US2237046A - Releasable holding device for closures - Google Patents

Description

April 1, 1941.

A. H. BREITENWISCHER RELEASABLE HOLDING DEVICE FOR CLOSURES Filed July 1'7, 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet l April 1941- A. H. BREITENWISCHER ,237,046

RELEASABLE HOLDING DEVICE FOR CLOSURES Filed July 17, 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Apr. 1, 1941 UNITED if STATES PATENT OFFICE RELEASABLE DEVICE FOlt Adolph H. Breitenwlscher, Ottawa Ohio Application July 17, 1940, Serial No. 345,971

(Cl. 16-85) When, by movement'of the strap, the buffer was 11 Claims.

My invention relates, generally, to a means for holding a closure in an open Position, notwithstanding the application of gravitational forces on the closure, tending to move the same to a closed position. The invention re1ates,particularly, to a releasable means for restraining a closure against movement from a desired open position, said means including elements automatically operative to establish a restraint of, or to release a closure from restraint, by the manual movement of the closure to or from a desired open position.

The invention is, particularly, adapted for use in conjunction with a closure of the character commonly provided for closing the doorway of the tonneau of an automobile. A closure or door of this type is, usually, hingedly supported for free swinging movement on the tonneau frame to permit an advantageous ease of opening and closing movements, as when passengers are boarding or being discharged from the vehicle. However, when thus discharging or loading passengers, the vehicle and the tonneau. frame supporting the door may be inclined, due to the inclination of the roadway supporting the vehicle. The freedom with which the door swings,

drawn to an enclamped relation within the embrace of the spring actuated arms, in response to movement of the door to an open position, the

strap propped the door against closure with a resistance directly conditioned on the capability of the arms to clampthe bufier with a pressure sumcient to withstand the end thrust exerted by the strap and buffer on said arms, in response to the gravitational moments exerted by the door and relayed to said strap. The end thrust, thus applied, was exerted substantially at right angles to the direction of the resilient efiort of the arms and was transmitted, through clasping shoulders, formed on the arms, and the arms themselves, to

-; the resilient axis of thespring arm. The resilient axis of the arm, in the prior art constructions, was disposed in offset relation to a line drawn between said shoulder and the anchorage point-of at such times, works to a considerable disadvan- 1 may be in a horizontal position at the time of I.

passenger discharge or loading, the pull of gravity on the open door causes the door to swing to a closed position. As is well known, a tonneau door is, usually, of an unwieldy mass and dimension so that, in swinging from an open to a closed position in response to a gravity moment, the

force of an impact, delivered by such swinging door, is considerable. Not only is the impact, delivered by a free swinging door, menacing to the safety of the passengers boarding or discharging from the vehicle, but, also, the tendency of the door to swing closed, is of considerable inconvenience and annoyance.

The efforts heretofore made by others to cope with the problem, contemplated by my invention, have not been satisfactory. In the main, a strap has been, heretofore, commonly provided, one end thereof being connected to the door and the other end being provided with a buifer part adapted to be clamped by a plurality of opposed, flat-spring arms mounted on and surrounding an opening formed in the tonneau frame, through which the strap extended and could be reciprocably moved as the door swung on its hinges.

said arm on the tonneau frame. Thus, the resilient axis was put in direct shear and under twisting distortions, not only when the buffer was clamped to prevent closing of the door, but, also, when the bufier was being moved to and from a clamped, door-holding position. The application of these shearing and twisting strains, first, in one direction, and, then, in an opposite direction, produced an early fatigue and failure, necessitating frequent replacement and repair of parts .to maintain any operating efliciency whatsoever. The reoccurring need for replacement and repair, in the prior art devices, as compared to the relatively higher efficiency of other commercial mechanisms, was deemed unreasonable by users and resulted in general dissatisfaction with and discard of such devices. a

My invention, on the other hand, affords, and has for an object to provide, an operable friction means for frictionally engaging said door-prop ping strap. When said frictional means is operating to engage the strap, the end thrust, exerted by said strap, will be resisted by a frictional force sufficient to maintain the closure in a position relative to the opening it controls, notwithstanding gravitational moments, that may be applied to said closure, tending to move it from saidposition. However, when the said friction means is not operating, the closure may be moved freely, relative to its controlled opening.

The invention has for another object to provide a means forv operating said friction means i at predetermined periods in the movement of open position. The invention, therefore, provides a means which overcomes the disadvantage of a free-swinging vehicle door closure, without limiting the freedom of door movement in the normal use thereof.

