Cowboy doors - integral element entrance groups to saloons and a symbol of the Wild West. Interesting design attracts the attention of professional historians and ordinary lovers of cowboy traditions. Let's look at how the door leaf is structured and what features it has, and whether it is possible to make it yourself.
Cowboy doors were two-way bar doors found in saloons. Today they can be found in cafes, bars, restaurants and other establishments, the interior of which is stylized as the Wild West. However, the history of the origin of unusual structures is unknown. There are several versions of why swing designs became so popular in cowboy saloons.
Saloons were indoor spaces where cowboys gathered to relax and drink whiskey and other alcoholic beverages. It was so thick inside tobacco smoke that the doors, which covered only part of the opening, were the only air conditioning system providing air circulation.
The design was also convenient for tipsy cowboys who walked in and out of the saloon. In the evenings there were so many visitors that a simple door leaf could not withstand constant opening and closing. It was not uncommon for cowboys to enter the saloon on horseback, making it difficult to open and close the door manually.
Since there were often bandits among the cowboys, swing doors helped to notice in time who came to the saloon: a client, a notorious thug or a sheriff. Such designs also prevented the appearance of angry wives, whose husbands spent all their money in saloons and had fun with prostitutes.
Features of cowboy doors
In the professional language of builders, the swing structure is called “”. The two partitions are held on hinges with beveled slots and can be opened in both directions. And thanks to the tight spring, they easily return to their original position. The partitions are quite massive, reaching up to the shoulder of an adult man, and ending below at knee level. The shape of the partitions is similar to the wings of a bat, which is why they were called batwing doors among cowboys.
The shape of the doors always remained the same, but the canvas was painted in various colors, decorated with intricate carvings. The design was akin to an advertisement that attracted visitors. And today, everyone who wants to decorate their interior in a cowboy style is free to choose the design of the door leaf. The main thing is to maintain the shape of the bat’s wings and make the product swing in both directions.
How to make it yourself
Making your own doors in the style of the Wild West is not difficult. You just need to follow the principle of the product: build correct form and make swing doors.
Preparatory work
Batwing doors are made of wood, less often - of metal. Today you can find various stylizations made of plastic, but this material does not convey the spirit of the Wild West. Most often, pine or spruce are used in construction. The boards must be smooth and free of flaws. Before starting work, the boards must be dried. The thickness of the board is 3-4 cm.
The main element is a mechanism that ensures the movement of door leaves in both directions. To do this you will need special double-sided door hinges with a built-in spring that returns the blades to their original position. There are such loops:
- swinging;
- pendulum.
Classic swing hinges were installed on swinging hinges. door leaves. Pendulum hinges are more complex products, but they are better at holding door leaves in their original position and can withstand greater loads.
Fabrication
To make the canvas you will need carpentry tools, a drill, and a screwdriver. The size of the canvas must be indicated on the drawing, in accordance with this the quantity is calculated required material.
The finished boards are combined into a single sheet. To do this, use any of the methods: gluing, groove assembly, etc. If the product is small, then the hinges are installed at the top and bottom. It is better to increase the number of these loops on one large product to three.
Installation
Before installing the product, door frame Use a pencil to mark the place where the loops are attached. The box is cut out seats, where the hinges are cut into with self-tapping screws. Since the hinges have a return mechanism, the tension spring is fixed in the desired position by turning the adjusting nuts.
After installing the hinges, the doors are hung on them. If fittings are provided, they are installed last. Most often this locking devices such as bolts, bolts or locks.
When we hear the word “saloon,” we are immediately reminded of scenes from some American western: the double revolving doors swing open, and the silhouette of a cowboy appears on the threshold - he is wearing a large hat and worn leather pants, a revolver in his holster, and a bandolier around his belt. The cowboy looks around the darkened hall with a dull gaze, where the same “cow boys” are sitting, and, jingling his spurs, approaches the bar, where he orders a glass of whiskey... This episode was so often used in westerns that in some the moment became a movie cliche. In the parody film trilogy "Back to the Future 3" main character Marty McFly orders not whiskey at the bar, but a glass of ice water...
History and origin
As you might guess, the word “saloon” comes from the French “salon”, which, in turn, is derived from the word “salle” (“room”).
