Improvements in Door-checks and Closers.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 15th Feb., 1898-Accepted, 26th Mar,, 1898
Improvements in Door-checks and Closers.
We, FREDERIC THOMAS RUSSELL and MILTON MOSES FAVOR, both of Gardner, in the
County of Worcester and State of Massachusetts, United States of America, Gentle-
men, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the
same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained from the
following statement :-
It is the object of the present invention to provide―
First, improvements in the means for controlling the flow of the liquid from one
side to the other of the piston in the operation of closing the door.
Second, improvements in means for preventing the escape of liquid from the liquid
cylinder, in the operation of the piston.
Third, to provide improved means for actuating the means whereby the piston is
reciprocated.
Fourth, to improve the construction and mode of operation generally of door-checks
and closers.
To these ends the invention consists of a door-check and closer embodying in its
construction a liquid-holding cylinder in which a piston, operates, the latter being
provided with a rotary clapper valve adapted to control the port in the piston. in an
efficient and readily operated manner, and the port being of a peculiar form with a
view to graduating the flow of liquid from side to side of the piston as conditions or
circumstances may suggest.
-
The invention also consists in connecting the piston rod with a diaphragm, and
also connecting the latter with the cylinder so that, as the piston operates, the
diaphragm will yield accordingly and there will be no possibility of leakage
between the piston rod and the parts with which it co-operates.
The invention also consists in forming an eccentric hub on the upper end of..the
cylinder, fitting a ring around the said hub so as to be rotated therearound, and
connecting the ring through intermediate means with the piston rod so as to
reciprocate the piston as the door is opened and closed, all as we will proceed to set
forth in detail hereinafter and then point out with particularity in the appended
claims.
Of the drawings-
Figure 1 is a longitudinal vertical central sectional view of a door-check and closer
constructed in accordance with our improvements.
Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the same.
Fig. 3 is a bottom view of the piston as it may be constructed in carrying out our
invention.
Fig. 4 is a bottom view of the clapper valve as it may be constructed for use
in connection with the piston shown in Fig. 3.
In the drawings-
a designates the spring cylinder,, which is provided on its upper end with the
eccentric hub b. c is the liquid cylinder supported in the spring cylinder so as
to have a rotary-reciprocating motion therein.

page_text: Within the cylinder c there is arranged a piston d provided with a port e
through which the liquid in the cylinder, may flow from side to side of the piston.
f designates a clap valve arranged on the face of the piston to regulate the flow of
the liquid through its port. The valve is connected with the piston by a screw g
tapped therein, between the head h of which screw and the face of the piston the
said valve plays. A port i is formed through the valve, which port matches with the
port e in the piston, so that when the said ports are brought into registering position,
the liquid in the cylinder may flow through the ports as freely as may be when the
piston is moved.
On the face of the piston there is formed a circular groove ; extending from the
port e around so as to nearly connect again with the said port. The said groove is
quite deep at its point of connection with the port and gradually grows shallower
until it vanishes at its opposite end. A bridge is arranged on the lower side of the
valve, and a squared hole is formed therethrough through which extends a squared
rod m, on the lower end of which, (extending through the cap n on the lower end of
the casing) there is a head o, so that by the turning of the said rod through the
medium of its head, the valve can be adjusted to regulate to the greatest nicety the
freedom of or the obstruction to the flow of the liquid through the port e, as will be
readily understood without further description.
Of course, the graduated groove might be made in the valve instead of in the face
of the piston and have the same effect as that described, and in some cases we may
employ this construction.
Within the cylinder, toward its upper end, there is formed a ledge p upon which
the outer edge of a diaphragm q is arranged, the central portion of the said diaphragm
being secured to the piston rod d'. A ring is screwed down upon the outer edge of
the diaphragm to hold it in place with the greatest needful security. The said
diaphragm may he made of suitably-tanned leather, rubber, or other material adapted
to the purpose so as to permit of the reciprocation of the piston rod and piston
without allowing any escape of liquid between the piston rod and any of its associated
parts. The full and dotted lines representing the diaphragm in Fig. 1 will show how.
the functions mentioned. may be accomplished. This is an important feature of the
invention, and we do not confine it to the precise form and arrangement herein
shown, since it may be employed in connection with piston rods of other forms of
door-checks and closers and similar contrivances without departing from the nature
or spirit of this part of the invention.
It is understood, of course, that the spring s is connected at one end to the casing a
and at the other end to the cylinder c, so that as the door is opened, the spring will
be put under tension to close the door when the latter is released. It will also be
understood that the opening and closing of the door will impart a rotary-reciprocatory
motion to the cylinder.
To reciprocate the piston in the cylinder the upper end of the piston-rod is con-
nected by means of a link s¹ with the inner end of an arm t of a lever fulcrum on the
arm u, connected through other well known means with the door or upon a part
connected with the cylinder. The other arm v of the said lever has a loose connection
with the upper end of a pin w, which pin extends into a hole in a ring x surrounding
the eccentric hub b. Under this construction, as the arm u is moved around and back,
the piston will be raised and lowered. This last described construction is such as to
secure an easy movement of the parts, avoid undue friction, and prevent liability of
binding.
In virtue of the construction of the device; we are enabled to so shape the contour
of the outside casing as to render the same most sightly.
The operation of the device as a whole and the advantages of its functions have
been so fully described herein before, and have been made so far apparent or obvious
as not to need further explanation.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
laim is

page_text: 1. A door-check and closer comprising in its construction a liquid cylinder, a.
reciprocating piston in the cylinder provided with a port and with a groove in its face
graduated in depth leading from the port, a valve provided with a port registering
with the said port and groove in the piston, and means substantially as set forth
for adjusting the valve.
2. A door-check and closer comprising in its construction a liquid cylinder, a
piston and piston-rod in the said cylinder, and a flexible diaphragm q connected
with the cylinder and piston-rod.
3. In a door-check and closer the combination with the casing and its eccentric
hub, of the ring surrounding the said hub, the liquid cylinder, the piston and piston-
rod therein, the pin w in the ring, the arm u, and the lever connecting the piston-rod
with the pin.
Dated this 8th day of February 1898.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicants.