Spring adjustment mechanism

• US 3,934,307 A
• Filed: 05/09/1974
• Issued: 01/27/1976
• Est. Priority Date: 06/19/1972
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Roy Pollack, Thomas R. Lasier
• Original Assignee: Roy Pollack, Thomas R. Lasier
• Inventors: Lasier, Thomas R., Pollack, Roy
• Primary Examiner(s): Scanlan, Jr., Richard J.
• Application Number:
  US05/468,245
• Time in Patent Office: 628 Days
• Field of Search: 16/49, 16/52, 16/62, 16/69, 16/70, 16/64, 16/65, 16/71, 16/79, 16/80, 16/72, 16/85
• US Class Current: 16/79
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 1/105 with a compression spring
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 3/102 with rack-and-pinion transmission between driving shaft and piston within the closer housing
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2201/492 Spring tensioners, tension sensors
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2800/22 of not identical elements of the same category, e.g. combinations of not identical springs
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2900/132 Doors

Abstract

An adjustable spring loading mechanism for use in controlling the movement of doors and the like. The mechanism includes a cylinder housing and a piston slideable within the housing. A plurality of biasing means are arranged in the housing in engagement with the piston, and apply individual biasing forces to the piston which cooperate to produce a total resultant biasing force. The biasing means are provided with different effective lengths so as to engage with the piston at different positions in the cylinder and thereby vary the total biasing force.

Claims

1. An adjustable door closure mechanism adapted for use with a door which is movable between a door closed position and a door open position comprising:

a cylinder housing;

a piston slidable in said cylinder;

means for linking said piston to a door to translate said piston within said cylinder in a selected direction in response to the opening movement of the door;

an adjustable biasing system for producing a resultant door closing force which operates against said piston;

said biasing system comprising a plurality of compression spring means having unequal lengths extended within said cylinder and separately engageable with said piston as said piston is translated in said cylinder by the opening movement of the door so that each spring means applies a separate closing force to said piston;

said plurality of compression spring means nested within one of said spring means;

said spring means being arranged within said cylinder in a first condition in which at least one first spring means contacts said piston in the door closed position and at least one second spring means is spaced from said piston in the door closed position;

said second spring means positioned to engage said piston at a selected position as said piston is translated within said cylinder by the opening movement of the door from closed door position whereby said plurality of spring means cooperate to produce a first resultant door closing force permitting said closure mechanism to control the closing movement of the door with a first set of physical characteristics; and

closing force adjustment means positioned within said housing for controlling said plurality of spring means to change said separate closing force of said first spring means, to change the location of engagement within said cylinder between said piston and said second spring means as said piston is translated within said cylinder, and to arrange said plurality of spring means in a second condition which causes said separate spring means to cooperate and to produce a second resultant door closing force and thereby to adjust said mechanism for closing a door with a second set of physical characteristics;

whereby said closure mechanism is readily adjustable in the field for use

2. An adjustable door closure in accordance with claim 1 wherein said first

3. An adjustable door closure mechanism in accordance with claim 1 wherein said closing force adjustment means is adjustable to arrange said spring means into a plurality of conditions within said housing in the range defined between said first and second adjustment conditions, so that said mechanism is selectively adjustable to produce a plurality of resultant door closing forces between a minimum and a maximum resultant door closing

4. An adjustable door closing mechanism in accordance with claim 1 wherein said closing force adjustment means comprises movable abutment means provided within said cylinder and engageable with said spring means to shift said spring means in said cylinder and vary the location of engagement between said piston and at least one said spring means as said

5. An adjustable door closure mechanism adapted for use with a door which is movable between a door closed position and a door open position comprising:

a cylinder housing;

a piston slidable in said cylinder;

means for linking said piston to a door to translate said piston within said cylinder in a selected direction in response to the opening movement of the door;

an adjustable biasing system for producing a resultant door closing force which operates against said piston, said biasing system comprising a plurality of compression spring means extended within said cylinder, each of said spring means having different selected lengths and spring rates and a selected initial pre-loading condition, and each further being separately engageable with said piston at selected separate locations of said piston in said cylinder as said piston is translated within said cylinder from the door closed position to door open position whereby each spring means applies a separate closing force to said piston; and

a spring load adjustment member adjacent to one end of said springs and arranged to engage each spring, and manually adjustable means connected to said member and operative to translate said member axially against said springs and change the piston position in said cylinder which energizes each spring to thereby change said individual spring biasing force and

6. The adjustable door closer in accordance with claim 5 in which said

7. The adjustable door closer in accordance with claim 5 in which said manually adjustable member includes a shaft extending through one end of said cylinder.