The first reliable mention of a saloon dates back to 1822. An establishment in Brown Hole, Wyoming that served fur trappers was called a saloon. As settlers moved into uninhabited areas of America, new towns were formed, in which there was no entertainment other than drinking in the evenings. At first, alcohol was sold by nomadic traders who traveled from village to village in covered carts, which were used not only as a means of transportation, but also as improvised trading tents. Their assortment was small: homemade whiskey or moonshine, burnt sugar, smoking and chewing tobacco, and the like.
As new towns grew, permanent saloons began to open in them. Like all buildings, at first they were located in hastily put together huts or even dugouts. There is a known case when a saloon was opened in the hull of an old sailing ship, washed ashore by a storm! The interior of the first saloons was quite ascetic. IN summer time It was hot in them; in winter they were heated by a wood stove.
By the late 1950s, the term "saloon" became common for places where alcoholic beverages and food were sold. However, rough cowboy slang sometimes gave them their own nicknames: “watering trough”, “bughouse”, “shebang”, “cantina” and "gin mill"
As the population of the towns grew, saloons gradually merged with hotels and hotels with saloons.
Often in cowboy towns that did not yet have their own town hall, saloons were the only public place. The townspeople recognized everything in them latest news, often managing to acquire colorful details and gossip. In Westerns, you can often see wanted notices posted in saloons for dangerous criminals with the inscription “Wanted.” Politicians of those years often used saloons to buy votes in elections. And in factory towns, saloons were a kind of labor exchange - there you could find work, permanent or casual.
From the simple urban architecture, saloons usually stood out with a wide, massive porch. Above the entrance to the saloon there was a bright sign with some exotic name, like: “Bull's Head”, “Holy Moses”, “ Antler», « big tree"or "Red Dog".
At the entrance, visitors were greeted by double swing doors, which gave the establishment a unique flavor. In cowboy films, these doors were repeatedly used in fight scenes and shootouts; The bandits flew through them especially beautifully. Surely you have at least once thought about why saloons have such doors? Without an answer to this question, an article about saloons cannot be complete!
Why do saloons have doors like that?
Due to their shape resembling the wings of a bat, these doors received the nickname “batwing doors”. Sometimes in films they look small and decorative, but in fact, they were quite large and massive - for an adult they reached the shoulder and ended somewhere at the level of the knees.
About them functional purpose and there is still no consensus on where this fashion came from. There are a lot of versions, and each of them has some truth. Some believe that this form of doors simultaneously protected the saloon from road dust flying from the street and, long before the advent of air conditioners, made it possible to ventilate the room from heat and thick tobacco smoke.
The door, divided in two, opened equally well in both directions. This effect could be achieved by a tight spring or double reversible hinges with beveled different sides slots, which invariably returned the doors to their original state. Therefore, the tipsy visitor did not need to think about which side to open it from - push or pull. This was convenient, because the flow of visitors in the evenings was endless, and an ordinary door would have worn out much faster. So the establishment saved a lot on the carpenter’s services!
The doors opened simply, but at the same time, they were always closed, hiding the debauchery that reigned inside from passers-by and angry wives. Cowboy wives literally hated saloons, where their husbands often squandered their wages to the last cent, and even cheated on them with prostitutes. Always closed door did not allow women to look into the saloon from the street.
Although what was inside was hidden from prying eyes, sounds penetrated well outside, attracting passers-by with music and laughter coming from inside. Often the owners seated musicians right at the entrance so that they could attract the audience with their playing. And in the event of a fight or shootout, it was easier to call for help through such a door.
The most exotic version suggests that the rocking door made it possible to recognize the person who approached it by his hat and boots - be it a sheriff or the bandit One-Eyed Jack - and to prepare - for example, to hide the proceeds or take out a revolver.
Even today such doors look very exotic, and even more so in the 19th century - therefore, the door “ bat"attracted visitors to saloons in itself. The imagination of their owners was inexhaustible: the doors were often decorated with the most intricate carvings, which was also good advertising.
Another exotic hypothesis connects pendulum doors with the Indians - they did not have doors in their wigwams, and any full-length door allegedly seemed to them like a solid wall. And since they were the main drunkards, doors were installed in the saloons that did not completely cover the opening, so as not to embarrass the “children of nature.” However, this was hardly the case - redskins were rarely allowed into saloons, and were mostly shot at there. And it seems absolutely incredible that someone would come up with doors specifically for Indians!
