US3357040A

US3357040A - Door closer

Info

Publication number: US3357040A
Application number: US438515A
Authority: US
Inventors: Robert D Macdonald
Original assignee: Cardinal of Adrian Inc
Current assignee: Cardinal of Adrian Inc
Priority date: 1965-03-10
Filing date: 1965-03-10
Publication date: 1967-12-12
Anticipated expiration: 1984-12-12

Description

Dec. 12, 1967l R.\D. MaCDONALD v3,357,040

DOOR CLOSER Filed March l0, 1965 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 ,47- TOAPA/fys Dec. 12, 1967 R. D. MaCDoNALD 3,3575040 DOOR CLOSER Filed March l0, 1965 l y 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR @05E/Pr Q MAfoA/Aw Dec. l2, 1967 R. D. MacDoNALD DOR CLOSER 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed March l0, 1965 y/ Av INVENTOR MM50/mw /DaE/Pr BY v Tram/5K5 United States Patent Gftice Patented Dec.` l2, 1967 3,357,040 DOR CLSER Robert D. MacDenaid, Adrian, Mich., assigner to Cardinal of Adrian, Inc., a corporation of Michigan Filed lviar. 10, 1965, Ser. No. 438,515 8 Claims. (Cl. 11S- 51) ABSTRACT F THE DISCLOSURE A door closer of a compact and relatively maintenance free design is provided. The closer employs a circular flexible tube with liquid therein and with the tube having a passage and a restriction through which liquid is forced by a pressure roller when the door is opened and closed. The roller is positioned relatively near the restriction in one direction around the tube t-han in the other direction so that the tube can expand more when the door is opened than when the door is closed. In this manner, a greater resistance to closing movement of the door results than to opening movement of the door. The door closer also has a unique compact construction in which the liquid tube, pressure roller, and spring are compactly located in a generally concentric relationship.

This invention relates to a door closer and more particularly to an improved rotary type door closer.

Door clOsers are well known in the art and various types date back many years. Rotary type door closers have been found to be particularly advantageous because they can be made smaller than the usual piston type and have less tendency to obstruct the door opening. Further, there is no greasy piston rod to soil clothing.

Rotary type door closets, however, are used comparatively little because of various operating difficulties. One problem in such closers is oil leakage which is common because of the various seals required between the moving parts to hold in the oil used to dampen movement of the door. The seals also are particularly vulnerable to wear due to the rotary motions involved. Rotary door closers tend to be more expensive than the usual piston or linear type because they require complex parts and a considerable amount of machining, as well as close tolerances. The rotary closers also are frequently diicult to adjust and to set in a manner to obtain desired opening and closing operations and motions. With such closers, for example, the door can close sharply if it is very quickly opened and released.

The present invention relates to a rotary door closer having many advantages over those heretofore known. Besides having all of the advantages of rotary type door closers, the new closer also includes a sealed oil unit or ring which eliminates all seals between moving parts, thereby eliminating leaks. The new rotary closer also is relatively inexpensive, requiring a minimum number of machining operations. The new closer also is capable of controlling the opening and closing of a door more eiectively than those heretofore known. The closer enables the door te be opened with minimum resistance. In one embodiment of the invention, the closer also relieves the damping action on the door immediately prior to latching so that most of the power of the closing spring can be used to close the door without resistance during the last small portion of the closing motion.

It is, therefore, a principal object of the invention to provide an improved rotary type door closer without any tuid seals between moving parts.

Another object of the invention is to door closer which is more reliable.

A further object of the invention is to provide a rotary provide a rotary door closer which enables the door to be opened without substantial restriction and to close tightly without substantial resistance, yet effectively dampen the closing motion of the door.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment thereof, reference being made to the accompanying drawing, in which:

FIG. l is a view in perspective of a door closer embodying the invention and shown attached to a doorjamb and a door, which is shown in a partially opened position;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged top View of the closer shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a View in vertical cross section taken along the line 3-3 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a view in vertical cross section taken along the line 4 4 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is a view in horizontal cross section taken along the line 5-5 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 6 is an exploded view in perspective of the closer according to the invention;

FIG. 7 is a detailed view in cross section taken along the line 7-7 of FIG. 3; and

FIGS. 8 and 9 are schematic views in horizontal section through slightly modified closers.

