Improvements in Electrically Operated Door Fastenings.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 25th Aug., 1892
Complete Specification Left, 25th May, 1893-Accepted. 1st July, 1893
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Electrically Operated Door Fastenings.
I, JOSEF GORIUP of Görz in the Austrian Empire, Merchant do hereby
declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to electric apparatus for operating one or more levers or
bars by which the unfastening or fastening of doors or both these operations may
be accomplished from any suitable point inside or outside a room. The construction
of the apparatus varies. For the purpose of opening a door closed by a spring
catch this latter is arranged in connection with a spring to slide on the end of the
horizontal arm of an angular lever pivotted so that the shorter other arm comes
opposite an electro magnet. In the closed position the spring catch or sliding bolt
takes into a bracket fixed in the door frame or elsewhere near the door. The
conductor of the electro magnet is carried into the door to contact pieces and from
these to a pole of a battery whilst the other pole of the battery is in connection
with a clamping key; a second clamp is in connection with the electro magnet.
The door is unfastened by pressing down a clamping key which closes the electric
circuit, magnetises the iron core of the electro magnet and attracts to this latter the
shorter arm of the angular lever causing the longer arm also to move in the arc of
a circle in such a way that the spring catch is lifted out of the bracket leaving the
door free to be opened. In opening the door the circuit is broken by the separation
of the spring contacts in the conductor, whereupon the shorter arm of the angular
lever falls away from the electro magnet until it is stopped by a projecting stud
thus giving the longer arm a horizontal position. Upon the subsequent closing of
the door the spring catch by its chamfered extremity coming in contact with the
bracket is sprung back, springing forward again into the bracket when the door is
shut and so locking the door. To reopen the door the clamping key is pressed
down as before and the operation repeated.
In another form of construction the two-arm angular lever is replaced by a four-
armi lever mounted to turn on a central pivot vertically. At the back, this lever is
in connection with a spring carried in a casing for the winding up of which spring
the pivot is furnished with a square recess. The spring casing turns on the pivot
which at the back end is fixed in a vertical supporting plate attached to the wall
not far from the opening edge of the door. On the supporting plate above the
four-arm lever there is mounted a three-arm oscillating lever. Opposite one of the
three arms there is an electro magnet the conductor of which is connected on the one
hand with a pole of a battery and on the other hand with the pivot of the three-arm
lever. By another of the three lever arms the current is conducted to such one of
the arms of the four-arm lever as happens to be in contact with it and from this
through the pivot of the same by means of a conductor to a finger key clamp and
from a second clamp to the other pole of the battery so that the circuit can only be
closed by pressing down a key or knob when one of the arms of the four-arm lever
is in contact with one of two of the arms of the three-arm lever. The corresponding
clamping key may be arranged in any part of the room. When by pressing a
clamping key the circuit of the magnet is closed one of the three lever arms is
attracted thereto whereby another of the said arms is drawn out of contact with an
arm of the four arm lever allowing this latter to be so actuated by its spring as to
bring another of its arms round a quarter of a circle into a vertical position. At
the commencement of this movement the circuit is automatically broken by the
drawing of said arms of the two levers out of contact. When the quarter of a circle
movement is completed the four-arm lever is stopped by it projecting stud so as
to fix it in a position where neither of its arms is across the opening edge of

page_text: the door leaving this free to be opened. Two of the arms of the four arm lever
are shorter than the other two, one of the longer arms fastening the door and
the shorter arms not extending up to the door when the longer arms are in the
vertical or open position.
The construction of the spring mechanism for setting the four arm lever in
rotary motion may vary according as the door has to be frequently or seldom
opened for the purpose in the former case of rendering unnecessary a very
frequent winding up of the spring, one variation being to provide the outside
back edge of the spring casing with teeth and from these communicate motion
through intermediate toothed wheels to a toothed rim or wheel fixed on the boss
of the four arm lever.
In another form of construction instead of the four arm lever above described,
a two arm lever is rotated by means of a stud projecting from the back of a
revolving spring casing. The front plate of this latter extends beyond the circum-
ference of the casing and is provided with four teeth at equal distances apart, also,
corresponding to these, with four projecting studs. A ratchet wheel fixed on the
front end of the pivot of the two arm lever in conjunction with a spring pawl on
the spring casing serves for arresting the pivot when the spring is wound up.
