US3389424A

US3389424A - Reversible hinges for refrigerator door

Info

Publication number: US3389424A
Application number: US593802A
Authority: US
Inventors: Charles G Fellwock
Original assignee: Whirlpool Corp
Current assignee: Whirlpool Corp
Priority date: 1966-11-14
Filing date: 1966-11-14
Publication date: 1968-06-25
Anticipated expiration: 1985-06-25
Also published as: ES345934A1

Description

c. G. FELLWOCK REVERSIBLE HINGES FOR REFRIGERATOR DOOR June 25, 1968 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Nov. 14, 1966 INVENTOR CHARLES G. FELLWOCK I U/ dig/Au, 9 M0 ATTORNEYS June 25, 1968 c. e. FELLWOCK REVERSIBLE HINGES FOR REFRIGERATOR DOOR 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed NOV. 14, 1966 FIG. IA

June 25, 1968 c. G. FELLWOCK 3,389,424

REVERSIBLE HINGES FOR REFRIGERATOR DOOR Filed Nov. 14, 1966 4 Sheets-Sheet :5

FIG; 3 FIG. 5

June 25, 1968 c, woc I 3,389,424

REVERSIBLE HINGES FOR REFRIGERATOR DOOR Filed Nov. 14, 1966 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 at. I :3 j

FIG. 8

United States Patent M 3,389,424 REVERSIBLE HINGES FOR REFRIGERATOR DOOR Charles G. Fellwock, Evansville, Ind., assignor to Whirlpool Corporation, a corporation of Delaware Filed Nov. 14, 1966, Ser. No. 593,802 9 Claims. (Cl. 16170) This invention relates to hinge systems and in particular to a hinge system for selectively mounting a door on a cabinet wall means for either left or right-hand swinging. In one conventional form of cabinet construction, such as used in refrigerator-freezers, the front openings are selectively closed by a number of vertically hinged cupboard type doors. It is conventional to provide in such apparatus either left-hand opening or right-hand opening doors in accordance with the arrangement of the room in which it is placed. Heretofore, the purchaser was required to order the apparatus with the desired type of swinging arrangement. If, however, the apparatus was subsequently used in an arrangement other than that for which it was originally acquired, the swinging arrange- ,rnent might not be of the proper hand. Further, it was necessary for the distributor or retailer to maintain a stock of both hand apparatuses which in all other respects were similar, thus requiring an undesirable substantial duplication of inventory.

Thus, it may be seen that it would be highly advantageous to provide such apparatus wherein the doors may be selectively arranged to be swung from either the left side or the right side with the selectivity being under the control not only of the dealer, but also by the ultimate user. For example, the ultimate user may purchase a refrigerator-freezer embodying the present invention in a right-hand door arrangement to suit a certain kitchen layout. He may later move or remodel his kitchen or simply wish to change his kitchen layout. He may then find that he either desires or perhaps requires a different door arrangement on his refrigerator-freezer, say, a change to a left-hand door arrangement. With the known prior art refrigerator door hinging arrangements, this would necessitate a new refrigerator-freezer or a substantial and obviously impractical reconstruction. However, almost any desired rearrangement of the door hinging can be readily obtained by the ultimate user employing the present invention. All that is involved are a few hand operations with a screw driver as indicated below. The present invention thus comprehends an improved hinge system providing substantial selectivity of the door mounting arrangement in a novel and simple manner. Thus, a principal feature of the present invention is the provision of a new and improved reversible door mount hinge system.

Another feature of the invention is the provision of such a reversible hinge system wherein the elements thereof are arranged to be selectively located at right and left-hand positions corresponding to right and left-hand door swinging arrangements in a new and improved manner.

A further feature of the invention is the provision of such a reversible hinge ssytem wherein certain elements thereof are selectively disposable at the left top and bottim right of the door means and other elements thereof are selectively disposable at the right top and bottom left of the door means, in the alternate arrangements of the system for left and right-hand swinging of the door.

A yet further feature of the invention is the provision of such a reversible hinge system wherein a pair of doors are provided one above the other with one element of the hinge system being disposed intermediate the door and selectively mounted either at the left side or the right side of the arrangement and providing a pivot connector means 3,389,424 Patented June 25, 1968 for cooperation with pivot connector means of other ele. ments of the system for selectively mounting both doors for left or right-hand swinging.