And of course, the swing door made the work of the bouncers easier: by holding back a person’s fall, it reduced the risk of breaking his head.
But how then were the saloons locked? The answer is simple - before the introduction of restrictions on the opening hours of drinking establishments, most saloons worked around the clock and never closed. There were no latches, no hooks, no latches on the swing doors. However, in states with a cold climate, for example, in Alaska, during the “gold rush”, saloons had the most ordinary doors that retained heat better.
Interior
The appearance of the saloon depended greatly on who owned it - as a rule, its owners were Germans or Irish. However, there was also a lot in common.
The first thing that caught the visitor's eye was a long bar counter and a dozen tables located along the walls, where one could dine or play for money. Popular games the saloons had poker, dice and pharaoh. Some establishments also had darts, bowling and billiards.
In Irish saloons the bar was standing, and the main drink was whiskey. Women were not allowed there; they could only buy something from the back door.
German saloons, as a rule, had large, bright windows, the bar was seated, and the main drink was beer. The food there was more refined, closer to that of a restaurant, and the rules were less strict. Sometimes they even had a family menu. Other ethnic groups - Scandinavians, Jews, Greeks, Italians - preferred smaller establishments and drank less.
NOT movie saloons
Alcohol
The drink was monotonous, mostly of extremely poor quality. In poor saloons, alcohol was mercilessly diluted. Turpentine, ammonia, gunpowder or pepper were added to whiskey. The names of cowboy drinks well reflect both the roughness of the era and their vigorous content: “Tarantula Juice”, “200 Meter Whiskey” (originally “Forty-Rod)” (the name implies that this whiskey is so strong , which kills at pistol shot distance), “Red Eye”, “Coffin Varnish”. The so-called “Cactus wine,” which was made from tequila and the juice of the peyote cactus, was considered a special delicacy.
There were no refrigerators at that time, and beer was rarely colder than room temperature; there was no need to talk about pasteurization. For this incomprehensible word they could have been shot in the saloon!
It was only in 1880 that Adolph Busch began to use refrigeration and pasteurization for his Budweiser beer.
The most popular whiskey among visitors was whiskey (Scotch barley or local corn bourbon), which was sometimes diluted with soda, beer, rum and gin. Other drinks were consumed much less frequently and were considered exotic. Whiskey and beer were very cheap and affordable for any visitor. With beer priced at 10¢ and whiskey at 12.5¢ per glass, many cowboys were left with a severe hangover the next morning! However, the salaries were not high - the average herdsman received about 40-50 dollars a month, and some worked for food.
From a typical action movie in the Western genre, one might get the mistaken impression that all cowboys did was shoot at each other in duels, hunt redskins, and spend the rest of their time in saloons, where they had fun drinking, gambling and shooting. In reality, this, of course, was not the case. Shooting in saloons is a popular movie cliche, but smokeless gunpowder had not yet been invented, and it would have been impossible to be indoors while shooting.
From morning to evening, cowboys spent in the saddle, driving cattle. In the absence railways(and roads in general), the journey could take several weeks. This hard work required great strength (try lassoing a bull or a mustang!) and even greater endurance. That’s why cowboys loved nourishing food that replenished their strength well. The main place in their diet was, of course, meat. The portions were huge by today's standards - for that tiny steak that is served in cowboy restaurants today, a hungry cowboy would shoot the waiter on the spot. But there were no great demands on the quality of the food; it had to be simply edible, no one expected any specialties from the cook.
During the drives, the cowboys ate mainly unleavened biscuits and beef, which, of course, bored them to death. The saloon could “pamper” them with pork, lamb or fried chicken.
The first course was beef tripe stew. As a rule, the side dish was beans or beans. This food was so popular that in cowboy slang the cook was sometimes called a “bean-master.” Due to widespread unsanitary conditions, all food was heavily seasoned with red chili peppers. Instead of bread in the Wild West, they ate corn cakes made from unleavened dough. Tea was expensive; cowboys drank coffee much more often. For dessert there was a pie - fish, chicken or apple.
Entertainment
As entertainment program, the saloon usually offered live music - a pianist played in the evenings. The battered piano was rarely tuned, which is why the melodies played on it were primitive and monotonous, not requiring more than two octaves. Apparently then the saying was born: “don’t shoot the pianist, he plays as best he can”!
