US2705337A

US2705337A - Door closer

Info

Publication number: US2705337A
Application number: US210667A
Authority: US
Inventors: Jesse D Langdon
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1951-02-13
Filing date: 1951-02-13
Publication date: 1955-04-05
Anticipated expiration: 1972-04-05

Description

April 5, 1955 .J. D. LANGDON DOOR CLOSER Filed Feb. 13, 1951 FIG.

FIG. 3

INVEN TOR United States Patent DOOR CLOSER Jesse D. Langdon, East Rockaway, N. Y. Application February 13, 1951, Serial No. 210,667 7 Claims. (CI. 16-66) The primary object of the invention is to provide a simple door closing device with a low manufacturing cost.

Another object is slamming of a door.

A further object is to trap air in a chamber and squeeze same through a restricted bypass communicating between a closed end of a chamber and the atmosphere.

Other and further objects and purposes will appear during progress of the specification, as illustrated by the drawing, showing three forms of reduction to practice subject to being changed within the scope of the claims.

The drawing is diagrammatic:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary elevation of a door hinged to a door frame or jamb, partly cut away in section together with a stabilizing plug made of resilient deformable material inserted into the adjoining faces of the door and frame.

Fig. 2 is a view of a transverse section of Fig. l as at 2-2 with the door ajar.

Fig. 3 is an alternate form of the invention, partly cut away in section and similar to Fig. 1.

lg. 4 is a transverse section of another form of my invention.

The designating characters indicate: door D, door jamb or frame J, hinge H, compression chambers CC, air bypass AB, a stabilizer plug made of resilient flexible ma- 'terial SP, and an alternative form of stabilizer plug SP1 having a flange F, socket sleeve S and metal insert disc I.

The description and operation of the invention is substantially as follows:

A door closer plug SP Fig. 1 made of rubber-like material of deformable nature is loosely fitted and inserted into oppositely disposed chambers CC-CC, one chamber concomitant with a door frame or jamb J, the opposite chamber concomitant with the edge of a door D hinged at H to said frame J, said plug SP being of a length to remain in both to provide a device to prevent the chambers CCCC at all times subject to being distorted by bending between the two chambers when the door is opened, as illustrated by Fig. 2. At least one end of saidplug SP is reciprocating in one chamber CC during the opening and closing of the door D, and provides resilient piston means formed by either one or both ends of member SP subject to being expanded by air compressed within at least one of said chambers. A bypass AB is formed by the normal space provided around said plug SP thereby serving to check closing of the door, thus minimizing slamming of the door D; the entire length of that part of said plug SP remaining within and reciprocating in at least one chamber CC being subject to frictional stress against the wall of such chamber.

Itwill be noted that the member SP1 of Fig. 3 is provided with flanged ends having a relatively hard insert I incorporated in the flanged portions F-F. Flanged sleeves SS are inserted into the respective chambers and held in position by screws, the ends of the sleeves inserted into respective bores CC-CC serving as effective stop means to prevent the withdrawal of any flange from either chamber. This construction may be used to limit the reciprocation of member SP1 to any extent desired in either the door D or frame I.

The member or plug SP as of Figs. 1 and 2 is loosely inserted into both the door D and frame or jamb J and floats within both chambers CC-CC. By anchoring one end in the manner shown by Fig. 3, only one end will ends When the door is released,

be loosely inserted in the manner illustrated by Figs. 1 and 2.

To install the device as of Fig. 1 chambers CC are recessed or bored into the edge of door and jamb, the chambers having open ends registering with one another. The plug SP is inserted to extend between the two cham' bers CC. If it is desired to use compressed air for cushioning effect, plug P is made slightly shorter than the combined length of the two chambers. If, on the other hand, it is desired to cushion the door against slamming by using plug SP1 as of Fig. 3 to absorb the rebound set up by swinging of door D, plug SP1 can be made longer than the aggregate depth of the two chambers and held under constant state of compression by suitably hinging the door D; see Fig. 3.

The installation as of Fig. 1 shows plug SP floating freely in the two chambers CC with slight clearance forming air bypass means AB around plug SP. When the door is swung open or held ajar, plug SP is both stretched d bent, pulling the two ends away from the closed of respective chambers CC, stretching one side and compressing the opposite side of plug SP, making same smaller or thinner in diameter laterally and wider vertically at the bend permitting air to bypass more freely between plug SP and chamber walls formed by the bores. the resiliency of plug SP will cause the door to assume normal closed position. When the plug SP is released from tension, the ends thereof acting as piston means compress air in the chambers CC against the respective ends of the plug SP thus forcing air to bypass between the walls of the chambers CC and the plug SP thereby checking the movement of the door D.

