US2675577A - Reversible door closer - Google Patents

Description

April 20, 1 954 Filed Jan. 30, 1950 F'lG.l.

R- M. CONKLIN ETAL REVERSIBLE DOOR CLOSER 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. ROBERT M. CONKLIN ARTHUR SCHARF.

April 20, 1954 R. M. CONKLIN ET AL REVERSIBLE DOOR CLOSER 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Jan. 50, 1950 mm MM R C mws N C R m .u N ITN A E B 0 R A oRNEY.

April 20, 1954 R. M. CONKLIN ETAL 75,577

REVERSIBLE DOOR CLOSER Filed Jan. 30, 1950 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 F|G 4. 56 5| 2s 24 23 52 1 s9 6 l I 6| lla INVENTOR. ROBERT M.CONKLIN ARTHUR SCHARP' E ATTORNEY:

Patented Apr. 20, 1954 REVERSIBLE DOOR CLOSER Robert M. Conklin'and ArthurScharf, Columbus, Ohio, assignors, by mesne assignments, .to Schlage Lock Company, San Francisco, Calif -a corporation-of California.

Application January 30, 1950, Serial No. 141,222

3 Claims.

This invention relates to 'a door closer that can be utilized for either'right'or left hand doors and particularly relates to a door closer having external means to enable the door closer to beI utilized for either right or left handdoors without the necessity of changing the operating mechanism inside the case.

In order to make one model of door closer suitable for both right and left hand doors it.

spring; to move the-piston to the opposite end of its stroke, to invert the spring; and then appropriately to reassemble and adjust the closer. It is desirableto provide a door closer capable of use on either rightor left hand doors with a minimum change of mechanism in a minimum time-and without making adjustments employing special tools or requiring trained mechanics.

It is therefore an object of this inventionto provide an external arrangement for a door closer to enable 'thecloser to be easily applicable to'right or left hand doors.

It is another object of this invention" to pro vide a door closer for right or left 'hand doors usable without internal disassembly of the closer.

It is a furtherobject of .thisinvention to provide adapting means, external of the casing of a door closer, to enable :the employment of the closer on right 'orleft hand doors.

Other objects and advantages of this invention are attained in the embodiment of the invention described in the description andshown in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a front elevational View of the door closer, and

Figure 2 is a top-planviewof the'door closer showing it mounted for operation on-a door, and

Figure 3 is a top plan view of thecloser to an enlarged scale, and

Figure 4 is a sectional view of part of the closer to the same scale as Figure'a'the section being along the'line i l of Figure 3 and certain fasteners being omitted, and

Figure 5 is a sectional view of part ofthe closer along the line 44 of "Figure '3 and showing certain fasteners in one alternative position, and

Figure 6 is a top plan view of the closer similar to Figure 3, but showing the fasteners in another alternative position, and

Figure '7 is a sectional view of part of the closer along the line 1-1 of Figure 6.

The present invention makes it possible to obtain right and left hand operation of a door closer without any internal changes. The type of door closer to which the invention is especially applicable comprises four major elements in addition to the linkage between the closer and the door. They are a central drive shaft, a power spring, a damping system and an external case. If the external-case of the closer is mounted for rotation in a bearing fixed on the door, the case then may rotate on its central axis and with respect to the central drive shaft. By

alternatively fixing the central drive shaft to the door ,and attaching the closer arm to the freely rotatable case, or fixing the case to the door and attaching the closer arm to the freely rotatable case, or fixing the case to the door and attaching the closer armto the freely rotatable central shaft either left orright hand operation can be obtained with only a simple external rearrangement of elements. The relative motion of the interior parts remains the same. The arrangement that permits the closer arm to turn clockwise or counterclockwise requires no change in the operation of the power spring and the damping system.

For righthan-d door operation the case is fixed with respect to thedoor and the closer arm is engaged to the central drive shaft. Under this condition opening of the door causes counterclockwise rotation of the closer arm and winds the power spring. Release of the door permits the power spring to move'the door toward closed position, this motion being controlled by the damping system usually involving fluid flow through an orifice. For left hand door operation the closer arm is fastened to the case and the central drive shaft is fixed with respect to the door. Opening of the door causes clockwise rotation of the closer arm but winds the spring in the same direction as before. Upon release, the same'damping action as before results.

In the presentiy illustrated embodiment, the door closer includes a top bracket'plate provided with horizontal arms 2 having screws 3 therein to enable the door closer to be readily attached either to a door '4 :or to a door frame 5 and is pierced to form a mounting'l. Machine screws 8 at its lower end secure the top bracket plate to a bottom bracket plate 9 also having a bearing II in which a hub l2 depending from the door closer case 13 can rotate. A case 13 includes a cover plate I4 removably mounted thereon. A vertically disposed central hollow shaft I6 is journalled at its lower end within the hub l2 of the case l3 and at its upper end passes through a bushing H disposed in the cover plate i l and in a hub I8 welded to the top bracket plate E. An arm l9 surrounds the hub I8 above the plate I and is held in axial position by a snap ring 2|. A bridge 22 rides on the hub 18 and is retained by a snap ring 23. The bridge has central lugs 24 entering a slot 26 in the end of the shaft !6 and so turns with the shaft. A toggle arm 28 is pivotally connected to the arm 19 and the door casing 5 in the usual way.

The interior of the closer may be of any standard construction but preferably is of the kind disclosed and described in detail in our co-pending application entitled Door Closer With Constant Flow Orifice, filed February 1, 1950, with Serial No. 141,821, now Patent No. 2,629,127, dated February 24, 1953.

