US2345368A

US2345368A - Door closer

Info

Publication number: US2345368A
Application number: US465676A
Authority: US
Inventors: Henry G Voight; Brantingson Sigurd
Original assignee: Sargent and Co
Current assignee: Sargent Manufacturing Co
Priority date: 1942-11-16
Filing date: 1942-11-16
Publication date: 1944-03-28
Anticipated expiration: 1961-03-28

Description

H. G. VOIGHT ET AL 2,345,368

DOOR CLOSER 7 Filed Nov. 16, 1942 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 March 28, 1944.

w .wwwaw March 28, 1944. H. G.IVOIGHT EIAL DOOR CLOSER Filed Nov. 16, 1942 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Mar. 28, 1944 DOOR CLOSER Henry G. Voight and Sigurd Brantingson,

Hamden, Conn., assignors to Sargent & Company, New Haven, Conn., a corporation of Connecticut Application November 16, 1942, Serial No. 465,676

13 Claims.

This invention relates to a door closer, and more particularly to a device designed to be secured to a door and door jamb, and adapted to effect a controlled closing movement of the door, that is to say, the device acts as a combined door closer and check, in that, while it serves to positively close the door, the closing movement is so checked or controlled that the door will be gradually closed and will not slam.

The door closer herein shown is of the same general type as that disclosed in the application of Henry G. Voight, Serial No. 461,423, filed October 9, 1942, as it is so constructed that it may be employed either in a concealed position within the door casing or frame, or it may be employed in an exposed position wherein the casing of the device is mounted exteriorly of the frame. The structure of the present device, however, differs in certain respects from the one shown in the prior application referred to, and particularly in the fact that it is so constructed that the operation of the device may be reversed for mounting upon either rightor left-hand doors by a simple manipulation which may be performed without removing any of the parts from the casing.

In most door closers of prior construction it has been necessary to gain access to the casing itself, and particularly to the spring which urges the door to closed position, so that the spring.

may be reversed in order that it be wound up by a movement of the main shaft of the closer in the opposite direction. As will be pointed out hereinafter, in the present device it is not necessary to remove the spring from the casing when making such changes as are necessary to adapt the device from a door of one hand to a door of the other hand.

One object of the present invention is to provide a door closer of simple and compact construction, such that it may be mounted either interiorly or exteriorly of the door frame.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a door closer of the class described such that the operation of the device may be reversed for application to arightor left-hand door without having to disassemble any of the parts of the device.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a reversing valve structure of novel form for a door closer.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a door closer having a spring to urge the door to closing position, and a rotatable door frame I 4, the door being shown at I5.

piston to resist or control the movement imparted to the door by the spring, wherein the spring and piston will be connected to separate operating shafts so that the relative position of these shafts may be changed without it being necessary to remove any of the parts from the casing. I

To these and other ends the invention consists in the novel features and combinations of parts to be hereinafter described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings:

Fig. 1 is an elevational view of a door closer mounted in concealed position above the lintel of the door, portions of the door and door frame being shown in section;

Fig. 2 is a horizontal sectional view on line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view on line 3--3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a sectional View on line 4-4 of Fig. ,1;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary bottom view of the door closer showing the adjusting nut for the spring;

Fig. 6 is a longitudinal device;

Fig. 7 is a top plan view of one of the operating shafts and the wing piston thereon;

Fig. 8 is a bottom view of the part shown in Fig.7;

sectional view of the Fig. 9 is a sectional view on line 99 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 10 is an exploded view of the spring actuator; and

Fig. 11 is a View similar to Fig. 1 but showing the closer mounted exteriorly of the door frame.

To illustrate a preferred embodiment of our invention We have shown a door closer comprising a casing l0 provided with a cover II and. a mounting plate I2 which is adapted to be secured by screws or the like to the lintel I3 of a To the door is pivoted at l6 one end of an arm [1, the other end of which is pivotally connected at l8 to one end of a second arm IS, the other end of which snugly but rotatively embraces the main shaft 20 of the door closer, as shown more particularly in Fig. 6.

