Improvements in Apparatus for Closing Doors and for Holding them Open in some Predetermined Position.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 21st Aug., 1891
Complete Specification Left, 29th Sept., 1891-Accepted, 23rd Jan., 1892
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for Closing Doors and for Holding them
Open in some Predetermined Position.
I, CHARLES SCRIVEN of 2 Stipendiary Street, Leeds, in the County of York,
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
In the Specification accompanying an application for Letters Patent No. 12155
filed by me on the 17th day of July 1891 are described and shown certain improve-
ments in apparatus for closing doors and if necessary holding them open in desired
positions.
Now my present invention relates to further improvements in apparatus for
closing doors and for holding them open in predetermined positions and comprises
certain arrangements of mechanism hereinafter described in which as referred to in
my former Specification No. 12155, elastic material or india rubber plays the
principal part, and which I will hereinafter refer to as "india rubber."
In the annexed drawings,
Fig. 1 is an elevation of part of a door frame or casing and door with the
improved apparatus according to my present invention shown applied thereto and
arranged for the door to open in ore direction only. a is the door frame or casing,
6 the door, e the bracket or part attached to the casing, d an arm or lever provided
with a double or forked end d' d' for taking upon or spanning the bracket C, and
turning thereon by the movement of the door. Both the bracket c and the arm d,
are perforated (by preference) rectangularly, into which is placed a piece of india
rubber e, fixed in the said bracket c, and arranged to allow of two twists, viz. :-one
at each side of its central attachment, thus accumulating double energy for closing
a door. Each side of the bracket is enlarged or recessed to give room for the
enlargement of the india rubber during twisting as the door to which it is attached
is opened. Other parts of mechanism in connection with Fig. 1 are fully set forth
in my former Specification No. 12155 previously referred to and similarly
lettered.
C
Fig. 2 is an elevation of a hinge in which the parts forming the joint mesh
together and shown in the open state upon a door b. In this construction of hinge
any number of twists can take place in accordance with the number of parts
meshed together and consequently a considerable force can be accumulated for
closing a heavy door.
Fig. 3 is a vertical section of the same shown in the closed state.
Fig. 4 is an end view of Figs. 2 and 3 recesses being formed in the meshed parts
to give room for the several twistings of the india rubber therein.
In order to maintain the two parts of the above described hinge centrally
together their outer ends are each fitted with a cylinder k taking into both parts as
in Fig. 2 or a bolt with a cylindrical head 1, at one end and a similar part at the
other perforated for the bolt to pass through it and secured by one or two nuts as
in Fig. 3, the india rubber in the latter case being hollow to receive the bolt. The
said cylindrical part k in Fig. 2, and the cylindrical parts l, l', in Fig. 3, form the
axis or pin of the hinge Figs. 23 and 4.
Fig. 5 shows part of a door frame and door arranged to open both ways and
apparatus attached thereto.
Fig. 6 is a sectional elevation of the head of the door frame and elevation of the
edge of a door and apparatus attached.
Fig. 7 is a partial plan of the same. Recessed into the head of the door frame
in Figs. 5 6 and 7 is the part e with projecting branches having recesses c¹ c¹ c¹. A
boss d¹, of the arm d, takes into the part c which together form the axis on which

page_text: this door turns, both these parts have corresponding perforations for receiving the
india rubber e, to both of which it is connected as shown at both ends, thus
admitting of one twist only which is sufficient for light doors. The boss dis
recessed to give room for the twist of the rubber on the door being moved. The
arm d, is furnished with a spring latch to take into the recesses c' c' c', for holding
the door open at either side or when closed.
Fig. 8 is a sectional elevation of a one and two part hinge as seen in the open
position and shows the india rubber twisted at two places. The part i is made with
circular projecting portions ¹ recessed to admit of the twisting of the india
rubber e on opening a door hung by such hinges. Upon the portions ¹ the half j
(composed of two parts) takes and turns, the india rubber e, being placed in the
receptions therefor is fixed in the part i, as shown.
Fig. 9 is an end view of Fig. 8.
Dated 1
A
1001
CHARLES SCRIVEN,
By L. W., per F. B.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for Closing Doors and for Holding them
Open in some Predetermined Position.
I, CHARLES SCRIVEN, of 2 Stipendiary Street, Leeds, in the County of York,
Engineer, 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 relates to improvements in apparatus for closing doors and for
holding them open in predetermined positions.
According to my invention I employ elastic material such as india rubber
(hereinafter referred to as india rubber) of rectangular or other convenient form in
cross section and either solid or perforated, and being so arranged that when the
door is opened the india rubber is twisted and energy stored therein which is
afterwards utilized to close the door, this being effected in a gradual and quiet
manner by the india rubber as it becomes untwisted gradually losing the energy
imparted to it on the opening of the door.
My invention may be carried out in various ways.
Referring to the drawings filed with my Provisional Specification and to the sheet
of drawings annexed hereto;
Fig. 1. is an elevation of part of a door frame or casing and door with one
arrangement of my improved apparatus applied thereto the door being arranged to
open in one direction only. a, is the door frame or casing, b, the door, c, a bracket
or part attached to the casing a; d, an arm or lever provided with a double or
forked end d', d¹ for taking upon or spanning the bracket c, and turning thereon by
the movement of the door. Both the bracket c, and the arm d, are perforated, (by
preference rectangularly) to receive a piece of india rubber e, which is fixed in the
said bracket c, and engages with the ends d', the arrangement being such as to
allow of two twists viz. --one at each side of the central fixed part of the india
rubber thus accumulating sufficient energy for closing a somewhat heavy door.
Each side of the bracket c, is enlarged or recessed to give room for the enlargement
of the india-rubber during twisting as the door to which it is attached is opened.
f, is a stud fixed to the other end of the arm or lever d, and taking into a slot
formed in a plate or bracket g, attached to the top of the door; g₁ and g², are
notches for the stud f, to take into and hold the door in a wide open position or it
may be in any other attitude according to the locality of such notch or notches.
Fig. 2. is an elevation of an arrangement resembling a hinge in which the parts
forming the joint mesh together; it is shewn upon an open door b. In this
construction any number of twists can take place in accordance with the number of