Large establishments had full-time dancers (who often worked part-time as prostitutes). They entertained the audience with the French cancan dance. It is curious that in those days in France this dance was a solo dance, but in England and America it was performed by an ensemble lined up - a corps de ballet. Even small theatrical performances were held in more prestigious places!
There was a steep path leading to the second floor. wooden staircase. There were residential rooms in which guests spent the night. In some establishments, the second floor was used as a brothel.
As cities grew, so did the number of saloons, which invariably created competition between them. In an effort to attract more visitors, saloons became increasingly sophisticated. If earlier the saloon was a hut, decorated with some kind of hunting trophies, such as a bear skin or a deer head with branched antlers, now you could see paintings, expensive furniture and chandeliers, at that time kerosene, and even tablecloths on the tables.
The bar counter, decorated with carvings, deserved special attention. On the shelves of the bar were Bohemian glasses, figurines, beautiful kegs of beer and all kinds of exotic drinks, including imported ones from Europe. The skill of bartenders also grew - a certain code of what a bartender should look like and what drinks he should be able to prepare appeared. Ice began to be added to glasses - it was specially bought and stored in a deep cellar, where the temperature was very low and the ice did not melt.
The most popular Soviet western, “The Man from the Boulevard des Capuchins,” reflects precisely that very period in the history of saloons, when they gradually turned from dirty eateries into places of leisure.
Tied-house system
By 1880, there were saloons in every city. For example, in Leavenworth, Kansas, there were about 150 saloons and 4 drinking houses. As the capacity of American breweries grows, they begin to master the British “tied-house” system, in which the company directly owns alcohol bars and sells its products through them.
The policy of the authorities also greatly contributed to the development of this system - for example, in Chicago, the cost of a license for a saloon was increased from 50 dollars in 1883 to 500 in 1885. like this high price could only be afforded by a small number of owners, among whom were large breweries.
Even then, the first franchises appeared, when breweries purchased conveniently located buildings for their bars, which they then rented out along with furniture, bowling alleys, billiard tables and other equipment.
The end of the saloon era
And yet, despite its popularity, the saloon was a hot place. Closely associated with prostitution and gambling, drinking establishments often became breeding grounds for crime. There were regular fights and shootouts, sometimes fatal, and other crimes, because of which local sheriffs, called upon to maintain order, often quarreled with saloon owners.
Saloons did not bring joy to wives and mothers either, because they stimulated alcoholism, extracting the last money from their husbands and sons, leaving their family “in the dust.” As a result, many people saw saloons as the root of all evil.
In 1893, the Anti-Saloon League was formed in Oberlin, Ohio, which helped close many establishments. The League insisted on a ban on the production and import of alcohol, promoting its ideas at all levels of government. If a saloon operated longer than permitted hours or used the labor of women and minors, it was immediately brought to the attention of the police. The League's triumph was amendment to the Constitution No. 18 of 1920, which banned saloons, although it was repealed in 1933.
There are doors different designs. The main ones are swing and pendulum.
Hinged doors open only in one direction and are considered the most simple view in its own way. Swing doors have some interesting features opening. Thanks to spring hinges and a door frame with a missing “quarter”, this door can open in both directions. At the same time, the door leaves in mandatory close back and return to their original position. The range of materials from which swing doors are made is very wide:
- you can make them veneered;
- lined with paper-laminated plastic;
- You can make the doors swing.
Moreover, these operations are carried out with any doors - even those made of foamed PVC and solid oak.
Scope of application of swing doors
Swing doors are often called bar doors. This is due to the fact that they are used in the interiors of stylized bars and thanks to the huge color scheme ideal for such establishments. Not a single saloon in the Wild West was complete without “cowboy doors.” Do you remember how in the film “The Man from the Boulevard des Capuchins” cowboys flew out of such doors? But the secret of such doors is not in the usual images and stereotypes. Of course, many people associate cowboy saloons with doors swinging back and forth. In fact, such doors are popular because of the ease of opening them. And it’s really convenient when you can push the door with your foot or shoulder, and it will swing open and then close on its own. Sometimes this is simply necessary.