Referring particularly to FIG. 1, a door closer 10 according to the invention is shown attached to a doorjamb 1.2 and a door 14 which is shown partly open. While the closer 10 is shown attached to an intermediate part of the jamb and door, it can also be attached at a higher or a lower point. The closer 1G is quite compact and has no greasy piston rod which moves into and out of the closer.

Referring more particularly to FIGS. 2-4, the closer 16 basically includes a lower member 16 and an upper member 18 which are connected in rotatable relationship, with the lower member `16 supported by a main bracket 20 and the upper member 13 connected through an integral arm 22 and a link 24 to .a second bracket 26. As shown, the main bracket 29 is attached to the door 14 and the second bracket 26 is attached to the doorjamb 12. It is to be understood, however, that the closer 10 can be used with the attachments reversed.

The lower closer member 16 includes an outer wall 28 of generally hemispherical configuration and a central upstanding post 30 forming an annular chamber 32 therebetween. The post 30 extends upwardly beyond the upper member 13 land terminates in a non-circular or generally rectangular neck 34 which is received in a non-circular opening 36 of similar shape in the main bracket 20. The post 30 is then affixed to the bracket 20 by a suitable fastener 3.8, such as a machine screw, threaded into a central opening or recess 40 in the post 30.

The upper member 19 has a downwardly-extending cylinder or annular projection 42 with a central opening 44 through which the post 30 extends, and an upper notch 46 (FIG. 4) which receives an axle 4S of a pressure member or roller 5G. The cylinder 42 also has a longitudinallyextending slot 52 into which a portion of the roller 50 can protrude. The lower end of the axle 48 for the roller 50 is received -in a recess 54 formed in an annular plastic bearing ring 56 which also has a projection 58 extending into the cylinder slot 52, with the projection 58 and the slot 52 cooperating to hold the cylinder 42 and the ring 56 in non-rotatable relationship. The ring 56, however, rotates relative to the lower member 16, being movably held in an annular recess 60 of the chamber 32.

The upper member 18 also has an upper neck 62 eX- tending toward the main bracket 20 with a plastic washer 64 therebetween, the washer 64 having a flange 66 spacing apart the post 36 and the neck 62. The flange 66 has a notch 68 and the neck 62 also has a notch 70 to receive an upper end 72 of a spiral spring 74, a lower end 76 of which is received in a recess 78 at the bottom of the lower member 16. The spring 74 is stressed when the door is opened and the two

closer members

16 and 18 rotate relative to one another, thereby urging the door toward the closed position.

A second plastic bearing ring 80 is located at the upper edge of the lower closer member 16 and has an annular ange 82 extending between the members, the flange having an outward slope to repel water. The bearing ring 80 has shallow ears 84 (FIG. 6) received in shallow recesses 86 of the wall 28 to retain the ring in non-rotatable relationship with respect to the lower member 16. The cylinder 42 is rotatably supported by the ring 80 so that the cylinder 42 of the upper member actually constitutes an axle which is rotatably held by the

bearing rings

56 and 80. The annular iiange 66 at the neck 62 also serves as a bearing ring between the post 30 and the upper closer member 18.

A main annular groove 88 is formed by the wall 28 and a portion of the second bearing ring 80 and an endless, deformable, iiexible tube or hollow damping member 90 is located in the groove 88. Referring to FIGS. 3-6, the tube basically includes a generally annular passage 92 having an orifice or restriction 94. A raised portion 96 of the upper portion of the tube adjacent the orifice 94 is contoured to the shape of the lower surface of the bearing ring 80 so as to be backed up fully by the ring 80. The lower surface of the bearing portion 94 is recessed, the purpose of which will be subsequently apparent. While the specic construction of the tube 90 does not constitute a part of the invention, as shown, the tube 90 has

annular flanges

98 and 100 which are securely sealed together by a metal clamping ring 102 to maintain the passage 92 sealed. The passage contains liquid 104 which can be oil or other suitable liquid.