The shaft 20 extends upwardly through the casing and is provided with a non-circular end portion 2| upon which is mounted a sleeve 22 of the Spring actuator. This spring actuator not only comprises the sleeve 22, but a second sleeve 23 spaced from the first, and opposed

wing members

24 and 25. It will be understood'that the opening in the sleeve 22 is of non-circular shape to conform to the. shape of the upper end 2| of the shaft 20, so that the actuator will turn with the shaft.

The sleeve 22 extends into an opening 26 in the cap I I, so that the sleeve will act as the upper bearing member for the shaft 20, and a nut 21 is threaded upon the projecting end of the shaft above the cap II, which nut serves to hold the cap in place at the upper end of the casing. In order to prevent rotation of the cap with respect to the casing, the former is provided with a lug 28 which rests in a recess 29 in the upper edge the casing wall.

The casing is divided into two parts by a circular plate 3!, which may be threadedly secured in place, resting against an annular shoulder 32 formed on the casing wall. This plate divides the interior of the cylinder into a lower portion 33, which functions as a liquid reservoir, and an upper portion 34, which contains the closing spring 35. This spring, as shown particularly in Fig. 6, extends between upper and

lower rings

36 and 31 to which its ends are secured, whereby when either one of these rings is rotated and the other held against rotation the spring will be wound.

The upper plate 36, as shown in Fig. 10, is provided with depending

lugs

38 and 39, the latter. being at a greater radial distance from the center of the shaft 20 than the former, and it is also provided with an upstanding lug 40 designed to rotate in a recess 4| formedin the lower face of the cap I I. A stop 42 in this recess contacts the -lug 40 and holds the plate 36 against rotation in one direction. Likewise the lower ring 31 is provided with upwardly projecting

lugs

43 and 44, the former of which is more distant from the axis of the shaft 20, and is also provided with a downwardly projecting lug 45 designed to bear against a log 46 on the plate 3I which serves to hold this ring against rotation in one direction.

It will be noted that the wing 34 on the spring actuator is somewhat wider at its lower end, and is provided at this end with a recess 41 through its lower face forming a finger 41 while the wing 25 is provided with a similar recess 48 and finger 49 at its upper end, and is of less width at its lower end.

With this construction it will be seen that if the shaft 20 be turned in a counterclockwise direction looking down upon the view of Fig. 10,

the finger 49 will contact the lug 39 and rotate the ring 36, and thus wind the spring, inasmuch as the lower ring 31 will be held against rotation by the lug 46, and the finger 4! will be turned in a direction away from the lug 43. When the

wings

24 and 25 reach a position 180 from that shown in Fig. 6, it will be seen that the finger 4'! will clear the lug 44, in that the latter will pass through the recess 41, thus permitting a substantially complete rotation of the shaft 20. .If this shaft is turned in the opposite direction, the spring will be wound from'the bottom by means of the ring 31, while the ring 35 will. be held against rotation.

The shaft 20 is provided with a non-circular portion upon which is mounted a notched adjusting member 52 held in place by the nut 53 threaded on the end of the shaft. Cooperating with the notches in this nut are talons 54 formed at the ends of a double-armed pawl member 55 pivoted at 56 on the arm I9. This pawl, and notched adjusting member serve to connect the arm I 9 with the shaft 20, so that rotation of this arm serves to rotate the shaft. At the same time the tension of the spring may be adjusted by moving the double-arm pawl 55 to a neutral position wherein neither of the talons 54 are engaged in the notches of the member 53, at which time this member and the shaft 23 may be rotated to give the spring any desired tension. Also when it is desired to change the closer from a door of one hand to a door of the other hand, it will be understood that the pawl 55 will be swung so that the corresponding talc-n will be engaged in a notch of the member 52.

As shown in Fig. 6, the casing is provided with a sleeve-like bearing member or core 63 extending upwardly from its lower end and surrounding the opening through which the shaft 2!] extends. Also surrounding the shaft 29 is a double tubular shaft 6 I, one portion of which is disposed between the bearing member 60 and the shaft 20 and projects from the lower portion of the casing and another portion 32 of which projects downwardly upon the outside of the bearing member 69, the two portions of this shaft being connected together at their upper ends by the web 63. It will, of course, be understood that the portions BI and62 of the shaft, and web 33, may, and usually will be, integrally formed. To prevent the leakage of oil or other liquid from the reservoir 33, suitable packing 64 may be placed about the shaft 62 in a packing chamber in the plate 3I, and held in place by the gland nut 65.

