Door closer with assist or door operating features

Claim 2

Hydraulic door closer apparatus comprising a housing having a cylinder therein, a piston disposed in said cylinder, force transmitting means operatively coupled to said piston for transmitting forces to and from said piston to control movement of a door, biasing means in said cylinder in force-transmitting engagement with said piston for biasing said piston toward a rest position, actuator means operatively coupled to said piston for selectively applying to said piston force in opposition to said biasing means, and control means operatively coupled to said actuator means for selectively operating said actuator means, said actuator means being so configured and arranged as to be capable of providing a force in excess of the force of said biasing means, and said control means comprising means coupled to said actuator means for normally causing said actuator means to provide a force in opposition to said biasing means approximately equal to the force of said biasing means so that the effect of said biasing means is nearly balanced and manual opening of a door facilitated thereby, and said control means further comprising selectively operable means for selectively causing said actuator means to provide a force in opposition to said biasing means in excess of the force of said biasing means so that the force of said biasing is overbalanced and the door caused to be opened.

Claim 3

Apparatus in accordance with claim 1 wherein said actuator means is a fluid actuator of the pneumatic type, and said control means comprises fluid circuit means.

Claim 4

Apparatus in accordance with claim 1, wherein said actuator means is normally inoperative, timer means coupled to said actuator means to render said actuator means inoperative upon sensing by said timer means of the lapse of a preselected time interval, and said selectively operable means comprises remotely manually operable valve means operatively coupled to said timer means for triggering operation of said timer means and said actuator means.

Claim 5

Apparatus in accordance with claim 3, wherein said remotely manually operable valve means comprises a palm button.

Claim 6

Apparatus in accordance with claim 3, wherein said actuator means is a fluid actuator of the pneumatic type, and said remotely operable means comprises a source of air pressure, conduit means coupled to said source and said actuator means, and said remotely manually operable valve means being operatively associated with said conduit and positioned and arranged to selectively place said actuator means in fluid communication with said source.

Claim 7

Apparatus in accordance with claim 5, wherein said remotely manually operable valve means includes a normally closed vent, opening of said vent triggering said timer means.

Claim 8

Apparatus in accordance with claim 5, wherein said remotely manually operable valve means comprises a palm button.

Claim 9

Hydraulic door closer apparatus comprising a housing having a cylinder therein, a piston disposed in said cylinder, force transmitting means operatively coupled to said piston for transmitting forces to and from said piston to control movement of a door, biasing means in said cylinder in force-transmitting engagement with said piston for biasing said piston toward a rest position, actuator means operatively coupled to said piston for selectively applying to said piston force in opposition to said biasing means, said actuator means being secured to said housing and including a force-transmitting member in force-transmitting engagement with said piston and operable in a direction parallel to the axis of said cylinder and said piston to oppose said biasing means, said actuator means being so configured and arranged as to provide a force approximately equal to the force of said biasing means so that the effect of said biasing means may be nearly balanced and manual opening of a door facilitated thereby, said actuator means being a fluid actuator of the pneumatic type, and control means operatively coupled to said actuator means for selectively operating said actuator means, said control means comprising a source of air pressure, conduit means coupled to said source and said actuator means, and door position responsive means operatively associated with said conduit means for selectively placing said actuator means in fluid communication with said source, said position responsive means comprising time-responsive valve means for placing said actuator means in fluid communication with said source when the door is closed and interrupting the fluid communication when said time-responsive valve means times out, and second valve means responsive to door position and operatively coupled to said time-responsive valve means and said source so that actuation of said second valve means in response to opening of the door causes said time-responsive valve means to operate said time-responsive valve means, said time-responsive valve means having means for venting said actuator means to atmosphere when said time-responsive valve means is timed out, so that said actuator means is rendered inoperative when said time-responsive valve means is timed out.

