WO1987007321A1

WO1987007321A1 - Nested leaf hinge assembly

Info

Publication number: WO1987007321A1
Application number: PCT/US1986/001156
Authority: WO
Inventors: Lesley Chapel
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1986-05-30
Filing date: 1986-05-30
Publication date: 1987-12-03
Anticipated expiration: 1988-11-30

Abstract

Two-leaf hinge wherein a smaller leaf (16) is functionally receivable coplanar within a cut-out area of a larger leaf (12) of equal thickness. Both leaves are held together by hinge pin (26) traversing corresponding longitudinally aligned, bearing tube segments (20, 22, 24) and held engaged in tube by conic neck (28), the latter thus being insertable from either end of composite tube. The usual visual gap or crack between door and door jamb is thus limited to maximum thickness of one leaf. If pair of nested leaves alternately is inset along either the door or door jamb, the width of such crack disappears, thus producing a virtually invisible door mounting, which door also cannot be pushed open merely by withdrawing the hinge pin. In addition, a pair of tangentially projecting abutment lugs (30, 32) serve to locate one connected structure (e.g., door D) with the other (e.g. door jamb C).

Description

NESTED LEAF HINGE ASSEMBLY

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION:

Carpenters and other workmen who need to attach a hinge assembly to a door and doorjamb (or similarly place a pair of hinge leaves horizontally along an outfolding bin panel, etc.) usually have to measure and mark off the exact location for each hinge plate, that is, on each of the adjacait support structures both as to height and for lateral location along an end wall such as a door jamb. Some effort has been made to make this lateral alignment measurable by the hinge itself. Thus U.S. patent 3,526,922 to Kellems provides projecting contact collars (formed integral with corresponding pintles which therefor are not removable). However this merely places the spine or pintle axis equa-distant from both structures (door and door jamb), while keeping the latter separated by the thickness of the leaves. All emphasis appears to be on flush-aligning the two panel faces 34a, 35a which are on the projecting hinge-pin side of the door. This is seldom a problem.

In the West German patent 820,864, there are provided edge abutment shoulders a³, b³ for each panel along the spine side of the hinge.

This still leaves a gap Y between the end surfaces Figs. 4, 6, or Z, Figs.

3, 5; in either event, the only support between the panel or door jamb and its hanging door is the short height (length) of the hinge (s).

This tendency to align only the spine-face of adjacent panels appears likewise in U.S. design patent 175,366 to Schoen and Belaschk where each leaf carries a pair of abutment lugs which are not in the same plane; i.e. the adjacent thus-coupled panels would be UNaligned (to the extent seen in either Fig. 2 or Fig. 4). That is, the spine faces of the panels would be disposed parallel but with one horizontally displaced fran the plane of the other. In all three of these examples, there is no concept of seating both hinge leaves in a single thickness (or indeed ANY) edge recess; nor of a hinge pin held against rotation in the bearing of only one leaf, which in addition is removable without the leaves being separable as long as they remain closed & mounted. SUMMARY:

Accordingly it is an object of the invention to provide a nested leaf hinge assembly wherein the pair of nested leaves can be completely lodged or seated flat (juxtaposed) within a corresponding structural edge recess of single-leaf thickness (thereby allowing the opposite faces of thus hinge-coupled coplanar panels to be disposed flush with each other without any gap caused by the mounted hinge (s), such assambly also having a detachable and anchorable hinge pin (thus allowing each leaf to be attached when separated but to be locked against separation when the pair is closed, even with the pin removed). Further, one leaf only of the pair is formed with tangential abutment lugs for locating it along a structural mounting edge (e.g. a door), thus not pre-commiting the adjacent panel to any theoretical position. A pin-withdrawable mounting feature is obtained by use of a cylindrical hinge pin (lenthwise insertable through aligned bearing tubes of the pair of flat-faced hinge leaves) which pin has a flared head and tapered neck ιmmediately therebeneath, so that the tapered area frictionally engages (transiently locks) a segment of the bearing tube. A safety or non-separable feature is obtained as a result of the smaller leaf extending lengthwise (adjacent its bearing edge) so as to closely overlie the bearing tube of the larger leaf and thus lock against the latter upon attempted planar separation of the smaller leaf from the nested assembly, even in the absence of the hinge pin. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS:

FIG. 1 is a face view of the Safety Hinge with the pair of pincoupled leaves disposed approximately 180° to each other.

FIG. 2 is an elevational view of the right leaf shown in the same position as Fig. 1, with the left leaf swung 180° to the right from its Fig. 1 position so as to dispose both leaves nested or coplanar.

FIG. 3 is a rear elevational view of the nested or closed assembly of Fig. 2.

FIG. 4 is an edge elevational view taken from the left of Fig. 2.

FIG. 5 is an edge elevational view taken from the right of Fig. 2.

