a plate spring having
one end fixed on and movable with the door, and its free end projecting away from
and beyond the edge of the door, a fastening device on the door frame, a link
having hooked ends connecting the free end of the spring with a fastening device,
the parts being so relatively located that the free end of the spring passes behind
the axial line of the hinges of the door, substantially as described.
4. My improved means substantially as shewn and described for closing and
holding open swinging doors, windows and the like.
Dated th: 01
Al 1000
W. Lloyd Wise,
HENRY PORTER.
46, Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, W.C., Agent for the Applicant.