US3460190A - Door hinge with means for urging toward a predetermined position - Google Patents

Description

Aug. 12, 1969 R. D. MaCDoNALD DOOR HINGE WITH MEANS FOR URGING TOWARD A PREDETERMINED POSITION Filed Deo. 20. 1965 I NVEN TOR. A905552?" Mmm/4m T Tom/E V5 United States Patent O 3,460,190 DOUR HINGE WITH MEANS FOR URGING TOWARD A PREDETERMINED PGSITION Robert D. MacDonald, Tecumseh, Mich., assignor t Cardinal of Adrian, Inc., Adrian, Mich., a corporation of Michigan Filed Dec. 20, 1965, Ser. No. 514,835

lut. Cl. Ef 1/12 U.S. Cl. 16-189 1 Claim ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A door hinge has compact and concealed components which urge the door toward a closed position and beyond the closed position when the door is closed. Censequently, there is no need for a latch of any sort which is expensive to install and subject to misalignment. Firm closing of the door also is assured. The concealed components result in an attractive hinge and reduce the chance for dirt to collect in the hinge and impair the operation.

This invention relates to a door hinge for urging a door or the like toward a predetermined position and particularly to a door hinge capable of urging a door toward a position beyond its closed position to 4eliminate the need for a latch.

With hinges of the type with which the present invention is concerned, when the door is closed, it is continuously urged beyond the closed position and against the frame or door stop. This eliminates the need for any latch for the door, eliminating the cost of the latch and the cost of installation. In addition, without a latch, there are not latch components which otherwise are subject to misalignment during changes in the weather, including temperature and humidity. Also, with a hinge of this type, the door has little tendency to bounce, even if slammed. In contrast, with many latches, the door will not catch at all if shut too hard.

The new door hinge has a number of advantages over hinges of this type heretofore known. The new hinge has substantially no protruding components, all components being located in the knuckle portion of the hinge. This reduces the chance for dirt to catch in the hinge and also conceals the operating components of the hinge, even when a door with which the hinge is used is completely open. The new hinge also has a unique spring action which enables substantial torque to be applied to the door with which the hinge is used. v

It is, therefore, a principal object of the invention to provide a door hinge by means of which a door can be more effectively urged toward a predetermined position.

Another object of the invention is to provide a hinge of the above-discussed type having more completely concealed components.

Many other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following detailed description of preferred embodiments thereof, reference being made to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary view in horizontal cross section taken through a cabinet and door attached by a hinge embodying the invention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged view of perspective of the hinge shown in FIG. 1, in a closed position;

FIG. 3 is a View similar to FIG. 2, with the hinge in an open position;

FIG. 4 is an exploded view in perspective of the hinge shown in FIGS. l-3;

FIG. 5 is a view in longitudinal cross section taken along the line 5--5 of FIG. 2;

3,460,190 Patented Aug. l2, 1969 hee FIG. 6 is a fragmentary view of an engaging member and an enggageable means of the hinge when the door is v in a closed position; and

FIG. 7 is a view similar to FIG. 6 but showing a slightly modified hinge.

Referring to the drawing, and more particularly to FIG. 1, a cabinet 10 can be typical of those found in kitchens and includes side walls 12, a hinge frame member 14, and a door stop frame member 16. The frame members define a cabinet opening closed off by `a door 18. The door 18, as shown, is of the offset type, but any type of door can be used when the hinge plates are suitably modified, as is well known. A door bumper or stop 20 is attached to the frame member 16 or the door 18 to prevent contact between the two and space the door slightly from the frame member.

A hinge 22, two or more of which are employed with the door 18, includes a first portion 24 which, in this instance, is attached to the frame member 14, and a second portion 26 which, in this instance, is attached to an edge portion of the door 18. The first hinge portion 24 includes a back plate or flange 28 having openings 30 to receive screws 32 which are turned into the frame member 14 to afiix the first hinge portion 24 thereto. Spaced knuckles 34 and 36 extend outwardly from the plate 28 and have bushings 38 and 40 receiving `a hinge pin 42. A lower and surface of the upper knuckle 34 has a pair of diametrically-opposed notches or engageable means 44 located on opposite sides of the pin 42 and an upper end surface of the lower knuckle 36 has a pair of diametrically-opposed notches or engageable means 46 facing the notches 44. In a preferred form, the notches 44 and 46 lie in a common plane at a small angle to the back plate 28, as shown by the dotted lines and arrows in FIG. 4, this angle being 5, by way of example.

The second hinge portion 26 includes a back plate or flange 48 having openings 50 to receive screws 52 for attaching the hinge portion 26 to an inner edge portion of the door. With the particular offset door shown, the plate 48 is of Z-shape configuration to conform with the edge of the door. An intermediate knuckle 54 extends from the plate 48 and has a relatively large noncircular opening or passage 56 therethrough, which, as shown, is square in transverse cross section, and surrounds an intermediate part of the hinge pin 42. An upper engaging member 58 is slidably held in the upper end of the passage 56.

The member 58 has a square cross section similar to that of the passage 56 and has a central opening 64 through which the hinge pin 42 extends, in this instance, so that the member 58 also serves as a bearing for the intermediate knuckle 54.