The size of the orifice or restriction 94 can be controlled by a tapered control body 106 (FIGS. 3, 6 and 7) located in the groove 88 below the orifice 94. The body 106 tapers in both directions from the center (FIG. 7) so as to t more effectively with the recessed portion of the tube below the restriction. The body 106 thereby also holds the tube 90 in position and prevents it from slipping in the main groove 88. A recess 108 (FIGS. 3 and 7) is formed centrally in the bottom of the body 106 to receive a rounded end 110 of a control screw 112 located in a threaded passage 114 of the lower closer member 16. The screw 112 can be controlled externally and can be turned into the passage 114 to move the body 106 toward the tube 90 and thereby reduce the restriction 94. Similarly, the screw 112 can be turned in the opposite direction to enlarge the restriction.

The operation of the closer will now be described in detail. As the door 14 is opened, the connecting link 24 will move in a clockwise direction, as shown in FIG. 2, and at the same time the arm 22 will move in a counterclockwise direction, moving the upper closer member 18 in the same direction. This causes the neck 62 and the cylinder 42 to pivot relative to the post 30 and the lower closer member 16, by virtue of the ange 66, the main bearing ring 80, and the lower bearing ring 56. As the cylinder 42 moves, it similarly moves the axle 48 and the roller 50, along with the lower bearing ring 56. The roller 50 thereby moves in an arcuate path the center of which, in this instance, is concentric with or superimposed on the center of curvature of the tube 90. The roller 50 is constantly in contact with the tube 90 and squeezes it to the shape shown in FIG. 5, so that the deformed portion of the passage 92 is virtually closed.

As the roller 50 moves in a counterclockwise direction in its arcuate path as the door is opened, it forces the liquid 104 in the same direction and reduces the volume of the passage existing between the roller 50 and the restriction 94 in the longer leg of the tube, extending through an arc of about 270 as the door is opened. With the liquid 104 filling the passage 92, the portion of the liquid trapped between the roller and the restriction will tend to expand the tube somewhat as well as being forced through the restriction. Hence, the tube offers less resistance to the movement of the roller 50 than if all of the liquid were forced immediately through the restriction. Consequently, the closer offers less resistance to relative movement between the

closer members

16 and 18 and less resistance to the opening of the door. The resistance increases somewhat as the roller approaches the restriction 94 through the long leg of the tube 90 but in the normal opening and closing of most doors, the roller never reaches a point beyond a point roughly diametrically opposite to the restriction 94.

As the door is opened, and the

closer members

16 and 18 move relative to lone another, the spring 74 is stressed, tending to be unwound, as shown. Hence, after the door 14 is opened and released, the spring 74 forces the door toward its original, closed position. As the door moves toward the closed position, the roller 50 moves in a clockwise direction, toward the restriction 94 along the shorter leg of the tube. As the roller approaches the restriction, and the distance between them decreases, proportionally more of the liquid is forced through the restriction since there is less of the tube to expand under the pressure of the liquid. Thus, the resistance to the closing of the door increases as the door closes, thereby providing an increased damping force to the closing of the door. With the roller positioned closer to the restriction through one leg of the tube than the other when the door is closed, somewhat less damping action or resistance is afforded to the opening of the door than to the closing ofthe door.

By turning in the control screw 112, the restriction 94 can be decreased so that the liquid ows more slowly through the orifice under the force of the roller. Oppositely, by turning outwardly the screw 112, the size of the restriction is increased and the damping effect is decreased.

It may be noted that the initial stress on the spring 74 and, hence, the closing force which the spring can exert on the door, can be controlled by loosening the screw 38 suiciently to ymove the non-circular neck 34 below the bracket 20 and then turning the lower closer member 16 one or more half-turns in either direction. The neck 34 is then re-inserted in the opening 36 and the screws 38 tightened.

