US1880711A - Door holding device - Google Patents

Description

Oct. 4,1932. BITTQRF 880,711

DOOR HOLDING DEVI CE Filed Oct. 20. 1930 2' Sheets-Sheet 1 \w v v 6 19 Oct. 4, 1932. 1.. A. BITTORF ,8 1

DOOR HOLDING DEVICE Filed Oct. 20, 1950 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 I m "Hi iatented Oct. 4, 1932 rat-Ear orries on s n trogen; or srnnnrne, I LIivOIs, As'sIeNpn-ro NATIONAL MANUFACTURING loolyrrnlvv, on srnntrne, rrinr vors, n oonrone'rron or IL InoIs noon HOLDING anvron Application filed-October 20, 1930. Serial No. 489,757.

' y n -inn re ate t Q 1 fh ldi1 g s- .vices of :that general type adapted to autom ice' y latch an retain sw nging. do r and the-1ike,in predet rmine open posit n p eventing accide tal c osing o t Sa Whiie invention i dap ed t va c s kinds of doors Ofztllls charaeteniti W l s i ed for garage,.or similardoors.

One of the objectsof my invention is to provide asimple and inexpensivedevice of the foregoingcharacter which is positive in action and which automatically secures and holdsthe-swinging door against closing due to any jar forcefor shock when the door has been movedto a predetermined openposition, but which provides for-the ready andconvenient release of the door when itis desired to close the same. V

Another obj ect is to provide a door holding device which-embodies improved details of construction rendering the same more efiicient in action andmore durablethan devices heretofore employed. Additional objects are to prov de a doorholding device embodying a. minimum of moving parts; toreduce wear'to a minimum; to so relatively'shape and-position the several parts ofthe device thatthey provideia structure self-braced against strains and stresses in any directionQthus insuring a rigid and long-life door-holding means, ,ahdto so mount the latching means with respect tothe keeper that the strains and stresses upon the keeper are imposed at such a point that thedoor lioldingbar is rigidly retained and there is a minimumoi strain uponthekeeper with lessened probability of distortion of the keeper. Other objects and advantages will become apparent as this description "progresses and by reference tothe drawings wherein,

Figure 1 is a. partial elevational .view of a door structure embodying my invention, the parts of such structure being shown in door.- closed position. and certain of the parts, being broken away to more clearlyshow the door holding device i n its relation to the doorstructa -F ig. 21is a horizontal-section taken substantially on line-2 2' ofFig. 1, the door beingshown in open position in full lines and in 'closed position in dottedlines;

Fig.3 is an enlarged sectional view of the outer end portion of the door holding device, showing the latching means in :full' lines engaged with the keeper, the disengaging posiitiofn of the devicebeing indicated in dotted mes; v V

Fig. lis'a bottom plan-view of the bar and latch structure shown in Fig. 8,.except that a different form of connection between the latch and its operating bar is employed;

Fig. '5 is a side View, partially .in section of another .form ofdoor holder embodying my invention;

. Fig. 6 is a section taken substantially online .66 of Fig. V Fig. 7 is a side view of stillanother structure constructed in accordance with myinvention; and 7 Fig. Sis asectional viewtaken as at 88 of Fig. .7 showing a different form of latch member.

It will be understood-that while Ihavechosen to illustrate my invention in connection with the arrangement shownin the drawings, I donot wish to be limitedto the same since it is obvious that my invention has utility in any instance where it isdesired to automati cally latch the swinging member in a predetermined open position in condition for ready and convenient release of the latch when itis desired to closethe swinging member.

Referring particularly to the drawings, the stru ctu-re disclosed takes the form of. top and side. door framemembers :10 and .11, respectively, forming adoorway 12-.adaptedto be closed by a pair of doors 1-3 .14 swingingly mounted by means-of asuitable number of hinges 15; It ill be appreciated that in the use ofdoors of this character for garages, and

the like,'forexample, ittis highly desirable to provide some .means which automatically latches thedoor in open position to avoid closing of thedoor when -avehicle'is being moved. into or removed from the garage through the doorway, wlnolrclosmg -might take place .(if not guarded against) due to drafts, gusts of wind, jars, shocks, etc.

