An Automatic Gate or Door Holder for Keeping Gates and Doors Open when necessary, specially useful in cases of Gates or Doors- Closed by Springs.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 5th Jan., 1895
Complete Specification Left, ,24th June, 1895-Accepted, 17th Aug.,. 1895
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
An Automatic Gate or Door Holder for Keeping Gates and Doors
Open when necessary, specially useful in cases of Gates or Doors-
Closed by Springs.
JOHN COTTER Southern Road Cork Clerk of Cork Union do hereby declare
the nature of this invention to be,as follows:-
Two plates hinged together at one end of each and having the other ends kept
separate by a spring so that if first plate be fastened to floor or wall near a gate or
door a hooked bolt or rod attached to gate or door, would if gate or door be
opened to a certain point pass over second plate and press it till hook would enter
a cavity in said second plate. The latter would then on account of being acted on
by the spring referred to resume its position before having been pressed by bolt
and thereby retain the gate or door in an open position till released by pressure on
second plate. End of hook to be provided if necessary, with a friction roller and
plates to be kept in a position, so that they may be acted on by spring, by a pin
passing through them or a ring or frame constructed around them.
Dated this 3rd day of January 1895.
An Automatic Gate or Door Holder for Keeping Gates and Doors
Open when necessary, specially useful in cases of Gates or Doors
Closed by Springs.
I, JOHN COTTER, of 38, Southern Road, Cork, .Clerk of Cork Union, 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 an improved gate or door holder for use with a gate or
door which will, as soon as the said gate or door has been opened to a certain
distance, automatically catch and hold the same open until operated to release the
door and allow it to shut.
According to my invention I firmly attach to the door or gate, a hooked bolt or
rod and I secure to the floor or wall adjacent to the said .door or gate a holding
device consisting of two plates hinged together at one end but provided with a
spring tending to keep the other ends apart. The hinged plates are prevented
from opening flat by a suitable stop. These plates are arranged in such proximity
to the door or gate that when the said door or gate is opened a certain distance the
hook thereon presses one of the plates which is movable towards the other plate
which is fixed. The hook slides along the movable plate until it engages in an
orifice or cavity in said plate which then under the action of the spring moves
upwards holding the door or gate firmly in an open position by the hook. To
release the door the movable plate is pressed towards the fixed plate by the
operator's foot or by other means so that the hook no longer engages with the
orifice or cavity and the door can then be shut.

page_text: In order that my invention may be clearly understood I will now proceed to
describe how it may be carried into practical effect.
In the accompanying drawing
Figure 1 is a perspective view shewing one form of my improved door catch or
holder.
Figures 2 and 3 are elevations partly sectional of the catch or holder shewn in
Figure 1 the door being in different positions relatively to the catch.
Figures 4 to 6 are elevations shewing modifications of the device.
Like letters of reference denote similar parts throughout the drawing.
A is the door or gate, B is the floor, C the hook secured to the door or gate and
D the catch.
The hook C may be of any suitable description and may be secured to the door
by screws as shewn in Figure 1 or by other suitable means.
The catch D consists of two plates D1 and D2 pivoted or hinged together at D³.
One of said plates is fixed to the floor by screws D and a spring E tends to press
the other plate D2 upwards. The upward travel of the plate D2 is limited by a
stop F fixed to the plate D¹ and working in a slot F¹ in the movable plate.
The catch D is secured to the floor in such a position that when the door is
opened nearly as far as desirable the hook C presses the movable plate D' downward
against the spring E as shewn in Figure 2 and as the door is further pulled towards
the catch the hook C ultimately engages in an orifice G in the movable plate as
shewn in Figure 3 and holds the door open.
To release the door the plate D2 is pressed downwards, by the foot for example,
so as to allow the hook C to pass clear of the said plate and the door can then be
closed.
In Figure 4 the catch D is shewn carried on a bracket H secured to the wall
instead of being fixed to the floor. The plate D2 is provided with a string or chain
where necessary by which it may be pulled down to release the hook C.
In Figure 5 the movable plate D³ is shewn bent instead of being straight as
shewn in Figures 1 to 4, also its upward travel is limited by the chain F2 the
stop F being dispensed with. The end of the hook C is provided with a roller C³
to reduce the friction between the plate D' and end of the hook.
In Figure 6 which shews the device more especially adapted for a door or gate
between the bottom of which and the ground there is a considerable space, the
hook C is replaced by a pin C' projecting from the bottom of the gate. In this
figure the upward travel of the plate D is limited by a strap F³ secured to the
plate D and passing over the movable plate. It is obvious that instead of the leaf
spring shewn on the drawing a spiral or other spring may be used.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what 1
claim is
For holding doors or gates open, the improved device constructed substantially
as described with reference to any of the forms shewn in the accompanying drawing
and operating as specified.
W. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
31, High Holborn, London, W.C., Patent Agents for the Applicant.