Improved Means for Opening and Closing Doors by Electricity.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 1st June, 1896
Complete Specification Left, 1st Mar., 1897--Accepted, 1st June. 1897
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improved Means for Opening and Closing Doors by Electricity.
I SOLOMON CAMBIE of 456 King's Road, Chelsea, London, S.W. Gentleman, do
hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to improved means for opening and closing doors by
electricity the object being to provide means whereby the doors of communication to
or between rooms or snites of chambers or the like may be operated from position
where will be located the electric circuit maker or breaker (an electric push button for
instance) under control of the attendant or occupier of such chambers room or
apartment without necessitating that the attendant or occupier shall manipulate
directly the opening or closing of the door or doors.
In carrying out this invention there is to be secured to the door post or jamb of the
door, an electro magnet fitted with an armature in the form of a horizontal bar or
lock bolt said bolt being fixed so as to engage with a cylindrical block made with
indentations, teeth or studs. This barrallette (or toothed cylinder) together with the
bolt forms a lock but the cylindrical block aforesaid is connected with a spring which
controls the same for a partial turn thereof, so that when the electric circuit is
connected the armature will withdraw the lock bolt and allow the door being freed to
be opened but when closed again the lock bolt and cylinder will re-engage.
In connection with these means of releasing or relocking the doors there is
arranged a vertically operating electric motor, the armature spindle whereof is carried
out and is to have mounted thereon a crank-arm so arranged centrally with the line
of the hinge centres as to, in turning, by the action of the electric motor, cause the
crank arm to operate a link connected to the door in such wise as to open the same.
This crank arm may be geared upon its centre with the spindle of the electric
motor.
The source of electricity may be any conveniently applied battery or cell or cells
the positive being connected to the bolt releasing and locking device thence to one
side of the driving device or electric motor the other pole of which is connected with
the negative pole of the battery.
There is sometimes to be used an indicator in conjunction with such means as
described, such indicator consisting of an electro magnet excited by a shunt from
the electric motor and provided with an armature carrying a weighted arm
which is moved, when the door is opened and the electro magnet is excited, to "Open"
and moves back by gravity to its former position i.e. to "Closed" when the current is
broken consequent upon the closing of the door.
Dated 1st June 1896
HUGHES, ELI & HUGHES,
Agents for Applicant.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improved Means for Opening and Closing Doors by Electricity.
I, SOLOMON CAMBIR of 456 King's Road, Chelsea, London S.W., Gentleman, 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 a new or improved system of and apparatus for opening and
closing doors by electricity and has for object to provide simple, efficient and
thoroughly reliable means for attaining the said purposes, for use more particularly in
dwellings, apartment houses, warehouses, factories and the like, although also applicable
in all other cases where automatic opening or closing of doors is required for the
purpose of saving time and trouble on the part of the inmates of the house or
apartments or the doorkeeper of the building as the case may be.
The combination forming part of my invention essentially consists of an electric
battery, electric circuit, a bolt releasing device, switch, indicator, motor and mechanism
and a spring contact, all constructed and arranged for operation substantially as
hereinafter fully described.
The electric system is so determined as to form alternately two different circuits
dependent on the position given to the switch by the person in charge of the
apparatus. The various parts or devices also forming part of my invention are
constructed and arranged for joint operation and fully described in their turn in and
by the following, and in order that my invention may be more readily understood I
have hereunto attached three sheets of drawings, in which
Fig. 1, Sheet I shows the complete system of and apparatus for opening and closing
doors by electricity, as applied to an ordinary house or other door.
Fig. 2 Sheet II illustrates the bolt releasing device and
Figs. 3 and 4, Sheet II details of the latter.
Fig. 5, Sheet II is a top view of the appliance for turning the door on its
hinges, the door being shown in section, and
Fig. 6 Sheet II illustrates the spring-contact, as placed in a suitable recess
provided in the hanging stile of the door."
Figs. 7, 8 and 9 Sheet III are respectively front, side and top views of the
motor and turning mechanism.
Fig. 10 is a front view of the indicator, and
Fig. 11 is a similar view-the face of the indicator being removed.
The battery A Fig. 1 may be of any suitable description adapted to generate a
current of sufficient strength for the purpose of actuating the several devices included
in the circuit.
The bolt-releasing device B Fig. 2 which I affix to the door post or jamb in juxta-
position to the lock B3' consists of an electro magnet a provided with a coil a' suitably
enclosed in a frame together with vertical rotary cylinder or shaft b. The latter is
furnished with a sleeve or bush e having in its periphery a series of vertical equi-
distant recesses or notches e radiating from the centre and being of sufficient width
for admitting the spring bolt d and key bolt d' of the lock B', as shown in Fig. 3.