' I provide such alatching and holding-de- &,

vice, one form of which, as shown in the draw- 1ngs,compr1ses an arm 16 of inverted U-shape 1n cross section secured at one end to the upper part of the door by means of a bracket 17 and having its other and free end passed through a rectangularly-shaped opening .18 in the keeper 19 which is secured to the inner and under side of the door frame member 10 at the proper location, as illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2. It will be understood that the mounting for this arm '16 must be such that such arm will automatically acljustitselfin' the opening and closing movements of the door. To th1s end, a vertlcal hinge 00111160131011 20'is provided between the arm 16 and the bracket 17 which is so arranged that it, preferably, permits of only horizontal swinging movement of the arm 16 about the pivot. The keeper 19 is mounted at such an angle that the arm will readily move back and forth through its opening 18 in the opening and closing movements of the door as illustrated by the full and dotted lines in Fig. 2.

The keeper opening 18 is of only slightly greater height than the depth of the U-arm 16, and complete withdrawal ofthe arm from the keeper in the opening movement of the door is prevented by a stop-abutment block 21 (Fig. 3)secured as by means of rivets 22 withinthe extreme forward (or free) end of the arm. This block is extended upwardly through a slot 23 in the top portion of the point near its attachment ,to the door frame' whereby such movement will be rigidly opposed by the keeper and there will be a minimum of strain on the keeper minimizing the possibility of distortion and misalignmentof the same under such conditions.

I have found in devices of this general type heretofore employed that the latching means is not sufficiently positive in action to certainlyinsure automatic latching of the door when the door is swung open quickly and with considerable force tending to jar, vi-' brate and cause'a rebound action in the holding bar (such as the bar 16). "To, guard against any such condition as that, I provide in the form shown in Figs. 1 to 4. inclusive, a positively acting, gravity operated i latch which does not depend for action'upo'n springs, and the like, and which latch isso rapid in action that under all conditions of door opening 1 (and jarring and rebounding of the bar), the door'will become and will remain latched in such condition, but in such condition that it is readily and conveniently releasable. More particularly, the slotted forward top portion 23 of the bar 16is extended longitudinally to provide an 0 ening adjacent (and inwardly of) the stop a utment 21 through which normally projects the latching end 24 of ar-latch member 25. This latch member, preferably, is formed from'a piece of metal which is U-shaped in cross section so that each'half s'ectioned part of thelatch takes the form shown in the sectional view'of Fig. 3. This latch member is *pivotally eonnected-, preferably, near its center topportion to the U-bar 16 by means of a cross P111 25*, the relative sizes of the parts being such that the latch member is, preferably, wholly concealed within the U-bar eX cepting its bifurcate latching end part 24. The latch end portions 24 of the member 25 are provided with a beveled surface 24 tapering downwardly and'inwardly toward the inner top portion of the bar. adjacent the inner end ofthe latch slot 23. a It will be noted that theinwardfedges 24 of the latch portions 24, in the latching position of the latch member '(Fig. 3) assume a substantially vertical position substantially parallel with (and substantially. abutting) the inward edge 23 of the latch slot. In this manner the arm 16 braces the latch member 25 when it is holding the door open and provides avery rigid structure which securely opposes strains and stresses tending to close the door. In this case also the relationship tothe forward edge surface of the latch portions 24' and the keeper-ens gaged part tends to provide a quite rigid arrangement, minimizing the possibility of dis tortion of the keeper due to door-closing strains and stresses.

r The latch member 25 is normally held in its latching position, and is also releasable, by means of a metal bar26 operatively associated at its outward end with the latch member and pivotally supported by the U-arm at 27 near its other end. This bar is,'preferably,

so located that it is concealed within and sheltered by the arm 16;.and its forward end is provided with a conically-shaped slot 26 which receives the U-base .p'ortion 25 of the latch member, as, best shown in Fig. 3. This arrangement permits free relative hinging movement as between the operating bar 26 land the latch member 25.

It is desirable to limit the unlatching movement of the latch member 25. To that end, the bottom portion of the free end abutment block 21is extended inwardly as at 21 to such a point that when the forward (or outer) end of the latch'member' is moved downwardly to 'a'predetermined (and unlatching) extent, its i'forward bottom portion will strike the stop 21 and; prevent further downward movement of the member in question. If desired, a suitable pin- (not'shown) may be supported by the :U-arm' 1 6 beneath the. bar-26 at door end of the latter.

