US3089568A

US3089568A - Thermally controlled door-checks

Info

Publication number: US3089568A
Application number: US853090A
Authority: US
Inventors: Oliver F Thompson
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1959-11-16
Filing date: 1959-11-16
Publication date: 1963-05-14
Anticipated expiration: 1980-05-14

Description

y 14, 1963 o. F. THOMPSON 3,089,568

THERMALLY CONTROLLED DOOR-CHECKS Filed Nov. 16, 1959 United States 3,08%568 THERMALLY CONTRULLED DDUR-QHECKS Oliver E. Thompson, 6867 Ottawa Ave., Chicago, Ill. Filed Nov. 16, 1959, Ser. No. 853,090 4- Claims. {(Jl. res-4s The present invention relates to thermally controlled door-checks.

In school or other public buildings it is the usual practree of keeping doors leading from staircases to halls and corridors open, so as to prevent constant opening and closing of the doors and the resulting banging thereof. This practice is continued even in cases where doors are provided with suitable door-checks for normally keeping doors shut. Often wood wedges or the like are inserted between the floor and the lower edge of the door so as to keep the door open against the action of a doorcheck.

The expediency which obliges the doors to be kept open is fraught with danger because in the event of fire in any portion of a building the open door permits the flow of air currents from the staircase into the halls and corridors, thereby enhancing spreading of fire.

Therefore, the main object of the present invention is the provision of suitable means, in association with the door and the cooperating door-check, for rendering the latter inoperative when the door remains in an open position, and which means in turn would become inoperative for reestablishing normal operation of a door-check to close the door whenever fire occurs in the vicinity of the door.

Another object of the present invention is the provision, in association with a door-check actuating arm, and its cooperating door-connecting arm, of means connected therewith and alternately engageable with and disengag able from the door, which means, when disengaged from the door, may be capable of permitting normal operation of the door-check for closing the door, and which means, when engaged with the door, may be capable of rendering the door-check inoperative for maintaining the door in an open position, and which means, due to influence of increased temperature due to fire in the vicinity of the door, may be capable of instantaneous and automatic operation for severing its connection between said arms and the door for reestablishing the normal operation of the door-check for closing the door.

Another object of the present invention is the provision, in association with a door-check actuating arm and the cooperating door-connecting arm, of a connecting member engageable with said arms and the door, whereby the door-check may be rendered inoperative for maintaining the door open, which said connecting member may include a portion made of fusible metal capable of melting by the increased temperature engendered by fire in the vicinity of the door for severing said connecting member for thereby reestablishing normal operation of the door-check for instantaneously and automatically closing the door.

A still further object of the present invention is the provision of most simple means whereby the said connecting member may be readily connectable with the said door-check actuating arm, the door-connecting arm and the door, without making any extensive structural changes in the door-check or the appurtenances thereof.

A still further object of the present invention is to generally improve and simplify the existing devices of the character hereinabove indicated.

With the above general objects in View and others that will appear as the invention is better understood, the same consists in the novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter more fully described, il-

lustrated in the accompanying drawing and pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawing forming a part of this application, and in which like designating characters refer to corresponding parts throughout the several views:

FIG. 1 is a plan view of a door frame, the door-check supported therewithin, with the door shut, showing the door-check and its parts in their operative position;

FIG. 2 is a top elevational view of the parts hereinabove mentioned, illustrating the door-check in its operative position with the door shut, the view having been taken upon a plane indicated by line 2-2 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a similar view to that of FIG. 2, illustrating the door in an open position, with the door-check rendered inoperative by the aid of the present device;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged side elevational view of a joint between the door-check actuating arm and the doorconnecting arm, illustrating the means for connecting therewith one end of the connecting member for rendering the door-check inoperative, as in FIG. 3, for maintaining the door in an open position against the action of the door-check, the view having been taken upon a plane indicated by line 4-4 of FIG. 3; and

PEG. 5 is a similar view illustrating a modified form of the connecting means between one end of said connecting member and the said joint.

