Fire Door - Self-Closing Mechanism

I recently had to remove my kitchen/hallway door whilst installing laminate flooring. The door has a spring-loaded chain near the middle hinge as a fire safety device that pulls the door shut which I also unscrewed.

The trouble is I have put the door back on but the device is too strong to screw back into place as it is sprung very tightly.

Does anyone know a good way to re-fit this that isn't going to involve losing a finger? Thanks

 

Most of what we use is a spring loaded middle hinge with adjustment through the top of the hinge. I can't picture the "chain" you are referring to. Got a pix you can post on a site such as yahoo or photobucket?

 

I'll try and get a pic posted a.s.a.p.

Thanks

 

i think i know what hes talking about, they are sometimes in ebay. it is like a tube with a spring in it and when mounted to door the tube is in hinge edge of door and all you see is 2 plates and the chain extending between the jamb and the hinge edge of door
9when door is opened).

the ones i see on ebay are made by perkomatic? i think

my idea of how to get it back and connected is mount the tube in hinge edge of door and then take a screw driver and if theres any adjustment screws put it on weakest setting then with flat blade screwdriver pry on the plate that would mount the other end of the chain to the jamb. when have it out far enough put a metal rod or clamp it with vice grips and close door alittle and mount plate to the frame when both screws are into frame and tightened release the vice grip or the rod from in chain links.

this type of close is desired when someone wants strrength of industrial but without the big bulky 2 armed beasts(ex.norton,dorma,LCN) used on commercial applications or the big headache when adjusting.(if not experianced)

good luck and be careful hope my advice has helped.

first door closer related advice in a while here. i am an expert in them

 

Yeah you were pretty close with the perkomatik suggestion... I found out there are two types of these consealed door closing mechanisms - the perkomatic and the one I have is the perko!

I have looked at a few websites with a bit of info and will try and take the whole device out and re-install now I have seen a diagram (http://www.sdslondon.co.uk/products.php?parent_id=120&viewprod=24001)

Thanks for your advice.

http://www.sdslondon.co.uk/products.php?parent_id=120&viewprod=24001

 

im glad you understood my advice!! just be careful with seperating the plates in this kind. even though i have only fixed was the hydrualic 2 armed beasts but still they can hurt if installed improperly.

i personally perfer using the 2 armed beasts becuase theres fluid control of all areas of door swing (on most) with spring kind such as the perko you only have is control of how strong it is pulling door shut. just looked at perko site and seen a cylinder in part that spring is on the perkomatic (double spring closer)

i seen on the website about perkomatic the only differance between the perko and the perk-o-matic is that the perkomatic has another chain going across to jamb. for adjusting this the adjustment screw is on jamb side near chains. these seem to be common in uk, so i take it you are in uk??

in a way for fire doors i feel that many fire codes for differant countries say use spring closer instead of the 2 armed beasts because of flammable hazard being the hydrualic oil when the door gets super hot it might cause the oil to leak out and cause more fuel to the fire.

but its not a big concern since many door closer manufactureres do a test called positive pressure testing were they have a mock up door in a chamber and light a fire on one side and mount a closer on other and the testers watch to see if any oil leaks out of closer. if it does and catches flame for longer then 10 seconds i read it fails.

i know this sounded really odd and dangerus but i read about it on the specs and regulations i think it was on sargent or LCN closer webpage.

good luck again and be careful!!