In the embodiment of the invention shown in FIGS. 1-7, the tube 90 is substantially circular with a xed radius and the roller 50 travels in an arcuate path, the center of which is at the center of the radius of the tube. In FIG. 8, the roller 50 is carried by a slightly modified cylinder 116 which is not concentric with the tube but is mounted on the upper closer member 18 so as to be eccentric with respect to the tube 90. In this manner, the roller will move in an arcuate path shown in dotted lines between opened and closed positions designated such, with the path being eccentric with respect to the curvature of the tube. With the cylinder 116 positioned as shown in FIG. 8, the roller will tend to move away from. the tube just before the door shuts, so that the restriction on the liquid in the tube tends to be released somewhat before the door shuts and the damping effect of the roller and tube are substantially decreased at this point. This enables the force of the spring to be exerted more fully on the door and to provide maximum closing force at this point. Hence, extra force needed to close the door and overcome the resistance of the latch at this point is thereby provided.

In FIG. 9, the cylinder 42 and the roller 50 are located generally at the center of curvature of a tube 118 but the tube in this instance is not circular. Rather, the tube 118 is provided with a slightly diverging or extended portion which diverges from the path of the roller at a point just before the door reaches the closed position. Again, the roller and the tube tend to be separated just before the door closes so that the full closing force of the spring can be exerted on the door.

Various modifications of the above described embodiments of the invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art, and it is to be understood that such modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the invention, if they are within the spirit and the tenor` ofthe accompanying claims.

I claim:

1. A door closer comprising a housing delining a charnber, means for attaching said housing to one of a door and a door jamb, an endless flexible tube in said chamber said tube having an arcuate portion of a predetermined radius, iuid in said tube, a pressure member movable in an arcuate path, said member being capable of engaging and deforming at least a portion of said tube in at least a portion of said path, an arm, means for attaching said arm to the other of said door jamb and said door, means connecting said arm and said pressure member to move said pressure member in its path as the door is opened and closed, the path terminating at one end when the door is in its open position and terminating at the other end when the door is in its closed position, means associi ated with said door for urging the door toward the closed position, and means forming a restriction insaid tube with the length of the tube between said tube portion and said restriction in one direction around said tube substantially exceeding the length of the tube between said tube portion and said restriction in the other direction at least when the door is closed and partially opened, said one direction being the same as the direction said pressure member moves in its path as the door is opened, whereby when the pressure member moves toward said restriction when the door is moved toward the closed position, most fluid is forced through said restriction, whereas when the pressure member moves away from said restriction when the door is moved toward the open position, fluid torced through the tube by said pressure member has a greater tendency to expand that portion of said tube between the pressure member and said restriction in said one direction around said tube to provide less resistance to movement of the door when being opened than when being closed.

2. A door closer for controlling opening and closing movements of a door relative to a door jamb, said closer comprising a housing defining a cylindrical chamber including a closed bottom and an open top, means for attaching said housing to one of the door and the door jamb with the axis of the chamber being vertically disposed, a curved, deformable, endless tube in said chamber capable of returning to its original position and shape after deformation, said tube having a predetermined radius, liquid in said tube, a pressure roller in said cham ber movable in an arcuate path lying in the center of said tube and in the plane of said tube, with the path having a radius less than the radius of said tube, the path of said pressure roller enabling said roller to engage and deform said tube through at least a portion of the path, an arm pivotally supported by said housing, means for attaching an outer end of the said arm to the other of said jamb and said door, means connecting said arm and said pressure roller to move said pressure roller in said path when the door is opened and closed and the end of said arm is pivoted, a coil spring around said arm connecting means and having one end connected to said arm connecting means and the other end connected to said housing, said spring urging the door toward the closed position for all positions of the door, and means forming a restriction in said tube in a position such that the length of the tube between said restriction and the tube portion engaged by said pressure roller in one direction exceeds the length in the other direction, said one direction being the same as the direction said pressure roller moves in its path as the door is opened, said connecting means causing said pressure roller to force liquid in said tube toward said restriction as the door moves toward the closed position from the opened position to resist the closing movement of the door, and to force liquid both to partly expand the tube and to flow through said restriction in the opposite direction as the door is moved toward the opened position, to produce less resistance when the door is opened.