Referring in detail to the present drawing, there is shown therein wall It} provided with an opening, within which a door frame, including an upper horizontal bar 11 and a vertical bar 12, is located.

The said opening constitutes a passage either from one room to another, or from a staircase to an adjacent corridor or hall. The said opening is capable of being closed by door 13, which by one of its side edges is suspended by a plurality of leaf hinges 14 affixcd to the door and one of the vertical frame bars 12, whereby door 13 may angularly swing from or to the alternate shut or open positions.

Bracket plate 15, by one of its ends is located within a corner defined by the adjacent ends of the horizontal frame bar '11 and the vertical frame bar 12. Said bracket plate, upon its two edges along the bisecting planes, is provided with reduced ears 16 for receiving therethrough screws 17 which engage the said horizontal bar 11 and the vertical bar 12, for rigidly supporting the said bracket plate 15 within the corner of the door frame, as clearly seen in FIG. 1.

The opposite end of said bracket plate 15 is in a spaced relation with the upper edge of door 13 and the upper horizontal frame .bar 11, and has supporting plate 18 rigidly afiixed thereto by means of plurality f screws 19. Rigidly formed with said supporting plate 18, and extending therefrom in a central relation in the direction away from door 13 is block 20 for supporting thereon spring casing 21, and a downwardly depending therefrom hydraulic casing 22.

Said spring casing 21 encloses a wound spring 23, which is shown by dotted lines in FIG. 2. Said spring 23 by its outer end is rigidly engaged with the side Wall of said spring casing 21 on the inner periphery thereof, and by its inwardly located end rigidly engages shaft 24, which is positioned in a vertical central relation with said casing 21 for a rotary shifting movement in either direction when actuated by said spring. 23.

In FIG. 1 said spring casing 21 is broken away along its side Wall, showing in vertical cross section a plurality of the convolutions of said spring 23, with the innermost of which said shaft 24 remains in an operative association.

In a rigid association with the upper end of said spring casing 21, and centrally thereof, there is an upwardly extending annular block 25, through which the upper end of said shaft 24 is extended, and which functions as an upper bearing for the latter.

One end of the actuating arm 25 is rigidly engaged with the upper end of said shaft 24, by virtue of which arrangement said actuating arm 26 is capable of angular SWinging motions o-n horizontal plane in either direction when under the actuation of said shaft 24, to alternately assume a door-shut position shown in FIG. 2, or a door-open position, illustrated in PEG. 3.

The opposite end of said actuating arm is provided with an enlarged eye 27, for the purpose hereinafter stated.

Casing 22 encloses a hydraulically operable mechanism for the purpose of easing the angular shifting movement of the actuating arm 26 in either direction, for thereby preventing slamming of the door when the latter is brought to its shut position illustrated in FIG. 2, or for retarding sudden opening of the door when the latter is brought to its open position shown in FIG. 3.

Cooperating with said actuating arm 26 is a door-connecting arm 28, which is adapted for angular shifting movement upon a plane in a superimposed relation with the plane upon which said actuating arm 26 shifts. One end of said door-connecting arm 28 is provided with eye 29, which remains in a vertically alined relation with eye 27, with the two eyes receiving pin 39, by means of which said

arms

26 and 28 are hingedly or pivotally interconnected.

The opposite end of said connecting arm 28 is positioned between a pair of horizontal leaves 31 and pivoted upon pin 32 which is passed through said leaves 31 and the end of said door-connecting arm 28.

Said leaves 31 are integrally formed with bracket 33, which is affixed to the adjacent face of door 13 by means of screws 34. The position of said bracket 33 is of course related to the length of the said door-connecting arm 23, and this in turn is related to the required angularity of the door when in an open position with respect to the door opening, as well as to the required positioning of the door-connecting member which will be hereinafter described.

