US559382A

US559382A - Charles hoffman

Info

Publication number: US559382A
Authority: US
Publication date: 1896-05-05
Anticipated expiration: 1913-05-05

Description

(No Model.)

0. HOFFMAN. DOOR BRAGE.

No. 659.382. l Patented May 5,1896.

AN DREW BJBHAHAM. FHOTOUTHQWASMNEIDIQ. [1.0.

UNITED STATES PATENT I OFFICE.

CHARLES HOFFMAN, OF SPOKANE, WVASHINGTON, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO CHARLES LIFTOHILD, OF SAME PLACE.

DOOR-BRACE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 559,382, dated May 5, 1896. A lication filed December 30,1895. Serial No. 573,773. (NoinodeL) To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES HOFFMAN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Spokane, in the county of Spokane and State of Washington, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Door-Braces; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same. The object of this invention is to produce a simple and efficient door-brace which is capable of being folded into small compass and carried in the pocket when not in use.

A device embodying the invention will be hereinafter fully set forth and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a side elevation of such a device as applied to the bottom of an ordinary door. Fig. 2 is a sectional view in the line (13 m of Fig. 3 as in the act of applying the same to a door. Fig. 3 is a plan view of the same. Fig. 4 is a side elevation of the same closed. Fig. 5 is a similar view of an improved form of the same.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.

In the drawings, A designates the lower end of a door, and the line B the surface of the floor.

The door-brace, which is made of steel, consists of a hooked and bifurcated abutment O, a connecting-link D, and a spur E, adapted to engage the floor by its outer pointed end. These parts are hinged together in a manner similar to the structure of a combination pocket-knife, as will be seen. The link D is pivoted at at near the closed end of the abutment 0 and between the legs thereof, which terminate in angular projections c c to engage the bottom of the door and prevent the abutment from slipping up on the face thereof. The other end of the link is formed like an ordinary knife-blade shank and is pivoted to the spur E at c. This is provided with a spring F, similar to the spring of a knifehandle, suitably fastened by rivets f f. The extreme end of the spur preferably forms two prongs or tangs, as shown in Fig. 3, which are adapted to penetrate the floor a short distance and hold the door securely closed when set in the position shown in Fig. 1.

WVhen not in use, the article folds up completely, as shown in Figs. 4 and 5, and may then be conveniently carried in the pocket.

In the improved form shown in Fig. 5 the tangs are hooked a little at e, so as the better to enter the floor, and the body of the spur E, which ismade considerably wider, .so as to meet or nearly meet the abutment in the folded position, is notched at e to receive the hooks c c.

The jointed structure of the device is not only advantageous when not in use, but affords a very simple and efficient means for applying it to a door as a brace against intruders. This will be apparent by reference to Fig. 2, Where the apparatus is placed in the position preliminary to bracing the door. By pressing down on the joint e the points of the spur are forced in to the floor, and the door is pressed closely against its stops, thus holding it securely against rattling, as well as against burglars or other intruders.

Having thus described my invention, I claim- 1. A door-brace composed of an abutment with a hook at the lower end to engage the bottom of the door, a link hinged to the abut 8o ment near its upper end, and a spur of practically the same length as the link hinged to it with a rule-joint whereby the link and spur form a rigid brace when in practically a straight line, the whole being adapted to fold together, with the upper end of the abutment at one end and the rule-joint at the other, as described.

2. In a door-brace, the combination of a bifurcated abutment adapted to engage the 0 lower end ofthe door, a link hinged between the legs thereof, a spur hinged to the other end of said link and provided with a spring of the link, the device being adapted to fold to engage a notch in said link, substantially together When not in use, as described. 10 as described. In testimony whereof I affix my signature 3. In a door-brace, the combination of the in presence of two Witnesses. 5 bifurcated abutment 0, having the hooks c c, CHARLES HOFFMAN.

the link D hinged thereto the spur E hav- Witnesses:

ing notches e and e, and provided with the CHARLES LIFTCHILD, spring F adapted to engage a notch at the end WVM. B. COWGILL.