Also, by the provision of a periodically oper-- ative frictional means for releasably restraining the closure in some predetermined open position, as distinct from a resilient clamping means common to the art, my invention provides a closure holding device having a comparative 1ongevity of efficient and desired performance with little need for replacement and repair of the parts thereof. The invention has for a further object to provide, in such resilient actuating means as is utilized in embodiments of my invention, an anchorage means therefor aligned with the resilient axis and the point of delivery of the resilient effort when the counterthrusts or forces, tending to distort and twist the resilient means beyond its elastic limit are applied to said point of resilient effort and, thus, will be borne, largely, by the anchorage means, rather than by the resilient axis, as in the prior art.

A particular object of my invention is to provide a means for staying a closure, and having such compactness as to enable the location and assembly of said means with the closure unobtrusive to the appearance and use of the closure.

The invention has for another particular object to provide a device of the class described having, by reason of the various hereinafter described parts, that simplicity, inexpensiveness, and operative efliciency desired in devices of this character.

The invention consists in other features and advantages which will appear from the following description and upon examination of the drawings. Structures containing the invention may partake of different forms and still embody the invention. To illustrate a practical applica-' tion of the invention, I have selected a releasable holding device for closures as an example of the various structures and details thereof that contain the invention and shall describe the selected.

structure hereinafter, it being understood that variations may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention. The particular structure selected is shown in the accompanying drawings and described hereinafter.

Fig. 1, of the accompanying drawings, illustrates a perspective view of a releasable holding .device for closures, embodying the features of my invention and selected for purposes of illustrating the same in assembled relation with regard to a closure and its supporting frame, parts of which are shown cutaway to facilitate disclosure of the associated relationship. Fig. 2 illu'strates a view of a longitudinal section of the device shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 illustrates a view of a section taken along the plane of the line 3-3, indicated in Fig. 2. Fig. 4 illustrates, diagrammatically, in elevation, a position of the parts during one stage in the operation thereof. Fig. 5 illustrates, diagramatically, in elevation, a position of the parts in a sequential stage of operation to that shown in Fig. 4. Fig. 6 illustrates, diagrammatically, in elevation, a position of the parts in a stage of'operation sequential to that shown in Fig. 5. Fig 7 illustrates, diagrammatically, in plan, a position that the parts may assume at a stage substantially corresponding to that shown in Fig. 4. Fig. 8 illustrates, diagram- -matically, in plan, the position of the parts in a stage sequential to that shown in Fig. 7. Fig.

9 illustrates, diagrammatically, in plan, the position of the parts in a stage of operation successive to that shown in Fig. 8.

Viewed broadly, the particular embodiment of my invention, selected for purposes of illustration, includes a case or box for supporting and housing-an operable friction means, said case adapted to be mounted on the door frame or on the door, according to the convenience of the particular arrangement. The operable friction means may be embodied in a pair of spaced bearin parts, at least one of which is mounted for movement toward the other to restrict passageway therebetween at desired periods. Preferably, a means is provided for resiliently urging the bearing parts away from each other, within the limits of movement allowed by the mounting thereof in the supporting box, so that the passageway therebetween may be rendered unrestrictive at other desired periods. Pivotally attached to the door or its supporting frame, depending upon whether the box has been mounted on the supporting frame or door, is a doorpropping strap or link. The link extends substantially angular to and between said bearing parts, being guided thereby for reciprocal endwise-movement relative thereto, as the door swings to and fro on its supporting frame. Mounted on and proximate to the freeend of the link is a means for operating' said frictional means elements. In the particular form shown, said operating means includes a cam part, which engages the movable bearing part and urges it toward the surface of the link and into frictional engagement therewith, as the link is moved, relaments of the parts above referred to in a general way are illustrated, it will be noted that the therein shown automobile door I is supported, for free swinging movements relative to thetonneau doorway, by suitable hinges, not shown, on a door post 2, such as is commonly supplied in the The door bent to structurally support body panels 8 in spaced relation and, thereby, defines a chamber within which the various parts embodying my invention may be advantageously located to render the same unobtrusive to the appearance of the vehicle body and to the use of the passageway. To render-said chamber avail-able, aligned and suitably slotted openings-4 are formed in the sheet metal portions of the door post,2.