3. A door closer according to claim 2 wherein said restriction forming means in said tube is a thick wall portion of said tube reducing the size of the liquid passage therein.

4. A door closer for controlling opening and closing movements of a door relative to a door jamb, said closer comprising a housing defining a chamber, imeans for attaching said housing to one of the door and the door jamb with the chamber being vertically disposed, a hermetically-sealed, expandable deformable tube in said chamber `capable of returning to its original positionand shape after deformation, said tube having a predetermined radius, liquid in said tube, a pressure member in said chamber movable in an arcuate path lying in the plane of said tube with the path having a radius less than the radius of said tube, the path of said pressure member enabling said member to engage and deform said tube through at leasta portion of the path, an arm pivotally supported by said housing, means for attaching an outer end of the said arm to the other of said jamb and said door, means connecting said anm and said pressure member to move said pressure member in said path when the door is opened and closed and the end of said arm is pivoted, a spring urging the door toward the closed position for all positions of the door, means forming a restriction in said deformable tube in a position such that the distance along said tube between the restriction and the point of engagement by said pressure member in one direction exceeds the distance along the tube between said restriction and thev point of engagement in the other direction for at least most positions of the door, including the closed position, with said pressure member moving along its path away from said restriction as the door is opened and toward said restriction as the door is closed, whereby the resistance to movement of the door is greater as the door moves toward the closed position than when the door moves toward the open position.

5. A door closer comprising an endless, hollow damping member disposed in a predetermined position, said damping member being expandable and forming a fluid passage throughout most of its length, fluid in said member, means supporting said damping irnember in the position, means for attaching said supporting means to one of a door and a door jamb, a pressure member movable in a path such that said pressure member engages and deforms a portion of said tube when moving along the path, means connecting said pressure member to the other of the door and the door jamb to cause said pressure member to move along the path when the door is opened and closed, said pressure member deforming said damping member suiciently to completely close said iiuid passage When moving along at least a substantial portion of the path, and means forming a restriction in said damping member at a portion such that said restriction is closer to said pressure member along said damping member in one direction than in the other direction for substantially all positions of said pressure member in said path, said pressure member being positioned to move toward said restriction when the door is moved toward a closed position and away from said restriction when the door is moved toward the opened position, with more of said damping member being available for expansion as the fluid is forced through the passage toward the restriction when the door is opened so that less resistance is aiorded to the door when moving toward the open position.

6. A closer according to claim 5 characterized by means controllable from outside said closer for varying the size of said restriction.

7. A door closer comprising a tirst closer member forming a chamber and having an upstandiug post, a bracket attached to said member and attachable to one of a door and a door jamb for holding said member in a fixed position relative to said one of said door and door jamb, a second closer member having an arm and an annular projection extending around said post and forming an annular space therebetween, a spring having one end received by said irst member and the other e'nd received by said second member, said spring being stressed when said members rotate relative to one another, means connecting said arm to the other of said door and said door jamb, a flexible, endless tube in said chamber outside said annular projection and backed up by a wall of said rst member, means forming a restriction in said tube, a pressure member rollably engageable with said tube, and means rotatably connecting said pressure member to said second annular projection for moving said pressure member in a pretermined path when said second closer member is rotated relative to the first one'.

