US2217878A

US2217878A - Door support and closer

Info

Publication number: US2217878A
Application number: US238366A
Authority: US
Inventors: Walrath Henry
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1938-11-02
Filing date: 1938-11-02
Publication date: 1940-10-15
Anticipated expiration: 1957-10-15

Description

Oct. 15, 1940. H, WALRATH y 2,217,878

DOOR SUPPORT AND CLOSER Filed Nov. 2, 1938 TTNEX Patented Oct. 15, 1940 l UNITED STATES ATENT OFFICE i 3 Claims.

My invention relates to a combination door support and closing device applicable particularly to' large doors such as in garages, warehouses, boathouses etc., including gates. In all instances, except for gates and doors in outdoor construction, this improved device is not exposed tothe elements.

The main object ofthe invention is to provide a highly efficient and inexpensive door support and l closer as hereinafter fully described and as illustrated in the accompanying drawing which discloses a preferred construction as for a warehouse door or the like. l

Fig. l is an interior elevation of a single door 15 with my improved device in operative position. This door may represent one of a pair of garage doors.

Fig. 2 is a top view as one line 2-2 in Fig. 1 but showing the door opened about half way.

20 Fig. 3 is a Vertical sectional elevation of the closed door looking toward its hinged edge from near its free edge, as on line 3-3 in Fig. 1.

Referring to the drawing by reference numerals, like characters designating corresponding 25 parts in the various views, la single door fl is shown, hinged at 5 to the jamb 6L of the door frame of which 6R is the right j amb and 'I is the lintel.

This door 4 may represent one of a pair of 30 garage or warehouse doors or even a gate with frame means corresponding to a door frame.

8 is an L-shaped metal bracket fitting the adjacent inner corner parts of the door frame parts 6L and l, aflixed thereto as with screws 9 inward- 35 ly of and parallel to the closed door and adjacent its upper corner at the hinged side. This bracket is of a size to rmly brace this corner of the frame and from about the center of its horizontal arm extends downwardly 1an eye I Il.

40 The main part of my invention comprises an elongated diagonal device embodying certain adjustable tension means and extends toward the lower corner of the door at its free edge.

Said tension device comprises an upper rod II 45 with an open hook IIA for removably engaging the eye l0, the lower end of said rod having an eye IIB engaged by the upper end of a helical tension-coil spring I2. The lower end of said coil spring engages in an eye ISA at the upper end of.

50 an adjustment rod I3 the lower portion of which is threaded and said threaded part passing through yan aperture in the transverse ear or arm MA of a door bracket III. Said bracket ill is an inverted L-shaped flat bar metal member fixed 55 as at I5 near the lower free corner of the door at its inner side and in an angular plane such that the threaded rod is retained in the ear part ISA in alinement with the tension spring I2 and upper rod Il. A nut I6 engaging the threaded rod I3 under the ear I3A provides for adjust- 5 ment of the rod I3 and any desired tension of spring I2 thus drawing members II, I2, and I3 into taut but yieldable condition.

In Fig. 2 thev door is shown opened about half `way toward full opening position. Obviously the 10 more the door is opened the greater the spring tension and when the door is released this spring tension will automatically close the door. The device should be in tension at all times for the dual purpose of closing the door and bracing it. With this device mounted and functioning as described a heavy door is properly braced and the sagging tendency is counteracted.. The sagging strain otherwise present is taken up by the tension device connected to the frame bracket 8 20 which bracket also braces and steadies the door frame.

Large door hinges are eliminated by the use of this device, hinges only large enough for the weight of the door being necessary. Hitherto, in most instances large, elongated hinges have been used not only to counteract sagging tendency of a door but also to prevent distortion and break-age of door frame because of the weight on the latter. My device braces the frame as stated (independent of the hinge means) and removes a large part of the sagging strain from the hinges. Therefore the frame bracing and supporting means at the upper corner over the hinged edge of the door and the tension means extending diagonally therefrom to the lower free corner of a gate or door are particularly stressed as a useful, dual purpose combination. This device furthermore is necessarily mounted at the inner side of a door, is therefore normally not exposed to the elements yand does'not of course affect the exterior appearance of such door.

The use of my improved door device has been fully disclosed simultaneously with the above description of its preferred construction. Mofdiications in detail of construction and proportions of parts may be embodied without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention as disclosed and the following claims.

I claim:

1. A door support and closing device comprising ra diagonally disposed, longitudinally adjustable and yieldable tension member at the inner face of a door, a door frame brace comprising an inverted L-shaped bracket secured to the door jamb and lintel at the corner of the frame over the hinged edge of the door in parallelism with and interiorly of the door, an eye or the like eX- tending downwardly from the horizontal arm of said bracket in predetermined spaced relation to the convergence of both arms of the bracket, said diagonal tension member pivotally connected to said eye, a bracket secured to the inside face of the door yadjacent its lower free corner, means in said latter bracket to slidably and adjustably engage the lower part of the tension member, to vary `the tension in the latter.

2. The structure specied in claim 1, in which said tension member comprises an upper rod with a hook engageable with said eye, and an eye at its other end, an intermediate member comprising a helical coil spring engageable with said latter end of the upper rod, a lower rod member threaded and slidably engaged in an aperture in said lower bracket, the lowei` end of said spring engageable with the upper end of the lower rod, said rods and spring normally in alinement and in tension, and la nut at the threaded end of the lower bar to regulate the tension.

3. A door frame brace and door supporting and closing device comprising a diagonally disposed elongated tension member adjacent the side of a door opposite its hinged side, a door frame brace comprising an L-shaped bracket iixed to the 1intel and jamb parts of the frame inwardly of the door at its upper corner over the hinged edge, a bracket fixed to the lower inside face of the door adjacent its lower free corner, said tension member comprising an upper rod pivotally connected to said frame brace n spaced relation horizontally from the elbow vof said bracket and inwardly of the inner face of the door, a lower rod slidably and adjustably retained in said lower bracket on the door, an intermediate close coiled tension spring connecting said rod members under tension and normally in alinement therewith, and means for adjusting the tension, said pivotal connection of the upper end of the tension member offset as described from the inner face of the door to increase tension in the member as the door is opened and provide door closing action.

HENRY WALRATH.