Door closing devices have been in use on doors virtually since doors themselves were first invented. The first patent for a door closing device was issued in 1873 in America, prior to this door closing devices took many different shapes and forms.
There has been a requirement to control the closing of doors since doors were first invented.
Originally, door closers were very simple devices consisting of springs or weights but until technology and design took over, they remained unreliable in terms of how quickly doors were closed and still resulted in slamming doors.
Why do we need door closers on doors?
The invention of the door closer and the reason for using them remains the same today as it was with the first door. A simple need to either keep a door closed or control how it closed.
1880 saw the invention of the first pneumatic door closer using air pressure that offered one of the first mechanical solutions to preventing doors from slamming shut. Further enhancements in the late 1800’s saw door closers being fitted with arms having external torsion springs as well as other developments.
Liquid was soon being used in many face mounted door closers from 1889 and this liquid closer technology was further developed into the first concealed door closer using liquid to control the closing speed in 1916.
Today, effective door control remains the primary reason for door closers.
In any public building and some residential, you will see door closers of many different forms fitted to wood, metal, composite, fire or plastic doors.
Not only does a door closer prevent a free swinging door from causing damage or injury due to possibly being flung open, but there are other criteria as well as legal requirements today that make choosing the right door closer absolutely essential.
There are several considerations in choosing the correct door closer for a door.
Doors in hospitals are one example where doors must be safe, secure and perform reliably day after day
Effective door control is now much more than just closing a door or keeping it shut. Building regulations, public safety and providing buildings that are easy to use for users and occupiers remain important reasons for fitting door closers to doors but there are other important considerations. These include:
- The requirement for doors to latch shut and be secure every time
- How doors are to perform in the event of a fire
- How the elderly, disabled or infirm are able to use a door
- Long term reliability of any door
- Preventing vandalism or damage
- Maintaining building temperatures
- Aesthetics and design.
Door closers today, come in many different types and forms and offer different features, styles, strengths and functions.
You will find door closers that will be either surface mounted, hidden in the door frame, hidden in the door itself or hidden in the floor.
Regardless of how a door closer is fitted, it is how it is used and how it enhances any door and how we use a door that remains important. We all use doors every day in our working and normal lives but rarely give a thought to what goes into keeping that door safe, secure and easy to use.
The post What is a door closer? appeared first on Aluminium Trade Supply.