A further feature of the invention is the provision of such a reversible hinge system wherein new and improved means are associated with one or more of the hinge elements for limiting the swinging of the doors.

Other features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a fragmentary exploded view of a reversible hinge system embodying the invention for mounting a door means on a cabinet wall means for left-hand swinging;

FIGURE 1a is a fragmentary exploded view of the hinge system of FIGURE 1, showing the parts reversed for right-hand swinging;

FIGURE 2 is a schematic front elevation of the cabinet wall means illustrating selective disposition of the hinge system elements on a refrigerator-freezer cabinet for mounting in alternate left (full line) and right (broken line) door swinging arrangements;

FIGURE 3 is a top plan view of one cooperating hinge butt and binge leaf assembly of said hinge system with the assembly shown mounted on a fragmentary portion of a door;

FIGURE 4 is an end elevation of the assembly of FIG- URE 3 with a portion broken away to facilitate illustration of the pivot means;

FIGURE 5 is a top plan view of another cooperating hinge butt and hinge leaf assembly of said hinge system with the assembly shown mounted on a fragmentary portion of a door;

FIGURE 6 is an end elevation of the assembly of FIG- URE 5 with a portion broken away to facilitate illustration of the pivot means;

FIGURE 7 is a top plan view thereof with the door on which the hinge leaf is carried swung to an open position predetermined by a limit means associated with the hinge assembly;

FIGURE 8 is a fragmentary top plan view of another cooperating hinge butt and hinge leaf assembly of the hinge system as provided between the vertically related doors of the left portion of the cabinet wall means of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 9 is an end elevation of the hinge assembly of FIGURE 8;

FIGURE 10 is a fragmentary exploded view of a second embodiment of the hinge assembly provided between the vertically related doors of FIGURE 2; and

FIGURES 11, 12, 13 and 14 are diagrammatic representations of a refrigerator-freezer, illustrating the various possible door hinging arrangements that may be selected when the invention is used.

In the exemplary embodiment of the invention as disclosed in the drawing, a cabinet defining: a wall means 10, shown in FIG. 2, defines a full length opening 11 and a pair of vertically

related openings

12 and 13 selectively closed respectively by a full length door 14 and a pair of

short doors

15 and 16. The doors are swingably mounted on the wall means 10 by a reversible hinge system generally designated 17 whereby the doors may be selectively swung either from the right-hand edges of the corresponding openings or the left-hand edges thereof. More specifically, the hinge system 17 permits door 14 to be selectively swung about a vertical axis at the right side 14a of the door 14 or the left side 14!; thereof, the door 15 to be selectively swung about a vertical axis at the right side 15a thereof or the left side 15b thereof, and the door 16 to be selectively swung about a vertical axis at the right side 16a thereof or left side 16b thereof. The

doors

15 and 16 must be hinged at the same side, either right side or left side as may be selected.

The hinge system 17 includes a first hinge butt 18 (see FIGS. 1 and 2) which may be installed on the wall means at a left position corresponding to the left side 1411 of the door 14 above the top thereof, or in a right position corresponding to the right side 14a of the door above the top thereof. The hinge system further includes a second hinge butt 19 which may be installed on the wall means 10 at a left position corresponding to the left side 14b of the door below the bottom thereof or at a right position corresponding to the right side 14a of the door below the bottom thereof. A first hinge leaf 20 is installed on the door 14 selectively at the top thereof on the left side 14b of the door or at the bottom thereof at the right side 14a of the door. A second hinge leaf 21 is installed on the door 14 selectively at the bottom thereof on the left side 14b of the door or at the top thereof at the right side 14a of the door.