The above substantially describes a conventional doorcheck, supporting means therefor within a door frame, and its connecting means with the door, and the drawing illustrates the positions of the various parts of the doorcheck during the shut and open positions of the door.

'My invention, best shown in FIGS. 3, 4 and 5, consists of means for interconnecting the door-check with the door when the latter remains in an open position so as to render the door-check inoperative, that is incapable of shutting of the door, unless manually disconnected from the door, or unless, in case of fire in the vicinity of the door and consequent increase of temperature thereabout the said means itself is rendered inoperative due to the increased temperature, whereby the operation of the doorcheck is instantaneously and automatically reestablished so as to shut the door.

The means aforesaid, which will be presently described, requires no modification in the mechanism of the doorcheck hereinabove described, except in pin which forms a pivot for the joint defined by

eyes

27 and 29 in

arms

26 and 28, respectively. Namely, the lower end of said pin 39, as shown in FIG. 4, is lengthened to define stub 35, which extends below the lower end of eye 27. Dowel pin 36, or the like, may be extended through said stub 35 for preventing the dislocation of the adjacent end of the door-check actuating arm 26 from said pin 30. One end of chain 37 is in any suitable manner, such as by hook or the like, connected with said stub 35.

Adjacent the opposite end of said chain 37, one or more links thereof are substituted by plate 38, which is made of a fusible metal. Hook 3%, connected with the adjacent outer end of said plate 36 is engaged with eye 46 which is aflixed to door 13, adjacent its edge which is proximate to the vertical frame bar 12 with which hinges 14 are connected.

The modification shown in FIG. 5 contemplates the provision of a ball and socket connection, carried by the lower end of pin 30, with which the door-connecting member may be connected. This connection includes a socket member 41 depending from and in any suitable manner aflixable to the lower end of pin 30. Rod 42 is provided at its end with ball 43 receivable within the socket member 41. Connected to the opposite end of said rod 42 is an S-shaped hook 44, with which fusible plate 45 is connected. A like hook 46 connects with the opposite end of said plate 45, and is capable of engaging eye 40. Whether the door-connecting member shown in FIG. 4 or that illustrated in FIG. 5 is employed, in either case one or the other

fusible plate

38 or 45 is subject to melting due to increased temperature engendered by fire taking place in the vicinity of the door. Depending upon the composition of the fusible metal employed in

plates

38 or 47, either one is capable of melting at a comparatively low temperature, even at a temperature as low as degrees.

From the hereinabove description it will therefore be seen that either

plate

38 or 45 defines an insert, intermediately of the ends of the connecting members 37-39 and 42-46, respectively, which, when melted, is capable of severing one or the other of said connecting members, thereby reconditioning the operation of spring 23 for shifting

arms

26 and 28 to their acute-angled relative position, shown in FIG. 2, for thereby swinging door 13 to the closed position with relation to frame 12.

It is noted that either one of said connecting members, in FIG. 4 or in FIG. 5, when engaged through hook 39 or hook 46, respectively, with eye 40, renders spring 23 inoperative for angularly shifting arm 26 from its position shown in FIG. 3, to its acute-angled position with relation to arm 23, shown in FIG. 2. The inability of spring 23 to operate in order to angularly shift

arms

26 and 28 from their obtuse-angled or right-line relative position, shown in FIG. 3, to their acute-angled relative position shown in FIG. 2, results from the fact that the said connecting member remains in a transverse relative position with arm 26, thereby preventing the angular shifting thereof from its position in FIG. 3 to its position in FIG. 2. When the said connecting member remains in its operative position shown in FIG. 3, arm 26 will be rendered inoperative for exerting a pulling action upon arm 28 for closing door 13. It requires severing of the connecting member, due to the melting of one or the other of said

fusible plates

33 or 45, as the case may be, in order to release the hold upon arm 26 and thereby for reconditioning the operation of spring 23 in order to close the door.