page_text: parts meshed together and consequently a considerable force can be accumulated
for closing a heavy door.
Fig. 3. is a vertical section of the arrangement shewn in Fig. 2, the door being
supposed to be closed.
As will be seen recesses are formed in the meshed parts to
give room for the several twistings of the india rubber therein.
Fig. 4, is an end view of Fig. 2.
In order to maintain the two parts of the above described hinge centrally together
their outer ends are each fitted with a cylindrical part k, taking into both parts as
in Fig. 2, or with a bolt with a cylindrical head l, at one end and a similar part l',
at the other perforated for the bolt to pass through it and secured by one or
two nuts as in Fig. 3. the india rubber in the latter case being hollow to receive
the bolt.
The said cylindrical part k, in Fig. 2. and the cylindrical parts l, l', in Fig. 3,
form the axis or pin of the hinge.
Fig. 5, shews partly in elevation and partly in section, and
Fig. 6, a cross section partly in elevation a swing door and frame and apparatus
attached thereto.
e.
to
Fig. 7, is a partial plan of the same.
Recessed into the head of the door frame
is the part c, with projecting branches having recesses c¹, c¹, c¹. A boss d', of the
arm d, takes into the part c, which together form the axis on which the door turns ;
both these parts have corresponding perforations for receiving the india rubber
which it is connected as shewn at both ends, thus admitting of one twist only which
is sufficient for light doors. The boss d', is recessed to give room for the twist of
the rubber on the door being moved.
The arm d, is furnished with a spring latch h, to take into the recesses c¹, c¹, c¹,
for holding the door open at either side or when closed.
Fig. 8, is a sectional elevation of a one and two part hinge as seen in the open
position and shews the india rubber twisted at two places. The part i, is made with
annular projecting portions ¹, recessed to admit of the twisting of the india
rubber e, on opening the door. Upon the portions the half ; (composed of two
parts) takes and turns, and the india rubber e being placed in the perforations
provided therefor, is fixed in the part i, as shewn.
Fig. 9, is an end view of Fig. 8.
Fig. 10, is an elevation of an arrangement somewhat similar to that shewn in
Fig. 5. and in which the india rubber has one twist only and the door can be held
open in predetermined positions.
Fig. 11, is a corresponding plan of the same, the door being arranged to open
both ways:
Figs. 12 and 13, are partial plans shewing a door hung in the usual manner to
open in one direction. In Fig. 13, the closing apparatus is shewn arranged at the
opposite side of the door to that to which it is applied in Fig. 12.
As before a is the door frame or casing and b, the door. c, is a bracket attached
to the door frame or casing and provided with a bearing c¹; d, is an arm or lever
provided at one end with a tubular boss d', mounted to freely turn in the bearing c¹ ;
e, is a piece of india rubber fixed at its end as in the arrangement Fig. 5. f is a stud
on the lever d working in a slot g* in a plate g provided with notches g¹ g².
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. In apparatus for closing a door, elastic material such as india rubber so
arranged in connection with the door and its frame that upon the door being opened
the elastic material will become twisted and store up energy that can be afterwards
utilized to effect the closing of the door substantially as described.
2. Apparatus for closing doors comprising a piece of elastic material such as
india rubber connected (a) to a bracket adapted to be fixed to a door frame and
(b) to a lever or arm carrying a stud that takes into a slotted plate or bracket adapted

page_text: to be attached to a door the arrangement being such that when the door is opened
the elastic material will be twisted at one or several points in its length substan-
tially as shewn in and described in reference respectively to Fig. 1. and to Fig. 10.
of the accompanying drawings.
3. The combination with apparatus for closing doors comprising a bracket and a
lever each connected to a piece of elastic material as described, of means for holding
the door in its closed or in a predetermined open position and comprising a spring
latch h, adapted to take into recesses c', substantially as described in reference to
Figs. 5. 6. 7. of the drawings.
4. Apparatus for closing doors comprising intermeshing hinge-like parts of rigid
material and a piece of elastic material such as india rubber arranged and operating
substantially as described in reference respectively to Figs. 2 and 3 and to Figs. 8
and 9. of the annexed drawings.
Dated this 23rd day of Sentember 1901
Witness,
THOS. E. CRAVEN,
Chartered Patent Agent,
24, Victoria Chambers, Leeds.
CHARLES SCRIVEN.