As shown in the drawings, the frictional means, of the particular embodiment of my invention, is mounted on the door post 2. Accordingly, within the chamber defined by the panel-s 3 is located a metal case or box 5 for supporting said frictional means. The box'has a rather large, central, opening 6, which is disposed, in the mounting of the box 5 on the chamber side of the post 2, in alignment with the openings l. The said frictional means is embodied in a pair of bearing parts 8, the ends of which extend through suitable journal slots 1, formed in the box 5, so as to dispose the parts 8 in spaced parslots 1 are of such dimension as to allow a certain limited freedom of transitory and reciprocal movements of the ends of the pants 8 with reference to the box 5. In the form shown, the parts 8 are interconnected by a resilient bow portion 9, which resiliently resists movement of the parts 8 toward each other and forms a convenient means for securing the parts 8 in position within the box. In this connection, the box 5 may be provided with a foldable metal tab extension l0, which may be bent over the bow portion 9 to removably lock the parts 8 in position within the box 5 and the slots 1.

Thus, it will be seen that, if a pressure is applied to surfaces I 2 of the bearing parts 8, sufficient to overcome the resistance of the bow 9 and the inherent resiliency of the parts 8, the bearing parts 8 tend to approach each other, bringing opposed bearing surfaces 13 thereof in closer proximity and in greater restriction to any movement between the parts 8. When, however, the pressure is relieved from the surfaces I2, the parts 8, in response to their own resiliency, as aided by that of the bow 9, spring apart permitting free movement between said parts and surfaces 43.

Extending through the openings 8 and 6 and between the parts 8 is a door-propping strap or fiat link H. The link H is, normally, freely reciprocal with reference to said openings and parts. One end of the link H is adapted to be pivotally connected to the hinge edge of the door I by a suitable pivotal connection it. As

the door I is swung, relative to the post 2, the

link It will be reciprocally moved relative to the bearing parts 8 and be guided thereby. When, however, the parts 8 are moved toward each other, the surfaces i3 thereof will frictionally engage the surfaces of the major area of the link ii and restrict the continued movement thereof and that of the door I attached thereto.

The means for operating said parts 8, to cause frictional engagement with the link lateral surfaces, is carried by the link itself and is so disposed thereon as to cause said operation at a period in the movement of the link that corresponds with the movement of the door just prior to reaching or just subsequent to leaving the maximum open position of the door.

cam parts it mounted on said link II, on. either side of and in contact with the fiat surfaces of the link. Each cam part M has a cam surface, such as the semi-spherical face I9, which is adapted to engage a surface l2 of one of the parts 8, when, due to the movement of the link H, the cam part it is brought into registration Said bearing part operating means includes 'a pair of with the part 8. The cam parts l4, thence, exert a pressure on the parts 8, tending to move the surfaces l3 thereof into frictional engagement with the fiat surfaces of the link. Further movement of the link causes the cam part to engage the bearing part with greater pressure, producing an increased frictional engagement between the surfaces of the bearing parts and link and establishing a resistance to movement of the link in any direction. The resistance to movement of the link is, of course, transmitted to the door I and functions to stay the door in some predetermined position, such as an open position.

In order to render the device automatic and to provide an even more positive restriction of the link movement, the cam parts M are, preferably,

- mounted for movement away from and toward cordingly, the cam parts are connected to movable resilient arms IS, the ends of which may be conveniently interconnected by a bow IT. The arms are formed, preferably, from a fiat spring metal and are connected to the link by suitable anchoring washers and rivet l8. When thus mounted, the arms l5 cause the parts M to press, normally, against the link surface and, thus, define, between said arms and link, a pair of recesses 28. Now then, when the door I is moved toward an open position and to cause engagement of thecams I4 with the parts 8, just as the door reaches its open position, the cams disengage the surfaces l2 of the parts 8 and ree-ngage the surfaces of the link II. It will be seen that the parts 8 will now extend through the recesses 20. The relation may be appropriately compared with that of a latch wherein the cams it may be regarded as latch bolts and the parts 8 as strike plate elements, into which the bolts are driven home.

In order to restrict, further, the movement of the link, after the parts 8 are in latched position, and to cushion a too rapid or forceful door opening movement, a suitable rubber bumper block 25 may be provided on the end of the link it. The block 2i may be centrally cored topermit it being located over the end of the link and the arms 5. In a sense, the resiliency of the bumper block reinforces the arms l5 as they are moved by the movement of the cam parts It away from the link surfaces and over the bearing parts 8. The bumper may be held in position by a suitable washer 22, whose quadrilateral opening restricts any tendency that the arms i5 might exhibit to turn on their link-connecting rivet i8 from a parallel relation with said link. The washer 22 is held in its position on the link by the aforesaid rivet and washers It.