The downward movement ofthe latch member is accomplished by meansof a chain 27, or other suitable operating means, secured to-the inward, or door, end of the operating bar 26, whereby upon grasping the chain 27 and pulling downwardly on the same, the bar 26 is swung about its pivot 27 moving its forward end upwardly and swinging the latch member about its pivot to move its latch portion 24 downwardly. The operating bar 26 is of sufficient weight to at all times hold the latch member in its latching position.

In the general operation of the structure of Figs. 1 to 4, inclusive, when the door is moved open, at any speed, or under any condition, the bar 16 slides through the keeper opening 18 and, as this movement continues, the tapered surfaces 24 of the latch portion 24 strike the upper edge of the keeper opening and are depressed until the bar moves on further through the keeper and strikes the abutment 21*. Just as soon as the latch portions 24 pass beyond the keeper, the latch member is moved (instantaneously) upwardly to confine the keeper between the abutment 21 and the latch portion (Fig. The parts will positively remain in this position until the chain 27 is operated to release the latch as above explained. The above action takes place regardless of vibration of the bar 16 or the door or any of the parts during the opening movement of the door and notwithstanding the fact that the door may be opened with such force and with such jar and shock results that there may be a tendency to deflect the free end of the bar 16 laterally and vertically.

The form shown in Fig. 4 is thesame as p the bar 26 is connected to the latch member 25 by means of a pivot pin 28, in which case the adjacent bottom portion of the U-shaped a latch member is slotted as at 29 to permit free hinging movement ofthese parts.

Referring now to the structure of Figs. 5 and 6, it is substantially the same as that of the form of Fig. 1, except as to the specific latch means. This latch means comprises a latch member 30 which is similar to the latch member 25 and which has a latching element 31 cooperating with an abutment 32 at the free end of the supporting arm 33. This latch member is spring-controlled as follows: Its rear U-base portion supports a relatively short upstanding rod .34 having one end guidingly supporting a coil spring 35 seated in theU-base portion of the latch member 30 with its other end preferably normally engaging. the adjacent U-base portion of the arm 33 tending to move the latch member toward and hold it yieldably in the latching position shown in Fig. 5. 1 The latch member30 is pivotally supportpivotally connected to the upwardly pro-' jecting end of the bell-crank lever 39 which is pivotall supported by the arm 33 as at 40. An operating chain or handle 41 is connected'to the other end of the lever 39 and by moving the same downwardly the latch member 1s moved to unlatch the same. Further operation is the same as that of the form of Fig. 1

In the structure shown in Fig. 7, the supporting arm 42 is the same as that of the previous figuresand is provided at its free end with the abutment 43. The latching means takes the form of a latch member 44 having a latching element 45 projecting upwardly through the slot 46 in the arm 42, inward of theabutment 43. This latch member may take a U-shape in cross section or may be forn ed of bar material as shown; and it is pivotally supported by the arm 42 at 47 so that the spring48 connected to its inward end and to the lower part of the arm tends to move the latch member to and yieldably hold it in latching position. In case a latch member of iJ-shape in cross section is employed, its bottom may be slotted at 49 so as to mount the spring 48 as illustrated in Fig. 8. 1

To move the latch member to unlatching position, I provide a bar 50 pivotally sup.- ported at '51 by arm 42 and having its forward end pivotally connected at 52 to the latch member 44. A cable or handle 53 is connected to the other end of this bar for obvious unlatching movement of these parts. Further construction and operation of this form is substantially'the same as the previously-described forms.

It will be understood that while I have shown and described several forms of my invention, other changes in details and arrange? ment of parts may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention as defined by the claims which'follow.

I claim:

1. In a door-holder, a bar of inverted U- shape in cross section, a bracket adapted to be attached to the door and to which one end of said bar is pivoted, a keeper adapted to be fixedly mounted in the doorway and having an opening through which the nonpiv oted end of said bar projects, an abutment at the upper side of the non-pivoted end of said bar. adapted to engage said keeper above said opening to limit the opening movement of the bar, and latch means carried by said bar comprising a member pivotally supported near the non-pivoted end of said bar and having a latch element projecting upwardly through aslot in the upper surface of said bar immediately inward of said abutment, a comparatively long bar member p'ivotally its mounted near its one end in said U-bar near the pivoted end of said U-bar, the forward end ofsaid long bar. member having free swing able engagement with said latch member whereby the weight of said bar member tends normally to throw said latch member and element to and hold it in latching posi tion wherein the surface of said keeper above its opening is confined between said latch elements and abutment, and means connected to the end of said bar member opposite its connection with said latch member for swinging its other end upwardly to unlatch said latch element for closing movement of the door. I I

