Door Catch

• US 20150040348A1
• Filed: 08/06/2013
• Published: 02/12/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 08/06/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Solar Innovations LLC
• Original Assignee: Gregory Header
• Inventors: Header, Gregory
• Granted Patent: US 9,228,387 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 16/82
• CPC Class Codes: E05C 17/46 in which the wing or a member fixed thereon is engaged by a movable fastening member in a fixed position; in which a movable fastening member mounted on the wing engages a stationary member
• CPC Class Codes: E05C 17/52 comprising a snap, catch, or the like
• CPC Class Codes: E05C 19/04 Ball or roller catches
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 5/02 specially for preventing the slamming of swinging wings during final closing movement, e.g. jamb stops

Abstract

Disclosed is a door catch that can help to prevent door sag, especially for heavy or tall residential or commercial doors, and provides for post-installation catch tension adjustment without removal or adjustment of mounting members. In one aspect, the door catch can include a ball catch base, a threaded ball plunger assembly, a catch bumper, and a bumper base. In another aspect, the catch bumper and the bumper base can optionally be combined into a single catch bar bracket. The ball plunger assembly is adjustably mounted within a threaded aperture of ball catch base. A ball captive in one end of the ball plunger assembly engages a detent in the catch bumper, or catch bar bracket, providing friction to hold the door open. The position of the ball plunger assembly can be adjusted vertically to increase or decrease the tension between the detent and the ball plunger assembly.

Claims

1. A door catch, comprising:

a ball plunger assembly including a body with a threaded exterior, a ball-captive within the body, and a bottom surface with a tool receiving pattern;

a catch bar bracket including a first mounting portion, a catch bar projecting away from the first mounting portion, the catch bar including a detent;

a ball catch base including a second mounting portion, the ball catch base including a base portion, projecting away from the second mounting portion and with a threaded aperture, the ball plunger assembly threaded into the threaded aperture;

the catch bar bracket and the ball catch base mountable on opposing surfaces of a wall structure and a door so that the ball and the detent frictionally engage to hold the door open when the door is in an extended position; and

a force of impinging of the ball against the detent is adjustable by rotatably engaging the tool receiving pattern causing the ball to raise or lower with respect to the detent.

2. The door catch of claim 1, wherein:

the first mounting portion and the second mounting portion each includes a fastener-receiving aperture shaped to hold a fastener in a fixed and non-adjustable position.

3. The door catch of claim 2, wherein:

the catch bar and the first mounting portion are a non-separable unit.

4. The door catch of claim 1, wherein:

the catch bar bracket including an integrated base portion projecting away from the first mounting portion, the base portion including a serrated top surface; and

the catch bar includes a serrated bottom surface configured to engage the serrated top surface of the base portion and adjust a distance of the detent with respect to the first mounting portion.

5. The door catch of claim 4, wherein:

the base portion includes a fastener receiving threaded aperture through the serrated top surface; and

the catch bar bracket includes a slot for receiving and securing a threaded fastener to the fastener receiving threaded aperture.

6. The door catch of claim 1, wherein:

the catch bar is a downward facing L-bracket; and

the first mounting portion is configured as a planar back with respect to the downward facing L-bracket.

7. A door catch, comprising:

a ball plunger assembly including a body with a threaded exterior, a ball-captive within the body, and a bottom surface with a tool receiving pattern;

a catch bar bracket assembly including, a rod with a first rod end and a second rod end, a mounting base with a first rod receiving aperture for receiving the first rod end, and a catch bumper with a second rod receiving aperture for receiving the second rod end, the catch bumper including a detent;

a ball catch base including a second mounting portion, the ball catch base including a base portion, projecting away from the second mounting portion and with a threaded aperture, the ball plunger assembly threaded into the threaded aperture;

the catch bar bracket assembly and the ball catch base mountable on opposing surfaces of a wall structure and a door so that the ball and the detent frictionally engage to hold the door open when the door is in an extended position;

a force of impinging of the ball against the detent is adjustable by rotatably engaging the tool receiving pattern causing the ball to raise or lower with respect to the detent; and

a distance between the detent and corresponding mounting surface is adjustable by extending the rod into the first rod receiving aperture and the second rod receiving aperture.

8. The door catch of claim 7, wherein:

the rod is a threaded rod;

the first rod receiving aperture and the second rod receiving aperture are each threaded to secure the rod and adjust the distance between the detent and the mounting base.

9. The door catch of claim 7, wherein:

the rod is securable to the mounting base and the catch bumper and the distance between the detent and the mounting base is adjustable by holding pins secured to the rod though a corresponding pin receiving aperture of a plurality of pin receiving aperture longitudinally along the rod.