IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR CLOSING DOORS ANd Gates."
Year: 1874

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Thomas Thornton, of Saltburn-by-the-Sea, in the
County of York, Builder, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
APPARATUS FOR CLOSING DOORS ANd Gates.""
Scaled the 24th November 1874, and dated the 25th July 1874.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Thomas Thornton.at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 25th July 1874.
I, THOMAS THORNTON, of Saltburn-by-the-Sea, in the County of York,
Builder, do liereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR CLOSING DOORS AND GATES," to be as
follows:-
1
This Invention consists in improvements in apparatus for auto-
amatically closing "swing" and other. doors and gates, whereby such
operation is performed more efficaciously and simply than by the means
lithosita amplared

page_text: thereof so as to give an eccentric motion to the wheels when they are
caused to rotate. These wheels are mounted at about the distance of their
own diameter apart, and the teeth thereof instead of being "set" so as
to radiate from the centre of tho wheel, as is usually the case, radiate
from the eccentric axis. Above and between these two wheels a third
bovel wheel, with the cogs "set" in the ordinary manner, is mounted
horizontally, and the cogs or teeth of which wheel cross and gear into
the cogs or teeth of the two eccentrically mounted wheels. The axis of
the horizontal wheel forms the centre on which the door or gate to
which the apparatus is applied works, and to which it is attached in any
suitable and convenient manner. The two eccentrically mounted wheels
are cach provided with a flange, upon the periphery of which the face of
the horizontal wheel rests so as to prevent the incumbent weight of the
door or gate being upon the cogs or teeth of the wheels. The whole of this
apparatus is onclosed in a box or case of brass, cast iron, or other
suitable metal,.and the top or lid of which is provided with an aperture
in its centre for the passage of the axis of the horizontal wheel.
The action of the apparatus is as follows:-When the door or gate is
opened the action of the horizontal wheel causes the two eccentrically
mounted wheels to rotate, and in so doing they gradually raise the
horizontal wheel together with the door or gato until the latter is opened
to its fullest extent; on the pressure being removed the weight of the
door or gate will cause the eccentrically mounted wheels together with
the horizontal wheel to return to their normal position, thereby closing
the door or gate by simplo gravitation.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Palent,
filed by the said Thomas Thornton in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 23rd January 1875.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, THOMAS
THORNTON, of Saltburn-by-the-Sea, in the County of York, Builder, 3
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twenty-fifth day of July, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-four, in the

page_text: thirty-eighth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and suc-
cessors, give and grant unto me, the said Thomas Thornton, Her
special licence that I, the said Thomas Thornton, my executors, ad-
ministrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Thomas
Thornton, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any
time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all timės
thereafter during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully might
makc, use, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great
Britain and Ireland, the Ohannel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Inven-
tion for "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR CLOSING Doors and Gates," upon
the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Thomas Thornton, my
executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under my,
or their, or one of their hands and seals, should particularly describe
and ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner
the same was to be performed, and cause the same to be filed in the
Great Scal Patent Office within six calendar months next and imme-
diately after the date of the said Lotters Patent.
· NOW KNOW YE; that I, the said Thomas Thornton, do hereby declare
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to
be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by
the following statement, reference being had to the accompanying

page_text: radiate from the centro thereof and cross and gear into the cogs or teeth
of the two eccentrically mounted wheels. The axis of the horizontal
wheel forms the centre on which the door or gate to which the apparatus
is applied works, and to which it is attached in any suitable and con-
venient manner. The two eccentrically mounted wheels are cach pro- 5
vided with a flange, upon the peripheries of which the face of the
horizontal wheel rests so as to prevent the incumbent weight of the
door or gate being upon the cogs or teeth of the wheels. The whole of
this apparatus is enclosed in a box or case of brass, cast iron, or other
suitable metal, and the top or lid of which is provided with an aperture 1
in its centre for the passage of the axis of the horizontal wheel.
When this apparatus is-applied to a door I prefer that the top of tho
casing for the same should be bevelled and provided with a false top
likewise bevelled, and which is attached thereto by means of hinges, and
hangs over the outer edge of the door. The spindle affixed to the shoo 1
at the top and inner edge of the door will work through the top pieco
and into the lintel above, sufficient space being allowed between the top
piece and lintel, and between the top of the door and the under side of
the architrave for the due rise of the door.
The action of the apparatus is as follows:-When the door or gate is 2
opened the horizontal wheel turns therewith and the action of the hori-
zontal wheel causes the two eccentric wheels to rotate, and in so doing
they gradually raise the horizontal wheel together with the door or gate
until the latter is open to its fullest extent. On the pressure being
removed and the door or gate released the weight of the latter will cause 2
the eccentric wheels together with the horizontal wheel to return to
their normal position, thereby closing the door or gate by simple
gravitation.
1 will now proceed to refer to the accompanying Drawings from
which the nature of my said Invention will be more clearly understood. 3
Figure 1 is a side view of the apparatus at rest. A, A, are the two
cccentrically mounted wheels with the cogs "set" to the axis B;
C, C, are the flanges upon the peripheries of which the horizontal
wheel D rests; D is the horizontal cog wheel with its teeth "set" in
the ordinary manner, and which is mounted on the axis E; F being the 3
case in which the whole is contained.

page_text: Figure 2 is a plan of one of the wheels A, A; a, a, shewing the cogs
radiating from the axis.
Figure 3 is a plan of the horizontal wheel D.
Figures 4 and 5 shew respectively the apparatus as applied to a door
and-gate.
Having thus described and ascertained the nature of my said Inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I would observe
in conclusion that what I consider novel and original and therefore
claim as constituting the Invention secured to mo by the herein-before
in part recited Letters Patent is, the combination and arrangement of
parts and mechanism in the manner and for the purposes herein-before
set forth and described or any mere modifications thereof.
In witness whereof, I, the said Thomas Thornton, have hercunto
-
set my hand and seal, this Nineteenth day of January, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-
five.
0
Witness,
R. S. MORDAUnt Vaughan,
Patent Agent,
Darlington.
THOMAS THORNTON. (L.S.)