Normally, that is to say, when the circuit is broken the magnet lever engages by
one of its two arms one of the four teeth of the spring casing holding this fast.
Upon pressing a clamping key this lever is attracted by the magnet so as to
disengage its other arm from the tooth of the spring casing and allow the two arm
revolving lever to turn until stopped by one of the projecting studs coming against
the arm of the magnet lever. If now the clamping key is released and the circuit
thereby broken, the magnet lever is drawn away from the magnet by a spring, the
other arm of this lever falling, upon which the projecting stud passes--the spring
case turning through a slot in the same. With the spring case the revolving
two arm lever also turns so as to overlap or draw one of its arms from the door
thereby fastening or unfastening the same.
The apparatus may be provided with a bell operated by the arms of the revolving
lever so as to give signals.
Dated this 25th day of Avonst 1802
CAPITAINE & VON HERTLING,
89, Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Electrically Operated Door Fastenings.
1, JOSEF GORIUP of Görz in the Austrian Empire, Merchant, 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 electric apparatus for operating the unfastening or
fastening of doors or to both these operations from any suitable point.
The construction of the apparatus may be varied according to particular
requirements.
In the drawings
Figs. 1 and 2 shew respectively in elevation and in plan a method of opening a
door closed by a simple spring catch or bolt.
Fig. 1 is a cross section through line 1-2 of Fig. 1.
In this form of apparatus N is an angle lever mounted to turn on pin p its shorter
arm N coming opposite an electro magnet M. The longer arm N2 has chamfered
edges at the outer or front end where it serves as a guide or support for the catch S
which is always kept pressed outwards by a spiral spring fand has its travel limited
by a pin fixed therein and engaging in slots of arm N² (Figs. 1, 14). In the closed
position the spring catch or sliding bolt S takes into a bracket g fixed in the door

page_text: frame or elsewhere near the door. The conductor L of the electro magnet M is
carried into the door T to spring contacts n of a known kind and from these to a
pole of the battery B whilst the other pole of the battery B is in connection with a
clamp of key t. On the other hand the second clamp is in connection with the
electro magnet M.
In the drawing the door is shewn in the closed position and the apparatus in the
position corresponding thereto. To open the door all that is necessary is to press
key t, whereupon the circuit in conductor L is closed, the iron cores in M
magnetised and arm N₁ of lever N consequently attracted thereby simultaneously
raising arm N sufficiently high above bracket to permit the door to be opened.
In opening the door the circuit is broken by the separation of spring contacts n
whereupon the shorter arm N₁ of lever N falls away from the magnet until it is
stopped by a projecting stud V thus giving the longer arm N2 a horizontal position.
Upon the then following closing of the door the spring catch S by its chamfered
end coming in contact with bracket is sprung back, springing forward again into
the bracket when the door is shut and so locking the door. To reopen the door,
key t has to be pressed down again as before.
'
With this apparatus it is necessary to press down key t every time the door has
to be opened because no means are provided for fixing the apparatus to correspond
with the open position of the door.
Figs. 3 to 6 of the drawings shew another form of construction of the apparatus
in which the angle lever N of Figs. 1 and 2 is replaced by a four arm lever A
mounted to turn vertically on a central pivot W. At the back this lever is in
connection with a spring carried in a casing G for the winding up of which spring
the pivot W is furnished with a square recess V. The spring casing G is mounted
to turn on pivot W which by its back end is carried in a vertical supporting plate P.
On this latter also is mounted a three arm lever H to turn on pivot c. Opposite
arm H of lever H there is carried on the same supporting plate an electro
magnet M the conductor L¹ of which is in connection on the one hand with a pole
of battery B and on the other hand with pivot c of lever H. The current is
conducted through lever arm H or H2 to such one of the arms D, D', or d, d¹ as
happens to be in contact with it and from this through pivot W by means of a
conductor L' to one clamp of finger key t¹ and from the second clamp to the other
pole of the battery so that the circuit can only be closed by pressing upon said key
when one of the arms D, D', d, d' is in contact with an arm of lever H. The key t
may be placed in any convenient part of a room. The whole apparatus may be
fixed in place by screws as shewn, so that an arm D or D' may overlap the door T
to some extent for the purpose of fastening the door.
