ROBINSON'S PATENT DOUBLE-ACTION SPRING HINGES FOR SWING DOORS

I have mentioned the Robinson System previously but in this blog post I would like to further expand on this model floor spring. Samuel Robinson first invented his swing door hinge in 1863 (Patent number 1689, 7th July 1863) later selling the Patent rights to Messrs. Hart and Co as can be seen in the advertisement above from 1865 and as can be confirmed in the Irish Builder and Engineer, Volume 28, Page 19 (Published in 1886) .

Around 1866/1867 the company merged with Peard and Jackson becoming Hart, Son, Peard & Co, therefore it is reasonable to assume any Robinson floor springs manufactured after this time would have Peard's name incorporated into the advertising.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hart,_Son,_Peard_and_Co.

With the above information and the advertisement on the decor plate we are therefore able to work out that Steve and Sheila's Robinson floor spring must have been manufactured (and presumably installed) around 1865, certainly no later than 1867. Consequently this faithful device must have been controlling these doors for approximately one hundred and fifty three years and we now expect them to be doing the same for another hundred and fifty plus years.

The paper slip that can just about be glimpsed in the bottom of the shoe advises to use finest quality sperm oil as a lubricant.