The elements of hinge system 17 provided for mounting the small doors and 16 including a third hinge butt 22 (see FIGS. 2 and 8) which may be installed on the wall means 10 at a left position corresponding to the

left sides

15b and 16b of the

doors

15 and 16 respectively and between the vertically spaced

doors

15 and 16, or in a right position corresponding to the right sides 15a and 16a of the

doors

15 and 16 respectively between the vertically spaced doors. A hinge butt 23, identical to hinge butt 18, may be installed on the wall means 10 at a left position corresponding to the left side 15b of the door 15 above the top thereof, or in a right position corresponding to the right side 1511 of the door above the top thereof. The hinge system further includes a hinge butt 24, identical to hinge butt 19, which may be installed on the wall means 10 at a left position corresponding to the left side 16b of the door below the bottom thereof or at a right position corresponding to the right side 16a of the door below the bottom thereof. A first hinge leaf 25, similar to hinge leaf 18, is installed on the door 15 selectively at the top thereof on the left side 15b of the door or at the bottom door 16 at the right side 16a thereof. A second hinge leaf 26 (FIG. 2), similar to hinge leaf 21, is installed on the door 16 selectively at the bottom thereof on the left side 16b or at the top door 15 at the right side 15a. Hinge leaf 25 is similar to hinge leaf and is rclated to the door means defined by the two

doors

15 and 16 in the same manner as hinge leaf 20 is related to the door 14 as described in detail above. Similarly, hinge butt 24 is related to the wall means at the bottom of door 16 in the same manner as hinge butt 19 is related to the wall means at the bottom of door 14. Hinge butt 23 is related to the wall means at the top of the door means defined by decor 15 in the same manner as hinge leaf 20 is related to the wall means at the top of door 14. Hinge leaf 26 is similar to hinge leaf 21 and is related to the door means defined 'by

doors

15 and 16 in the same manner as hinge leaf 21 is related to the door 14. The illustration of the specific structure of the hinge butt and hinge leaf elements in FIGURE 1 is illustrative of each of these respective hinge butt and hinge leaf elements. Therefore, in describing hinge butts 18 and 19, and hinge leaves 20 and 21 of FIGURE 1, it is to be understood that the same description is applicable to the hinge butts 23 and 24 and the hinge leaves 25 and 26.

More specifically, as shown in FIGURE 1, hinge butt 18 (and thus hinge butt 23) comprises a flat plate having a forward opening 18a in which is installed a suitable pivot bushing 18b. The rearward portion of the hinge butt 18 is provided with a plurality of screw holes 180. The hinge butt 18 is secured to the top wall 16a of the cabinet wall means 10 by suitable screws 18d extending through a hinge cap 18a, holes 180 of the hinge butt 18 and a suitable shim 18 to space the opening 18a of the hinge butt forwardly of the wall means 10 to overlie the top 146 of the door 14. The hinge leaf 20 is secured to the door top by suitable screws 26a extending through suitable openings 20b in the hinge leaf and a shim 26c. The hinge leaf is further provided with a pivot connector pin 20d which, as shown in FIGURE 1, projects upwardly from the hinge leaf 20 to be pivotally received in pivot bushing 18b in hole 18a of the hinge butt 18.

Hinge butt 19 comprises an L-shaped plate having an outwardly extending portion 19:: provided with a hole 191) in which is received a pivot bushing 19c, and a second hole 19a in which is received a pivot pin 29a of a swing control device generally designated 29. Pivot pin 29a is provided on one end of a slide 29b having at its opposite end an elongated slot 290 slidably receiving a sleeve 29d carried on a screw 29c threaded into a hole 21:: of the hinge leaf 21. The pivot pin 29a may be retained in hinge butt opening 19:! by a suitable retainer 29 secured to the lower end of the pivot pin after it is extended through the hole 19d. Hinge butt 19 further includes an upright portion 19@ provided with three screw holes 19f. Screws 19g extend through holes 19 and shim 1911 into the front wall It'll) of the cabinet wall means 10.

Hinge leaf 21 is provided with a depending pivot pin 21b adapted to have pivotal reception in bushing 19c in hole 19b of hinge butt 19. The hinge leaf further includes a pair of screw holes 210, and a pair of screws 21d extend upwardly through holes 21c and through a shim 212 into the bottom 14d of the door 14 to secure the hinge leaf thereto. The shim 21a is provided with a recess 21 in which is received a nut 29g for threaded engagement with the screw 29e.

