As part of an Adaptable Housing by-law, Vancouver now requires that all new-build construction, both residential and commercial, utilize lever-type doorhandles (as opposed to doorknobs) exclusively.
While a bit of a blow to the manufacturers of new (and curators of antique) round doorknobs, it will be an easement to some of the disabled and elderly . . . and pets. . . and would-be pets . . . and, of course, a boon to the purveyors of replacement garments, of the type with waist-height open-pocketry and beltloops.
FTCo's latest product is a door-handle, modelled after the airlock wheels featured in sci-fi flicks and submarines, which should, rather stylishly, meet the requirements.
Spanning 10", the standard six-spoked model's shank needs to be installed a few inches further in from the door-edge than a knob or lever's. A set screw determines operational tension; choose one of the cogs provided to determine the operating arc.
Ergonomically, the design far exceeds the common lever by virtue of more handholds to choose from, at a variety of angles. Grasping the wheel near the edge of the door (recommended) gives a firmer control of the door than even a doorknob can provide.
Unlike the flat, rectangular lever design, the thick rounded spokes of the wheel won't provide much traction to claws or pawpads, nor will it try to disembowel you or your wardrobe at every opportunity.
Available in chrome, brushed-aluminium, brass and matte-rubber finishes.
Product Notes:
An optional, oversized, ornamental faceplate is available to cover up any pre-existing doorholes.
The spoked-wheel stands on its own as a decorative yet functional piece of hardware. However, if you actually want your door to look like an airlock hatch with a centered wheel, an extension rod for the latch can be ordered, as well as a cog-assembly such that the wheel has to be spun through several revolutions to open.
For custom finishes and materials, ask for our Bespoke department.-- FlyingToaster, May 07 2014 "No doorknobs allowed in Vancouver" http://www.ctvnews....ses-bylaw-1.1554665but apparently plenty in government. [FlyingToaster, May 08 2014] Illustration by [pocmloc] https://plus.google...key=CNWLqb29wvz6qAEas mentioned in the annotations [FlyingToaster, May 08 2014, last modified May 09 2014] Why?-- normzone, May 08 2014 Because.-- FlyingToaster, May 08 2014 Nice.-- 8th of 7, May 08 2014 + cool. I would like one like a Pirate ship steering wheel!!-- xandram, May 08 2014 Very nice. Also available - fake rivets to stick around the edge of the door.-- hippo, May 08 2014 A compromise: (1) increase the shaft-length between the two door-unlatchers. (2) note which side of the door opens away from the wall. (3) on that side put your spoked wheel, using the ordinary hole in the door, for the unlatcher. (4) on the other side use an ordinary lever.
If the shaft is long enough, then when the door is closed the spoked wheel will not hit the wall. When the door opens it will still not hit the doorframe. If you had spoked wheels on both sides then one would hit the doorframe when the door opened, so that side is the place to use the lever, instead.-- Vernon, May 08 2014 This should be an easy retro-fit to an existing door latch.
Remove the door handles and replace with the enclosed custom door handles - one side is a blank plate to cover the end of the square thing (what is that called?) and the other has an exposed cog-wheel instead of a doorknob.
Then mount the big wheels centrally on each side of the door, using the enclosed bolts which pass through the door and through the attachment plates of the wheel on each side of the door. Using the attached template to position the drill holes for the bolts, as well as the hole for the cental splined shaft which securely connects both wheels, and this will automatically ensure that the cogs on the mounting plate of one of the spoked wheels meshes cleanly with the small cog on the door latch shaft.
Multiple cog wheels are mounted on levers so that you can shift from high geared to low geared action. The levers also have shafts that go through the door to levers mounted on the opposite mounting plate to allow gear shifting with ease from either side of the door.
Optional extra, fit the clear acrylic guard over the cogs to save little fingers from being sliced off.-- pocmloc, May 08 2014 So is this converting a normal door into one like a submarine or a bank vault? (+)-- MisterQED, May 08 2014 Wow, [Vernon], [pocmloc], [hippo], you're hired. [poc] I displaced your wonderful illustration to make room for an explanatory article for [21Quest] to peruse. Feel free to retag it.
[QED] The post is for a simple spoked wheel arrangement as a doorknob, to meet accessibility standards without drawbacks, without pretensions of actual airlocks or submarines. But hey, as long as you have the wheel, why not spice it up ?
[21Q] noshitreally ?-- FlyingToaster, May 08 2014 Dunno, Vancouverites are arguably weirder than Californians. The by-law <linked article> makes some sense if you look at it from the point of view of a nanny state: purchase a new house and, whether you've thought that far ahead or not, you'd never have to move (thus wasting at least taxes on a new wheelchair-friendly property).-- FlyingToaster, May 08 2014 My toddler can activate all of those lever-type door handles, however he has difficulty with regular knobs. Vancouver probably didn't consider the consequences of what an army of escaping, marauding toddlers can do in terms of wanton city- wide destruction, did they?-- RayfordSteele, May 09 2014 //Couldn't just give pensioners a stipend to have these handles installed after market, could they?//
It's for commercial properties too, so you know old folks can open other doors besides their own. Most commercial new builds already include lever handles anyway, so it's not like it's an onerous reg to meet.
From an engineering perspective, good bye to bad design.-- the porpoise, May 09 2014 From an ergonomic point of view, levers suck. Sure, they only require pressure, not torque, to operate: you might as well rename the by-law "the Toddlers for Bears Exchange", but there's less positive control of the door once opened, and they catch jacket pockets and beltloops as often as Land Rovers do.-- FlyingToaster, May 09 2014 I'm so disappointed that I didn't get hired...-- xandram, May 09 2014 Getting the door open is the important bit, especially in an emergency. Wandering toddlers and bears should be welcomed in for tea and doughnuts.-- the porpoise, May 09 2014 [xan] Well, sorry but your application was more in the form of a custom build request, rather than a complementation to the existing lineup. Would you be interested in a position in our Arts department ?-- FlyingToaster, May 09 2014 So if I build on as described, would it be bespoke?-- bungston, May 09 2014 Ugh, I hate these doorknobs. My cats are expert at opening these types of doors. I'm thinking of replacing my door handles to the outdoors with round ones to prevent 2AM cat openings (of course leaving the door wide open.) Spoked handles would be even worse! How about electrified door handles??-- terryo, May 10 2014 Having several cats, all of whom rattle the doorknob to summon the butler (me), and none would have problems with a lever, I think that, with the wheel, they'd be more likely to rest their paws on the lowest arc, accomplishing nothing.
The most animal-effective variation on this design would be a wheel with one spoke that points downwards. The disadvantage to that would be you couldn't open the door with an elbow, arms full of groceries. (That and it's a rather loud design statement compared to a six-spoked design... and I didn't think of it until long after I posted the idea... there's also the idea of a flat plate as well, but again it wouldn't really be a fit in many decor regimens)
//electrified door handles// I'd think that elderly and disabled burglars would have enough smarts to wear gloves.-- FlyingToaster, May 10 2014 Bun on the proviso that when operated it makes a sound like a bosun's whistle.-- AusCan531, May 10 2014 ^ fine, [xandram] you can start tomorrow.-- FlyingToaster, May 12 2014 OK, I'm here! Pirate cat handles included.-- xandram, May 13 2014 random, halfbakery