US2603820A - Door check and holding device - Google Patents

Description

y 22, 1952 E. ALLEN DOOR CHECK AND HOLDING DEVICE Filed April 15, V 1948 INVENTOR. faw/kv A. ALLEN A TTO/P/VEKf Patented July 22, 1952 DOOR. CHECK AND HOLDING DEVICE Edwin L. Allen, Cleveland Heights, Ohio, assignor to Rudolph I. Schonitzer, Cleveland, Ohio 7 Application April 13, 1948," Serial No. 20, 680

This invention relates to a combination check and holding device for retaining in a predetermined position with respect to: each other two cooperating members such as an automobile door andits frame and more particularly to a device for checking the movement of a door or the like in one direction and then retaining the door in the checked position.

The subject matter of this invention is particularly adapted for use in conjunction with doors and door frames of automobiles and the like in which the door is hinged on an axis that is approximately vertical and is swung between opened and closed positions about that axis. The

doors ofautomobiles now built frequently are hingeably mounted on inclined body posts or pillars in such manner'that they have a natural tendencyto swing to a closed position and this tendency has resulted in serious personal injury, creating a requirement for means for releasably holding such doors in open'position whenever they are moved thereto. The present checking and holding device functions resiliently to limit the amount which the door may open andthereafter to retain the door in that position until it is pushed manually to another position. More specifically the invention relates to the combination of a link member, one or more spring arm camming elements carried thereby and the elements by'which' the link and cam members are secured together inoperative relation; and as such represents an improvement over the device disclosed in Patent No. 2,237,046, issued April 1, 1941 to A. H. Breitenwischer and now assigned to my assignee.

A general object of the present invention is to provide an improved door checking or door checking and'holding mechanism. Another object is to provide a door check including a link with a resilient bumper thereon to limit the extent to which the door may be 7 opened, spring latch mechanism to hold the door open and novel supporting elements to hold the parts together as a unitary assembly and reinforce them in operative position. Still another object is to provide a combination check and holding device including a link carried by either the door or frame with sprin arms on opposite faces thereof adapted releasably to engage holding elements carried by the complementary frame or door as the case may be, a resilient bumper orcushion to limit the relative motion of the door and frame, a reinforcing 1 Claim. (01. 16-.1-86) Other objects of the invention will become apparent from the following specification and from the drawing; the novel features of the invention being set forth in the accompanying claim.

Referring now to the drawing: Figure 1 is a horizontal section through aportionof a door member and door pillar or post member of .an automobile body showing in solid lines the door in closed position and in dot and dash lines the position of the door and door check mechanism in open, position; Figure 2 is a section as indicated by the line 22 on Figure 1 Figure 3 is an end elevation as indicated by line 3--3 on Figure 1 showing the elements carried by the unsupported end of the mechanism; Figure 4 is afragmentary view similar to Figure 1 showing a modified form of checking and holding mechanism; Figure 5 is a section through Figure 4 as indicated by the line 5-5 thereon; and, Figure-6 is an end elevationof the mechanism shown in Figure 4.

' As indicated above; the drawing illustrates two forms of the invention, both of which have certain common characteristics. Each form includes a link member of a doorcheck and holding mechanism together with at least one spring arm held against a broad face of the link. A deformable cushion surrounds the link and spring arm and operates to cushion relative motion of the door and frame in one direction; and is supported by a plate or disc that likewise surrounds the link and spring arm. A fastening deviceholds the link and spring arm together and provides an abutment against which the-plate may bear when a shock or other load applied to the cushion is transmitted to it. Each form of the invention embodies improvements over the Breitenwischer patent described abovein that each provides a construction whose components are somewhat simpler to fabricate and-require less material, both of which are important factors where the device is used in very large quantities as in the construction of automobiles, where at least two and frequently four check and holding devices are provided on eachlvehicle.