Thus, as shown in FIGURES 3 and 4, the hinge butt 18 which is mounted on the top of the cabinet 10 above opening 11 effectively defines a pivot connector means formed by the bushing 18b which is engageable from below the hinge butt 18, and the hinge leaf 20 defines a pivot connector means formed by the pivot pin 20d, the pivot connector being pivotally connected as shown in FIGURE 4 to provide one cooperating hinge assembly 17a of the hinge system 17 for left-hand mounting of the door 14 on the cabinet wall means 10.

As shown in FIGURES 5 through 7, the hinge butt 19 defines a pivot connector means in the form of bushing 19c and the hinge leaf 21 defines a pivot connector means in the form of pivot pin 21b in a hinge assembly 1711 of the hinge butt 19 and hinge leaf 21 providing the lefthand mounting of the door 14 on the cabinet wall means 10.

As indicated above and as shown in broken lines in FIGURE 2, when it is desired to mount the door 14 on the cabinet wall means 10 for right-hand swinging, the hinge butt 18 is positioned at the right side 14a of the door, rather than the left side 1412 as shown in FIGURE 1. In so repositioning the hinge butt 18, it is turned upside down and left for right and the bushing 18b is installed from below the inverted arrangement of the hinge butt. As further indicated above, in the right-hand installation, the hinge leaf 21 is installed on the top 140 of the door 14 at the right side 14a thereof, with the pivot pin 21b extending upwardly to be received in the bushing 18b of the hinge butt 18 to define a hinge assembly 170.

In the right-hand mounting of the door 14, the hinge butt 19 is moved to the right position shown in broken lines in FIGURE 2 subjacent the door 14 at the right side 14a. The bushing 19c is installed in hole 19d rather than hole 1%. The hinge leaf 20 is installed on the bottom 14d of the door 14 with the pivot pin 20d thereof extending downwardly into the thusly repositioned bushing 19c to define a hinge assembly 17d. Thus, in changing the hinge assemblies from left-

hand assemblies

17a and 17b to righthand assemblies and 17d, the hinge butt 18 is merely moved horizontally from one side of the door to the other and turned upside down and left for right with the the bushing 18b being merely reinserted to extend downwardly therefrom in either position. The hinge butt 19 is moved horizontally from one side to the other with the bushing 19c being merely selectively disposed in either of the

holes

19c or 19d; the hinge leaf 20 is moved concurrently from one side to the other and from one top or bottom end of the door to the other while turning it upside down and left for right; and the other hinge leaf 21 is moved concurrently from one side to the other and from one top or bottom end of the door to the other while turning it upside down and left for right.

As indicated briefly above, the hinge system 17 may include a swing control means in the form of a slide 2915 which has one end slidably connected to the lower hinge leaf and the other end pivotally connected to the lower hinge butt. Thus, as seen in FIGURE 6, the pivot pin 29a extends downwardly through the opening 19d of the hinge butt 19 and the sleeve 29d is secured to the hinge leaf 21 by the screw 29:: extending upwardly therethrough and secured at is upper end by nut 29g. As shown in FIGURE 7, when the door 14 is swung to an open position over 90, and less than 180", from the closed position of FIG- URE 2, the sleeve 29d reaches the end of the slot 290 and limits further clockwise swinging of the door 14 thereby providing an automatic stop on the amount of swing of the door. The angle of swing may be varied by varying the length of slot 29c. The angle of swing at which the door is stopped is selected to avoid interference between a door and projecting hardware such as handles (not shown) on other doors.

In the right-hand assembly 17d, the pivot pin 29a is received in the left-hand hole 19b of the hinge butt 19, and the screw 29c extends upwardly through an opening 202 in hinge leaf 20 to secure the sleeve 29d to the hinge leaf. The opening 20a is not used when hinge leaf 20 is in its upper position. Likewise, opening 21a is not used when hinge 21 is in the upper position. Thus, the swing control device is selectively mounted on the left or

right hinge assemblies

17b or 17d for controlling the swing of the door in either of the left and right-hand mountings thereof.