Upon the lower end of the sleeve-like portion 62 of the second shaft is secured or formed integrally therewith the wing piston 61 having in its

lower face recesses

63 and 39. This piston operates in the chamber 33 and is adapted to cooperate with an abutment 10 having a passage TI] there-through, which passage communicates with the chamber through ports II and 12 adapted to be controlled by a valve I3, the position of this valve being in turn controlled by a screw I4 threaded into the gland nut I5 positioned in a wall of the casing, which screw has an eccentric end 16 designed to limit the movement of the valve I3 in one direction or the other, depending upon the position of the screw. As shown in Fig. 2, the valve 13 may close the port I I, but will be prevented from closing the port I2. If the screw 14 is turned through an angle of the opening II will be open at all times, but the valve may be, moved to close the opening 12, the position of the valve being determined, of course, by the direction of the flow of liquid through the pas sage 10 The abutment It is also provided with another through passage is the effective area of which is controlled by an adjusting screw 19 threadedly mounted in a gland nut 89 and projecting from the lower end of the casing through the mounting plate I2 so as to be accessible for adjustment by a screw driver or other suitable tool. It will be apparent, therefore, that liquid in the reservoir 33 may pass from one side to the other of the abutment freely at all times through the opening 18 as restricted by the screw 19, and may also pass through the abutment'in one direction through the passage 19 as determined by the position of the valve 73 under control of the screw '14. In the lower portion of the casing are provided recesses or

wells

82 and 83, shown more particularly in Figs. 2 and 3, which cooperate with the

recesses

63 and 69, respectively, to permit flow of the liquid beneath the piston 61 when the piston reaches a point near the end of its travel to permit a quick and sharp closing of ment.

set of recesses operates when the device is used with a door of one hand, and the other set when the device is used with a door of the other hand.

The lower projecting end of the sleeve shaft H has clamped thereon a short arm 84 which is provided with a split end, as shown at 85, the two parts of which are connected by the clamping screw 85 so that this arm may be clamped rigidly to the sleeve. This arm is secured to the arm l9 by means of a removable pin 81, so that the arms 84 and I9 will move together during the normal operation of the device, thus effecting simultaneous rotation of the shafts 20 and BI. It will be noted that, as the shaft 20 is connected with the spring actuator, and the shaft 6| carries the piston 61, removal of the pin 81 will permit the shaft 6! to be turned independently of the shaft 20, and that the wing piston may, therefore, be moved in the casing to another position without effecting movement of the shaft 20, and without having any effect upon the condition of the spring. Thus, when it is desired to change the device from a door of one hand to a door of the other, the pin 81 is removed, and the arm 84 is swung about with respect to the arm 19, thus swinging the piston 61 from the position shown in Fig. 2 to a position adjacent the other side of the abutment 10. The opening in the arm 84 is again aligned with the opening in the arm [9, and the two arms are again connected by the pin 81. The screw 14 is then turned through an angle of 180, and this is all the adjustment which is necessary to adapt the device to a door of the other hand, with the exception, of course, of the swinging of the pawl 55 to engage the other talon 54 with the adjusting member 52.

Thus by securing the piston 61 to one shaft, and securing the spring actuator to another shaft, which shafts are normally secured together for simultaneous rotation, but which may be disconnected for relative rotation and for adjustment, the change-over of the device may be effected without having to obtain access to the interior of the casing.