The installation as of Fig. 3 is made in substantially the same way as of Figs. 1 and 2, except that the chambers are made large enough in diameter to permit insertion of sleeve S into the respective chambers CC. The inner ends of socket sleeves S impinge flanges F, metal inserts l are imbedded and vulcanized into flanges F as reinforcements to prevent plug SP1 from being withdrawn from respective chambers CC when door is swung open. With the flange type of plug, there are two factors which can contribute to cushion door D against slamming, namely, (:1) expansion and contraction of plug SP1, stretching same from chambers CC by opening movement and compressing plug SP1 into the chambers by the closing movement. This effect is best obtained by fitting plug SP1 snugly into chambers CC and sleeve S. (b) By providing plug SP1 longer than the combined length of the two chambers CC and installing same under a state of compression.

It is self evident and fully anticipated that one end of plug SP may be made as in Figs. 1 and. 2 and the opposite end of plug SP1 made as in Fig. 3 whereby the combined effect of either form as shown by Fig. 4 may be used by leaving at least one end of the plug as of SP2 free to move within either of the chambers CC.

Having described the invention and the operation and use thereof the following claims are made:

1. A door closer comprising plug means made of a solid body of deformable rubber-like material forming a piston capable of distorting and returning to normal shape, the opposite ends of said plug means inserted into the co-facing open ends of opposed chamber means recessed into adjacent portions of a door and frame, at least one end of said plug being unsecured in one of said chambers, said chambers having open ends registering with one another, the plug means extended into the 0pposite chambers at all times when said door is in any position, at least one end of said plug being free to move and slide in accordance with the movement: of said door, said door hinged to said frame, said plug means normally holding said door in closed position, said] plug subject to being bent between and exerting a lateral frictional stress against the walls of said chambers, at least one end of said plug means being slidably mounted for free movement in one of said chambers to be displaced therein when the door is opened and closed, said plug of a length to remain extended in said chambers when the door is fully opened.

2. A device as defined by claim 1 wherein at least one of the distal ends of the opposed chambers is closed to form a compression chamber and including bypass means communicating between the closed chamber end and atmosphere, at least one end of said plug forming piston means reciprocating within the chamber and capable of compressing air within the closed chamber end whereby air is urged through said bypass means by movement of said door.

3. A device as defined by claim 1 wherein the opposite ends of the plug are slidably mounted within both of the respective chambers.

4. A device as defined by claim 1 wherein the plug means is made of resilient rubber-like material inserted into chambers juxtadisposed in tandem, one chamber secured in fixed position with relation to a frame provided for said door, another chamber juxtadisposed with said door and adapted to concomitant movement therewith, the door hinged to said frame and held and stabilized in closed position by the normal shape of said plug means.

5. A device as defined by claim 1, wherein at least one end of the plug means is held in place by the inner end of a sleeve inserted into one of the chambers, one end of said plug means being provided with a flange reenforced with relatively hard material and secured and impinged between the inner end of said sleeve and a closed end provided for one of said chambers, whereby one end of said plug is secured in a fixed position and not permitted to reciporcate within one of said chambers.

6. A door closer combination comprising an elastic resilient member made of rubber-like material slidably inserted into and loosely fitting opposed chambers having centrally aligned co-facing open ends concomitant with the door and a frame to which said door is swingably attached, the resilient member being of-round shape in repose when the proximate portions of the door, frame and chambers are juxtadisposed in closed position of the door, said resilient member freely slidable endwise in both of said chambers during the opening and closing of the door, the elastic member capable of reciprocating within and bending between the two chambers when the door is opened, placing said resilient member under abnormal stress, said resilient member being made of rubber-like material capable of being bent and thereby distorted out of round and returning to normal shape in repose when abnormal stress is released.

7. A door closer plug made of rubber-like material of deformable nature being loosely fitted and inserted into oppositely disposed chambers, one chamber concomitant with a door frame, the opposite chamber concomitant with the edge of a door hinged to said frame, said plug being of a length to remain in both chambers at all times subject to being distorted by bending between the two chambers when the door is opened, at least one end of said plug reciprocating in one chamber during the opening and closing of the door, and providing a resilient piston subject to being expanded by air compressed within at least one of said chambers thereby serving to check closing of the door, thus minimizingslamming, the entire length of that part of said plug reciprocating in at least one chamber and being subject to frictional stress against the wall of such chamber.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS