Door closer

Abstract

This invention is directed to a door closer which is rendered optionally operative to effect either a controlled closing of the door upon opening or to automatically latch or arrest the door in the open position as may be desired. This is attained by a closer housing having a cylinder chamber and a connected latching chamber in which a piston is reciprocally mounted in the cylinder chamber which is biased by a compression spring toward the closed position. The piston rod connected to the piston extends through the end of the latching chamber and a latching member and an associated recoil spring is slidably disposed on the piston rod within the latching chamber. An arming device extends into the latching chamber which is shiftable between an armed position and an unarmed position. The arrangement is such that in the unarmed position, the door closer operates in a normal manner and when the arming mechanism is shifted to an armed position, the closer functions to automatically latch the door in the opened position. Unlatching is effected by displacing the door slightly toward opening position whereby the recoil spring effects the unlatching of the door, and whereby the door under the force of the compression spring is closed.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.