A spacing washer 8'! may be placed between the plate l2 and the arm 84, as shown more particularly in Fig, 6. In Fig, 11 of the drawings the device is shown mounted exteriorly of the door casing. The only change necessary in such event is the removal of the plate l2 and the substitution therefor of the L-shaped bracket 88, which has a vertical arm which may be secured against the door casing M The operation of the device may be briefly described as follows: As shown, for example, in Fig. 2 of the drawings, the parts are in the position occupied when the door has been closed. If the door is opened the piston 61 will be moved in a counterclockwise direction. The movement of the piston forces the liquid in the liquid chamber 33 through the opening 18, and also through the passage Hi as the pressure of the liquid will force the valve away from the port ll but it will be prevented from closing the port 12 by the eccentric end 16 of the screw 14. Thus the liquid may move with freedom from one side of the abutment to the other, permitting easy opening of the door. At the same time the spring will be wound. If, after the door is opened, it is permitted to be closed by the spring, the piston 61 will move in a clockwise direction. The liquid in the reservoir 33 will now be moved in the opposite direction and will tend to be propelled through the port 12. This will cause the valve 13 to drop to the position shown in Fig. 2 and close the opening 1 I, thus closing the passage 1.0 so that the passage of the liquid from one side of the abutment 10 to the other must take place entirely through the restricted passage 18, thus cushioning or controlling the movement of the door.

When the door reaches a point adjacent the end of its closing movement, the recess 69 will register with the recess 83, and thus permit passage of the oil beneath the piston 61, so that the door will close with a sharp final movement. If the device is to be used upon a door of the other hand, the wing piston 61 will be moved as described, after withdrawing the pin 81, to a position adjacent the other side of the abutment 10, which is approximately a position over the recess 82, as shown in Fig. 2. The screw 14 will be rotated through an angle of and the action will be the same as just described except that the piston will, of course, be moved in the opposite direction.

It will be seen that, as the sleeve 60 surrounds the opening in the bottom of the casing through which the shafts GI and 28 extend, there will be no danger of any leakage about these shafts. At the same time the outer sleeve portion 62 of the outer shaft extends downwardly into the reservoir 33 so that it may carry the piston 61, and thus the spring actuator and piston are carried by separate shafts, so that, when these shafts are disconnected as by removal of the pin 81, adjustment of either the spring or piston may be obtained independently of the other part. It will,

therefore, be obvious that we have provided a device in which the operating shaft projects through the lower end of the casing, and at the same time have insured against leakage of liquid or oil about this shaft. At the same time adjustment of the device may be effected without obtaining access to the casing itself or disassembling any of the parts.

While we have shown and described a preferred embodiment of our invention, it will be understood that it is not to be limited to all of the details shown, but is capable of modification and variation within the spirit of the invention and within the scope of the claims. A

What we claim is:

l. A door closer comprising a casing, an arm rotatably connected to the casing and adapted to be connected to the door, a spring in the casing to urge said arm in a direction to close the door. a movable check member in a portion of thecasing, releasable means connecting said member to said arm, whereby when said connection is re leased, said member may be moved independently of said arm, and means connecting the arm to either end of the spring whereby the latter may be wound by rotation of the arm in either direction.

2. A door closer comprising a casing having a fluid chamber in its lower portion, a shaft rotatably mounted in the casing, a spring operatively connected to the shaft and tending to effect rotation thereof, a second shaft rotatably mounted in the casing, a piston in the fluid chamber connected to said second shaft, said shafts both projecting from the lower end of the casing, and disconnectible means for connecting the projecting ends of the said shafts.

3. A door closerrcomprising a casing having a fluid chamber in its lower portion, a. shaft rotatably mounted in the casing, a spring operatively connected to the shaft and tending to effect rotation thereof, a second shaft rotatably mounted in the casing, a piston in the fluid chamber connected to said second shaft, said shafts each having an end projecting below the casing, means to prevent fluid leakage about said shafts, and means on the projecting ends of the said shafts to connect them together.

4. A door closer comprising a casing having a fluid chamber in its lower portion, a shaft rotatably mounted in the casing, a spring operatively connected to the shaft and tending to effect rotation thereof, a second shaft rotatably mounted in the casing, a piston in the fluid chamber con- I nected to said second shaft, said shafts each having an end projectingv from the lower end of the casing, and disconnectible means located exteriorly of the casing for connecting said shafts for rotation together.

