US2308759A - Hinge construction - Google Patents

Description

Jan. 19, 1943. J. G. JOACHIM 2,308,759

HINGE CONSTRUCTION Filed May 20, 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR.

JOSEPH GEORG E JOAOHIM A TTORN E YS Jan. 19, 1943. J. G. JOACHIM HINGE CONSTRUCTION Filed May 20, 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 25 INVENTOR.

JOSEPH GEORGE JOACHIM B I r w I a, I ATTORNEYS Patented Jan. 19, 1943 HINGE CONSTRUCTION Joseph George Joachim, Detroit, Mich., asslgnor to Ferro Stamping & Manufacturing Company, Detroit, Mich., a corporation of Michigan Application May 20, 1940, Serial No. 336,265

2 Claims.

tion to provide a relatively simple, compact hinge having means forming an assembly therewith for assisting movement of the closure in one di rection and for holding the closure in one extreme position of adjustment.

Another advantageous feature of the present invention resides in the provision of a hinge having a movable part and having spring actuated linkage secured as a unit on the hinge at opposite sides of the path of travel of the movable part in such a manner as to not only counterbalance the weight of the closure to which the movable part of the hinge is connected, but to also effectively hold the closure in its open position.

Still another object of this invention resides in the provision of a hinge assembly of the type previously set forth capable of being inexpensively manufactured, assembled and installed.

The foregoing, as well as other objects, will be made more apparent as this description proceeds, especially when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary sectional view of a portion of a vehicle body showing my improved hinge assembly in side elevation;

Figure 2 is an end elevational view of the hinge assembly shown in Figure l Figure 3 is a sectional view taken substantially on the plane indicated by the line 33 of Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a sectional view taken on the plane indicated by the line 44 of Figure 1;

Figure 5 is a cross sectional view taken on the plane indicated by the line 55 of Figure 1;

Figure 6 is a cross sectional view taken substantially on the plane indicated by the line 6-6 of Figure 1.

In Figure 1 of the drawings, I have illustrated a portion of a swinging closure l0 hingedly connected to a support H by means of a hinge assembly l2 forming the subject matter of this invention. The hinge assembly I2 is particularly applicable to vehicle bodies for pivotally connecting the rear deck closures to the adjacent body structure, although it may be used to advantage in supporting practically any type of swinging closure having suflicient weight to render the use of counterbalancing means practical.

In detail, the hinge assembly is provided with a fixed bracket [3 comprising a pair of laterally spaced plates I4 having transverse flanges I5 at the rear ends thereof attachable to the support H and having the opposite ends integrally connected by means of a transverse portion [6. In ordinary installations, the bracket I3 is secured to the support II in such a manner that the plates l4 lie in parallel vertical planes and the transverse connecting portion I5 is arranged at the top of the two plates.

Pivotally supported on the bracket 13 for swinging movement between the plates I4 is a closure supporting arm l1. As shown in Figure 1, the arm I1 is substantially U-shaped in elevation and one end of the arm is pivotally mounted on a pin 18 extending transversely through the plates I4 of the bracket adjacent the rear end of the bracket. One end of the pin I8 is formed with a shoulder engageable with the adjacent plate I4 and the opposite end of the pin is riveted against the other plate l4.

In the present instance, the swinging arm is formed of a pair of sheet metal stampings 20 welded or otherwise suitably secured in juxtaposition to each other and each stamping is reinforced throughout its length by means of a laterally outwardly embossed rib 2|. The ends of the stampings 20 opposite the ends engaging the pin I8 are bent laterally outwardly in the manner shown in Figure 5 and secured to the closure I0 by the bolts 19.

In view of the fact that the above type of hinge finds particular use in supporting relatively heavy swinging closures, it is advantageous to counterbalance the weight of the closure and to effectively hold the closure in its raised or open position. The means for accomplishing this result in the present instance forms a unitary assembly with the hinge and comprises a pair of spring operated devices 22 supported on opposite sides of the path of swinging movement of the arm 2|. In detail, each device 22 comprises a pair of links 23 and 24 having the adjacent ends pivotally connected together by means of a pin 25. The opposite ends of the links 23 and 24 of each device 22 are respectively pivotally connected to the arm H and bracket l3. As shown in Figure 1, the free ends of the links 23 are respectively pivotally connected to opposite sides of the arm I! intermediate the ends of the latter by means of a pin 26 extending transversely through the arm, and the corresponding ends of the links 24 are pivotally connected to the opposite sides of the bracket I 3' adjacent the rear end of the latter by means of a pair of pins 2'! which, of course, are lnstalled so as not to interfere with the movement of the arm relative to the bracket.