Claim 10

Hydraulic door closer apparatus comprising a housing having a cylinder therein, a piston disposed in said cylinder, force transmitting means operatively coupled to said piston for transmitting forces to and from said piston to control movement of a door, biasing means in said cylinder in force-transmitting engagement with said piston for biasing said piston toward a rest position, actuator means operatively coupled to said piston for selectively applying to said piston force in opposition to said biasing means, said actuator means being secured to said housing and including a force-transmitting member in force-transmitting engagement with said piston and operable in a direction parallel to the axis of said cylinder and said piston to oppose said biasing means, said actuator means being so configured and arranged as to provide a force approximately equal to the force of said biasing means so that the effect of said biasing means may be nearly balanced and manual opening of a door facilitated thereby, said actuator means being a fluid actuator of the pneumatic type, and control means operatively coupled to said actuator means for selectively operating said actuator means, said control means comprising a source of air pressure, conduit means coupled to said source and said actuator means, and door position responsive means operatively associated with said conduit means for selectively placing said actuator means in fluid communication with said source, said position responsive means comprising time-responsive valve means for placing said actuator means in fluid communication with said source when the door is closed and interrupting the fluid communication when said time-responsive valve means times out, and second valve means responsive to door position and operatively coupled to said time-responsive valve means and said source so that actuation of said second valve means in response to opening of the door causes said time-responsive valve means to operate said time-responsive valve means, said time-responsive valve means having means for venting said actuator means to atmosphere when said time-responsive valve means is timed out, so that said actuator means is rendered inoperative when said time-responsive valve means is timed out.

Claim 11

Apparatus in accordance with claim 3, wherein said second valve means comprises a control element adapted to pass air only in the absence of a control signal, and normally closed vent means responsive to door position and providing a control signal to said control element only when the door is closed, so that opening of the door causes actuation of said second valve means and operation of said time-responsive valve means.

Claim 12

Hydraulic door closer apparatus comprising a housing having a cylinder therein, a piston disposed in said cylinder, force transmitting means operatively coupled to said piston for transmitting forces to and from said piston to control movement of a door, biasing means in said cylinder in force-transmitting engagement with said piston for biasing said piston toward a rest position, actuator means operatively coupled to said piston for selectively applying to said piston force in opposition to said biasing means, and control means operatively coupled to said actuator means for selectively operating said actuator means, said actuator means being secured to said housing and including a force-transmitting member in force-transmitting engagement with said piston and operable in a direction parallel to the axis of said cylinder and said piston to oppose said biasing means, said actuator means being so configured and arranged as to provide a force in excess of the force of said biasing means so that the effect of said biasing means may be overbalanced, said actuator means being normally inoperative, timer means coupled to said actuator means to render said actuator means inoperative upon sensing by said timer means of the lapse of a preselected time interval, and remotely manually operable valve means operatively coupled to said timer means for triggering operation of said timer means and said actuator means, said remotely manually operable valve means comprising a control element adapted to pass air only in the absence of a control signal, and a normally opened vent means associated with said remotely manually operable valve means and providing a control signal to said control element upon the closing thereof, said control signal triggering operation of said timer means.

Claim 13

Hydraulic door closer apparatus comprising a housing having a cylinder therein, a piston disposed in said cylinder, force transmitting means operatively coupled to said piston for transmitting forces to and from said piston to control movement of a door, biasing means in said cylinder in force-transmitting engagement with said piston for biasing said piston toward a rest position, actuator means operatively coupled to said piston for selectively applying to said piston force in opposition to said biasing means, and control means operatively coupled to said actuator means for selectively operating said actuator means, said actuator means being secured to said housing and including a force-transmitting member in force-transmitting engagement with said piston and operable in a direction parallel to the axis of said cylinder and said piston to oppose said biasing means, said actuator means being so configured and arranged as to provide a force in excess of the force of said biasing means so that the effect of said biasing means may be overbalanced, said actuator means being normally inoperative, timer means coupled to said actuator means to render said actuator means inoperative upon sensing by said timer means of the lapse of a preselected time interval, and remotely manually operable valve means operatively coupled to said timer means for triggering operation of said timer means and said actuator means, said remotely manually operable valve means comprising a control element adapted to pass air only in the absence of a control signal, and a normally opened vent means associated with said remotely manually operable valve means and providing a control signal to said control element upon the closing thereof, said control signal triggering operation of said timer means.

Claim 14

Apparatus in accordance with claim 10, wherein said remotely manually operable valve means comprises a palm button.

