Patent ID: 7216400

Claim:
A door hold and release mechanism for use with a door closer including a pneumatic cylinder having a reciprocating piston rod, comprising, in combination: a housing mounted onto said pneumatic cylinder; a shaft inside said housing, said shaft having first and second ends; means for applying a bias pressure on said shaft; a cap button mounted to an end of said housing for applying an external force to said shaft sufficient to move said shaft laterally in a direction opposite to said bias pressure; a drop stop, said drop stop having a hole through which said piston rod extends, said hole being of such size as to allow movement of said piston rod through said hole in a first position with said drop stop disposed substantially perpendicular to said piston rod but which restricts movement of said piston rod in a second position when said drop stop is tilted at an angle other than substantially perpendicular to said piston rod; a draw bar having a forward and a rearward end, said forward end of said draw bar being connected to said drop stop for moving said drop stop alternately between said first and second positions; and linkage means associated with said second end of said shaft and cooperating with said rearward end of said draw bar to force said draw bar to move laterally along with said shaft and in a rearward direction in response to said lateral movement of said means for applying an external force, thereby causing said drop stop to tilt from said first to said second position on said piston rod.