Depending upon the length of arm 28, and the dis tance at which the connecting point 32 is located with relation to the edge of the door at which hinges 14 are connected,

arms

26 and 28 are capable of assuming a great range of mutual angular positions when the door is in an open relation with the frame, shown in FIG. 3, commencing with a substantially right angle position and ending with an obtuse-angled position as seen in FIG. 3. It is therefore to be understood that when reference is made to a substantially right-angle position of

arms

26 and 28 such position will include obtuse-angled position, and conversely by an obtuse-angled position will also be understood as including the right angle position.

For the eificient operation of the said connecting member, either that of FIG. 4 or of FIG. 5, the one or the other, in its operative position should preferably remain in a substantially perpendicular relation with door 13, as is seen in FIG. 3.

While the drawing presupposes the door-check as being connected with frame 12 through bracket plate 15, with arm 28 as being connected with the door at point 32, and the connecting member as being connected with the door at point 40, it is to be understood however that the device herein disclosed will equally well operate when the door-check is connected with door 13. In that latter case the connecting

points

32 and 40 should be upon frame 12. Such change requires merely reversal of positions of the several parts relative to the door and the door frame.

To recondition the door-check and the door for normal operation, all that is required to be done is to disconnect chain 37, or the ball and socket connection 4143, as the case may be, from pin 30, or in the alternative hook 39 or hook 46, as the case may be, from eye 40.

For the purpose of accommodating eye 40 within the bracket plate 15 in the event the latter is in a too close proximity to door 13 when the latter remains in a closed position, opening 47 is made in the said bracket plate 15, into which opening said eye 40 is capable of falling, when the door is brought to a shut position by the doorcheck, as is indicated by FIG. 1. Obviously, said opening 47 and eye 40 should be in alinement so that bracket plate 15 may not obstruct said eye 40.

From the hereinabove description it will be apparent that the connecting member aforesaid, shown either in FIG. 4 or in FIG. 5, may be easily connected with doorchecks now in operation with doors.

Adapting of the said connecting member for use with the existing door-checks, no structural alterations are required in the latter. All that is required to be done is the lengthening of pivot pin 30 so that the depending stub 35 may extend past the joint forward by said pin 30 at the ends of

arms

26 and 28, in order that said stub 35 may be engaged with chain 37 or the socket and ball connection 4143, as the case may be, and of course connecting eye 40 with the door, to receive the disengageable connection for the opposite end of the con necting member through hooks 39 or 46, as the case may be.

It is also observed that although the eye 40 is preferably engaged with door 13 adjacent the edge thereof at which hinges 14 are located, the possibility of having said eye 40 engaged with frame 12, or for that matter with any object outside of the door or its frame, is not excluded, provided that said eye 40- may constitute a fixed and immovable point with relation to pin 30, and located at a point which would maintain the said connecting member, when in an operative position, substantially in a transverse relation with arm 26 so as to prevent the angular shifting movement thereof in the direction which would tend to shift said arm 26 to its acuteangled position with relation to arm 28, shown in FIG. 2.

Fire originating in the environs of door 13 or frame 12, and the resulting increased temperature thereabout, to a degree capable of melting the fusible metal of which either

plate

38 or 45 is made, will bring about severance in the corresponding connecting member, rendering the latter inoperative, for thereby releasing the hold upon arm 26, reconditioning the operation of spring 23-, and thereby bringing door 13 to its closed position with relation to the door frame 12, as seen in FIG. 2.

While there is described herein a preferred embodiment of the present invention, it is nevertheless to be understood that minor changes may be made therein without depatring from the spirit and scope of the invention as claimed.

