US2530331A - Adjustable hinge mechanism - Google Patents

Description

MMIII v INVENTOR.

HenryE.HubbS BY @um 1f/M H. E. HUBBS ADJUSTABLE'HING MECHANISM Filed July 14, .1948

Nov. i4, 1950 ATTORNEYS Patented Nov. 14, 1.950

ADJUSTABLE HINGE MEoHANlsM Henry E. Hubbs, Shelby, Ohio, assignor` to The Shelby Spring Hinge Co., Shelby, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Application July 14, 1948, Serial No. 38,599

7 Claims.- (C1. 16-129) .Theinvention relates generally to hinges for swinging doors and more particularly to double acting checking floor hinges.

Such checking door hinges ordinarily include a checking mechanism embedded in the floor with an upwardly projecting stud which is received in a socket in a hinge arm secured on the underside of the door at its hinge side. The door is installed after the checking mechanism has been embedded in the fioor, and it is therefore necessary to provide some adjustment of the door relative to the hinge arm so that the door is in proper position when the hinge arm registers with the stud of the checking mechanism.

lWith wooden doors, some adjustment is had by planing oi the edge of the door, but with glass and metal doors, this cannot be done, and a .positive adjusting .means must be provided. Also, conventional glass doors have an adjustment at the top hinge, and a corresponding ad'- justment at .the oor hinge is necessary. Certain .prior adjusting means for checking door hinges for glass doors have constituted merely providing a hole in the hinge arm which receives va pin at- .tached to the` door, and a set screw is screwed intoA the inner en'd of the arm and engages the pin for adjusting the -position of the door relative to the arm. Such prior adjusting means have numerous disadvantages, because the vibration of `the door in operation gradually loosens the set screw, de'- stroying the adjustment of the door and allowing it to sag at its free edge. Moreover, the; vset screw does not hold 'the pin in xed position unless the other end of the hinge arm is secured tightly to the door, with the result that the hinge arm is apt tordrop out ofthe door when `being installed, and the door has a tendency toward limited edgewise movement when in operation.

It is an object of the present invention to-pro e `vide an improved adjustable hinge mechanism yfor double acting checking floor hinges which -,ov ercomes-all of the difliculties of prior adjusting Anotherobject is to provide animproved ad- A further Objectis to provide an improvedadjustable hinge mechanism which will maintain the door in adjusted position during operation without permitting any sagging of the free edge of the door.

,Another object is to provide an-improved ad-v` 2 justable hinge mechanism in which none of the parts can dropout of the bottom of the door while-it is being installed.

A still further object is to provide an improved adjustable hinge mechanism having novel adjusting means which alwaysholds the hinge arm and door in Xed adjusted position Without permitting any edgewise movement of the door.

Finally, it is an object of the present invention to provide an improved adjustable hinge mechanismyfor a double acting checking oor hinge, which mechanism is Acompact and inexpensive to manufacture, which is adapted to be installed on standard checking floor lhinges, and which is easily installed and adjusted without special tools.

These and other objects are accomplished by vthe parts, constructions, arrangements, and combinations which comprise the present invention, the nature of which is set forthin the following .generalstatement and a preferred embodiment of which is set forth in the following description and illustrated in the accompanying drawings,

and which is particularly `and distinctly pointed out and set forth in the appended claims-,forming part hereof. Y I

In generalr terms,the adjustable hinge mechanism of the present invention preferably includes a hinge arm having an elongated slot for receiving a depending p in Yattached to the ,underside of the door, anmangle bracket slidable endwise of the arm and having a hole receiving theppin andv registering withsaidfslot, there being a screw adjustably,inountingfthe angle bracket ongthe armandfricton Washer. means for holding the screw in1adjustedposition. -Y

Referring to the, drawing` forming part` hereof in whichha preferredwembodiment ofthe invention isshewn brewer of; example;

f, Figure VV1 isa frontelevation ofthe bottomfpart Qf-the-glassi dorembodying the improved ad- .justable hinge arm,` partly in section, as on line l-l,Fig-2;,"' Figure 2 is abottomplan view thereof with the studof the checking mechanism removed;

Figure 3 is a fragmentary plan sectional View as `on line 3 3, Fig. 1j and -inthedrawing as incorporated in a double acting checking floor hinge for a glass door, but it will be understood that it may be applied to other doors such as metal doors, without departing from the scope of the invention.

