OK – this one is going to take some thought, so let’s focus. Paul Nykiel of Johnson Hardware sent me these photos of an opening he’s trying to help with. The large panel on the right is designed to be stationary (a surface bolt holds it in the closed position), but will sometimes be opened. The door on the left is a swinging door that is hinged to the sometimes-stationary panel. The customer installed a closer on the active leaf / swinging door, but because the shoe is mounted to the frame head, the large panel can not be opened without detaching the closer.
Is there any way to install a closer on the active leaf / swinging door, without attaching it to the frame head? WWYD?
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Does he want the swing door to open 180??
If not, put a stop some how, so the door swing does not interfere with the other door.
What about a door closer similar to the Total Door System’s pocket door closer? It would require a custom mounting plate but by the looks of this opening everything is custom.
https://www.totaldoor.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/Pair-Cut-Sheet-180.pdf
Spring hinges on active leaf.
I’m just guessing that the designer of this unit is not a door guy. It seems like the closer on the “sometimes stationary panel” is unnecessary and will serve no real purpose.
I would suggest that the active door is hinged conventionally–on the left side–making it a LHR active unit. That way you could put the closer where it should be, and just HOPE that a strong wind does not pull it out of someone’s hand and break the glass.
Another consideration is the “sometimes stationary panel” being forced by wind into that electrical outlet right next to it.
Hindsight, I know, but why not hinge the active leaf on the opening jamb and let it latch into the (mostly) inactive panel?
Bingo!
This looks like a do over. Should have put a frame inside a frame. hinge the inside frame to the outside frame and the stationary panel becomes permanently attached to the inside frame. hinge the door at the stationary panel with the closer attached to the inside frame. my two cents.
I agree that the entire unit should have been thought through differently and hinged to the left side. As a fix for what is now in place, is there enough room on the top face of the somewhat inactive door for a custom bracket that could hang out into space to the position of the closer shoe pivot point. A bracket of this type would allow the shoe to open with the once in a while door and not be attached to the header. It would probably mean redesigning the surface bolt that holds the inactive door now.
Option 2 would depend on the environment at the location with a possible outside mounted closer with a track type rolling shoe and a custom template.
Option 3 would be a total redesign to a 3 pane frame to open the whole thing with a door in a door concept to open one pane only. This would move the surface bolt to the end and be stronger.
Make a custom bracket that attaches to the face of either the side or top window frame of the “sometimes stationary” window that provides the mounting surface needed for the closer arm. An issue with this is the door closer is going to act to close the door (making it parallel to the “sometime stationary” window even when the window-wall is open). A possible solution may be use a hold open HD parallel arm that keeps the door in an open position when the window-wall is open. This could be a fairly simple bracket to make by a local metal shop.
TJ mount closer. It’ll open 180. Since you have to undo the slide bolt anyway, just unscrew the the bolt that mounts the arm to the shoe or replace it with a long pin to make it easier.
Responding to the question, I would use a removable pin between the two arms of the closer. This would accomplish their goal without spending an arm & a leg (pun).
Look at the Perko Closer I believe it will solve your problem.
It appears there isn’t enough door stile for the Perko closer.
Change to LHRA is my vote.
I agree with Pat. Re-hang the opening door so that it locks into the “sometimes” opening door. It’s a pair of doors both hinged on the frame side. YOu could put a closer on both doors then if you wanted. Nothing custom then.
What about attaching an angle, roughly 16 inches long, half-way onto the top rail of the mostly stationary panel and attaching the closer shoe to the other end? (one leg up and facing into the room) It would have to be cut to allow the slide bolt to go through it, but the rest of the hardware could be reused.
Solution is door closer TS93G – Dorma – It is used for the folding sliding walls model FSW-C PLUS.
Door Closert TS93G is mounted on the outside
http://products.dorma.com/content/download/8277/70393/15-521.pdf