I love a challenge, and I know some of you do too. In this old mill renovation, the upper floors of the building will have apartments, and there will be retail/restaurant spaces on the first floor. The fire marshal wants the stairwell doors to close more reliably than they do with the original system (shown in the last photo). The doors are currently held open with magnetic holders, and when the fire alarm is activated, the doors need to close but the fire marshal is not requiring them to latch. How would you handle closers for these openings?
WWYD?
Thank you to Kelley Brothers for the photos!
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Heavy duty surface mount swing clear spring hinges?
Looks like an old JG Waxman company door. Bill Elliott probably wrote the spec.
Wall mounted closer
I would suggest a 4”tall steel plate/HSS secured to the brick to span the opening (push-side, at the base-of the arch), and then mount the closer onto the plate. I guess it depends on the height of the arch for headroom clearance, though :/
I believe Norton makes some different mounting brackets for their potbelly closers that are meant for arch top doors
Could you explain to me how the closer works? Is the arched piece of metal flexible?
Hi Dave –
To be honest, I’ve never seen one like this. Maybe someone else can explain it.
– Lori
Yes, the arched piece of metal is hinged at that point where the weight is attached and flexes up as the door is opened.
What about A LCN 4004T
We had a similar situation on several doors for the City of Virginia Beach. We made a custom drop plate in the shop and mounted a regular closer on it. Came out real nice.
LCN Closer 4111 x ST-2482. Could also use full surface continuous hinge to help the doors swing freely.
There are specialised closers available for gates that could be adapted to work but if this requires a rated closer I would agree with Tim Cannon’s comment that a custom drop plate would be the best solution. It could be made from (or made to look like) wrought iron to fit in with the historic building.
Could use the Yale 947 offset adjustable bracket for an arched or circular door with the 1900 series closer.
for that heavy of a door.. and the ADA crowd… it’s like adjusting a closer
for a building with an ‘air handling/pressure’ issue… if you make it close
too fast or too strong on the closing to latch pressure.. you risk getting
sued by ADA crowd but also the fakers (the ones maybe in a wheelchair, but
make their disgusting means of living by putting mom and pop shops out of
business with their nuisance suits.
These old style fire doors usually have a counter balance weight (see the arched bar with weight ) once the mag releases the doors swing shut . However they have one speed … Ramming speed .lol. A properly mounted heavy duty LCN XP Complete with a special perhaps made PA bracket would work . We have a company CBH that can make a bracket for this . these doors used to have a self latching gate type hardware but I don’t think they would pass … A retro fit would be a better solution . But cost would be restricted
Might be a good application for a Kason 1097