What I claim as new is:

1. In a door closing device for urging a door to a closed position with a door frame, a pair of arms, a vertical pivot pin interconnecting the adjacent ends of said arms, the opposite end of one of said arms being pivotally connected to the door, the opposite end of the other of said arms being pivotally connected to the door frame, said arms assuming a substantially right-angle position when the door remains in an open position relative to the door frame, tensioning means in association with one of said arms for inducing relative angular shifting motion to said arms for bringing the latter to a substantially acuteangled mutual relation for thereby swinging the door to a closed relation with respect to the frame, an oblong connecting member, means for engaging one end of said connecting member with the lower end of said pivot pin, said oblong connecting member terminating in an opposite end fixedly carrying a terminal, disengageable connecting device for disengageably connecting the said opposite end of the oblong member to a fixed connecting member located at a point which is in spaced distanced relation with said pivot pin, said device being spaced from contact with said arms, said means for engaging one end of said connecting member with the lower end of said pivot pin and said device both supporting said oblong connecting member upon a plane disposed below the plane upon which said arms shift and in a substantially transverse relation with one of said arms with which said tensioning means is associated for rendering said tensioning means inoperative for maintaining said arms in a substantially right-angle position for thereby maintaing the door in a fixed open position relative to the door frame, and an insert of fusible metal intermcdiately of the ends of said oblong connecting member, said insert being capable of melting by an increased temperature resulting from fire in the vicinity of the door for thereby severing said oblong connecting member for reconditioning the operation of said tensioning means for shifting said arms to a substantially acute-angled mutual relation for thereby bringing the door to a closed relation with respect to the door frame, the severed parts of the oblong member being maintained by said pin and the cooperable relation of said connecting device and said connecting member in positions which are out of the planes of movement of the door and the arms to thereby prevent said severed parts from interfering with automatic closing of the door.

2. A thermally influenced door closing device for induc ing closing of a door with relation to a cooperating door frame, comprising a pair of arms, a joint formed by the adjacent one ends of said arms whereby the latter being capable of a mutual angular swinging motions for alternately assuming a substantially right-angle position when the door remains in an open relation with the door frame or a substantially acute-angled mutual relation when the door remains in a closed position with respect to the door frame, said joint including a vertically disposed pivot pin, the lower end of said pin being extended past said arms for defining a downwardly depending stub, the opposite end of one of said anms being pivotally connected to the door, the opposite end of the other of said arms being pivotally connected to the door frame, tensioning means for normally urging said arms from a substantially rightangle position to a substantially acute-angled mutual relation for thereby swinging the door from its open to a closed position with respect to the door frame, an oblong connecting member engageable by one of its ends with said stub when said arms remain in a substantially rightangle position, the opposite end of said connecting member fixedly carrying a terminal disengageable connecting device for disengageably connecting the said opposite end of the oblong member to a fixed connecting member which is located at a point which is spaced and distanced from said stub, said stub, and said connecting device when in engagement with said fixed connecting member, being adapted to support said oblong connecting member upon a plane disposed below the plane upon which said arms are positioned, said device and said connecting member being capable of supporting said oblong connecting member in a substantially transverse relation with said arms when the latter remain in a substantially right-angled mutual position for thereby rendering said tensioning means inoperative for thereby maintaining the door in a fixed opened position with respect to the door frame, and an insert of fusible metal intermediately of the ends of said oblong connecting member, said insert being capable of melting by an increased temperature resulting from fire in the vicinity of the door for thereby severing said ohlong connecting member fcr reconditioning the operation of said tensioning means for shifting said arms to a substantially acute-angled mutual relation for thereby automatically bringing the door to a. closed position with respect to the door frame, the severed parts of the oblong member being maintained by said stub and the cooperative relation of said connecting device and said connecting member in positions which are out of the planes of movement of the door and the arms to thereby prevent said severed parts from interfering with automatic closing of the door.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,257,301 Ball Feb. 26, 1918 1,278,465 Henry Sept. 10, 1918 1,319,173 Norton Oct. 21, 1919 2,056,876 Williams Oct. 6, 1936 2,329,476 Livingston Sept. 14, 1943

