IMPROVEMENTS IN SPRING HINGES FOR SWING DOORS
Year: 1882

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Edward Barnes of Anglesea Street Mile End in the
County of Middlesex Joiner for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN SPRING
HINGES FOR SWING DOORS
"
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Edward Barnes at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 25th August 1882.
EDWARD BARNES of Anglesea Street Mile End in the County of Middlesex,
Joiner IMPROVEMENTS IN SPRING HINGES FOR SWING DOORS
This Invention relates to the construction and arrangement of spring hinges for
swing doors the objects in view being mainly to simplify the construction, reduce
the cost, and ensure the efficient action of these spring hinges. As at present con-
structed such hinges are costly, liable to get out of order, and occupy a considerable
area.
In carrying my Invention into effect I mount the shoe, or bottom plate, of the
swing door upon a square headed vertical pivot pin formed with an excentric or
cam headed radial projection. The pivot works in a footstep or bearing in the
bottom plate of a rectangular case preferably made of cast iron. Enclosed within
this iron case, but free to slide within it, are two blocks one on either side of the
pivotted cam or cam headed lever. The faces of these sliding blocks are so shaped
as to closely correspond to the contour of the pivotted cam, or excentric, and at the
rear of each of these sliding blocks is a stiff spiral spring tending to force the
sliding blocks against the cam or excentric between them, and prevent the said
cam from moving until force is applied to the swing door. The rear ends of the
spiral springs are secured to, or rest against, the ends of the metal case; and
cylindrical blocks of metal bolted, or screwed to the said ends of the case, and
centrally of the springs serve to prevent the latter from shifting their position.
On the swing door being pushed, the cam or excentric will move round on its
pivot pin, and force back one or other of the sliding blocks, compressing the spiral
spring behind it. On pressure being removed from the door, the spring will act on
the cam or excentric, and thrust it back to its normal position. The face of the

page_text: sliding block will be generally so shaped, or inclined, as to prevent the door
remaining in a fully open position; but if desired it may be constructed to allow
of the door being set and retained in a fully open position.
A convenient way of effecting this is to make the pivotted lump with two short
cam headed lever arms, or a single block having rounded ends may be pivotted
centrally in the bottom of the metal case, springs and sliding blocks, as before,
serving to move round the cam headed lever, or round ended block, on its pivot pin
when pressure is released, but in this case the axis of the pivotted cam lever, or
round ended block, passes vertically through the axis of the spiral springs, and
hence when the door is exactly at right angles to its shut position the thrust of
the blocks will act directly in line with the axis of the cam headed lever arms or
round ended block, and the door will remain open until a slight push or pull causes
the balance of pressure to be disturbed, when the door will swing to and be held
from chattering or blowing open by the sliding blocks pressing it on either side.
The pivotted cam or block is preferably made of malleable cast iron, and has a
square head, or its equivalent, for the socket in the shoe of the door to fit on. The
upper part of the pivotted cam or excentric which has its bearing in the cover of
the spring hinge is of cylindrical form and of considerable diameter, to give
steadiness and stability to the swinging door. The sliding blocks and cover plates
of the spring hinge I preferably make of brass or gun metal, and they are perforated
to allow a lubricant to flow freely from one part of the case to the other. In the
case of doors which do not require to be kept open, I have found that it is desirable
to make the cam headed lever or excentric somewhat of a pear shape, and to pivot
the said lever or excentric out of line with the axis of the spiral springs, the faces
of the sliding blocks being formed of corresponding shape.
A spring hinge of great strength and simplicity is obtained by the above
described method of construction, and for doors of even large size such as are used
in banks, railway stations, and other places, a rectangular case of some 10 inches
long, by 3 wide, and 3 deep will amply suffice.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Edward Barnes in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
20th February 1883.
EDWARD BARNES of Anglesea Street Mile End in the County of Middlesex
Joiner "IMPROVEMENTS IN SPRING HINGES FOR SWING DOORS
"
The object of this Invention is to simplify the construction, reduce the cost and
ensure the efficient action of spring hinges for swing doors.
In the accompanying Drawing I have shewn my Invention as adapted for closing
the swing door immediately it is relieved from the pressure of the hand, and also
for retaining the door fully open, the latter requirement being essential or important
under certain circumstances.
Fig: 1 shews in plan view one form of my improved spring hinge, the cover of
the enclosing box being removed, and Fig: 2 is a cross section of the same, the shoe
into which the door fits being indicated by dotted lines.
A. A is a rectangular box of cast iron or other metal which is intended to be
sunk in the floor of the apartment immediately under the heel of the door with
which the apartment is fitted.
B is a squared spindle which rests in a footstep at the bottom of the box and is
supported in a bearing formed in the lid A' of the box.
Affixed to or formed in one with this squared spindle B is a leaf C which is
rounded at its free end and is embraced by a pair of sliding metal blocks D D¹
which are squared to fit the box and are intended to slide therein as within
guides.
The contact faces of these blocks bearing on the leaf C are counterparts of
the faces against which they bear for a reason that will be presently explained.
Between the blocks D D and the ends of the box A. are coiled springs E E¹
which are prevented from buckling by fitting against the case, and inserted within
them are plug projections from the blocks.
The squared end of the spindle B enters a squared hole in the shoe F Fig: 2,
with which the door is fitted as usual, and as the two springs E E' put by means
of their blocks an equal pressure on the opposite sides of the leaf C a strong
tendency will be given through the spindle B to hold the door at rest in its closed
position.
When pressure is imparted to the swing door in either direction the spindle B
will be turned on its axis, and the leaf C will be thereby caused to drive back one
or other of the blocks D D¹ against the counteracting pressure of its spring.
In doing this the rounded end of the leaf C will gradually travel over the surface
of the sliding block until it reaches the position shown at Fig: 1.-At this time the
leaf will come opposite an incline on the face of the sliding block D, the door being
now open to the full. Thus the tendency of the recoil of the spring to close the
swing door will be supplemented by the incline on the sliding block as the door
reaches its opened position.
Fig; 3 is a plan view of a spring hinge slightly modified, the cover being removed
to show the interior construction.
In this arrangement the leaf C is wedge-shaped in plan view, and the contact
faces of the sliding blocks being made the counterpart of the inclined sides of the
leaf, the leaf will, from the commencement of its movement, be caused to travel over
an incline: thus the compressed spring will from the beginning of the movement be
seconded in its recoil action by its sliding block.
The blocks D D' in this arrangement are made hollow to receive the inner ends
of their springs, while the outer ends of the springs are prevented from shifting by