Referring now to the drawing and particularly to Figure 1, the generally hollow left front door of an automobile is indicated at [0 and is hingedlymounted at l2 to swing about a rearwardly inclined and generally hollow front post or-pillar l4 that is rigid with the automobile frame. The inclination of the body posts or pillars causes the doorto tend to swing to a closed position so the door. shown in Figure 1 in dot and dash lines tends to swing to the closed position shown in solid lines and this can result in serious personal injury, particularly if such movement of the door is unexpected. The other doors of the car normally are mounted on similarly inclined pillars and hence are subject to the same tendency to close unexpectedly. The door is checked in its opening motion by a resilient shock absorbing cushion or bumper that to a degree cooperates with the spring arm mechanism thereafter to hold the door j in thei o'pen position. While the particular uses of the door check and holding mechanism described herein are directed toward automobiles, and more particularly to those with in- 2,603,820 If I arm and the link as shown.

clined pillars, it will be evident thatthe-invention may be used in other circumstances. The con-' structions described herein represent two preferred forms of the invention and customary method of use but the scope of the invention is limited solely by the appended claim. In the forms of the invention illustrated herein the checking and holding mechanism is shown as principally. contained within the hollow door with a link pivotallyJsecured tov thedoor post but it will be evident that the installation may be reversed so the mechanism is largely contained within the hollow vehicle body post or pillar and the link secured to .the door.

The present device includes a relatively flat straight stamped steel arm or link having its front endpivotally or otherwise suitably connected to an intermediate portion of the door post 14 asbyqabracketv 16 secured to the post and pivotally connected with the link by a pin ll mounted on an axis substantially parallel with the hinge axis [2. The arm l5 lies within the generallyhollowdoor, passing through an opening 19 in the front edge Wall 20 thereof and through a thickervertical: reinforcing partition or rib 2| secured as shown to the-edge In order to absorb the shock incident to stopping the motion of the door when it reaches the opencpositionla cushion 4] is mounted on the link as shown in Figure 2. This cushion is in the form of a resilient pad made of rubber, neoprene or'other resilient material; preferably inthe form of a relatively thick disc with a cenmember Miami the .interior panel member zd of the door. The opening in the edge member 25 is of sufficient sizeto receive most of the bracket 15 and the pin I! when the door is in the closed position shown in Figure 1. The opening in the vertical partition 2| is indicated at 25 and is in the form of a slot through which the flat link 15 may pass freely. as hereafter described, the slot being of sufiicient vertical width to permit spring arms mounted on .thelink to passthrough the slot when the door is opened or closed. From this description it;will be evident, as stated above, thattherelativelocation of the bracket l6 and link 15 may; be reversed so the bracket is secured vto the door andthelink slides into position within the. ,door post.

When the .door is in the closed position the check and holding mechanism is in inoperative but .when the door is opened the mechanism functions. first to check the door as it reaches its fully open position and thereafter to'hold the door in the opened position until such time as sufiicienti forceis, exerted upon it to release the holding mechanism and thereafter push the door to alclosed position.

The components that cooperate with link l5 to make up the completechecking and holding mechanismasj illustrated in Figures 2 and 3 include. two stiff spring, arms 30 formed of spring steel and'secured in cooperating relation with the link 15 and on opposite sides thereof. While it is preferredthat two such spring members be provided it will be evident that, if desired, one only may, be used-without departing from the present invention. Each spring arm includes a relatively flat portion, 33 adapted to:1ie.- against: the link 15. anda centralraised tral opening to accommodate the link and spring arms. The pad functions as a bumper to cushion a too rapid or forceful openingof the door and also cooperates with the spring'arms to limit the amount they may flex outwardly when the door is either opened or closed. When the door is opened, the full amount of the unabsorbed load transmitted by the cushion is taken by a supporting plate or disc 42. This disc is formed to have an area and shape conforming to the adjacentcontacting face of the pad and is provided with a central opening permitting it to be mounted in position as shown. The disc is interposed between the pad and rivet so that force transmitted to it by the pad is in turn transmitted to the link throughthehead 43 and peened over portion 44 of the rivet 4t.

The rmech anism just described engages with cooperating structure -carriedby the vertical reinforcing member or partition 2i of the door. This structure is inthe form of a boxlike frame 56 riveted or otherwise secured at 5| to the inner face of the partition 2] in position to overlie the-opening 25. Two spaced steel bearing parts orarms 53 are supported in the box in such position that they extend across the opening 25 on each side ofthe link I5 closely adjacent the fiat faces thereof. W k 'When the dooris swungfrom closed to open position the various parts move'relative to each other from the solid to the dotted line position of Figure 1 during which movement the lips 38 ofthe springarrns30, engage the elements 53 and by them-are cammed awa'y from the link I5 as the opening motion'of the door continues. As the door approaches its final position the portions 31 of the spring arms snap over elements53locking theminthe pockets formed by the outwardly bowedportion's, as shown in dot and dash im'es'in Figure 1 thereby locking the door in open position.

