US1535446A - Door buffer - Google Patents

Description

April 28, 1925.

' J. T. ATWOOD DOOR BUFFER Filed NOV. 19. 1924 i M r K Patented pr. 28, I95.

JAMES '1". ATWOOJD, ROCKFORD, ILLINOIS.

DQOR BUFFER.

Application filed November 19, 1924. Serial No. 750,730.

To all whom it may concern.

Be it known that I, JAMES T. A'rwoon, a citizen of the United States, residing at Rockford, in the county of Winnebago and State 'ofIllinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Door Bufiers, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to buffers for doors and other closures and, while of general application, is especially adapted for automobile doors, primarily for cushioning the closing impact and preventing rattling in .the closed position.

The present invention is an improvement on Patent No. 1,523,627 dated January 20,

1925, which is characterized by a buffer block made of resilient material and adapted for 'edgewise insertion into a socket of a door jamb, the bufi'er being shaped so as to provide edges 'overreaching the face of the door j amb contiguous to the socket so as to cover the exterior edges thereof and expose only the-buffer proper to view. In practice the socket may be formed directly in the door jamb Or by the pro-vision of a sheet metal socket piece suitably fastened or retained in the door jamb or door, as the case may be.

These buffers are set into position in a door or door casing of an automobile body before it is painted. During the course of the painting or finishing operations it frequently happens that the portion of the door which strikes against the buffer is covered with wet paint or varnish, thereby causing the b-ulfer block, which adheres or sticks to the door, to be pulled out of its retaining socket when the door is opened.

The primary purpose of the present invention is to provide in a buffer of the character described, improved means for retaining the buffer in the socket under the conditions mentioned, and yet permitting withdrawal of the bufier at will" if occasion should require. My invention consists therefore in providing the buffer with one or more compressible portions so arranged that they will be compressed from their normal pos r the insertion of the buffer into the emnz wand will return to said normal pos lm a r-er insertion of the bufi'er to engage l'ilflfl retaining faces and thereby yieldingly bniq the buffer from withdrawal.

Referring to the drawing- Figure 1, is a perspective view, somewhat" diagrammatical, of with a bulfer embodying my invention;

Fig. 2. is a perspective View of the door j amb with the casing only, fixed in position;

Fig. 3, is a face View of the buffer;

Figs. 4 and 5, are rear and side end views, respectively Fig. 6, is a section taken on the line (L-6 of Fig. 5; and

Figs. 7 and 8, are sections taken on the line 7-'? and 88, respectively.

In the application of my invention to automobile doors I prefer to mount the buffer in a door j amb, one of which is shown somewhat diagrammatically in-Figs. 1 and 2, designated by 11, which is rabbeted at 12, as usual for the reception of the striking portion of the door. The buffer may, howa door jamb equipped I,

ever, be applied to any door or door casing.

the rabbeted' edge 15. This socket, for the reception of and for holding a buffer, is preferably of less depth than length and width, with one narrow side open at the rabbeted face of the door jamb for endwise reception of the bulfer. While, in accordance with my invention, the socket 14 may be formed to hold the buffer in position, I prefer, especially when the door jamb is of wood, to employ a sheet metal casing or other fastening means for securing the buffer.

I have therefore, in the present example, shown a casing designated generally by 16, preferably of sheet metal, formed to provide a bottom 17 outturned side walls 18 and an end wall 19 adapted to fit in the socket 14, as shown in Fig. 2. A screw 21 or the equivalent, fixedly secures the casing '16 to the door jamb. The opposed side walls 18 are turned inwardly for engaging a buffer block or element and holding-it in position in the casing against displacement therefrom. In this instance the casing provides a dove-tail socket. I

.The buffer element is at present in the form of a resilient body or block, desigbody are formed recesses 26 for endwisereception of the casing walls 18 when the buffer is inserted into the casing, said recesses being of such size as to insure tight frictional contact with the casing sides.

Attention is now directed to Fig. 6 which shows that the recesses 26 do not extend to the rear wall of the buffer butterminate short thereof, providing portions 22 which will be compressed inwardly by pressure of the side walls 18 when inserting the buffer into the casing and which when the buffer is fully inserted will assume their normal position. In this position, the portions 22 engage the rear edges of the side walls 18 and hold the buffer from endwise displacement, although said portions are adapted to yield and permit withdrawal of the buffer when sufficient pressure is applied for removing it. The side walls of the casing are, therefore, formed to positively retain the buffer against displacement through the open side of the socket transverse to the plane in which it is inserted into the easing and also to hold the buffer from endwise displacement through the narrow open side of the socket except when an intentional effort is made to remove the buffer. The buffer when' inserted rests at its base on the bottom of the casing and bears at one end against the end wall 19 thereof. The under side of the buffer body is grooved as at 28 to provide clearance for the round-.

head screw 21. The casing is stronger and held more firmly and with less liability of being displaced than if countersunk for the usual wood screw.

The bufler body or block is further formed to provide marginal portions 29 overreaching the face 13 contiguous to the exterior edges 31 of the socket 14, and marginal portions 32 overreaching the face 15 contiguous to the exterior edges 38 at the narrow ends of said socket. These marginal portions cover and conceal saidexterior edges of the socket in the door jamb, the joints between the metal buffer-retaining casing and the door jamb, the casing per se, and the joints between the buffer and the :asing. In other words, the buffer con ceals all joints and parts connected with mounting and securing the buffer in position, and only the buffer proper is exposed to view. The bottom 16 of the casing which is practically concealed by reason of its location, is however, actually covered by a projecting portion 34 of the buffer. The marginal portions 29 are undercut or formed as at 35 so that the innermost ends of said faces fit against the face 13 thus putting the outer ends of the portions 29 under slight tension causing them to press or clamp said face 13 and maintain tight contact therewith. The sides 18 of the casing terminate short of the faces 35 so as not to weaken the buffer body at the juncture -of the marginal portions 29 therewitln It is preferred that the buffer block be of rubher or some suitable resilient material cast to shape.

From the foregoing it will be apparent that the door-engaging faces of the bufi'c' have a larger surface measured by length and width than the corresponding dimensions of the buffer body proper retained in the socket, thus giving large door-contacting surface; that the buffer proper may be easily mounted and removed and is adjustable to take up wear and play by inserting a small shim or the equivalent between the end 19 of the casing and the adjacent end of the buffer, which shim would be concealed by the overhanging n'iarginal portion 29; that the buffer body and its retaining means, in this instance the casing 16, are so shaped that it is necessary to forcibly press 'the butter into the casing socket in order to compress the portions 22, so that when fully inserted said portions 22 will assume. their normal position and by engagement with the sides 18 will securely but yieldingly hold the buli'er in operative position; that the bull'er may be removed only by a positive act the pressure of which is sufiicicnt to con press the retaining portions 22; that the buffer body is shaped marginally so as to cover all exposed or exterior joints in connection with the parts which serve to attach it to the door jamb; that only the buffer proper is exposed to view, thus making possible an attractive and workmanlike appearing construction; that a buffer embodying the principles of construction disclosed herein is capable of withstanding the strains and stresses to which buffers of this kind are subjected under the most severe conditions of use; and that the-buffer may be produced at a comparatively low cost.

I claim:

In combination a door or a door casing having a socket the opposed sides of which have inwardly turned retaining members, a door buffer made of resilient material and adapted for edgewise insertion into said socket and having in its sides recesses for the reception of said retaining members. the inserted end of the buffer being shaped so as to be COIJDPIBSSQd by contact with said retaining members when inserted and being adapted to return to a normal position in contact with said members to yieldingly hold the buffer from withdrawal.

JAMES T. ATVVOOD.

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