The said cylinder bis further provided at its upper end with a series of teeth forming
slanting recesses in the upper end surface of the cylinder (Fig. 2 and 4) and
corresponding with the aforesaid vertical notches c¹. A lever e is pivoted at e'; one
arm is depressed by leaf spring, and in that position its extremity, which is suitably
pawl-shaped, engages with teeth c of shaft b. The other arm of lever e extends to
above the core of coil a' of the electro-magnet and is attracted when the latter is
excited, whereby the pawl-shaped end of the other arm is lifted free from teeth c
of vertical shaft h, which latter is now free to revolve in an opposite direction to

page_text: that in which the door revolves on its hinges. The bolt d, and also d', in case the
latter is engaged, are thus liberated from notches e' of cylinder b. When the door is
closed again the bolt or bolts re-enter one of the notches c', the shaft b being free
to rotate in a backward direction owing to the fashioning of teeth 2 allowing the
pawl of lever e to click from tooth to tooth when the said shaft is being turned
backwards. The cylinder e may be integral with or suitably secured to shaft b.
In Figs. 7, 8 and I have illustrated in detail the motor M (Fig. 1) and the
turning mechanism hereinafter described, the said figures representing, respectively,
front side and top views (the top plate being omitted in the latter view) of the
combination.
is
On account of its cheapness and efficiency I prefer to employ a motor consisting
of two separate Siemens armatures mounted on a common spindle g, the wire
winding of the two armatures being at right angles to each other as indicated in
Fig. 7 where only the wires on the right hand armature are made visible. There
are also two field magnets, each of them and the corresponding armatures are
wound as separate shunts and the two are connected in series. Each arinature has
two separate brushes ii (Figs. 7 and 9) and a separate commutator. The motor
receives the electric current from battery A (Fig. 1.). One end of spindle
provided with an external screw threading g', Fig. 7. The horizontal cogwheel h
is mounted in suitable manner and together with pinion on axle and gears with
aforesaid worm-spindle g' from which it takes its movement on the motor being put
in operation, transmitting the movement by means of pinion to cogwheel k. The
axle of the latter is so formed as to be solid at its end below the wheel an] to rest in
the bearing provided in or on a conveniently fashioned footstep I, while the upper
part, being hollowed out, forms the socket or learing for vertical shait or rod m which
for the purpose hereinafter described is made to protrude from the upper covering or
top plate of the frame or box enclosing the motor and mechanism. A cross piece n,
having a downwardly projecting pin n', is rigidly connected with rol m at suitable
distance above the socket or bearing provided in the axle of wheel k, said pin being
adapted to engage with rail o loosely mounted at its centre on the upper portion of
the axle of wheel k and so contrived as to bear against two projections or pins ¹
provided in the upper surface of wheel at equal distances from, and upon a
diametrical line with, the centre of said wheel (Figs. 7 and 9). The upper portion of
rod projecting from the top plate of the motor and mechanism frame in an upward
direction and provided at or near its free end with cross piece m' (Figs. 1,7 and 8) is
adapted to support a vertical rod or bar p having at its lower end a slotted ferrule p',
said slots passing over and engaging with cross piece m', and at its upper end a second
ferrule or similar attachment provided with a crank arm p³, said rod 'being supported
in its vertical position by means of bracket p³ or in other suitable manner (Fig. 1.
and 5). The aforesaid crank arm p² carries at its outer end a vertical pin serving as
pivot for one end of rod r, the other end being similarly secured to bracket, as
shown in Figs. 1 and 5. The rod is preferably curved away from the door, so that
is middle portion is further away from the door than its extremities. A strong spiral
spring is provided to connect the centre of rod r with the part of the door just
opposite as shown in Fig. 5 and for the purpose hereinafter described.
Owing to the relative arrangement and disposition of before mentioned parts k', k³,
n, n' and o, the wheel k, receiving motion through pinion, and rotating in the
direction indicated by an arrow in Fig. 9, can make one half revolution leaving
rods m and p unaffected, and only when wheel & has rotated so far as to bring its
vertical projections to bear against rail o, against which in its turn engages
pin of cross piece n, the rotating movement is transmitted to rods m and whereby
the crank arm p² is turned towards the hanging stile of the door as shown by arrows
in Fig. 5.
The bolt-releasing device B, having been operated, that is to say, the bolts d and d
having been released or disengaged from cylinder e, the springs which, when the
door is closed, is partly expanded, is allowed to resume its normal condit on thus
causing the lock-side of the door to leave the door-frame, i.e. to partially open, so as to

page_text: establish contact in spring-contact F, hereinafter described. The rod r, actuated by
crank which receives movement in the direction marked by arrows in Fig. 5,
through rod as soon as the motor M is placed in circuit by manipulating the
switch D, exercises a pulling effect, and crank arm p² continuing in its rotation, the
door is made to turn on its hinges and to gradually open, until it is at about right
angles to the position it occupies when closed, the crank-arm p² now having performed
one half of a revolution around its axis.