The above arrangement is such that when the closure I is in its closed position, th links assume the relative positions thereof shown by the full lines in Figure 1 and, when the closure is in its open position, the links assume the relative positions shown by the dot-dash lines in Figure 1. In detail, when the closure is in its closed position, the ends of the links 23 connected to the arm IT by the pivot 26 assume a position adjacent the rear ends of the links 24 and,.

when the closure is in its raised or open position, the links 23 assume positions approaching alignment with the links 24.

Carried by the adjacent ends of each pair oi links is a spiral or clock type spring 28 having the inner end secured in a transverse slot formed in the outer end of each pin 25 and having the opposite end looped around a transverse projection 29 formed on each link 23 by bending the latter at right angles to its normal plane. It may be pointed out at this time that the pins 25 are secured to the links 24 in a manner to prevent rotation of the pins relative to the links. Upon reference to Figure 6, it will be noted that the pins 25 are in the form of rivets having polygonally-shaped portions 30 engageable in correspondingly shaped openings formed in the links 24.

Referring again to Figure 1 of the drawings, it will be noted that when the closure is in its closed position shown in Figure 1, the two springs 28 apply a force on the links 23 in a direction tending to open the closure I0 and these springs are of such strength that they substantially counterbalance the weight of the closure. As a result, the closure may be readily raised to its open position shown by the dot and dash lines in Figur 1. The extent of movement of the closure to its raised position is limited by a pair of stops 3! struck laterally outwardly from the plates It on the bracket and engageable with the bottom edges of the links 24 adjacent the swinging ends 7 of the latter. Itwill also be apparent from Figure 1 that when the closure is in its open position, the springs 28 exert an upward force on the links 23 and thereby hold th closure in its fully open position. Assuming that the closure is now moved toward its closed position, it will be noted that the projections 29 on the links 23 react against the outer ends of the springs 28 and effect a rewinding of the springs.

Thus, from the foregoing, it will be observed that I have provided a relatively simple, compact hinge construction wherein the counterbalancing means forms an assembly with the hinge and is capable of being installed as a unit with the latter. It will further be observed that the hinge assembly, including the counterbalancing means, is composed of a relatively few simple parts capable of being inexpensively manufactured, assembled and installed.

What I claim as my invention is:

l. A hinge assembly for pivotally mounting a closure on a support, said hinge assembly comprising a fixed hinge part in the form of a bracket attachable to the support and having laterally spaced side walls, a movable hinge part in the form of an arm extending between the side. walls of the bracket and pivotally connected to the latter for swinging movement relative to the bracket, a pair of links positionedon each side of the bracket and having the inner ends thereof pivotally connected together. means pivotally connecting the outer ends of the links to the bracket and arm respectively, a pair of spiral counterbalanclng springs having the inner ends respectively connected to the pivotally connected inner ends of the links and having the outer ends respectively engaging the links connected to the arm tending to swing the latter in one direction. relative to the bracket, and stops on opposite sides of the bracket positioned to respectively engage the links connected to the bracket to limit movement of the latter links by the springs.

2. A hinge assembly for pivotally mounting a closure on a support, said hinge assembly comprising a fixed part in the form of a bracket attachable to the support, a movable part carried by the closure and pivotally connected to the fixed part for swinging movement relative to the latter, a. link positionedon each side of the path of swinging movement of the movable part and having the corresponding ends respectively pivotally connected to opposite sides ofthe movable part, a second link positioned on each side of the path of swinging movement of the movable part and having the opposite ends respectively pivotally connected to the iree ends of the first links and to the fixed part, each of the first mentioned links having a portion intermediate the ends thereof extending transversely of the path of swinging movement of the movable part to form transverse shoulders at opposite sides of the movable part, and a pair of spiral counterbalancing springs having the inner ends respectively connected to the pivotally connected ends of the links on each side of themovable part and having the outer ends respectively engaging the transverse shoulders tending to swing the movable part in one direction relative to the fixed part.

JOSEPH GEORGE JQACHIM.

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