In order to guide the cams It! in their movement over the parts 8, the surfaces l2 are provided with inclined converging cam surfaces 23. As the cams id engage the cam surfaces 23, the link will be guided toward the point of convergence of said surfaces which corresponds substantially with the center of the opening 6. By thus restricting the longitudinal movement of the free end of the link H to one substantially coinciding with the center of the opening, the link is prevented from contacting the box 5 with its attendant objectionable noise and jar. Referring to Figs. 7, 8, and 9 of the accompanying drawings, the interaction of the cam surfaces 23 with the cams l is graphically illustrated. In Fig. '7, it will be noted that the link is, at that moment, more proximate to one edge of the opening 8 than to the other. In Fig. 8, it will be noted that, due to the interaction of the cams I4 with surfaces 23 of the parts 8, shown beginning in Fig. 4, the link II has been gradually shifted from a position more proximate to one edge of the opening 6 to a more central position and from a jarring contact with the edges of the opening 6. Thus, when the parts assume the position shown in Fig. 9, the link extends substantially at right angles to the parts 8. Thus, also, will the face of the bumper 2| meet squarely with the flat surfaces of the box 5, to

cushion the blow of a too forceful opening of the door I.

If desired, the arms I! may be, further, resiliently reinforced by a spring member 24, which is mounted in nesting relation to the arms Ill and may be secured to the link, inv any suitable manner, as by the rivet and washers l8.

spirit of my invention, as set forth inthe claims hereto appended.

drawn outwardly from the chamber, being freely' guided by the parts 8. The door may be as easily closed, the link ll returning to its starting position. However, if it is desired to prop the door against a closing movement, the door is manually moved toward its maximum open position. Just prior to reaching the maximum open position, the link ll will have brought the cams it into engagement with the parts 8. This relation is, diagrammatically, illustrated in Fig. 4 of the accompanying drawings. The end thrust exerted on the cams i4 is at its maximumwhen the cams first engage the parts 8. At this-time, it will be observed that the cams 14,- the rivet l8 and the resilient axis of the arms, are aligned. Thus, the end thrust will be borne by-thelrivet IB' and will not be applied to the resilient axis of the arm i5. When the link is drawn further, the cams M will ride upon and exert a pressure on the surfaces l2, causing the, parts 8 to move toward each other and to apply, through the engagement of the surfaces i3 with the lateral surfaces of the link II, a frictional resistance to the continued movement of the link. This resistance is sumcient to resist the thrusts exerted by the link in response to gravitational moments exerted by the door and will, also, serve to check the door if its opening movement is induced by such gravitational moment. This position of the parts is, diagrammatically, illustrated in Fig. 5 of the accompanying drawings. Assuming, further, that the door is manually moved beyond this point, the link may be drawn further from between the parts 8 until the cams H, in response to the resiliency exerted by the arms l5, reengage the surfaces of the link II, which action is shown about to take place following the stage, diagrammatically, illustrated in Fig. 6 of the accompanying drawings. Now, the parts 8 extend through the recesses and the link and box 5 are effectively latched together. The door I will, thus, be propped open by the link. The force, necessary to release the link and, thus, the door, must be great enough, not only toovercome the mechanical latchment thus provided, but, also, the friction exerted, continuously, during a, somewhat extended period in the movement of the door from said latched position. Normally speaking, gravitational moments exerted by the door are insufficient to do this. The'necessary force may be manually developed, however, because of the favoring and selectable leverage of application thereof on the door.

I claim: 7

1. A device for releasably holding a closure member against movement relative to its supporting member, said device including a link adapted to be connected to 'one ,of said members and being freely movable relative to the other of said members; means adapted to be connected to said other member and operative to frictionally engage said link to thereby restrict the movement thereof and the relative movement of said members; and means for operating said.

last-named means to produce a frictional engagement'of said last-named means with said} link of a degree that varies in accordance with the movement of the link relative to said other member.

,2. A device for releasably member against movement relative to its supporting member, said device including a pair of spaced elements adapted to be connected to one of said members, one of said elements being movable toward the other; a link adapted to be connected to the other of said members and to be, normally, freely reciprocal between said claw-"S 5 element only as the link is moved to a predetermined position relative to said elements, whereby further movement of the link and the relative movement of the members is restricted.

3. A device for releasably holding a closure member against movement relative to its supporting member, said device including a 'pair of spaced elements adapted to be connected'to one of said members, one of said elements being resiliently deformable to locate portions thereof more proximate to the ,other' element than remaining portions thereof; a link adapted to be connected to the other of said members and.

movable toward the other; resilient means for biasing said movable element away from said other element; a link adapted to be connected to the other of said members; and means carried by said link for moving said movable element against the bias of said resilient means and toward the other element as the link is moved to a predetermined position relative to said elements, whereby further'movement of the link and the relative movement of the members is restricted.