Continuing its rotatory movement, the said crank arm will, through rod r, effect
the re-closing of the door returning to its original position. It is obvious that when
the pivot pin, by which the rear end of rod r is secured to crank arm p³, is furthest
from the line drawn vertically through the hinge-bolts, the spring s will be extended
between its junctions with the door and rod r as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 5. and
on the crank and rods m and p having passed their dead centre position relative to
rail o the pin n' of cross piece n, which latter being rigidly connected with rod m,
governs the rotary movement of bars m and p, will be freed from the pressure of
rail o, allowing the crank arm and its vertical supports to spring forward, following
the energy of springs which is thereby released and allowed to follow its tendency
to resume its normal condition. An additional impetus is thus given to the movement
of the door allowing the latter to spring back into its closed position whereby the
bolt or bolts of lock B' are made to re-enter one of the notches in cylinder cof
device B. In this manner the spring s is adapted to assist in overcoming the force
of any air current that may from the outside of the building or room press against
the closing door.
The bolt or bolts of lock B baving been released the spring s will be free to follow
its tendency to resume its normal condition, starting the opening motion of the door
and bringing the latter at once under the full influence of the pulling rod r and crank
arm p².
The combination of pins k¹¹ rail o and cross piece n and n¹, admitting, as
hereinbefore more fully described, of one half revolution of rods m and p and
consequently of turning the door on its hinges (to the extent of 90°), without the
motor or mechanism being brought into action, the door may be opened by means of
a latchkey or in other manner without operating the electric system.
The cogwheel engaging with worm g¹ is coarser graded than cogwheel k, which,
as before described, receives its motion through pinion and rotates once while
wheel makes several revolutions.
The spring contact F (Fig. 1 and 6) consists of two contact blocks vv, leaf spring w
and pin or knob t. The contact blocks are suitably connected with the electric system
and secured in a convenient recess provided in the hanging stile of the door. The
leaf spring of suitable power is rigidly secured to one of the contacts as shown in
Fig. 6, or in other convenient manner, and has the tendency to fold against the second
contact block. The pin or knob t affixed to the door is adapted to hold the spring w
pressed backwards, breaking the electric circuit when the door is closed, but aliowing
the spring s to fold against the second contact, on the pin t receding when the door is
being opened i.e. when the bolt is being released, thus closing the electric circuit.
The indicator D shown in Figs. 1 and in detail in Figs. 10 and 11 Sheet III consists
of an electromagnet and a counterweighted bifurcated lever y pivoted at y³, the
bifurcated end enclosing the core of the electromagnet. When the latter is excited
by the current the arm y' is attracted towards the aforesaid core whereby the hand
mounted on an extension of pivot pin y² is raised and made to point to the word
Open on the indicator face, while, when the excitation of the electromagnet ceases,
the counterweight y³ returns the bifurcated lever to its normal position and the hand z
to the word "Shut" on the indicator face. A stop pin yt may be provided to support
the counterweighted arm of the lever when the latter is in its normal position and the
hand pointing to the word "Shut."
46
The switch Fig. 1 is of the usual two-current type and the shunt E is provided
for the purpose of diverting part of the electric current, as only part of the latter's
tension is required for actuating the indicator.

page_text: The battery A may be located in any convenient place and the switch and indicator-
may be so situated as to be within easy reach of the person in charge of the operation
of the system.
The method of working my new or improved system is as follows:
If the door is to be opened, the switch hand normally in the position marked 1
(in Fig. 1) when there is no circuit, is turned to the position marked 2 whereby the
electric current is allowed to form circuit from the positive pole of battery A passing
through and operating the bolt releasing device B, the switch C, indicator D and
shunt E back to the battery as shown in dotted lines and arrows in Fig. 1. The bolt
releasing contrivance B, is thus operated and the hand of the indicator raised to the
word "Open." The person manipulating the switch now raises the switch hand to
the position marked 3 (in Fig. 1) whereby the circuit marked in Fig. 1 by continuous
lines and arrows and passing from battery A through motor M, spring contact F,
switch Cindicator D and shunt E back into the battery is established. This circuit
operates the various aforesaid apparatus.
It is evident that when desired the electric bolt-releasing device B alone may be
employed and the motor M and spring contact F be dispensed with, in which case
only an ordinary switch will be necessary.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1) An electric system for opening and closing doors, consisting of a combination
of an electric battery A, bolt releasing device B, indicator D, motor M and spring
contact F, substantially as set forth and illustrated in the accompanying drawing.
2) In an electric system as claimed under 1) the bolt-releasing contrivance B,
consisting of electromagnet a coil a rotary shaft cylinder c and armature e
substantially as set forth and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
3) In an electric system as claimed under 1) the motor M consisting of two
separate Siemens armatures substantially as described and illustrated, said armatures
being mounted on spindle g provided with screw threading or worm g' adapted to
gear with and transmit motion to turning mechanism, consisting of cogwheel /
pinion h2, cogwheel k having in its upper surface projections k¹ ki, rail o, cross piece n
having projection n', rod m, turning rod p, crank arm p, pulling rod r and spiral
spring, all constructed and arranged for operation substantially as set forth and
illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
4) In an electric system as claimed under 1) an indicator D consisting of
electromagnet æ, counterweighted bifurcated lever y and hand z substantially as
described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
5) In an electric system as claimed under 1) the spring contact F, consisting of
contact blocks rv and leafspring w, in combination with pin or knob t, substantially
as described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 1st day of March 1897
HUGHES, ELI & HUGHES,
76 Chancery Lane.