In FIGURES 8 and 9, the center hinge assembly 17 includes the hinge butt 22 which comprises a base plate 22a secured to the center mullion c of the cabinet wall means 10 between the

openings

12 and 13 by suitable means such as screws 22b. The hinge butt 22 further includes a forwardly projecting web 22c carrying an upwardly projecting pivot pin 22d and a downwardly projecting pivot pin 22e coaxially aligned with pin 22d. A stop 22 is secured to the web 22c rearwardly of the

pins

22d and 22c and includes an upper stop portion 22g and a lower stop portion 22h disposed selectively above and below the level of the web 220. A hinge leaf 27 is secured to the bottom c of the upper door 15 by suitable screws 27a and is provided with an opening 27b pivotally receiving the upstanding pivot pin 22d. A wash er 22i may be disposed on the pivot pin 22d below the hinge leaf 27 to space the hinge leaf above the web 220. The washer may be formed of a low friction material such as nylon to provide facilitated swinging of the door 15 thereon. A hinge leaf 28 is similarly mounted on the depending pivot post 22a and is spaced below web 220 by a washer 22 The arrangement of the hinge butt 23 and binge leaf 25 at the upper left-hand corner of door 15 defines hinge assembly 17e (FIG. 2), the arrangement of the hinge butt 23 and the hinge leaf 26 at the upper right-hand corner of the door 15 defines a hinge assembly 17h, the arrangement of the hinge butt 24 and hinge leaf 26 at the lower left-hand corner of the door 16 defines a hinge assembly 17i, and the arrangement of the hinge butt 24 and hinge leaf 25 at the lower right-hand corner of the door 16 defines a hinge assembly 17j. Assembly 17e corresponds to assembly 17a, assembly 1711 corresponds to assembly 17c, assembly 171' corresponds to assembly 17b without the swing control means, and assembly 17 corresponds t assembly 17d without the swing control means. Thus, the description of the selective mounting of these hinge assemblies, described relative to door 14, is similarly pertinent to the selective mounting of the hinge assemblies at the top and bottom of

doors

15 and 16.

The selective mounting of the hinge butt 22 and associated hinge leaves 27 and 28 requires merely the movement of the hinge butt 22 selectively to the right or left side while turning it upside down and left for right in the right-hand position as compared to the left-hand position. Thus, in the right-hand position, the pivot pin 222 extends upwardly and the pivot pin 22d extends downwardly. The hinge leaf 27 in the right-hand position is turned upside down and left for right and secured to the top of door 16 at the right-hand side 16a thereof and the hingle leaf 28 is turned upside down and left for right and secured to the bottom of the door 15 at the right side 15a thereof to form the hinge assembly 17g.

The

stops

22g and 22h limit the swing of the

doors

15 and 16 by the engagement of the hinge leaves of

assemblies

17 f and 17g therewith in the maximum open swung position as illustrated in FIGURE 8 relative to door 16.

Thus, the hinge system 17 comprises a number of hinge assemblies made up of a small number of different forms of hinge butt and hinge leaf structures which are selectively disposable at the left and right-hand sides of the respective doors for facilitated reversibility of the mounting thereof. The hinge system elements are extremely simple and economical of construction and may be readily installed in the respective different positions permitting facilitated selectivity of thedoor swinging arrangement as desired by the retailer as well as by the user, thereby effectively minimizing inventory requirements and permitting ready changing of the door swing to obtain almost any desire-d arrangement. By minimizing the number of different parts, the cost of the hinge system is further effectively minimized.

Either of the center hinge assemblies 17 (FIGURES 2 and 8) and 17g (FIGURE 2) may be replaced by a hinge assembly having swing limiting means incorporating swing control device 29, described above. As shown in FIGURE 10, the hinge butt 39 of the alternate embodiment, illustrated in full line in a left-hand arrangement, is similar to hinge butt 19. The hinge leaf 40 for the top of door 16 is a similar to hinge leaf 20, and the hinge leaf 41 for the bottom of door 15 is similar to hinge leaf 21. Parts associated with the hinge leaves 40 and 41 which are similar to parts associated with hinge leaves 20 and 21 have been numbered 40 or 41 with appropriate corresponding letter sufiixes. The pivot pin 40d of one of the hinge leaves 40 is in the form of a cylinder for receiving the pivot pin 41b of the other hinge leaf. The swing limiting device- 29 is associated with the hinge butt and the hinge leaf of the upper door 15 since the lower door 16 has an identical swing limiting means (not shown in FIGURE 10) associated with its lower hinge assembly as described above.