Supposing the apparatus to be in the position shewn in Fig. 3, it is operated as
follows: Upon pressing key t the electric circuit is closed in the manner before
described and lever arm H³ attracted to the magnet whereupon arm H2 comes out
of engagement with arm d of four arm lever A allowing this latter to be so actuated
by its spring contained in casing G so as to bring another arm D' round a quarter
of a circle into a vertical position. Upon lever A turning, the circuit is auto-
matically broken at the moment trailing spring of arm H* slides off the arm of
lever A so that spring F can at once bring lever H into its original position seeing
that arm H³ of the same comes away from the electro magnet M. When the
quarter of a circle movement of the four arm lever A is completed arm D' strikes
against projection a of lever arm H so as firmly to fix the four arm lever and as
arm d is so much shorter than D as not to extend over the edge of the door, this
can now be opened. To fasten the door again key t' is once more pressed and the
same operation as that for unfastening the door, repeated only that then the
projection of arm H2 by the striking against it of arm d¹ holds the four arm lever
fixed upon the completion of the quarter of a circle movement.
By means of a key of a known kind suitable for insertion in recess V the spring
contained in casing G may when it has run down always be wound up again, the
running off of the spring being then guarded against by means of a toothed wheel

page_text: and spring pawl arranged the former on pivot W at the back of the supporting
plate P and the latter in connection therewith.
The spring coil contained in casing Gif acting direct would however in many
cases require too frequent winding for which reason the mechanism shewn in Figs. 5*
and 6 is desirable. Here the back end of spring casing G is in the form of a
toothed wheel R or is furnished on its outer edge with teeth which engage a smaller
toothed wheel on the same shaft m as a wheel R which gears with a wheel R² on
the central nave of the four arm lever. In this way not only is an easier working
obtained but also an increased number of revolutions of the four arm lever with
each winding up of the spring. On casing G there is a stud 2 which upon each
revolution of the casing turns round wheel to the extent of one tooth. On the
front side of this wheel there is a contact stud which after a complete revolution
of the wheel, meets contact spring h. The poles of battery B₁ are by means of a
conductor separate from L' connected on the one hand with contact spring hand on
the other hand with wheel in which circuit a bell K of known construction is
intercalated. The drawing shews an arrangement in which the casing G will be
rotated four times by the spring within it before this will have completely run
down. Upon the completion of the fourth rotation contact stud will come
against contact spring and close the circuit of the bell K the ringing of which
indicates that the spring has run down.
It is obvious that this arrangement may be applied in both of the before described
constructions and to single as well as double or wing doors.
Figs. 7 to 10 of the drawings shew another form of construction of the apparatus
in which also spring casing & is mounted to turn on pivot W which is carried in
supporting plate or frame P. The front cover plate A. of the casing projects
beyond the same and is provided with four teeth and at the back also with four
stop studs c.
R, R, is the fastening bolt which is screwed on to the same cover
plate A. is a spur wheel fixed on the front end of pivot W and in connection
with pawl acted on by spring m for the purpose, by means of hand wheel S, of
winding up the spring in casing G. On supporting plate P is carried an electro
magnet M, M', the armature of which is lever H turning on pivot D and always
acted upon by spring to tend to draw it away from the magnet. L is a bell
Jocated underneath the magnet and attached to the wood work against which
supporting plate P is carried. Its clapper N is actuated by the fastening bolt.
K, K, are clamping screws to be placed in connection on the one hand with a
battery and on the other hand with a key placed in any convenient part of the
room or space to be closed or in a space contiguous thereto.
fixed.
This apparatus operates as follows:-Generally that is with broken circuit,
lever Hengages by its arm H' one of the teeth of plate A which it thus holds
If when in the position shewn in Fig. 7, for the purpose of setting free
the door for opening, the finger key is pressed the lever H will be attracted by the
electro magnet M, M', arm H' of the same thereby being brought out of engage-
ment with a tooth of cover plate A consequently allowing this and with it the
bolt R, R', to turn until one of the stop studs c,-the next one,-arrives against
the lowest edge of arm H. This is the position shewn in Fig. 9. If now the
finger key is set free to break the circuit, lever H will be drawn away from the
magnet by the spring, arm H' descending and a stop stud e passing into a slot in
the same.
This position is shewn in Fig. 10. The spring can now turn round
casing G with the bolt R, R¹ the distance of the next tooth of plate A from arm H
through the slot of which stop stud e passes or until the tooth strikes said arm.
Bolt R, R', is then in the vertical position allow the door to be opened.