Claims

1. IN A DOOR CLOSING DEVICE FOR URGING A DOOR TO A CLOSED POSITION WITH A DOOR FRAME, A PAIR OF ARMS, A VERTICAL PIVOT PIN INTERCONNECTING THE ADJACENT ENDS OF SAID ARMS, THE OPPOSITE END OF ONE OF SAID ARMS BEING PIVOTALLY CONNECTED TO THE DOOR, THE OPPOSITE END OF THE OTHER OF SAID ARMS BEING PIVOTALLY CONNECTED TO THE DOOR FRAME, SAID ARMS ASSUMING A SUBSTANTIALLY RIGHT-ANGLE POSITION WHEN THE DOOR REMAINS IN AN OPEN POSITION RELATIVE TO THE DOOR FRAME, TENSIONING MEANS IN ASSOCIATION, WITH ONE OF SAID ARMS FOR INDUCING RELATIVE ANGULAR SHIFTING MOTION TO SAID ARMS FOR BRINGING THE LATTER TO A SUBSTANTIALLY ACUTEANGLED MUTUAL RELATION FOR THEREBY SWINGING THE DOOR TO A CLOSED RELATION WITH RESPECT TO THE FRAME, AN OBLONG CONNECTING MEMBER, MEANS FOR ENGAGING ONE END OF SAID CONNECTING MEMBER WITH THE LOWER END OF SAID PIVOT PIN, SAID OBLONG CONNECTING MEMBER TERMINATING IN AN OPPOSITE END FIXEDLY CARRYING A TERMINAL DISENGAGEABLE CONNECTING DEVICE FOR DISENGAGEABLY CONNECTING THE SAID OPPOSITE END OF THE OBLONG MEMBER TO A FIXED CONNECTING MEMBER LOCATED AT A POINT WHICH IS IN SPACED DISTANCED RELATION WITH SAID PIVOT PIN, SASID DEVICE BEING SPACED FROM CONTACT WITH SAID ARMS, SAID MEANS FOR ENGAGING ONE END OF SAID CONNECTING MEMBER WITH THE LOWER END OF SAID PIVOT PIN AND SAID DEVICE BOTH SUPPORTING SAID OBLONG CONNECTING MEMBER UPON A PLANE DISPOSED BELOW THE PLANE UPON WHICH SAID ARMS SHIFT AND IN A SUBSTANTIALLY TRANSVERSE RELATION WITH ONE, OF SAID ARMS WITH WHICH SAID TENSIONING MEANS IS ASSOCIATED FOR RENDERING SAID TENSIONING MEANS INOPERATIVE FOR MAINTAINING SAID ARMS IN A SUBSTANTIALLY RIGHT-ANGLE POSITION FOR THEREBY MAINTAINING THE DOOR IN A FIXED OPEN POSITION RELATIVE TO THE DOOR FRAME, AND AND INSERT OF FUSIBLE METAL INTERMEDIATELY OF THE ENDS OF SAID OBLONG CONNECTING MEMBER, SAID INSERT BEING CAPABLE OF MELTING BY AN INCREASED TEMPERATURE RESULTING FROM FIRE IN THE VICINITY OF THE DOOR FOR THEREBY SEVERING SAID OBLONG CONNECTING MEMBER FOR RECONDITIONING THE OPERATION OF SAID TENSIONING MEANS FOR SHIFTING SAID ARMS TO A SUBTANTIALLY ACUTE-ANGLED MUTUAL RELATION FOR THEREBY BRINGING THE DOOR TO A CLOSED RELATION WITH RESPECT TO THE DOOR FRAME, THE SEVERED PARTS OF THE OBLONG MEMBER BEING MAINTAINED BY SAID PIN AND THE COOPERABLE RELATION OF SAID CONNECTING DEVICE AND SAID CONNECTING MEMBER IN POSITIONS WHICH ARE OUT OF THE PLANES OF MOVEMENT OF THE DOOR AND THE ARMS TO THEREBY PREVENT SAID SEVERED PARTS FROM INTERFERING WITH AUTOMATIC CLOSING OF THE DOOR.