It is no secret that door closers are an essential part of any fire door. They play a pivotal role in fire safety, and also ensure that people can open and close doors without too much trouble. However, very few people understand just how door closers work. We know what they do, but, how?
It is no secret that door closers are an essential part of any fire door. They play a pivotal role in fire safety, and also ensure that people can open and close doors without too much trouble. However, very few people understand just how door closers work. We know what they do, but, how?
The most important part of any Astra door closer is the springs. Springs are perhaps the most mysterious part of a door closer, too, as people are often confused as to what they do: they are something of a dark art! When we set up Astra we developed our own spring technology that was strong enough to operate the closer but compact enough to fit into a cavity in the door.
In door closers, springs work as part of a spring and link mechanism. In this mechanism, when the door is pulled or pushed open, the link pulls the spring to extend it. When the door is released, the spring decompresses to make the door close. However, this process is hidden from view thanks to the concealed closer body.
The concealed closer body, essentially, does what it says on the tin: it is the case in which the springs are concealed. The body fits neatly into the door which not only helps with improving the aesthetic of the door closer, but it also has a number of other benefits. Namely, where overhead door closers are often targeted for theft or vandalism, the concealed closer body makes it nearly impossible for our concealed door closers to fall victim to the same crimes. That’s why our closers, for example the Astra 4000 range, are so popular in commercial and high traffic settings, as they meet all the right legislative requirements, without having to compromise on the risk of theft or vandalism.
The concealed closer body is fit to the door using a mounting bracket, which is designed to make installation as straight forward as possible. However, we know this can be daunting: in fact, when Astra first asked its customers what the problems were with concealed door closers, the resounding response was that they are difficult to fit! The Astra 3000 series has been designed to be easy to fit with fitting jigs, templates and morticers.
Finally, whilst the hidden spring mechanisms already improve the closer’s aesthetics, the mounting bracket alone is not enough to provide a satisfactory final look. Enter the cover plate, which is where the beauty of the concealed door closer really starts to shine. You can customise your closer’s mounting plate, for example in bronze or stainless steel, to match your other ironmongery, ensuring a cohesive final look right down to even the final details!
To discuss our concealed door closers further, whether it be size, power, fitting, or even just the different mounting plate options we have, please do not hesitate to contact a member of our team today on 01772 796901 to find out more.