page_text: means of plugs G cast in one with or attached to the opposite ends of the box A.
The spring hinge in this figure is in its normal position.
Fig: 4 shews in plan view a spring hinge with a leaf on its spindle similar in
form to that shewn at Fig: 1; the springs however and the sliding blocks are fitted
as in Fig: 3, but the position of the hinge is that which it assumes when the door
is fully open.
Figures 5 and 6 shew in plan view and sectional elevation my improved spring
hinge adapted to retain a swing door either closed or open as may be desired.
The spindle B in this instance is formed with a block or double leaf C which
projects in opposite directions from the spindle and acts simultaneously on the
two blocks D D' like the leaf C in the preceding examples, driving them outwards
and causing the simultaneous compression of the two springs E E¹. These springs
in their recoil will close the door and hold it firmly in its closed position.
When, however, the door is swung so as to bring the block C into the dotted
position of Fig: 5 the springs with their blocks D D¹ will press equally on the ends
of the block or double leaf C, and thereby retain the door fully open.
For closing the door it is only necessary to thrust the hand against the finger
plate or handle when the springs released from the dead lock due to the dotted
position of the double leaf C will quickly move the door to its closed position.―
With these improved hinges stops of rubber or other suitable material or kind may
be used to prevent injury to the mechanism of the hinge by thrusting back the
swing door to too great an extent. The case or box may be filled with a suitable
lubricant and a hole or holes be made in the sliding blocks to allow of it flowing
freely.
Having now set forth the nature of my Invention of "Improvements in spring
hinges for swing doors" and explained the manner of carrying the same into effect
I wish it to be understood that under the above in part recited Letters Patent
I claim :-
:-
Constructing spring hinges with sliding blocks propelled by springs for the
purpose of offering a resistance to the axial motion of the hinge spindle and
retaining it in a normal or a quiescent position in the manner and for the purposes
above set forth.
In witness whereof I the said Edward Barnes have hereunto set my hand
and seal the Nineteenth day of February in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and eighty three.
EDWARD BARNES (L.S.)