5. A device for releasably holding a closure member in a predetermined position relative to an opening in a closure supporting member; said device including an element adapted to be connected to one-of said members; a link adapted to be connected to the other of said members and to move substantially longitudinally in directions substantially transverse of the element; and means carried by the link, including an arm supported in spaced relation to the link and having a portion urged to resiliently press against holding a closuresaid link .at a point spaced from one end thereof and defining a space for entrapping the element between the arm and link, when the members are relatively moved to said predetermined position.

6. A device for releasably holding a closur member against movement relative to its supportingmember; said device including a pair of spaced elements adapted to be connected to one of the members, one of said elements being movable toward the other; resilient means connected to the ends of the elements biasing said movable element away from said other element; a link adapted to be connected to the other of said members; and a cam part carried by said link adapted to engage said movable element and press the same against the link when the members have been moved to a predetermined relative position to thereby resist further movement of the link.

7. A device for releasably holding a closure member against movement relative to its sup-' porting member, said device including a link adapted to be connected to one of said members and being freely movable relative to the other oi said members; normally inoperative means, adapted to be connected to said other member, for frictionally engaging said link to thereby restrict the movement thereof and the relative movement of said members; and means for rendering said last-named means operative to eflect frictional engagement of said link, when the link has been moved to a predetermined position relative to said other member.

8. A device for releasably holding a closure member in a predetermined position relative to an opening in a closure supporting member; said device including an element adapted to be connected to one of said members;'a link adapted to be connected to the other of said members and to move substantially longitudinally in directions substantially transverse of the element; and means, carried by the link, including an arm supported for movement relative to the link and having an intermediate portion disposed in spaced relation to the link defining a space between said arm and link for entrapping the element, when the members are relatively moved to said predetermined position.

9. A device for releasably holding a closure member against movement relative to its sup porting member and in a predetermined position relative thereto, said device including a part having an opening and adapted to be connected to one of said members; a pair of elements, each element being disposed in a plane extending on the side of the central longitudinal axis of said part opening opposite to, spaced from, and substantially parallel to the plane of disposition of the other element and supported by said part for relative movement in directions transverse to said dispositional planes and against substantial movement in directions parallel to said dispositional planes; resilient means interconnecting said elements biasing said elements to movein directions transverse to said dispositional planes; a link adapted to be connected to the other of said members and to reciprocate through said part opening and between said elements; means, carried by the link, including an arm, connected to the link, having a cam portion protruding irorn the plane of said arm, located near one end thereof and adapted to engage one of said elements and move the same against the bias of said resilient means, as one of the members approaches said predetermined relative position, and, as the members arrive at said predetermined relative position, to permit movement of the said element, in response to said biasing means to entrap said element between the cam and the point of connection of the arm and link, thereby resisting movement of the members from said predetermined relative position.

10. A device for releasably holding a closure member against movement relative to its supporting member and in a predetermined position relativethereto, said device including an element adapted to be connected to one of said members and supported for lateral movement relative thereto; means for biasing sa-id element against said lateral movement in one direction; a link adapted to be connected 'to the other of said members and to move substantially longitudinally in directions transverse of the element, as the members are relatively moved; means, carried by the link, including an arm, connected to and supported for lateral movement relative to the link, having a cam portion spaced from said arm and link connection, protruding from the plane of said arm and adapted, as the link moves in response to the approach of the members to said predetermined relative position, to engage said element to rive at said predetermined relative position, to

permit movement of said element in response to the bias of said biasing means and of said arm in the opposite direction; and means for biasing said arm in said opposite direction to thereby'frictionally and yieldably interlock said link to said element and restrict movement of the members from said predetermined relative position,

i 11. A device for releasably holding a closure member against movement relative to its supporting member and in a predetermined position relative thereto, said device including an element adapted to be connected to one of said members and supported for lateral movement relative thereto; a link adapted to be connected to the other of said members and to move substantially longitudinally in directions transverse of the element, as the members are relatively moved; and means, carried by the link, including an arm, connected to and supported for lateral movement relative to the link, having a cam portion spaced from said arm and link connection, protruding from the plane of said arm and adapted to engage said element to cause lateral movements of said element in one direction and of said arm in the opposite direction, as the link moves in'respouse to the approach of the members to said predetermined relative position, and, as the link moves to a position at which the members arrive at said predetermined relative position, to permit movement of said element in the opposite direction and of said arm in the first-named direction,

to thereby interlock said link to said element and restrict movement of the members from said predetermined relative position;

ADOLPH H BREII'ENWISCHER.

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