8. A door closer comprising a housing dening a chamber, means for attaching said housing to one of a door and a door jamb, a tiexible tube in said chamber, said tube having an arcuate portion of a predetermined radius, tluid in said tube, a pressure member movable in an arcuate path, said member being capable of engaging and deforming a portion of said tube in a portion of said path, means for connecting said pressure member to the other of said door jamb and said door to move said pressure member in its path as the door is opened and closed, said connecting means establishing the arcuate path for said pressure member which is of a predetermined radius less than the radius of said arcuate portion of said tube, withthe center of the arcuate path of the pressure member being disposed to one side of the center of the arcuate portion of said exible tube, the respective centers of said path and said tube being positioned so that said pressure member engages said tube throughout a substantial portion of its path when the door is moved between its opened and closed positions with said member placing less' pressure on said tube when thev door is closed and almost closed than for other positions of the door so that some tluid can escape past the point of engagement of the tube and the' member when the door is closed and almost closed, means associated with the door for urging the door toward the closed position, and means forming a restriction in said tube through which the uid in said tube is forced by said member whenV in the portion of its path in which said tube is fully engaged, with substan tially less iluid being forced through said restriction by said pressure member when the door is closed and almost closed.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS BOBBY R. GAY, Primary Examiner,

Claims

1. A DOOR CLOSER COMPRISING A HOUSING DEFINING A CHAMBER, MEANS FOR ATTACHING SAID HOUSING TO ONE OF A DOOR AND A DOOR JAMB, AN ENDLESS FLEXIBLE TUBE IN SAID CHAMBER SAID TUBE HAVING AN ARCUATE PORTION OF A PREDETERMINED RADIUS, FLUID IN SAID TUBE, A PRESSURE MEMBER MOVABLE IN AN ARCUATE PATH, SAID MEMBER BEING CAPABLE OF ENGAGING AND DEFORMING AT LEAST A PORTION OF SAID TUBE IN AT LEAST A PORTION OF SAID PATH, AN ARM, MEANS FOR ATTACHING SAID ARM TO THE OTHER OF SAID DOOR JAMB AND SAID DOOR, MEANS CONNECTING SAID ARM AND SAID PRESSURE MEMBER TO MOVE SAID PRESSURE MEMBER IN ITS PATH AS THE DOOR IS OPENED AND CLOSED, THE PATH TERMINATING AT ONE END WHEN THE DOOR IS IN ITS OPEN POSITION AND TERMINATING AT THE OTHER END WHEN THE DOOR IS IN ITS CLOSED POSITION, MEANS ASSOCIATED WITH SAID DOOR FOR URGING THE DOOR TOWARD THE CLOSE POSITION, AND MEANS FORMING A RESTRICTION IN SAID TUBE WITH THE LENGTH OF THE TUBE BETWEEN SAID TUBE PORTION AND SAID RESTRICTION IN ONE DIRECTION AROUND SAID TUBE SUBSTANTIALLY EXCEEDING THE LENGTH OF THE TUBE BETWEEN SAID TUBE PORTION AND SAID RESTRICTION IN THE OTHER DIRECTION AT LEAST WHEN THE DOOR IS CLOSED AND PARTIALLY OPENED, SAID ONE DIRECTION BEING THE SAME AS THE DIRECTION SAID PRESSURE MEMBER MOVES IN ITS PATH AS THE DOOR IS OPENED, WHEREBY WHEN THE PRESSURE MEMBER MOVES TOWARD SAID RESTRICTION WHEN THE DOOR IS MOVED TOWARD THE CLOSED POSITION, MOST FLUID IS FORCED THROUGH SAID RESTRICTION, WHEREAS WHEN THE PRESSURE MEMBER MOVES AWAY FROM SAID RESTRICTION WHEN THE DOOR IS MOVED TOWARD THE OPEN POSITION, FLUID FORCED THROUGH THE TUBE BY SAID PRESSURE MEMBER HAS A GREATER TENDENCY TO EXPAND THAT PORTION OF SAID TUBE BETWEEN THE PRESSURE MEMBER AND SAID RESTRICTION IN SAID ONE DIRECTION AROUND SAID TUBE TO PROVIDE LESS RESISTANCE TO MOVEMENT OF THE DOOR WHEN BEING OPENED THAN WHEN BEING CLOSED.