US2927813A

US2927813A - Closure holder

Info

Publication number: US2927813A
Authority: US
Inventors: William J Cooper
Original assignee: Barton Instrument Corp
Current assignee: Barton Instrument Corp
Priority date: 1958-06-05
Filing date: 1958-06-05
Publication date: 1960-03-08
Anticipated expiration: 1977-03-08

Description

March 8, 1 960 w. J. COOPER CLOSURE HOLDER Filed June 5, 1958 INVENTOR. 40/409114 .1. caa ee This invention relates to a closure'holder for releasably holding a closure in open position.f

Explanatory of the present invention, there are many field installations of meters, recorders, and similar-in struments wherein the meter or recorder is installed in a suitableweatherproof housing that is normally closed by a hinged door. At the time. of reading the meter or recorder the door is unlocked or otherwise released from its closed position and'is"swu ng into a fully' open position, and while in this position the meter or recorder can be read. Thereafter, the door isagain closed. Due

to the factthatthere may be wi nds -or drafts tending to close the door during the period that the meter or recorder is being read, it is desirable to provide mechanism which will automatically releasably lock or hold the door in its open position so that it will not swing closed under the influence of either winds or gravity during the period that the meter or recorder is being read.

The invention is not necessarily restricted to closures for housings containing metering or recording instruments but may be used wherever it is desired to automatically and releasably lock a closure in open position whenever the closure is swung into its open position. For example, the invention may be applied to casement windows and similar closures.

It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide a simple and inexpensive, but nevertheless sturdy brace construction that is pivotally connected to the closure and which has a slidable connection with the frame for the closure, and to provide a simple and automatic detent which .will automatically lock the brace against sliding relatively to the frame when the closure is swung into its open position to hold the closure in its open position until it is desired to release the closure and cause it to close.

Another object of the presentinvention is to provide a construction having the above-mentioned characteristics which is so designed that if an abnormally heavy force is applied to the closure urging the closure to close, that the closure can be closed in this manner without manually shifting the detent to effect a release of the brace.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, which will be made manifest in the following detailed description specifically pointed out in the appended claims, reference is had to the accompanying drawings for an illustrative embodiment of the invention, wherein:

Figure 1 is a top plan view of a meter or recorder housing illustrating the door therefor in closed position, parts being broken away and shown in horizontal section;

Fig. 2 is a partial view in perspective illustrating the door in its open position; and

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken substantially upon the line 33 upon Fig. 2.

Referring to the accompanying drawings wherein similar reference characters designate similar parts throughout, indicates generally a housing adapted to contain a meter, recorder, or similar instrument which Un e tate im o i brace and the framell.

2,927,813 P in M r- 8 19?? -must.be read periodically from timeto time. This housingmay be assumed to provide a frame 11for' a hinged door 12.which is normally kept in closed position but which must be periodically opened for the purpose of inspecting, adjusting or reading the meter or recorder contained in the housing 10 or for other purposes.

' The device embodying the invention comprises a slotted brace 13 having a longitudinally extending slot'14 therein. This brace is pivoted 'such as bya pivot pin, 15 to 'a mounting bracket 16 thatis suitably mountedon the door 12 such as byscrews 17.

- 2.0m the frame 11 of housing 10 there is a bolt or stud .18 that extends through the slot 14 in the brace so that the brace is slidable relatively thereto. Preferably a washer .19.is" interposed between the underside of the A sheet metal detent 20 is provided which is'apertured as at 21 so'that the bolt or stud 18 can extend therethrough. This detent has the major portion of its length supported in a slightly inclined positionby a fulcrum 22 formed by' bending a portion of the metal of the detent downwardly and then upwardly to provide a handle 23 by which th'e'detent may be manip- ,ulated. The other end of the detent is bent downwardly as,indicat ed at 24, to engage theextreme end of the brace :13. ,Adja'cent the fulcrum 22 a tang 25 is struck: out "of the metal of the detent and is bent downwardlysojthat its lower end occupies a position in the slot 14 to maintain the detent in alignment with the length of the brace 13 in all positions assumed by the closure 12. The end 24 that is bent downwardly is preferably bent at less than right angles to the length of the major portion of the detent 20 so that it does not fit exactly flush against the end of the brace 13 for a reason hereinafter to be explained.