5. A door closer comprising a casing having a fluid chamber in its lower portion, a shaft rotatably mounted in the casing, a spring operatively connected to the shaft and tending to effect rotation thereof, a second shaft rotatably mounted in the casing, a piston in the fluid chamber connected to said second shaft, said shafts each having an end projecting from the lower end of the casing, an arm secured to the projecting end of one of said shafts and adapted for connection to the door, and means located exteriorly of the casing for connecting the other shaft to said arm.

6. A door closer comprising a casing having a fluid chamber in its lower portion, a shaft rotatably mounted in the casing, a spring operatively connected to the shaft and tending to effect rotation thereof, a second shaft rotatably mounted in the casing, a piston in the fluid chamber connected to said second shaft, one of said shafts being hollow and surrounding the other, the lower. ends of both shafts projecting from the casing disconnectible means for connecting said shafts and means for preventing fluid leakage about said shafts.

'7. A door closer comprising a casing having a fluid chamber in its lower portion, a shaft rotatably mounted in the casing, a spring operatively connected to the shaft and tending to effect rotation thereof, a second shaft rotatably mounted in the casing, a piston in the fluid chamber connected to said second shaft, said shafts each having an end projecting from the lower end of the casing, means on the projecting ends of the said shafts to connect them together, and means to prevent fluid leakage between the casing and shafts.

8, A door closer comprising a casing constituting a fluid chamber, a shaft rotatably mounted in the casing, a spring operatively connected to the shaft and tending to effect rotation thereof, a second shaft rotatably mounted in the casing, a piston in the fluid chamber connected to said second shaft, disconnectible means for connecting said shafts, said second shaft being hollow and surrounding the first shaft, and having a sleeve-like portion extending downwardly from its upper end for connection with the piston.

9. A ,door closer comprising a casing constituting a fluid chamber, a shaft rotatably mounted in the casing, a spring operatively connected to the shaft and tending to effect rotation thereof, a second shaft rotatably mounted in the casing, a piston in the fluid chamber connected to said second shaft, disconnectible means for connecting said shafts, said second shaft being hollow and surrounding the first shaft and having a sleeve-like portion extending downwardly from its upper end for connection with the piston, said sleeve-like portion being spaced from the shaft body, and a core on the casing extending into said space to prevent leakage of fluid from the chamber.

10. A door closer comprising a casing constituting a fluid chamber, an abutment in said chamber having a passage therethrough, a rotatable piston in the chamber adapted to force fluid through said passage, a double-ended check valve movably mounted in said passage, each end of which is adapted to cooperate with an end of the passage to close the same, and means to restrain said valve from closing one end of said passage, said means comprising an abutment on the valve and a member mounted in the casing and having a lug engaging said abutment.

11. A door closer comprising a casing constituting a fluid chamber, an abutment in said chamber having a passage therethrough, a roe tatable piston in the chamber adapted to force fluid through said passage, a double-ended check valve movably mounted in said passage, each end of which is adapted to cooperate with an end of the passage to close the same, and means to restrain said valve from closing one end of said passage, said means comprising a recess provided in said valve and a member rotatably mounted in the casing and having a lug eccentrically carried thereby to engage in said recess.

12. A door closer comprising a casing having a fluid chamber in its lower portion, a spring in the casing above said chamber, a shaft rotatably mounted in the casing and projecting from the lower end thereof, an arm non-rotatably carried by the shaft and designed to be connected to the door, said spring being operatively connected to the shaft to effect rotation of the latter, a movable check member in said chamber, means releasably connecting said memberto said arm whereby when said connection is released said member may be moved independently of said shaft, and means for preventing fluid leakage about said shaft.

13. A door closer comprising a casing having a fluid chamber in its lower portion, a spring in the casing above said chamber, a shaft rotatably mounted in the casing and projecting from the lower end thereof, an arm non-rotatably carried by the shaft and designed to be connected to the door, said spring being operatively connected to the shaft to effect rotation of the latter, a movable check member in said chamber, means releasably connecting said member to said arm whereby when said connection is released said member may be moved independently of said shaft, and means for preventing fluid leakage about said shaft, said connection being releasable from without the casing.

HENRY G. VOIGHT. SIGURD BRANTINGSON.