Ben Turner

Ben Turner's "The Silent" Patent Door Spring

6/20/2015

View of top plate.

In my previous blog entry I introduced you to the Smith & Turner floor spring, I will now show you the door spring Ben Turner produced under his own name.

This door spring uses the torsional force of a helical spring in it configuration and was manufactured at 2 Bartholomew Close, London. The earliest reference to a Ben Turner floor spring I have found was from an advertisement dated 1858.

A picture I found of a top plate being used as a decorative item.

With top plate removed.

The patent of Benjamin Turners floor spring.

Angled shot to give an idea of length of coil spring (about 10 inches). I have previously refurbished a Ben Turner on a very heavy bank door with a spring that was over 24 inches in length.

6 Comments

Jess The Door Closer Doctor

6/20/2015 08:15:50 am

Hello there MFS,

another great find and loved reading about Ben Turner's silent floor spring!!

I would have never thought it had a spiral torsion/clock spring that long (10 inches deep) more less the 24 inch long one you worked on, the 24 inch one, I guess that was more heavy duty then this (10 inch) one in pic??

the reason for the word silent, I guess back then when this was patented the hydraulic/pneumatic closers had a loud audible hissing noise that can disturb the silence in certain environments (nursing homes/hospitals/libraries) I can agree that some door closers are pretty loud when fluid flows thru the valves from high pressure to low pressure zones.

newer rack-and-pinion type surface mounts are no quieter in that department (all depends on the valve and spring settings also depends on how "verbal" it is)

only spiral torsion/clock spring floor springs I have ever heard of for the united states market is Pittco. which I don't think is made anymore, they were similar but I think are singlo, not duplo like the BT floorspring

another feature I find interesting about the BT floorpsring, the reversing mechanism as shown in the patent (use same spring to swing it both ways, by means of the roller and curved "wings")

hear from you soon!!

-Jess the door closer doctor

Greg Melahn

9/25/2016 07:50:28 pm

I noticed this hinge at Cumberland Lodge at Great Park ... https://goo.gl/photos/VbcH5nErCgo8gQyS6

Rod Fathers link

9/25/2016 09:12:46 pm

Hi Greg,

Thanks for your interest in the site and taking the time to let me know of your find. It appears unfortunately that the Ben Turner has been removed and all that remains is the beautiful top plate, at least this has been well looked after (Polished).

I feel it so sad that these pieces of our Nations Industrial Heritage are and have been neglected to the point of failure, not recognised for the ingenious and hard working devices that they are, often ripped out without a second thought, replaced by an unsightly device that essentially does the same thing, but for nowhere the amount of time that this has and would.

Wouldn't it be great to see the Ben Turner reinstated back to its former glory, to 'silently' unassumingly control this door for generations to come?

Maybe a campaign to Save the Floor Spring is in order?

My very best

Rod Fathers

Kevin woods

10/27/2017 05:15:38 pm

I'm a joinery manager for a fit out company ,and it hurts when we rip out the old door closer,recently we have begun work at the Farmiloe building in London and they have a few,smith &turner floor springs,and a smiths Bartholomew close,it engraved original, the building date 1860s

Rod Fathers link

11/1/2017 02:47:25 pm

Hi Kevin,

If you want these servicing I would be more than happy to do so and if not please, please, please if you do take them out let me have the opportunity to get them from you.

Rod

Brendan

2/20/2019 10:56:26 am

Hi Rod, I found a BT floor spring in fairly good condition on a refurb job in West London, so I put it into google and found your blog!

These are magnificent pieces of history, and I'd like to try to restore this one, as it's in good condition and looks like a good de-grease is most of what it needs!

Can I send you some pictures and pick your brains on where to start?

All the best

Ben Turner's "The Silent" Patent Door Spring

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