The glass door shown may have a glass panel 5 which is preferably provided with a rounded edge 6 on its hinge side, and the panel is mounted in usual fashion in an upwardly open metal channel member 'I which is secured as by welding to a downturned channel member 8 extending along the bottom edge of the door. The glass panel 5 is set in the door by means of a usual binder or grouting material indicated at 9, and the inner edge of the channel I is preferably rounded as indicated at Ill to conform to the rounded edge 6 of the panel. Likewise, the exterior surface of the inner end wall I2 of the bottom channel 8 is similarly rounded.

The checking mechanism fori the floor hinge is of conventional construction and is therefore not shown except the part which protrudes above the floor F, the checking mechanism being embedded in the iioor so that its top plate is iiush 'with the floor surface. A boss-I3 projects above the floor from the checking mechanism and a tapered hinge stud I4 projects upwardly from the boss |3. The hinge armis preferably a solid with its sill when installed. Such securing means preferably includes an adjusting bolt IIv threaded through the outer end I8 of thearm I5 and extending through enlarged holes I9 in the channel-legs, there being large washers interposed -between the channel legs and the head and nut of the adjusting bolt |'I.

The novel means for providing edgewise adjustment of the door relative to the hinge arm preferably includes a cylindrical pin 2|' secured in anddepending from a bracketV plate 22-which is attached, as by countersunk screws 23, to the underside of a mounting bar 24 secured .to the top wall or web of channel 8. The bracket plate 22 preferably has a slot 25 registering with the open socket I5 to allow the upper end of stud I4 to protrude abovev the hinge arm lI5 if necessary. The pin 2| is received in an elongated slot 26 extending vertically through the inner end of the hinge arm and a reduced end 2 I` is provided on the pin 2| for receiving a Washer 28 which is held lonthereduoed end byl a cotter pin 29. lAs sho-wn in Figs. 2 and 4, the washer 28 extends over the side-edges of lthe slot so as toprevent the arm '|5 from dropping off pin 2| before the-arm is positioned over the stud I4 of the checlnngmechanism when the door is being installed;

A'I'hemeans for adjusting the pin 2| in the slot 28 so as to adjust the door edgewise of the arm |-5 preferably includes an angle bar 33, the upper leg 3| of whichvis slidable longitudinally of the arm I5 in a recess 32 in the upper surface thereof. The leg 3| is provided with a circular hole'33 through which the pin 2| extends, and the'outer vertical leg 34 of the angle bar has an adjusting screw 35 mounted therein. The adjusting screw 'is threaded into the end wall 35 of the hinge arm I5v and is rotatable in the leg 34 of the angle bar, so that by turning the screw 35, the angle bar is moved longitudinally of the arm I5, which consequently moves the door edgewise relative to the arm.

Means for preventing the adjusting screw 35 from loosening or turning, due to vibration of the door in operation, preferably includes a split washer 3T interposed between the screw head and leg 34, and a friction washery 38 engirdling the screw in Aabutment with the inner surface of the leg 34. As shown, the end wall l2 of the bottom channel 8 is provided with a suitable aperture 40 aligned with the screw 35, to permit the insertion of a screw driver from the exterior of the door, when it is Vdesired to turn the adjusting screw 35.. l

Accordingly, when the door is positioned with the socket I6 of the hinge arm wedge-fitting over the stud I4 of the checking mechanism, the door may be adjusted edgewise to or from the jamb 4I by turning the adjusting screw 35 to move the pin 2I longitudinally in the slot 26. in the hinge arm I5, the adjusting bolt I'I having been slightly loosened so that it can move in the holesv I9. At any adjusted position, the screw 35v will stay put because of the washers 31 and 38, so that the door will remain in adjusted position in operation regardless of vibration, and `will not sag at its outer edge, as it` would tend to do if the adjusting screw 35Y could work loose and allow the door to move edgewise of the sill.

Due to the fact that the angle adjusting bar 3d is always tightly engaged around the pin. 2|, there can be no play or edgewise movement of the door in any adjusted position, because the adjusting means does'V not rely onengagement of the screw 35 with the pin 2|, in which case the pin could move between the screw 35 and the opposite end of the slot 2,5. The washer 28' holds the hinge` arm |,5 in position during the installing operation, so that the` arm, |5 cannot drop out accidentally before it is positioned on the stud |4.

