Door closing preventer

Aug. 17, 1965

3,200,434

F. L. JARNOT

DOOR CLOSING PREVENTER Filed Oct. 3, 1963

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United States Patent Office

3,200,434

Patented Aug. 17, 1965

3,200,434

DOOR CLOSING PREVENTER

Frank L. Jarnat, 190 Orland St, Bridgeport, Conn. Filed Oct. 3,1963, Ser. No. 313,487

Claims. (Cl. 16—86)

The present invention is generally concerned with safety devices, and is more particularly directed to a device for preventing an accidental closing and locking of a closure means, particularly a door. It is a primary object of the instant invention to provide a safety device which will prevent the relatively common occurrence of a child accidentally locking himself in a room.

In conjunction with the above object, it is also an object of the instant invention to provide a device which can be utilized to prevent any accidental closing and locking of a door.

It is also an object of the instant invention to provide a device for automatically preventing the closing of the door once the door has been opened, while at the same time being quickly and easily moved so as to allow for a conventional closing of the door when desired.

In addition, it is an object of the instant invention to provide a device which is relatively simple in structure, inexpensive to manufacture, and easy and convenient to install at any desired point adjacent a door opening, the device preferably being installed well above the reach of any child thus preventing any interference with its functioning so as to preclude an unintentional locking of the door.

In achieving the above objects, it is contemplated that the device of the instant invention include an elongated resilient bumper suspended horizontally by an elongated flexible member which in turn is affixed to a structure, adjacent a door opening, by a mounting means including a pressure sensitive adhesive thereon.

These together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of the device of the instant invention installed in conjunction with a door opening;

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken substantially upon a plane passing along line 2—2 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is an exploded perspective view of the mounting means;

FIGURE 4 is a cross-sectional view illustrating the manner in which the device of the instant invention functions so as to prevent accidental closing of a door;

FIGURE 5 is a perspective view of the rear of the mounting means with the adhesive covering strip partially removed.

Referring now more specifically to the drawings, the reference numeral 10 is used to generally designate the safety device comprising the instant invention. This safety device 10 consists basically of an elongated rubber bumper 12, on elongated flexible member, preferably in the form of a chain 14, and a mounting means 16.

The rubber bumper 12 is generally semi-cylindrical and includes a relatively broad rear fiat face 18 which is to be engaged flush against the surface of a structure adjacent a door opening 20 with a portion of the bumper 12 extending inwardly beyond the side of the opening 20 for engagement by a door 22. Incidentally, it should be appreciated that while one type of door 22 has been specifically illustrated, the device of the instant invention is equally applicable to all types of doors, including refrigerator doors, as well as various types of windows. . The mounting means 16 consists of a fiat plate 24 having a pressure sensitive adhesive 26 on the rear surface thereof, this adhesive 26 being protected, until used, by a strip or film 28. The peripheral edge of the disk or plate 24 is forwardly folded as at 30 and terminates in a plurality of forwardly projecting resilient fingers 32 extending first slightly outwardly and then slightly inwardly so as to form a ring of contact points 34 between the outwardly and inwardly extending portions of each of the fingers 32. In addition, as will be noted from the drawings, the side edges of each of the fingers converge forwardly toward each other.

The flexible member or link chain 14 has its upper end engaged with the mounting means 16 by the positioning of one of the enlargements or beads 36 between a pair of adjacent fingers 32, the diverging edges of the fingers facilitating the insertion of the enlargement 36 of the chain 14 with this enlargement 36 being orientated within the concave seat provided between the outwardly and inwardly extending portions of the adjacent fingers 32 thus overcoming any tendency of the enlargement 36 moving out from between the fingers 32. Further, a cylindrical closed end cap 38 is slipped over the fingers 32 and frictionally retained thereon, with its annular edge engaged against the forwardly turned peripheral portion 30 of the plate 24, by frictional engagement with the contact points 34 of the fingers 32, this cap being provided with an opening or notch 40 therein so as to accommodate the flexible member 14 therethrough. By such an arrangement, it will be appreciated that the cap 38 firmly locks the chain enlargement 36 to the mounting device 16.

The lower end of the chain 14 is frictionally engaged within the resilient bumper 12 at the longitudinal center thereof whereby, upon a mounting of the device 10, the resilient bumper 12 will horizontally orientate itself so as to project inwardly of the side of the door opening for engagement by the door 22 as illustrated in FIGURE 4, the relatively broad flat face insuring against any possibility of bumper 12 rolling out of position.

From the foregoing, it will be appreciated that a relatively simple though highly novel safety device has been defined which can be, through the pressure sensitive adhesive, quickly and properly mounted so as to prevent the accidental, or in the case of small children, the intentional closing and locking of a door or other closure means. Basically, the safety device includes a resiliently elongated bumper suspended from its longitudinal midpoint, so as to be horizontally orientated, by the elongated flexible chain which in turn has its upper end engaged with forwardly projecting resilient fingers on a plate bearing pressure sensitive adhesive, these fingers, with the chain engaged therewith, 'being enclosed by a cap so as to lock the chain therein.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention as claimed.