Claim 15

Hydraulic door closer apparatus comprising a housing having a cylinder therein, a piston disposed in said cylinder, force transmitting means operatively coupled to said piston for transmitting forces to and from said piston to control movement of a door, biasing means in said cylinder in force-transmitting engagement with said piston for biasing said piston toward a rest position, actuator means operatively coupled to said piston for selectively applying to said piston force in opposition to said biasing means, and control means operatively coupled to said actuator means for selectively operating said actuator means, said actuator means being secured to said housing and including a force-transmitting member in force-transmitting engagement with said piston and operable in a direction parallel to the axis of said cylinder and said piston to oppose said biasing means, said actuator means being so configured and arranged as to provide a force approximately equal to the force of said biasing means so that the effect of said biasing means may be nearly balanced and manual opening of a door facilitated thereby, said actuator means being normally operative, timer means coupled to said actuator means to render said actuator means inoperative upon sensing by said timer means of the lapse of a preselected time interval, and said control means comprising means operatively coupled to said timer means and responsive to door position for triggering operation of said timer means.

Claim 16

Hydraulic door closer apparatus comprising a housing having a cylinder therein, a piston disposed in said cylinder, force transmitting means operatively coupled to said piston for transmitting forces to and from said piston to control movement of a door, biasing means in said cylinder in force-transmitting engagement with said piston for biasing said piston toward a rest position, actuator means operatively coupled to said piston for selectively applying to said piston force in opposition to said biasing means, and control means operatively coupled to said actuator means for selectively operating said actuator means, said actuator means being secured to said housing and including a force-transmitting member in force-transmitting engagement with said piston and operable in a direction parallel to the axis of said cylinder and said piston to oppose said biasing means, said actuator means being so configured and arranged as to provide a force approximately equal to the force of said biasing means so that the effect of said biasing means may be nearly balanced and manual opening of a door facilitated thereby, said actuator means being normally operative, timer means coupled to said actuator means to render said actuator means inoperative upon sensing by said timer means of the lapse of a preselected time interval, and said control means comprising means operatively coupled to said timer means and responsive to door position for triggering operation of said timer means.

Claim 17

Hydraulic door closer apparatus comprising a housing having a cylinder therein, a piston disposed in said cylinder, force transmitting means operatively coupled to said piston for transmitting forces to and from said piston to control movement of a door, biasing means in said cylinder in force-transmitting engagement with said piston for biasing said piston toward a rest position, actuator means operatively coupled to said piston for selectively applying to said piston force in opposition to said biasing means, and control means operatively coupled to said actuator means for selectively operating said actuator means, said actuator means being secured to said housing and including a force-transmitting member in force-transmitting engagement with said piston and operable in a direction parallel to the axis of said cylinder and said piston to oppose said biasing means, said actuator means being so configured and arranged as to provide a force approximately equal to the force of said biasing means so that the effect of said biasing means may be nearly balanced and manual opening of a door facilitated thereby, said actuator means being a fluid actuator of the pneumatic type, and said means coupled to said actuator means comprising a source of air pressure, conduit means coupled to said source and said actuator means, and door position responsive means operatively associated with said conduit means for selectively placing said actuator means in fluid communication with said source.

Claim 18

Hydraulic door closer apparatus comprising a housing having a cylinder therein, a piston disposed in said cylinder, force transmitting means operatively coupled to said piston for transmitting forces to and from said piston to control movement of a door, biasing means in said cylinder in force-transmitting engagement with said piston for biasing said piston toward a rest position, actuator means operatively coupled to said piston for selectively applying to said piston force in opposition to said biasing means, and control means operatively coupled to said actuator means for selectively operating said actuator means, said actuator means being secured to said housing and including a force-transmitting member in force-transmitting engagement with said piston and operable in a direction parallel to the axis of said cylinder and said piston to oppose said biasing means, said actuator means being so configured and arranged as to provide a force approximately equal to the force of said biasing means so that the effect of said biasing means may be nearly balanced and manual opening of a door facilitated thereby, said actuator means being a fluid actuator of the pneumatic type, and said means coupled to said actuator means comprising a source of air pressure, conduit means coupled to said source and said actuator means, and door position responsive means operatively associated with said conduit means for selectively placing said actuator means in fluid communication with said source.