To fasten the door again the key is once more pressed, whereby the same
operation as that described for fastening the door is repeated, bolt Ⓡ then upon
the release of the key coming before the door, and so that the same has the
horizontal position, but before it reaches this position it impinges against clapper
rod of bell L which it carries with it for a short distance and then releases it, a
spiral spring wound upon the pin on which the clapper rod. is mounted then

page_text: bringing clapper N to sound the bell L. In this way the apparatus indicates
automatically that the door has been fastened.
The constructions shewn in Figs. 3 to 10 may be so arranged in connection with
the handle or lock or latch spindle of the door as to prevent the same from being
pressed down or turned round for which purpose the apparatus is placed in near
proximity to the handle of the lock as shown in Figs. 11 and 12 respectively in
front elevation and in plan. Here 1 is the lock or latch handle, 2 a rod fitted to
engage the same or the spindle, 3 an extension of rod 2 the outer end of which
extension bears upon the end of the fastening bolt as shewn. In this position the
lock or latch spindle can be turned to open the door only when the fastening bolt
is brought into the horizontal position by closing the electric circuit, so that so
long as extension 3 rests upon the fastening bolt the door cannot be opened. The
function of the electro magnet is the same as before described.
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 I
claim is :-
1. The general construction and arrangement of parts constituting an electro
magnetic apparatus for actuating door fastenings which apparatus may be operated
from any convenient part of a room upon closing the circuit of an electro magnet
by means of a finger key, substantially as described and shewn.
2. In the apparatus referred to, the combination of angle lever N with clectro
magnet M in the manner that the latter upon the closing of the electric circuit
sets the door free to be opened whilst the fastening of the same when shut is effected
by means of a sliding spring bolt S carried on lever arm N², substantially as described
with reference to Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings.
3. In the apparatus referred to, the combination of lever H insulated on
supporting frame P with multiple arm lever A turned direct by a spring or by
this latter in conjunction with toothed gearing R, r, R, R³, in the manner that the
spring, with the electric circuit closed, can operate the turning of lever A, where-
upon in consequence of this turning movement the electric circuit is automatically
broken by the sliding off from lever A of a contact spring and lever H of electro
naguet M brought by spring F into its commencing position so that lever. A
after each quarter of a revolution strikes against a lever arm H' or H2 and is
thereby held fixed, substantially as described with reference to Figs. 3 to 6 of the
drawings.
4. In the apparatus referred to, the combination of multiple arm lever A the
shorter arms d, d, of which allow of the door being opened and the longer
arms D, D effect the fastening of the same, with a spring contained in casing G
which spring operates the turning of lever A in the measure of and corresponding
to the action of electro magnet M effected by means of a key t¹ from any con-
venient point, substantially as described with reference to Figs. 3 to 6 of the
drawings.
5. In the apparatus referred to, the combination of a magnet armature H having
a arm H, H, and turning on a pivot, with a toothed cover plate A of a spring
casing G in the manner that the closing of the circuit of electro magnet M, M³,
brings about the commencement of the rotation of casing G, the amount of such
rotation being determined by the distribution of the teeth of cover plate A,
substantially as described with reference to Figs. 7 to 10 of the drawings.
6. In the apparatus referred to, the combination of the toothed cover plate A
provided with the same number of stop studs c as teeth, with lever arm H which
engages both teeth and stop studs but in its middle position after the release of a
tooth allows a stop stud to move through a slot formed in it and then comes against
the next tooth of cover plate A for the purpose specified substantially as described
with reference to Figs. 7 to 10 of the drawings.
7. In the apparatus referred to, the combination of a fastening bolt R, R',
with a bell L, in the manner that said bolt in its upward movement lifts the

page_text: clapper of the bell for some distance which is then caused to strike the bell by
the action of a spring 1, whereby an accomplished fastening of the door is
automatically indicated, substantially as described with reference to Figs. 7 to 12
of the drawings.
8. The connection of an apparatus of the kind referred to with the handle 1'or
spindle of the lock or latch of a door T in the manner that with a vertical position
of fastening belt R, R', a rod 2, 3, fixed to said handle or spindle bears against
said fastening bolt which then prevents the handle or spindle from turning until it
is placed in the horizontal position by a closure of the electric circuit, substantially
as described with reference to Figs. 11 and 12 of the drawings.
Dated this 25th day of May 1893.
CAPITAINE & VON HERTLING,
89, Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.