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Gibbons London and Wolverhampton

2/13/2016

1 Comment

 
I was thrilled to receive a call about some old Gibbons floor springs that although supposedly refurbished a few years ago were not working, they were attached to doors leading into a small office.

Some sources suggest that the firm of James Gibbons (Now James Gibbons Format) Architectural Ironmongers was started as early as 1670
http://www.jgf.co.uk/ other sources suggest 1750 http://www.historywebsite.co.uk/Museum/locks/gazetteer/gibbons/gibbons2.htm regardless of which date is correct these particular floor springs are of the finest quality. I have previously described Robert Adams as the "Rolls Royce" of floor springs and if so these particular Gibbons must be the "Bentley" of their day. The Zenith's as they are called are certainly deserved of the title and are from around the 1920's.

This particular door spring can be found in many of the finest historical settings in the UK, including I believe the Houses of Parliament.

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Interestingly the Zenith's do not use the oil from the main bath as many do, the oil for the dash-pot is constantly circulated from the front of the piston arrangement to the back by means of a small bore copper pipe brazed beneath the main piston body (Not visible in this shot).

The Zenith has now been completely serviced and repaired, ready to go back in the ground to unassumingly control the doors for decades to come.

The full history of the Gibbons firm can be found in this link, in my opinion it is fascinating and well worth the read. http://www.historywebsite.co.uk/Museum/locks/gazetteer/gibbons/gibbons11.htm

As usual please feel free to leave comments on this blog entry or any others. Thank you all.

1 Comment
Jess the door closer doctor
2/17/2016 03:02:32 pm

loved reading about the Gibbons!!

you sure have talent for turning a rusty and crusty piece of steel in the floor into working, like-new condition for many years to come (50+ or more years) keep up the good work!!

as for the way a closer picks up the fluid, not all of them is through a ball in the piston (like a typical closer) some its on bottom of cylinder block or fed through the backcheck cylinder (in the case of a Rixson #27/#28) its both from bottom and backcheck cylinder when door opens and closes.

only problem you have to worry about with "bottom feeders" when water gets into the mechanism, water sinks to bottom (if alot of water) and can ruin the parts due to no oil lubricating the dashpot parts, but the water getting in damaging whats left of the piston and cylinder bore.

I shown my friend from Canada this site, as well as what inspired you to start this back in august last year.

off topic, speaking of british closers, locksmith friend from Canada sent literature to me, passed it on to you, check your email.

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    As there is so little information out there with regard to door closers, especially vintage and antique model floor springs, I thought I would start this blog.

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