The Best Handshake
The Joseph Giles anti-droop, anti-wobble sprung rose mechanism
The Finnish architect Juhani Pallasmaa wrote: 'The door handle is the handshake of the building.' We believe that first impressions matter, and that a handle, whilst a small detail in the overall design scheme, will be one of the most touched objects inside a space, and should therefore be satisfying to experience, both aesthetically and in its tactility.
So often, a beautiful interior is let down by lever handles which are sluggish and wobbly to operate, or droop and won't sit level on the door. At Joseph Giles, we use solid brass for all our products: all our levers have quality feel, but some designs are also very heavy. That's why we set out on a two year mission to develop a mechanism which would solve all these problems, by supporting and controlling the lever for precise, flawless operation: our anti-droop, anti-wobble sprung rose mechanism.
Common lever handle issues
Every contractor has experienced the headache of hardware on the snag list, and knows it can end up there due to a whole range of problems. With lever handles specifically, many have zero installation tolerance, leading to poor operation if installation is even slightly off tolerance. Common issues also include handles that droop down and are slow to return, or kick up. In both cases the problem is due to the weight of the lever relying solely on the springing of the latch, leading to imprecise control of the handle operation.
While many hardware manufacturers offer some kind of sprung mechanism to help combat these issues, interior designers and architects are no doubt familiar with unsightly hardware like overly thick roses protruding from the door, or even visible screw fixings on the rose of the lever.
Our mission to eliminate hardware from the snag list
We worked on developing the sprung rose over two years, re-working and fine-tuning the design several times in order to create a single mechanism which would simultaneously solve multiple problems. We didn't stop until we were happy that the final design delivered perfect operation without compromising on the aesthetic balance of the lever handle.
Then it was time for testing: as well as solving problems for the designer and installer, we also needed to make completely sure that the homeowner would continue to be happy with the operation of the lever over years of use. The mechanism has been tested to operate for over 200,000 cycles with no wear or deterioration, making it completely maintenance free for its lifetime.
A solution: the Joseph Giles handshake
Here, we break down the unique features of the anti-droop, anti-wobble mechanism, and how each one adds value to your door.
Smooth, positive lever handle action: ball-bearings ensure that the movement of the lever is fully supported, and eliminates wobble or rattling. The heavy-duty integrated spring ensures that the lever won't droop over time.
A perfectly level lever: in addition to the spring, the mechanism also includes a concealed stop, which ensures that the lever returns to a perfectly horizontal position, and won't kick up.
Easy installation: we've desgined a fitting jig which can be used when the doors are being cut out on site rather than CNC machined, reducing risk of installation errors affecting the handle operation.
Slimline rose: the mechanism is recessed into the door, which means our decorative rose plates are subtle and slim.
Concealed fixings: strong bolt-through fixings hold the mechanism to the door, and are then covered by the decorative brass rose plate, delivering the dual benefits of durability and superior design aesthetic.
The sprung bearing rose plate can be selected as an option with every pair of our levers (excluding minimalist rose levers), and is included within the quoted price for a pair. We highly recommend using the sprung rose option whenever you are using our lever handles, but would like to note that it is suitable for a minimum door thickness of 44mm.
If you feel you interior is better suited to a door knob, we have a rose mechanism for that too. View our brochure here for full details and benefits of our different inner rose options, to ensure the best experience with Joseph Giles hardware.
Our expert project consultants and technical team will help and advise you on the hardware, from the initial specification, to creating a hardware schedule, and delivering door set packed hardware organised into a separate box for every door.
You also have our support on-site with installation advice if needed: we're committed to assist you through every stage of the project, and after completion.
You can reach us at info@josephgiles.com or +44 (0)20 8680 2602.