If the hinge assembly is reversed, the hinge butt 39 is moved laterally from one side of the door to the other and inverted, the hinge leaf 40 of door 16 is moved to door 15 and the hinge leaf 41 of door 15 is moved to door 16. The swing limiting device is transferred to the hinge associated with door 15 in the same manner as was device 29 in

hinge assemblies

17b and 17d.

With the modified center hinge assembly the

hinge assemblies

17e, 17h, 171' and 17j are identical to hinge

assemblies

17a, 17c, 17b and 17d, respectively.

Various door mounting arrangements which can be obtained using the hinge system of this invention are shown in FIGURES 11 through 14. FIGURE 11 illustrates door 14 hinged at the right side of cabinet 10 and

doors

15 and 16 hinged on the left side of the cabinet. FIGURE 12 ilustrates the doors hinged in an oppositemanner to that shown in FIGURE 11. FIGURE 13 illustrates the doors hinged at the left side of their respective compartments and FIGURE 14 illustrates the doors hinged at the right side of their respective compartments. Let us assume that the buyer of the refrigerator-freezer purchases a refrigerator-freezer unit utilizing the left door hinging arrange ment illustrated in full line in FIG. 2, and in FIG. 13. \Vith the present invention he can readily change to any of the hinging arrangements shown in FIGS. 11, 12 and 14 at anytime and without additional parts or reconstruction as described above.

While I have shown and described two embodiments 'of my invention, it is to be understood that it is capable of many modifications. Changes, therefore, in the construction and arrangement, may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the appended cliams.

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows:

1. In a refrigerator structure having wall means defining opening means, and having door means, a reversible hinge system for mounting said door means on said wall means for selectively left or right-hand swinging of said door means relative to said opening means, comprising:

a first hinge butt defining a first pivot connector means; means for mounting said first hinge butt on said wall means at said opening selectively at a left position or a right position corresponding respectively to the left and right sides of said door means above the top thereof with said first pivot means being pivotally engageable from below;

a second hinge butt provided with a second pivot connector means;

means for mounting said second hinge butt on said wall means at said opening means at a left position or a right position corresponding to that in which said first hinge butt is mounted to the left or right side of said door means and below the bottom thereof with said second pivot connector means being pivotally engageable from above;

a first hinge leaf having a third pivot connector means; means for mounting said first hinge leaf on said door means at the left top thereof with said third pivot connector means thereof having pivotal engagement with the pivot connect-or means of said first hinge butt or at the right bottom of said door means with said third pivot connector means having pivotal engagement with the pivot connector means of said second hinge butt; a second hinge leaf having a fourth pivot connector means; and

means for mounting said second hinge leaf on said door means at the left bottom thereof with said fourth pivot connector means having pivotal engagement with the pivot connector means of said second hinge butt or at the right top of said door means with said fourth pivot connector means having pivotal engagement with the pivot connector means of said first hinge butt.

2. The refrigerator structure of claim 1 wherein two of said pivot connector means comprises pivot pins and the other two of said pivot connector means comprise female pivot pin connectors.

3. The refrigerator structure of claim 1 wherein said first hinge butt is mounted on said wall means at said left position upside down relative to its mounting on said wall means at said right position.

4. The refrigerator structure of claim 1 wherein swing limiting means are provided in said hinge system for limiting the swing of said door away from said wall means to less than 180.

5. The refrigerator structure of claim 4 wherein said second pivot connector means and said swing limiting means are interchangeably positionable on said second hinge butt for selective use thereof in said left and right positions of the mounting of said second hinge butt.

