Variable position door closer

• US 4,979,261 A
• Filed: 06/05/1989
• Issued: 12/25/1990
• Est. Priority Date: 06/05/1989
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Schlage Lock Company (Allegion PLC)
• Original Assignee: Schlage Lock Company (Allegion PLC)
• Inventors: Current, Andrew, Lasier, Thomas R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Seidel, Richard K.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Brown, Edward A.
• Application Number:
  US07/361,249
• Time in Patent Office: 568 Days
• Field of Search: 16/62, 16/64, 16/69, 16/71, 16/79, 16/195, 16/DIG. 9, 16/DIG. 10, 292/262, 292/DIG. 15, 49/324, 49/340
• US Class Current: 16/62
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 3/04 with liquid piston brakes rotary type E05F3/14
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 3/10 with a spring, other than a torsion spring, and a piston, the axes of which are the same or lie in the same direction
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 3/224 for assisting in opening the wing
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2900/132 Doors

Abstract

Disclosed is a door control device that automatically repositions the driving shaft of the door closer toward and away from the door pivot, as the door opens and closes, as a means of modifying and improving the force required to open and close the door. Movement is accomplished by a double ended driving shaft having a sprocket gear on one end which drivingly engages a track which in turn repositions the slide mounted door closer to more favorable positions as the door opens and closes.

Claims

1. A Door Closer Assembly of the type having rotary output on a shaft connected to a control arm which accomplishes the automatic closing of a door, the improvement comprising:

means for mounting the door closer on a slide means for permitting translation of said door closer on said slide means and for changing the relative distance of the rotary output shaft from a door pivot point and means associated with said rotary output shaft of said door closer for effecting said translation.

2. A Door Closer Assembly according to claim 1 wherein:

said slide means comprises a mounting plate having guide bearing means for accepting a slide plate to accomplish linear translation of said slide plate with a minimum of friction.

3. A Door Closer Assembly according to claim 2 wherein:

said bearing means of said slide means further comprises linear ball bearing elements engaging at least one side of said slide plate.

4. A Door Closer Assembly according to claim 2 wherein:

said mounting plate is provided with a rack and said means for effecting translation comprises in combination said rack in contact with a pinion gear mounted for rotation on one end of said shaft means, and said control arm is mounted at the other end of said shaft opposite said pinion gear.

5. A Door Closer Assembly according to claim 1 wherein:

said means associated with said rotary output shaft for effecting translation comprises a rack and pinion assembly for cooperatively driving a slide plate in a linear direction towards and away from a door hinge.

6. A Door Closer Assembly according to claim 5 wherein:

said slide plate and a mounting plate are mounted to a door and said control arm is slidingly engaged with a track mounted in or on a door jamb.

7. A Door Closer Assembly according to claim 5 wherein:

said rack and pinion assembly are of a nonlinear type that vary the rate of translation of the door closer toward and away from the door hinge depending on the door position.

8. A Door Closer Assembly according to claim 5 wherein:

said slide plate and a mounting plate are mounted on a door jamb and said control arm is slidingly engaged with a track mounted in or on a door.