FIG. 6 is a perspective thereof with the leaves ina partially open position.

FIG. 7 is an exploded perspective view of the elements of Fig. 6.

FIG. 8 is a detail elevational view of the Safety Hinge coupled nested to adjacent panels, part of the nearer panel being broken away.

FIG. 9 is a similar view with the hinge leaves open 180°.

FIG. 10 is a transverse sectional view taken along the line 10-10 of Fig. 8.

FIG. 11 is a corresponding sectional view taken through the open leaves of Fig. 9. DETAIL DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT:

The present hinge assembly provides a pair of generally rectangular, flat faced leaves of which the larger 12 is is formed with a central cut-out area 14 within which the smaller leaf 16 can be loosely swung or nested, the pair of leaves having the same thickness. A central scallop or edge recess 17 of the small leaf 16 corresponds to an arcuate buldge or projection 15 along the longer arm 13 of the large leaf 12. Each leaf has a trio of cup shaped apertures a, b for insertion of screws or other fasteners into a support structure such as a door and door jamb.

One edge of each leaf is rolled or turned to form a generally cylindrical bearing tube 20 for the smaller leaf and the two segments 22, 24 for the larger leaf. When all three tubes are in longitudinal alignment (as after each leaf is attached to a different structure such as door and door jamb) they can lengthwise receive a cylindrical hinge pin 26. The pin has a peripherally flared, dome-shaped head 27 with a short distally converging, tapered or frustro-conic neck 28 immediately therebeneath.

The intermediate bearing tube 20 is formed with a pair of tangentially projecting abutment rnembers or positioning lugs 30, 32 axially spaced apart along the tube, which lugs overlie corresponding arcuate apertures 31, 33 of the bearing tube 20. Thus their contact ends 34, 35 may be pressed against the edge of a staictural mamber or panel, in this case the door D, against the side face of which the smaller leaf 16 is then fastened, as by screws S. The larger leaf (unconnected) is secured in a corresponding edge recess 36 of the other support structure (door jamb C). The door D is then held angularly open to align the several bearing tube sections and a hinge pin 26 dropped in and seated by a hammer blow to force down the tapered neck 28.

It will be seen that when the pair of leaves 12, 16 are nested, that is, both seated in the single thickness edge recess 36 by the door D being closed (its opposite edge latched or otherwise locked), removing the hinge pins 26 (from the opposite side of the door or wall) still does not permit a door to be removed from the door frame, as long as it remains latched. This is because the longitudinally extended corners 38, 40 of the smaller leaf 16 abut against the tube segments 22, 24 of the larger leaf 12. Also, when thus closed, along the face opposite the hinge pins and bearing tubes, the adjacent edges of the door D and door jamb C come together (at 45, Fig. 10) without leaving a gap. This can be effected either for security purposes or for condealment, that is, such door along this face being indistinguishable frcm the adjoining wall. When concealment is the primary requirement, the panel faces along the hinge side will not necessarily be disposed in the same plane (when closed); and the "exposed" side 45 may also lack a hankie or other projecting fixture which would call attention to the presence of a door, that is, it may be openable only from the hinge side.

Claims

I CLAIM:

1. A three piece, separable, safety hinge comprising in combination: a pair of hinge leaves each consisting of a parallel-faced flat area of appiroximately equal thickness but different lengths, said pair consisting of a larger length leaf formed with a central cut-out area and a smaller length leaf loosely receivable nested coplanar within said cut-out area, each leaf having means for respective attachment to an adjacent support structure such as a door and door jamb so as thereby to hinge them together, each leaf having a bearing tube formed along a common edge, the bearing tube of both leaves being functicnally disposable in joint longitudinal alignment, the bearing tube of said smallerleaf being formed with a pair of tangentially projecting abutment lugs adapted to locate an edge of one of said support structures disposed thereagainst for attaching said smaller leaf thereto, and a flat portiαi of said smaller leaf extending within said cut-out area lengthwise beyond its adjacent bearing tube in both directions so as to longitudinally overlie the bearing tube of the larger leaf and thus prevent separation of the two leaves when the latter are disposed nested coplanar with each other, and a hinge pin characterized by a generally cylindrical shaft with a peripherally enlarged head and a distally converging, frustro-conic neckimmediately beneath, whereby said pin may be removably inserted through the aligned bearing tubes from either end and transiently engage its frustroconic neck therewith.

2. A pair of adjacent support panels hingedly connected along a common adge by a pair of the safety hinges of claim 1, each hinge being mounted in an edge recess of one of said panels, said recess being only the thickness of one of said nested leaves, whereby adjacent panels thus hinged together may, upon the leaves of said pair of hinges being disposed nested in said recesses, be disposed coplanar without an appreciable gap therebetween along the hinge-bearing intersection, said one panel being inseparable from the other panel as long as the hinge leaves remain nested in their recesses, even with said hinge pins removed.