A lower engaging member 66 is located at the lower portion of the opening 56 and is similar but oppositely disposed to the upper engaging member 58. The lower member 66 also has a blunt end 68 which faces the blunt end 60 of the member 58, and a tapered end 70 which is received in the notch 46 when the hinge is in the closed position. The engaging member 66 also is of square cross-sectional shape and has a central opening 72 to receive a portion of the hinge pin 42 and also act as a bearing member for the intermediate knuckle 54. Resilient means in the form of a coil spring 74 is located between the engaging members 58 and 66 and urges them outwardly, the spring 74 being retained by the hinge pin 42, in this instance.

The apex of the pointed ends 64 and 70 of the engaging members 58 and 66 lie in a plane parallel to the hinge plates 48 and also parallel to the plate 28 when the hinge is in the closed position. In this manner, while the engaging members will be received in the engagable means or notches 44 and 46, they will not extend completely to the apexes of the notches but will bear against the sides thereof, as shown in FIG. 6. The force of the spring 56 urging the members 58 and 66 outwardly will produce torque tending to move the door 18 beyond the closed position and, in this instance, tend to move the door to a position 5 beyond the closed position Since this is the angle at which the notches 44 and 46 lie relative to the hinge plate 28.

With this arrangement, the door 18 will continually be urged toward the door stop member 16 against the door stops by the torque achieved through the spring force. Consequently, it is not necessary to employ a latch with the door since it will be held tightly closed when in the closed position anyway. Further, if the rdoor is slammed, it will not bounce to any extent. Also, the door will tend to be held in any position to which it is opened due to the slight pressure or drag produced by the engaging members 58 and 66 bearing against the adjacent end surfaces of the knuckles 34 and 36. This prevents the door from accidentally closing or opening if the cabinet frame is out of plumb or from swinging excessively if the door should be bumped or blown.

If desired, one of the engaging members 58 and 66 can be turned 90, the upper member 58 being shown turned 90 to the dotted position in FIG. 4, in which instance the upper member 58 will be received in the notches 44 only when the door 18 has been swung open to approximately a 90 position, and specically 85 when the notches 44 are located at an angle of 5 with respect to the hinge plate 28. Thus, the door can be prevented from accidentally swinging beyond the 90 position, if desired. This is particularly advantageous if the cabinet 10 is located with the hinge frame member 14 adjacent an outwardly-extendinfy wall or at the corner of mutually perpendicular rows of cabinets, in which case the door will be prevented from accidentally hitting the wall or other cabinets when opened Wide.

The specific shape of the engaging members 58 and 66 and the engageable notches 44 and 46 can vary substantially. As shown in FIG. 7, an engageable member 76 has a rounded end 78 while an engageable means or notch 80 is shown as square. In this instance, with the notch disposed at an angle similar to the notches 44, the rounded end 78 will contact the opposite edges of the notch when the door is closed and again produce a torque tending to move the door beyond the closed position. Of course, the engaging members can be disposed at the slight angle to the back plate rather than the notches, if desired.

In the form of hinge shown, no components appear outside of the basic components of the hinge portions themselves, namely the hinge plates and knuckles. Even when the door 18 is opened completely, no springs or engageable-means are exposed and, further, there are no protruding elements which can collect dirt and dust more readily or be subjected to possible damage. Further, the positions of the engaging members and spring provide an effective torque-producing arrangement for the hinge which is also compact and relatively trouble-free. The potential variation of the position of one of the engaging members S8 and 66 or one of the notches 44 and 46 also provides another advantage.

Numerousvariations in the above design will be apparent to those skilled in the art, and it is to be understood that such modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the invention.

I claim: Y

1. A hinge to pivotally connect a door to a frame, said hinge comprising a iirst portion and a second portion, one of said hinge portions including a pair of spaced knuckles and the other of said hinge portions including an intermediate knuckle located between said spaced knuckles, means pivotally connecting said spaced knuckles and said intermediate knuckle and comprising a hinge pin extending through all three of said knuckles and v being closely rotatably held by said spaced knuckles, said intermediate knuckle having a non-circular passage extending therethrough larger than said hinge pin, a coil spring located in said non-circular passage around said hinge pin, a pair of engaging members each having a lcross-sectional size and shape which is slightly smaller than the cross-sectional size and shape of said non-circular passage with said engaging members slidable in said passage, saidengaging members being located at each end of said spring and oppositely disposed with protruding opposite ends urged beyond the ends of said intermediate knuckle by said coil spring, said spaced knuckles having engageable means comprising notches formed in the ends of each of said spaced knuckles facing toward said intermediate knuckle and on diametrically opposite sides of said hinge pin, said notches and engaging members being positioned for said notches to receive said engaging members when said hinge yportions are in positions correspondin-g approximately to a closed position of the hinge, but with said engaging members not extending fully to the apexes of said notches when the door is closed, thereby producing torque urging the door beyond the closed position.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 571,133 1l/l896 Hoffman 16-189 FOREIGN PATENTS 581,410 8/1958 Italy.

BOBBY R. GAY, Primary Examiner DORIS L. TROUTMAN, Assistant Examiner Fmg?) UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No. ll60 190 i' Dated August 12,11969 Inventor(s) Robert D. MacDonald It is certified that error appears in the above-identified patent and that said Letters Pate nt are hereby corrected as shown below:

r- 4InA Column l, line 35, "not" should read no 1 line 65, "of".l (first occurrence) should read 1n In Column 2, line 2, correct the -spelling of "engageab1e"; line 27?' fend" should read end SIGNED Ang-u- SEALED 0212231@ (SEAL) Auen:

Mmmm 31' WILLIAM somma. m. nesting Officer commissioner of Patents

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