Within the case 13 is a spring 29 secured to the shaft l6 by a set screw 3| engaging a notch in the side of the shaft. The spring collar has a groove 32 to receive the inturned end of a coil spring 33. The other end of the spring 33 hooks against an adjusting ring 35, mounted to rotate within the case [3 and providing means for winding up the spring. A pin 38 with a bevelled end projects through the case into one of several holes in the adjusting ring. An external spring leaf 39 presses the pin into position to lock the spring 33 but yields in a winding direction to provide a ratchet. The spring tension can be released by lifting the leaf 39.

Below the spring collar and surrounding the shaft is a screw plate 4| engaging threads on the inside of the casing and seating on a gasket 42 to close a hydraulic reservoir 43. A filler plug M is provided for the purpose of filling the chamber below with hydraulic fluid. An ring 55 is disposed in a circumferential groove in the hub of the screw plate and bears against the shaft It to prevent leakage of fluid out of the reservoir 43. Below and spaced from the screw plate and seated in the casing is a seal plate 45, and

below the seal plate, a vane hub 4'! is attached to the lower portion of the main shaft 16. The vane rotates in a chamber 49 defined by the seal plate and the lower portion of the case 13.

An appropriate abutment and hydraulic passages are provided to establish a variable chamber into which liquid flows freely during door opening and from which liquid flow is restricted during door closing to provide a damping system for regulating the rate at which the unwinding spring 33 can close the door.

To operate the closer, either the case I3 is anchored to the top bracket plate I and the shaft is is fastened to the arm 19, or the case I3 is fastened to the arm l9 and the shaft Hi is secured to the top bracket plate 4. To permit this external alternative, the bridge 22 is provided with an inner pair of counterbored holes and 52 adapted in one rotated position of the bridge and of the hub it to align with a pair of recesses 53 and 54 in the hub. Additionally, the bridge 22 is furnished with an outer pair of counterbored holes 55 and 5! adapted in one rotated position of the bridge and of the hub 4 l8 to align with a pair of recesses 58 and 59 in the arm. All of the holes and the recesses are of the same size. Furthermore, as shown in Figure 5, the top bracket plate I is pierced by a hole 6| comparable to the holes 56 and 5'! in alignment in one position of the parts with a recess 62 in the cover plate 14 and the case I3, the recess 62 being comparable to the recesses 58 and 59. A lug 63 projecting from the arm I9 is pierced by a hole 64 like the hole BI and, in one position of the parts, is in alignment with a recess 66 like the recess 62 and formed in a block 61 held by fasteners 53 on the cover plate I4 of the case It.

As shown in Figures 2, 3 and 5, the case I3 and the bracket plate I are joined by a screw 16 in the hole BI and the recess 62 while the bridge 22, secured to the shaft [6, is connected to the arm 19 by screws TI and i3 passing through the holes and 51 into the recesses 58 and 59. No other fastenings are utilized. When the screws H and it are removed and are inserted in holes 5: and 52 in the bridge to engage recesses 53 and 5 1 in the hub I8 and when the screw 76 is removed from the hole 5! and is put into the hole 64 in the arm and the recess 66 in the block 61, for the opposite hand operation, the arm is held to the case and both rotate as shown in Figure 6 relative to the shaft which is held to the bracket or door frame. No matter which way the door operates, the relative motion between the case and the central shaft is the same.

In summary the closer provides a simple reversal to fit right and left hand doors by a simple relocation of the three screws on the top of the closer from one set of holes to another set of holes without any disassembly of the closer itself. All that is necessary to accomplish reversal is to interchange the connections between the arm, shaft, case, and the mounting plate which holds the closer on the door. In general an improved and simplified reversible door closer has been provided.

We claim:

1. A reversible door closer comprising a bracket plate adapted to be secured to a mounting; a case rotatably mounted in said bracket plate; a shaft rotatably mounted in said case and in said bracket plate; means for turning said shaft in cluding a spring and a damping system within said case and fastened to said case and to said shaft; an arm rotatably mounted on said bracket plate; means on said arm, said bracket plate and said case for receiving a coupling fastener; a first coupling fastener adapted to be received in said means on said arm and said case, and alternatively to be received in said means on said bracket plate and said case; other means on said bracket plate, said shaft and said arm for receiving a coupling fastener; and a second coupling fastener adapted to be received in said other means on said shaft and on said bracket plate, and alternatively in said other means on said shaft and said arm.

2. In a door closer, a bracket plate; a case rotatable in said plate; a shaft rotatable in said case; an arm pivoted on said bracket plate; external coupling means movable from a first position operatively connecting said arm to said bracket plate, and said case to said shaft into a second position operatively connecting said arm to said shaft and said bracket plate to said case; and means on said bracket plate, said case, said shaft and said arm for receiving the said coupling means in said first and said second positions.

3. In a door closer for rightor left-hand operation, the combination of a bracket plate and hub assembly; a case rotatably bearing in said assembly; a shaft rotatably bearing in said case; an arm rotatably bearing in said assembly; a bridge fastened to said shaft; first and second fasteners adapted to occupy either of two positions; in one position said first fastener operatively engaging and connecting said bridge and said arm, and said second fastener operatively engaging and connecting said assembly and said case; and in the other position, said first fastener operatively engaging and connecting said bridge and said assembly and said second fastener operatively engaging and connecting said arm and said case; and means on said bridge, said arm,

5 said assembly and said case for receiving said first and second fasteners in said two positions.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS m Number Name Date 1,803,258 Kalthoff Apr. 28, 1931 2,226,257 Potter Dec. 24, 1940 2,537,059 Kalthoff- Jan. 9, 1951

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