2. Door holding means which comprises an arm of inverted U-shape in cross section, a bracket adapted to be secured to the door and to which said arm is pivoted, a keeper adapted to be secured in the doorway and having an opening through which said arm projects, the keeper end of said armat its top being slotted, an abutment member at the keeper end of said arm projecting upwardly through said-slot, and latch means including a relatively short member pivotally mounted within the U-section of said arm and having a latch element projecting upwardly through said slot in spaced relation to said abutment to confine in the open position of the door the surface of said keeper above said opening,

and latch operating-means associated with said latch member tending to at all times move said latch member under the weight of said means to and hold it in latching position, but operable manually to release said latch member for closing movement of the door.

3. Door holding means which comprises an arm of inverted U-shape in cross section, a bracket adapted to be secured to the door and to which said arm is pivoted, a keeper adapted to be secured in the doorway and having an opening through which said arm projects, the keeper end of said arm at its top .being slotted, and an abutmentmember at the keeper end of said arm projecting upwardly through said slot and latch means including a relatively short memberof U-shape in cross section pivotally mounted within the U-section of said arm and having a latch element projecting upwardly through said slot in spaced relation tosaid abutment to confine in the open position of the door the surface of said keeper above said opening, and latch operating means swingably associated with the end of said latch member opposite said elements tending to at all times move said latch member to and hold it in latching position, but operable manually to release said latch member for closing movement of the door.

4. Door holding means which comprises an arm of inverted U-shape in cross section, abracket adapted to be secured to the door and to which said arm is pivoted, a keeper adapted to be secured in the doorway and having an opening through which said arm projects, thekeeper endof said arm at its topbeing slotted, an abutment member at the keeper end of said arm projecting upwardly through saidslot, and latch means including a relatively short member pivotlong bar swingably engaged with said latch member at one end and extending substantially to the pivoted end of said arm, said bar being pivotally supported by said arm near the pivoted end of the latter, and means connected to said bar at its end opposite its connection to said latch member for swinging it about its pivotal support to move said latch member to unlatching position for closing movement of the door.

5. A door-holder which comprises a keepor adapted to be mounted in the doorway, an arm adapted to be swingably connected to the door at one end, said keeper having an opening which receives, supports and guides said arm, an abutment member at the free end of said arm projecting thereabove to en gage said keeper above its opening, a latch member pivotally supported by said arm and having a depressible latch element normally projecting above said arm in slightly spaced relation to said abutment and adapted to confine the keeper surface above the keeper opening in the open position of the door, means tending to hold said latch member in its latching position, means for moving said latch holding means to move said latch member to unlatching position, said abutment member being extended along the bottom of said arm beneath said latch member to limit the unlatching movement of said latch member. V

6. A door holding structure which comprises a keeper having an opening therein and adapted to be mounted in the doorway, an arm adapted to have its one end swingably connected to the door and projecting through the keeper opening for guidance and support, an abutment member at the free end of said arm projecting'thereabove for engagement with said keeper limiting the opening movement of the door, a latch memspace in which the surface of said keeper aboveits opening is confined in the open position of the door, a latch operating bar pivotally supported near its one end by said arm near-the connection of the latter to the door,

which bar has rocking engagement with said latch member at its end farthest removed from its pivotal support whereby the weight of said bar tends at all times to rock said latch member about its pivotal support'to normally hold said latch element in its latching position, but with said latch element and member depressible automatically upon contact with the keeper in opening movement of the door, and means connected to the end of said bar opposite its connection with said latch member for rocking said bar about its pivotal support to rock said latch member to unlatching position.

7. A door-holder which includes a keeper adapted to be mounted in the doorway and an arm adapted to be swingably connected to the door, said keeper having an opening receiving and guiding said arm in the opening and closing movements of the door, an abutment member at the free end of said arm adapted to engage said keeper on one side of said opening, a latch member mounted at the free end of said arm and having a latch element projected in slightly spaced relation to said abutment member providing a space for receiving and confining said keeper surface, said latch element having along its edge opposite its keeper-engaging portion a vertical edge surface, and said arm having a similar surface adjacent the vertical edge surface of said latch element abutted by the vertical edge surface of said latch element, whereby door closing strains and stresses transmitted to said latch element are transmitted directly by said arm surface.