The force due to the opening motion of the door is absorbed' asthe door attains the position shown in dotted lines in Figure 1 by the cushion 4i supported by the disc 42. The resilience of the cushion thereafter-causes it to exert some inward force on the spring armsso they more tightly hold the elements 53 in, the pockets and thus assists in'holding the door check mechanism inposition; The spring'arms 3|] are very stiff to insure an adequate grip on the elements 53'although on v.theiother hand the width of the door is such that a; relatively small force at the edge of; the door multiplied by the moment arm represented by this width enables the door to be closed easily. 7 v

When the door is pushed to a closed position the portion 31 of each spring arm acts as a cam surface again to move the adjacent portion away from the link I and permit the elements 53 to be withdrawn from beneath the spring arms as the door leaves the dotted line position of Figure 1 to attain the closed position shown in solid lines in that figure.

A modified form of the invention is illustrated in Figures 4, 5 and 6 and difiers from the construction described chiefly in the manner in which the spring arms are made and secured to the link I5. In this modified form the various components including the link l5, boxlike frame 50 and the hinged connection of the link at I! may all be identical with that described in connection with Figures 1, 2 and 3. In like manner the resilient pad or cushion 4| may be of a shape and supported by a disc 42 in all respects as heretofore described.

The two arms 30 shown in Figure 2 are duplicated in Figure 5 but are made up of a single spring member 58 of hairpin like configuration.

This member includes two spring arms each having lips 38 and portions 34 and 31 to provide pockets in which the bearing parts 53 may be seated, all as described above. On the other hand these spring arms are joined by an integral piece of material 52 so a single piece of stock provides both spring arm members and by the nature of the construction rigidly secures them in position with respect to each other.

The fact that the two spring arms are made in one piece permits use of a somewhat different method of fastening them to the link l5 than is provided by the rivet 40 as shown in Figure 2. Thus when the spring arms are connected together by the web of material 52 they are held against lateral shifting with respect to each other by the resilience of the-web, especially where the web fits snugly against and is supported by the square corners of the end of link l5. It is thus not necessary to hold the arms tightly to the link, as by means of a rivet, to prevent lateral shifting but it is suflicient merely'to secure the integrally joined spring arms to the link inproper relation to the end thereof. To this end a cotter pin 55 is passed through two aligned openings in the spring arms and through a corresponding opening in the link I5. The end 52 of member 58 encircles the end of the link [5 and is held as tightly against it as possible so rocking of the spring arms in the plane of Figure 4 is prevented. The legs 51 are spread as shown in Figure 6 and cooperate with the head of the cotter pin to provide a firm support for the disc 42 as the shock of bringing the door to rest against the pad or cushion 4| is imparted to it.

In operation the form of invention shown in Figures 4, 5 and 6 operates precisely as described in connection with Figures 1, 2 and 3 and when the door is moved from the closed to the opened position the lips 38 of the spring arms cam over the bearing parts 53 to seat them in the aforementioned pockets between the link and spring arms. Similarly when the door is closed the spring arms are cammed apart by the surfaces 37 and the door is released to be pushed into the closed position shown in Figure 1.

From the foregoing description it will be evident that I have provided a new and improved form of door check and holding device that possesses the advantage of simplicity of design and of assembly together with a sturdy construction adapted to the conditions incurred by use in automotive vehicles and the like.

I claim:

A .door check and holding device for limiting opening movement of a door member with respect to a supporting frame member and holding said door member in open position comprising, a link adapted to be pivotally connected at one end to one of said members, a pair of independent separate spring arms disposed at the other end of said link and on opposite sides thereof, each of said spring arms being shaped to provide a pocket between the arm and said link adapted to receive keeper elements supported on the other of said members, a resilient cushion element encircling said link and said independent arms intermediate the ends of said arms, a plate member encircling said link and said arms and adapted to engage and restrain said cushion element against movement toward said other end of said link, and a fastening element extending through said spring arms and said link member and having enlarged portions at its opposite ends, said enlarged portions directly engaging said spring arms and directly abutting said plate whereby said spring arms are retained against movement relative to said link and said plate is restrained against movement along said link toward said other end thereof.

EDWIN L.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,232,498 Travis Feb. 18, 1941 2,237,046 Breitenwischer Apr. 1, 1941 2,291,412 Schonitzer July'28, 1942 2,507,389 Travis et al May 9, 1950

Images