Improvements in Swinging Door Springs and parts connected therewith.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 23rd July, 1892
Complete Specification Left, 7th Apr., 1893-Accepted, 13th May, 1893
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Swinging Door Springs and parts connected
therewith.
I, JOSEPH ROBINSON of 8 Rutley Gardens, Kennington Park, in the County of
Surrey, Telegraph Instrument Maker, do hereby declare the nature of this
invention to be as follows:-
My invention relates to the spring and parts connected therewith, applicable to
swinging doors, to cause such a door to come back always, when swung either way,
to a definite central position without shock or jar, and consists in the apparatus,
hereinafter described, for effecting that purpose in a simple and efficient manner.
My said apparatus consists of a spiral spring of any suitable elastic metal, placed
over a fixed hollow spindle, conveniently fitted into a box under the heel of the
swing door.
The under side of the door is provided with a metal plate or shoe, which has a
pin or pivot thereon, engaging into the said fixed hollow spindle in the spring
box, which pin thus becomes the pivot on which the door swings either way.
There is also a lug or projection affixed to the said door plate, which engages
between two arms or lugs, one attached to each end.of the said spiral spring.
Upon one side of the said spring box is provided also a fixed projection, upon
either side of which presses the said spring lugs, when the door is in normal
position, and with any desired amount of spring tension.
The said spring tension is adjusted as follows:-One end of the spring is attached
to one of the said arms or lugs, which is part of a cylindrical boss or sleeve,
rotating freely on the said fixed pivot pin.
The other end of the spring is attached to an arm or lug of a second cylindrical
boss or sleeve, rotating over the first mentioned sleeve.
This second sleeve has a pawl upon.it, which engages into a ratchet wheel which
is part of a third cylindrical sleeve, rotating within the second sleeve, which carries
the arm or lug in juxta position to the first described spring arin or lug, and
between which are situated the fixed projection of the spring box, and the driving
pin of the spring door.
It is evident that the tension between the ends of the said spiral spring may be
adjusted at pleasure, by causing the sleeve, provided with a pawl, to engage in any
desired position with the ratchet wheel, which is part of the sleeve carrying one of;
the spring lugs or arms.
When the door is pushed open either way, the driving pin on the under edge of
the door pushes one spring lug or arm in front of it, the other spring lug or arm,
reacting against the fixed projection in the spring box.
I may fit one or more forked bell cranks in the spring box, so that the door.
driving pin will engage in one of such forks when the door moves either way. The.
said bell crank or bell cranks operate one or more pistons in an air-tight cylinder
or cylinders, so that when the door returns to its normal position an air cushion is
formed behind the said piston or pistons, and the final closing of the door is made.
gradual and without shock. By making the end of the said bell cranks with a
fork, the door driving pin may disengage from the said fork after a small movement.
has been made, and only re-engage with the said fork a short while before coming
to rest.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Swinging Door Springs and parts connected
therewith.
I, JOSEPH ROBINSON, of 8 Rutley Gardens, Kennington Park, in the County
of Surrey, Telegraph Instrument Maker, 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 the spring and parts connected therewith applicable to
swinging doors, to cause such a door to come back always, when swung either way,
to a definite central position without shock or jar, and consists in the apparatus
hereinafter described for effecting that purpose in a simple and efficient manner.
And in order that my invention may be the better understood I now proceed to
describe the same in relation to the drawings hereunto annexed, reference being
had to the letters and figures marked thereon. Like letters refer to like parts in
the various figures.
Figure 1 is a vertical section through my improved swinging door spring box
and shoe.
Figure 2 is a plan of the same.
Figure 3 is an outside elevation of the spring and sleeves removed from the box.
My said apparatus consists of a spiral spring A. of any suitable elastic metal,
placed over a fixed hollow spindle B, conveniently fitted into a box C, under the
heel of the swing door.
The underside of the door is provided with a metal plate or shoe D which has a
pin or pivot E thereon, engaging into the said fixed hollow spindle B, in the
spring box C, which pin thus becomes the pivot on which the door swings either
way. The head of the central pivot passes through an arm F into the shoe and
is rivetted there. The end of the said arm F is provided with a pin G engaging
between lugs J J₁ at each end of the said spiral spring.
Upon one side of the said spring box C is provided also a piece H fitted on a
screw K so that it may be adjusted as to position, and upon either side of which
presses the said spring lugs J J' when the door is in normal position and with any
desired amount of spring tension.
The said spring tension is adjusted as follows:-One end of the spring is attached
to one of the said arms or lugs J which is part of a cylindrical boss or sleeve L,
rotating freely on the sleeve P about the said fixed pivot pin B. The other end
of the spring is attached to a second cylindrical boss or sleeve M rotating over the
lower part of the first mentioned sleeve P. This second sleeve M has a cog
wheel N upon it, into which engages a pinion N' Figure 3 carried in bearings on
an upper and lower flange of the said sleeve P and which has at the upper end of
its spindle, a ratchet wheel O and pawl O' pivotted on the arm of the cylindrical
sleeve P, rotating within the second sleeve M, which said sleeve P also carries the
arm or lug Jin juxta-position to the first described spring arm or lug J, and
between which is situated the adjustable piece H of the spring box, and the driving
pin G of the swing door.
It is evident that the tension between the ends of the said spiral spring may be
adjusted at pleasure by causing the sleeve M provided with the cog wheel N to
turn in any desired position by the pinion spindle and ratchet wheel O fitted on the
sleeve P, carrying one of the spring lugs or arms J¹.
When the door is pushed open either way, the driving pin G on the arm Funder
the heel of the door, pushes one spring lug or arm in front of it, the other spring
lug or arm reacting against the adjustable piece H in the spring box C.
I may fit one or more forked bell-cranks in the spring box, or any other lever or
link attachınent, so that the door driving pin F will engage in one of such forks, or
the shoe will operate such link attachments, when the door moves either way. The

page_text: said bell-cranks or link attachments may be made to operate one or more pistons in
an air cylinder or cylinders, so that when the door returns to its normal position an
air cushion is formed behind the said piston or pistons, and the final closing of the
door is made gradually and without shock. By making the end of the said bell
cranks (if used) with a fork the door driving pin may disengage from the said fork
after a small movement has been made, and only re-engage with the said fork a
short while before coming to rest.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
:-
1st. A swing door shoe operated to come to rest from either side, by a spiral
spring about the shoe pivot of the said door, the two ends of the said spring
pressing upon either side of a coincident fixed but adjustable piece in the box, and
the operative pin of the door shoe, substantially as described.
2nd. The combination and arrangement of parts of a swing door spring box and
shoe plate substantially as described and illustrated herewith.
3rd. In a swing door spring apparatus the combination of a door shoe, pivot pin
and operating crank pin; with a spiral spring about said pin, a sleeve and lug
attached to one end of a said spring, and a second sleeve and inner return sleeve
and lug connected together by a tension adjusting cog wheel, pinion and ratchet
wheel with pawl substantially as described.
Dated this 7th day of April 1893.
FELL & WILDING,
1, Queen Victoria Street, London, E.C., Agents for the Applicant.