6. The refrigerator structure of claim 1 wherein said opening means comprises a pair of vertically spaced openings, said door means includes a pair of doors selectively closing said pair of openings, and said hinge system further includes:

a third hinge butt provided with a fifth pivot connector means;

means for mountin said third hinge butt on said Wall means between said spaced openings selectively at a left position or a right position corresponding to the left and right sides of said door means with said fifth pivot connector means being pivotally engageable from above and below;

a third hinge leaf having a sixth pivot connector means;

means for mounting said third hinge leaf on the lower of said pair of doors selectively at the left top thereof with said sixth pivot connector means thereof having pivotal engagement with said fifth pivot connector means, or at the bottom right of the upper of said pair of doors with said sixth pivot connector means thereof having pivotal engagement with said fifth pivot connector means;

a fourth hinge leaf having a seventh pivot connector means; and

means for mounting said fourth hinge leaf on the upper of said pair of doors selectively at the left bottom thereof with said seventh pivot connector means thereof having pivotal engagement with said fifth pivot connector means, or at the right top of the lower of said pair of doors with said seventh pivot connector means thereof having a pivotal engagement with said fifth pivot connector means.

7. The refrigerator structure of claim 6 wherein the pivot connector means of said third hinge butt comprises an upwardly projecting pin and a downwardly projecting pin.

8. The hinge system of claim 6 wherein said third hinge butt further includes means for limiting the swing of at least one of said doors away from said wall means to less than 180.

9. The hinge structure of claim 6 wherein said third hinge butt is mounted on said wall means at said right position upside down relative to its mounting on said wall means at said left position.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,067,559 1/1937 Bloom 1619l 2,738,543 3/1956 Van Meter 16-149 2,920,341 1/1960 Amstutz 1619l 3,300,900 1/1967 Risk et al. 49-382 BOBBY R. GAY, Primary Examiner.

Claims

1. IN A REFRIGERATOR STRUCTURE HAVING WALL MEANS DEFINING OPENING MEANS, AND HAVING DOOR MEANS, A REVERSIBLE HINGE SYSTEM FOR MOUNTING SAID DOOR MEANS ON SAID WALL MEANS FOR SELECTIVELY LEFT OR RIGHT-HAND SWINGING OF SAID DOOR MEANS RELATIVE TO SAID OPENING MEANS, COMPRISING: A FIRST HINGE BUTT DEFINING A FIRST PIVOT CONNECTOR MEANS; MEANS FOR MOUNTING SAID FIRST HINGE BUTT ON SAID WALL MEANS AT SAID OPENING SELECTIVELY AT A LEFT POSITION OR A RIGHT POSITION CORRESPONDING RESPECTIVELY TO THE LEFT AND RIGHT SIDES OF SAID DOOR MEANS ABOVE THE TOP THEREOF WITH SAID FIRST PIVOT MEANS BEING PIVOTALLY ENGAGEABLE FROM BELOW; A SECOND HINGE BUTT PROVIDED WITH A SECOND PIVOT CONNECTOR MEANS; MEANS FOR MOUNTING SAID SECOND HINGE BUTT ON SAID WALL MEANS AT SAID OPENING MEANS AT A LEFT POSITION OR A RIGHT POSITION CORRESPONDING TO THAT IN WHICH SAID FIRST HINGE BUTT IS MOUNTED TO THE LEFT OR RIGHT SIDE OF SAID DOOR MEANS AND BELOW THE BOTTOM THEREOF WITH SAID SECOND PIVOT CONNECTOR MEANS BEING PIVOTALLY ENGAGEABLE FROM ABOVE; A FIRST HINGE LEAF HAVING A THIRD PIVOT CONNECTOR MEANS; MEANS FOR MOUNTING SAID FIRST HINGE LEAF ON SAID DOOR MEANS AT THE LEFT TOP THEREOF WITH SAID THIRD PIVOT CONNECTOR MEANS THEREOF HAVING PIVOTAL ENGAGEMENT WITH THE PIVOT CONNECTOR MEANS OF SAID FIRST HINGE BUTT OR AT THE RIGHT BOTTOM OF SAID DOOR MEANS WITH SAID THIRD PIVOT CONNECTOR MEANS HAVING PIVOTAL ENGAGEMENT WITH THE PIVOT CONNECTOR MEANS OF SAID SECOND HINGE BUTT; A SECOND HINGE LEAF HAVING AW FOURTH PIVOT CONNECTOR MEANS; AND