doorstop

thumb|right|A handmade wooden doorstop thumb|right|A manufactured black rubber doorstop thumb|alt=Door Stop|An integrated doorstop A doorstop (also door stopper, door stop or door wedge) is an object or device used to hold a door open or closed, or to prevent a door from opening too widely. The same word is used to refer to a thin slat built inside a door frame to prevent a door from swinging through when closed. A doorstop (applied) may also be a small bracket or 90-degree piece of metal applied to the frame of a door to stop the door from swinging (bi-directional) and converting that door to a single direction (in-swing push or out-swing pull). The doorstop can be a separate part or integrated with a hinge or door closer.

== History == Formally-produced doorstops trace their history to the 18th century in Europe, becoming widely manufactured in Europe in the early 19th century. By the mid 19th century, manufacturing had primarily moved to the United States. Despite their early manufacturing, credit for the invention of the doorstop is usually granted to Osburn Dorsey, an American inventor, in 1878. The doorstop was Dorsey's most famous invention and he received a US patent, number 210,764, for the invention.