Swinging doors have become widespread in the equipment of work areas of cafes and restaurants. This is appreciated by the wait staff. Their hands are busy with trays, so these doors are easy and convenient to open. It is reasonable that pendulum structures need to be strengthened, because not a single product can withstand constant pressure. Therefore, a bump stop must be placed in the place where the impact most often occurs. This allows you to increase the service life of the door. The handles on such doors also serve as bumpers. They are installed at the palm opening level. The bumpers themselves are usually made of galvanized or stainless steel and plexiglass. For the convenience of staff, a swing door is often made with a window in the shape of a “porthole” or a rectangle.
But such doors are popular not only in entertainment venues. For example, swing doors made of foamed PVC or lined with plastic are indispensable in hospitals and clinics. So, if a person in the emergency department emergency care for an emergency call, they brought me on a gurney; the doctors simply didn’t have time to open and close the doors. Every second can count. And in such cases, swing doors will save precious moments.
Hospital staff can open such doors directly with gurneys. At the same time, you don’t have to be afraid to break through the door - it is very durable. Along the height of the trolley, a bump stop is placed on the road surface at the expected point of impact. In addition, depending on the width of the gurney, the door can be non-standard width (more than a meter) or double-leaf - this is a non-standard order, which only a professional company will undertake.
Swing doors from the manufacturer
Only a professional manufacturer can make a swing door according to the buyer's needs and interior design. The DoorExpo company has all the capabilities to fulfill the most complex order: 
- the door can be painted or lined with plastic;
- it can consist of foamed PVC or stainless steel;
- the swing door can be solid or veneered;
- it is possible to make such a structure fireproof or moisture resistant;
- it can be made double-leaf;
- may have glass inserts or be deaf;
- pendulum models can be made in any non-standard size.
But in any case, these products will be completed in a short time at the most attractive and affordable price. They are manufactured taking into account sanitary and hygienic standards. This is especially important when you consider that swing doors are most often used in catering and medical premises.
- Payment for rented products is made in rubles at the price specified in the terms of the contract.
- We deliver rented items throughout Moscow, the delivery cost is 1000 rubles. Delivery outside the Moscow Ring Road up to 30 kilometers is possible at a price of 30 rubles per kilometer.
- We work on an advance payment of 25% of the total cost of rented products. This amount is a guarantee of the reservation. In case of cancellation of the reservation, this amount is not refunded.
- The full cost is paid by the client on the day of installation, together with the security deposit - an amount equal to the full cost of the rental.
- On the day of dismantling, we return to the client the amount of the security deposit for the rented products.
- We do not allow the return of decorative items in a condition that cannot be restored; the rental price includes minor dry cleaning and restoration services.
- For serious damage and stains that are difficult to remove, the client is obliged to pay the full cost of the damage (the cost of renting the item is doubled).
- In exceptional cases, if restoration is obviously impossible, the client is obliged to buy back the damaged item (its cost is calculated as the rental price multiplied by four times).
Cowboy swing doors have another name. In professional circles they are called pendulum. And it is precisely this description that most clearly reflects the essence of the design. Thanks to special mechanisms, cowboy structures can open in both directions. At the same time, returning to the starting position, some swaying is observed, as in a pendulum. It is worth noting that these are specific models that are not used everywhere. But it is simply impossible to imagine certain establishments without them.
Cowboy swing doors first appeared many years ago and were used as elements entrance group to saloons and drinking establishments. Fans of Westerns will probably remember these images and will be able to easily describe the product. However, over time, the models migrated to more quiet places without shooting and dashing chases on horses. Today they can be found in the work areas of restaurants and cafes, bakeries, industrial kitchens, etc. They have also found their application in hospitals and medical centers, where it is very important to save time on opening and closing the doors in critical situations.
Main features and purpose
Cowboy swing doors, in addition to being able to open in both directions doorway, have a number of other features: 
- Minimum opening force;
- You can activate the sash with your shoulder or even your foot;
- Strength and stability due to the presence of special bumpers at the main contact points.
If your hands are busy with a tray, or you need to quickly deliver a gurney with a victim to the operating room, these are the configurations that will allow you to complete the task as quickly as possible.
Types of cowboy doors
Cowboy swing doors nowadays can have a wide variety of appearance. There are models with one and two doors, additional door closers and spring hinges, partial glazing in the form of round windows, etc. Each add-on has its own functions and may be required under specific operating conditions. But operating mechanism always unchanged - door frame without a quarter, special pendulum double hinges and doors increased strength made of wood, plastic, metal or other materials. You can buy this type from us, or for internal use.