What does this door thing do?
 

On my last trip the hotel was very nice. The door to the room was a heavy steel door that opened in to the room.

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1346966481.jpg

Notice the funny thing at the top of the door.

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1346966506.jpg

This is a close up. You can see it has a rubber wheel. The door open in so it can't stop the door from going out, the door frame does that.

I know they did not put that thing there just to puzzle me, but that is the best use I can see for it now.

What the heck is the real purpose of that thing?

I've seen wheeled upper stops like that where the door would come in contact with something in its swing (like a canopy or awning). I'm going to guess that in this case it would be used as a door-prop for housekeeping (spring loaded door closure?) where that wheel fits juuuuust under the doorframe of the closet and keeps it from closing. But it will pop back under that frame with a tug to close it when you want it closed.

It hits against the top frame of the closet door to act as a door stop.

..to prevent a LOUD slam...

aerodynamic device to break up the boundary layer near the ceiling - calculate the Prandtl No. and it will all become clear to you..

Hang garlic on it to keep the vampires out?

Could it be a bent up door catch? (That was protecting the closet)

Quite odd !

We used those on submarines, but for a totally different reason.

I don't know, but it works great for autoerotic asphyxiation.

This is the right answer...

The wheel is 1/2 inch from the door frame. No way it could help keep the door from slamming. I suspect the correct answer is to prop the door open with that wheel wedged into the closet door. Next time I see one I will have to inspect the closet door.

lol!

This.

Having a door stop mounted to the floor in that area would be a trip hazard.

What does the rubber wheel come in contact with when the door is all the way open? Any chance there is a mechanism there that catches it and holds the door open? Does it strike something on the wall above the louvered door to keep the door from banging against it?

Yes, this is the only way to stop the door/handle etc from hitting the closet. It isn't a catch that holds the door open. It simply reaches the closet door frame. The other solutions of putting a floor stop in front of the closet, or a stop low on the door both would present trip hazards.

Wasn't there any hotel porn available??