The operation of the above-described construction is substantially as follows:

When the door or closure 12 is in closed position the bolt or stud 18 occupies a position adjacent one end of slot 14 as illustrated in Fig. 1. In this position the bottom edge of the downwardly bent end 24 slidably rests on top of the brace 13. When the door or closure 12 is swung into its fully open position as illustrated in Figs. 2 and 3 the bolt or stud 18 slides in the slot 14 to the extreme other end thereof. The brace 13 pivots on the pivot 15 as may be required.

When the bolt reaches the end of slot 14 the'detent end portion 24 drops by gravity over the end of the brace 13 assuming a position as illustrated in Figs. 2 and 3. In this position as the detent 20 effectively locks the bolt 18 in fixed relation to the end of the brace 13 it will be apparent that the door or closure will be held in its open position against being closed either by winds or by gravity in the event that the door is so hung that it tends to swing closed by gravity. When it is desired to release the door or closure and return it to its closed position it is merely necessary to depress the handle 23 rocking the detent about its fulcrum 22, and lifting the downwardly bent end portion 24 out of engagement with the end of brace 13. While in this position the closure 12 may be started in its closing movement and the handle may thereafter be released. On release of the handle 23 the weight of the detent rocks the detent on the fulcrum 22 until the bottom edge of the downwardly bent end 24 slidably engages the top of the brace 13. The closing movement of the closure can thereafter be continued until the closure is completely closed. a

As above explained, in the preferred form of construction the end 24 of the detent 20 is bent at less than right angles to the length of the major portion of the detent. While the use of a construction bent at right angles to the portion of the detent is permissible, this arrangement is preferred so that if a heavy force is ap,

closure so that it may be closed. This arrangement is preferred so that if an inspector of the meter orrecorder "should attempt to forcibly close the closure by the application of a heavy force thereto the detent will permit this to be accomplished without being damaged.

at will be appreciated from the above-described construction that the brace, its detent, the bolt, and .pi votal mounting are or" very simple constructionwhich can be easily and economically manufactured and installed, and

will effectively serve to automatically, but nevertheless .releasably hold a closure in open position when the closure is swung into the maximum open position permitted by the slot 14 in the brace.

Various changes maybemade'in the details of construction without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.

I claim: a

1. A brace construction for releasably holding closures in open position comprising a slotted brace, a pivotal mounting for the brace adjacent one end thereof, a bolt or stud receivable through the slot in the brace, a detent havinga portion urged by gravity into engagement with the end of the brace, and means for maintaining the detentin association with the bolt or stud but sljdable 'with'relation to the brace.

2. A brace construction for releasably holding closures in open position comprising a slotted brace, a pivotal mounting for one end of the brace for pivotally mounting the brace on a closure, a stud applicable to the frame for the closure slidably extending through the slot in the brace, and a detent through which the stud' extends having a portion engageablewiththe end of the brace, said detent having a fulcrum intermediate its ends slidably engaging the brace, .and a handle on the detent on the opposite. side "offthe fulcrum from said portion which engages the end of the brace.

3. A brace construction for releasably holding closures in open position comprising a slotted brace, a pivotal mounting forgone -end,of thebrace for pivotally mounting the brace on a closure, a stud applicable to the frame for the closure extending through the slot in the brace and relatively to which the brace is slidable,and a detent through which thelstud extends having a portion engageable with the end of the brace, said detent having a fulcrum intermediate its ends slidably engaging the brace, and a handle on the detenton the opposite side of the fulcrum from said portion which engages the end of the brace, said detent having a'tang slidably disposed in the slot of the brace.

References Cited in theffil'e of this patent V UNITED STATES PATENTS 90;4730' Hill- Nov. a, 1903 "1,338,571 Kelly t Apr. 27, 1920