Accordingly, the improved adjustable hinge mechanism. overcomes all of the difficulties had withfp-rior constructions, and provides an inexpensive and easily installed adjusting hinge mechanism, which isadapted for use with standard checking floor hinges without requiring special tools.

In the foregoing description, certain terms have been used for brevity, clearness andunderstanding, but .no unnecessary'limitations are to be implied therefrom beyond the requirements of' the Vprior art, because such Words are used for descriptive` purposes herein and are intended to be broadly construed;

Moreover,- the' embodiment of the improved construction illustrated and described herein is byway of example, and the. scope of the present invention is not limited to the-'exact details of construction. f

' Having now-described .thel invention, the construction, the operation and use of a preferred embodiment thereof, and the advantageous new and useful results obtained thereby; the new and useful constructions, and reasonable mechanical equivalents thereoffobvi'ous'to those skilled in the art, are set forth in the appended claims. l

I claim:

l. In a checking floor hinge for a door, adjustableiloor hinge mechanism includinga Vpin depending from the bottom of the door, a hinge Aarm having an elongated slot receivingv said pin, an adjusting bracket slidably mounted von said arm and having a hole ttingsnugly 4around-said pin and registering with-said slot, a screw adjustably connecting said arm and bracket for relative movement in either direction edgewise of the door, and friction washer means on said screw for holding the screw in adjusted position.

2. In a checking floor hinge for a door, adjustable cor hinge mechanism including a pin depending from the bottom of the door, a hinge arm having an elongated slot receiving said pin, an adjusting bracket slidably mounted on said arm and having a hole tting snugly around said pin and registering withV said slot, and a screw adjustably connecting said arm and bracket for relative movement in either direction edgewise of the door.

3. In a checking floor hinge mounted on the underside of a door and having a hinge arm extending edgewise of the door and detachably connected to a checking mechanism in the floor, said hinge arm having a slot elongated longitudinally of the arm, a pin secured to the bottom of said door and extending into said slot, an adjusting bracket movably mounted on said arm and snugly engirdling said pin, a screw adjustably connecting the arm and bracket for adjusting the bracket longitudinally of said arm in either direction, and friction washers on said screw for holding the screw in adjusted position.

4. In a checking floor hinge mounted on the underside of a door and having a hinge arm extending edgewise of the door and detachably connected to a checking mechanism in the floor, said hinge arm having a slot elongated longitudinally of the arm, a pin secured to the bottom of said door and extending into said slot, an adjusting bracket movably mounted on said arm and snugly engirdling said pin, and a screw adjustably connecting the arm and bracket for adjusting the bracket longitudinally of said arm in either direction.

5. In a checking floor hinge for a door, adjustable iioor hinge mechanism including a pin on the bottom of the door, a hinge arm having an elongated slot receiving said pin, an adjusting bracket slidably mounted on said arm and having a hole tting snugly around said pin and registering with said slot, a screw adjustably connecting said arm and bracket for movement in opposite directions, and a washer on the end of said pin and overlapping said slot for supporting said hinge arm.

6. In a checking floor hinge mounted on the underside of a door and having a hinge arm extending edgewise of the door and detachably connected to a checking mechanism in the floor, said hinge arm having a slot elongated longitudinally of the arm, a pin secured to the bottom of said door and extending into said slot, an adjusting bracket movably mounted on said arm and snugly engirdling said pin, a screw adjustably connecting the arm and bracket for adjusting the bracket longitudinally of said arm in either direction, and a washer on the end of said pin and overlapping said slot for supporting said hinge arm.

7. In a checking iloor hinge mounted on the underside of a door and having a hinge arm extending edgewise of the door and detachably connected to a checking mechanism in the floor, said hinge arm having a slot elongated longitudinally of the arm, a pin secured to the bottom of said door and extending into said slot, an angle bracket movably mounted on said arm and snugly engirdling said pin, a screw adjustably connecting said arm and angle bracket for adjusting the bracket longitudinally of the arm in either direction, and a washer frictionally engirdling said screw and abutting said angle bracket for holding said screw in adjusted position.

HENRY E. HUBBS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,050,092 Beall Jan. 14, 1913 2,027,888 Solomon Jan. 14, 1936 2,441,221 Eckel May 11, 1948

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