GB2476854A

GB2476854A - A portable device for frictionally holding movable wing in an open position

Info

Publication number: GB2476854A
Application number: GB1015903A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Marc Jonathan Ward
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2010-01-11
Filing date: 2010-09-22
Publication date: 2011-07-13
Anticipated expiration: 2030-09-22
Also published as: GB2476854B; GB201015903D0

Abstract

A device for maintaining a door or other movable wing in an open position, such as a door stop or door wedge. The device comprising a sloping door-contacting surface comprising a longitudinally extending sloping recess 102, the recess having a width encompassing the exposed edge of a door when the device is inserted under the free edge of the door. The longitudinal recess may be arcuately concave in cross section, v-shaped (fig. 2), or channel shaped having upstanding walls (302, fig.3). The device may be wedge shaped or formed from a laminar disc having the recess formed therein (fig.4). A handle may be provided, The device may be used as a stop for doors, gates and shutters.

Description

DOOR WEDGE

The present invention relates to devices for retaining doors and the like in an open position. For the purposes of the present application, the word door is intended to include gates and shutters.

Devices for retaining doors in an open position are many and various, most of them being ad hoc, but a particular device which is used frequently is a wedge, which is pushed under a door from a side thereof. However, this device has the disadvantages that it is relatively easy to dislodge it and also that it can prevent movement of the door in one direction only.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved device for retaining a door in an open position.

According to the present invention there is provided a device for retaining a door in an open position comprising a body of material having a sloping door-contacting surface and a ground-contacting surface wherein the door-contacting surface comprises a longitudinally extending sloping recess formed in the body of material the recess being of a width sufficient to encompass the exposed edge of an open door when the wedge is inserted under the exposed edge of the door.

The body of material need not be wedge shaped and the recess may be rectangular, v-shaped, or arcuate in section, the preferred form being arcuate in section.

The invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which, Figures 1 a and lb show perspective views of the door and ground-contacting surfaces, respectively of a door retaining wedge embodying the invention Figure 2 is a perspective view of a second door retaining wedge embodying the invention, Figure 3 is perspective view of a third door retaining wedge embodying the invention, Figure 4 is a plan view of a fourth door retaining wedge embodying the invention and Figure 5 is a perspective view showing the invention in use.

Referring to Figures 1 a and lb of the drawings, a door retaining wedge 100 embodying the invention comprises a body 101 of material having a sloping door-contacting surface 102 and a ground-contacting surface 103. The door-contacting surface 102 of the wedge 100 is provided by a longitudinally extending sloping recess 104 of arcuate section formed in the upper surface of the body 101. The width of the wedge 100 and the recess 104 are sufficient to enable the recess 104 to encompass doors of standard thicknesses, at least. The ground-contacting surface 103 of the wedge 100 is provided with ribs 105, as shown in figure lb of the drawings. The ribs are present because the door wedge 100 being described is made from a plastics material by an injection moulding process, they are not a necessary feature of the invention. The wedge 100 can be made from any convenient material such as wood, metal, rubber or a ceramic material in addition to a plastics material, but the use of a resilient material has an advantage in that forces arising from deformation of the wedge 100 as it is inserted under a door with which it is being used, assist in retaining the wedge 100 in position. The edges of the ground-contacting surface 103 of the wedge 100 may be rounded so as to facilitate the insertion and removal of the wedge under.the exposed edge of a stile of a door which it is desired should be held in an open position, as shown in figure 5. Furthermore, the wedge 100 may be provided with a handle so as to facilitate its removal from underneath the door after use.

Figure 2 shows a second embodiment of the invention in which the recess 104 forming the door-contacting surface 102 of the wedge 100 is V-shaped in section.

Figure 3 shows a third embodiment of the invention in which the recess 104 forming the door-contacting surface 102 of the wedge 100 is a channel 301 in the upper surface of the wedge 100. The height of the walls 302 of the channel 301 is not critical.

Figure 4 shows a fourth embodiment of the invention in which the sloping door-contacting surface is formed by a channel 400 the depth of which increases towards the periphery of a discoid body of material 401.

Other, decorative, shapes can be used for the body of material from which the door-retaining wedge is made, in each case, the sloping door-contacting surface being formed by a channel of varying depth in the body of material.

Figure 5 shows the wedge 100 of figure! in position under the exposed edge of an opened door 500.

Claims

CLAIMS1. A device for retaining a door in an open position comprising a body of material having a ground-contacting surface and a sloping door-contacting surface wherein the door-contacting surface comprises a longitudinally extending sloping recess formed in the body of material the recess being of a width sufficient to encompass the exposed edge of an open door when the wedge is inserted under the exposed edge of the door.
2. A device according to claim 1 wherein the recess is arcuate in section.
3. A device according to claim 1 wherein the recess is v-shaped in section.
4. A device according to claim 1 wherein the recess is of channel section.
5. A device according to any preceding claim wherein the sloping recess is formed in a body of approximately laminar form.
6. A device according to any preceding claim wherein the device is provided with a handle so as to facilitate its removal from underneath a door.
7. A device for maintaining a door in an open position substantially as hereinbefore described and with reference to the accompanying drawingsAMENDMENTS TO THE CLAIMS HAVE BEEN FILED AS FOLLOWSCLAIMS1. A device for retaining a door in an open position comprising a body of material having a ground-contacting surface and a sloping door-contacting surface the door-contacting surface comprising a longitudinally extending sloping recess formed in the body of material the recess being of a width sufficient to encompass the exposed edge of an open door when the wedge is inserted under the exposed edge of the door and having a cross-section which is progressively deeper from the sides to the centre thereof.2. A device according to claim 1 wherein the recess is arcuate in cross-section.
S... * . S...* 3. A device according to claim 1 wherein the recess is v-shaped in cross-section.S..... * .S*S.*.S 4. A device for maintaining a door in an open position substantially as * : hereinbefore described and with reference to the accompanying drawings *...**S S