8. In a door-holder, a keeper having an opening adapted to be mounted in the doorway, an arm of inverted U-shape in cross section adapted to be swingably connected to the door, the upper side of said arm at its free end being slotted, an abutment member at the free end of said arm projecting upwardly through said slot for abutting engagement with said keeper in the door opening movement of said door, and a latch member pivotally supported near the free end of said arm and having a latch element pro-' j ecting upwardly through said slot in slightly spaced relation to said abutment, said latch element having its surface adjacent said abutment member adapted to engage the keeper in the closing movement of the door, the surface of said element opposite said keeper-engaging face being so shaped as to be substantially vertical in the latching-position of said element and engaging the inward wall of said slot in such position whereby door closing thrusts are taken, in part, by the upper surface of said arm, and means for operating said latch member.

9. In a door-holder, a keeper having an opening adapted to be mounted in the doorway, an arm adapted to be swingably connected to the door and guidingly supported and being of U-shape in cross section, andv means for operating said latch member which includes a bar pivotally mounted upon (m said arm and having one end slotted to rock in'gly embrace the U-base portion of said latch member for swinging said latch member about its pivotal support to hold the same in latching position and to move the same to an unlatching position.

10. In a door holder, an arm adapted to be swingingly connected at one end to a door, an abutment member at the other end of said arm, a latch member pivotally supported by said arm and having a latch element at one end cooperating with said keeper, an operating device pivotally connected to the other endiof said latch member and adapted to be reciprocated longitudinally of said arm for moving said latch memberabout its pivotal connection to depress said latch element, and

spring means moving said latch member to and yieldingly' holding it in latching position. 11. In a door holder, an armadapted to be swingingly connected at oneend toa door,

an abutment member at the other end of said arm, a latch member pivotally supported by said arm and having a latch element at one" end cooperating with said keeper, an operating rod pivotally connected at its one end to i the other end of said latch member, a bellcrank lever pivotally supported by said arm at its door-connecting end which lever is also pivotally connected to the other end of said rod,manually-operable means connected to said lever for swinging it for unlatching movement of said rod and latch member, and" spring means tending to move said latch member toward and holding it yieldably in latching position.

12. In a door holder, an arm of' inverted U-shaped in cross-section slotted at one end, an abutment supported by one end of said arm andprojecting through said slotted portion, a latch member pivotally supported within said arm and having a latch element projecting upward through said slotted portion slightly inward of said abutment, a latch operating member pivotally supported by the end of said arm opposite said slotted portion. a connecting link between said members, and spring means yieldably holding said latch member in latching position.

13. In a door holder,'an arm adapted to be swingingly connected to a swingable closure, a pair of bars each pivotally connected to said arm and pivotally'connected with each other,

an abutment carried at one end of said arm' ion ' and means connected to the otherof said bars 7 for movingsaid bars to move said latch ele-v ment to unlatohing position. b l

14. In a door holder. an arm adapted to be swingingly connected to a swingable closure, a pair of members each pivotally connected to said arm and pivotally connected with each other, an abutment carried at one end of said arm and projecting thereabove, oneof-said members having a latch element projecting above said arm in slightly spaced relation to said abutment, said members being so connected that they normally tend to swing downwardly about their pivotally connected ends, in which position said'latch element is raised into latching position, spring means connected to said arm and to said latch-elementsupporting member holding said latch element yieldably in latching position, and means connected to the otherof said members for moving said members to move'said latch element to unlatching position.

15. A door holder which comprisesa keeper adapted to be mounted in the doorway, "an arm member adapted to be swingably connected to the door at one end with its other end free, said keeper member having an opening which guidingly receives and supports said arm for movement to and from dooropen and door-closed positions, an abutment element at the free end of said arm proj eotin g thereabove to engage said keeper above its opening in the door-open position of said arm, a latch element supported by and pivoted to one of said members and arranged for movement into slightly spaced relation to said abutment element with the keeper surface above the keeper opening confined therebe tween and means carried bv and movable relative to said arm member for moving said latch element awayfrom said abutment element to an unlatching position to permit movement of said arm member to its doorclosed position.

In testimony whereof, I have subscribed my name. or V LOUIS A. BITTORF.

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