US3506153A - Hinge construction and lighting fixture using same - Google Patents

Description

A ril 14, 1970 E. HATCH E1- AL 3,506,153

HINGE CONSTRUCTION AND LIGHTING FIXTURE USING SAME Filed Aug. 26, 1968 2 Sheets-Shet 1 FIG-I INVENTORS DAVID E. HATCH GEORGE E SWENCK MMM, @em pqrqj THEIR ATTORNEYS April 14, 1970 p. E; HATCH ETI'AL HINGE CONSTRUCTION AND LIGHTING FIXTURE USING SAME Filed Aug. 26. 1968 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG INVENTORS DAVID E. HATCH GEORGE F. SWENCK THEIR ATTORNEYS United States Patent O US. Cl. 22031 20 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A two-part hinge construction comprising a stationary member and a pivotally mounted movable member wherein the stationary member has an upwardly open channel provided therein which is adapted to receive the lower end portion of the movable member therewithin and such lower end portion has an integral hook defining its terminal end. The movable member is normally supported by the stationary member in an upright position and is easily pivoted from its upright position to a substantially horizontal position where the integral hook engages a portion of the stationary member to hold the assembly in such horizontal position. The movable member is readily moved away from the stationary member by lifting such movable member substantially upwardly and from within the channel in the stationary member.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The need exists for a simple hinge construction which may be used with panels such as door panels, window panels, and the like and which may be easily assembled, disassembled, and maintained. Hinge constructions pro posed heretofore are generally deficient in that they utilize a comparatively large number of component parts or utilize component parts which are very complicated whereby the costs to manufacture, assemble, and maintain present hinge constructions are excessive.

SUMMARY This invention provides a simple and economical hinge construction which is basically defined by only two component parts in the form of a stationary part and a movable hinged part. The improved hinge construction of this invention is easily assembled, disassembled, and requires practically no maintenance. Further, this invention provides an improved lighting fixture which utilizes such a hinge construction.

Other details, uses, and advantages of this invention will become apparent as the following description of the exemplary embodiment thereof presented in the accompanying drawings proceeds.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The accompanying drawings show an exemplary embodiment of this invention, in which FIGURE 1 is a perspective view with parts in section and parts broken away illustrating an improved lighting fixture which utilizes one exemplary embodiment of the improved hinge construction of this invention;

FIGURE 2 is a cross-sectional view on the line 2-2 of FIGURE 1 and illustrating a hinged panel assembly defining a window panel for the lighting fixture of FIG- URE 1 supported in its normally upright position and also showing the hinged assembly by dotted lines as being supported in a substantially horizontal position to enable access to the interior of the lighting fixture;

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged fragmentary cross-sectional view of the lower left hand corner of the illustration of 3,506,153 Patented Apr. 14, 1970 FIGURE 2 particularly illustrating a lower movable member of the hinged assembly supported in an upright manner within an associated channel provided in a stationary member of the lighting fixture;

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged cross-sectional view similar to FIGURE 3 and illustrating the lower movable member pivoted to a substantially horizontal position and showing an integral hook provided in the movable member hooked against a portion of the stationary member to hold the lower movable member and its assembly in a substantially horizontal position;

FIGURE 5 is a greatly enlarged view with parts in section and parts broken away of the front portion of the lighting fixture of FIGURE 1 particularly illustrating by solid lines the manner in which the hinged assembly is removed from within the channel provided in the stationary member by lifting the assembly and hence the lower movable member upwardly from the dotted line position illustrated to the solid line position;

FIGURE 6 is a fragmentary persepective view with parts broken away illustrating an elongated strip used to make an exemplary member comprising the upper portion of a panel assembly and wherein such strip is formed by extrusion through an associated die head;

FIGURE 7 is a perspective view similar to FIGURE 6 and particularly illustrating the manner of extruding an elongated strip which is used to make the lower movable member of the panel assembly; and

FIGURE 8 is a perspective view similar to FIGURE 6 particularly illustrating the manner of extruding an elongated housing which is used to make a stationary member comprising the exemplary hinge construction of this invention and such stationary member is in the form of a housing for the lighting fixture of FIGURE 1.

DESCRIPTION OF ILLUSTRATED EMBODIMENT Reference is now made to FIGURES l and 2 of the drawings which illustrate an improved lighting fixture 20 which utilizes one exemplary embodiment of the improved hinge construction of this invention which is designated generally by the reference numeral 21. The lighting fixture 20 is of the type particularly adapted to be used along and across a roadway such as a highway for automobiles, for example. The lighting fixture 20 may have a reflector 22 suitably supported therewithin and a light source such as an electric light 23 may be supported in suspended relation within the lighting fixture 20 and forwardly of the reflector 22. The exemplary hinge construction 21 comprises the lower left-hand corner, as viewed in FIG- URE 2, of the lighting fixture 20 and as indicated at 25.

The hinge construction 21 comprises an elongated raillike stationary member 30 which in this example of the invention defines an overall housing for the lighting fixture 20. In particular, it will be seen that the stationary housing member 30 has a roughly U-shaped configuration and has a bight 31 which is arranged substantially vertically and a pair of arms each designated by the reference numeral 32 which may extend substantially horizontally and in parallel relation.

The stationary member 30 has an outer leg 33 and an inner leg 34 arranged in spaced relation to define an upwardly open channel 35 therebetween. The channel 35 is adapted to receive the lower end portion of a movable member comprising a movable assembly which is supported by the stationary member 30 and such movable assembly will be described in more detail subsequently.

The inner leg 34 has a downwardly open slot 36 provided therein and as will be apparent from FIGURES 2-4- of the drawings the slot 36 is arranged above the channel 35 for a purpose which will be apparent herein after. The slot 36 in the inner leg 34 of member 30 of this example of the invention is defined by a substantially L-shaped projection 40 extending substantially downwardly from the top portion of the inner leg 34.

The hinge construction 21 also comprises a movable member 41 which has a lower end portion provided with an integral hook at its terminal lower end and such integral hook is designated generally by the reference numeral 42. The integral book 42 is substantially L-shaped and defined by a pair of adjoining arms 43 and 44. The movable member 41 comprises the movable part of the two-part hinge construction 21 with the stationary part being defined by the member 30.

The movable member 41 comprises part of a movable panel means, i.e., a movable panel assembly, which is designated generally by the reference numeral 45. The panel assembly 45 includes a panel member 46 which is shown in this example as a window panel and may be made of a transparent or translucent material and suitably fastened to the movable member 41. An upper member 50 is also provided and fastened to the top edge portion of the window panel 46 and the upper member 50 is utilized to hold the movable assembly 45 in an upright position during normal use of the lighting fixture and in a manner as will be described in more detail subsequently.

Each member 41 and 50 has a groove 51 and 52 respectively provided therein and as will be apparent from FIGURE 4 of the drawings the grooves 51 and 52 are arranged facing toward each other in the completed as sembly 45. The grooves 51 and 52 receive opposite side portions of the window panel 46 therewithin and the window panel 46 may be fastened within the grooves 51 and 52 in any suitable manner as by utilizing a suitable adhesive cement, or the like.

The assembly 45 and the movable member 41 are normally supported by the stationary member in an upright manner upon fastening the member 50 to an upper portion 54 of the housing member 30 which extends downwardly from the upper leg portion 32 of the U-shaped member 30. With the member 41 thus supported in an upright manner, the lower end portion of member 41 is received substantially vertically within the channel in the member 30.

The movable, i.e. pivotable, member 41 is adapted to be pivoted about the outer leg 33 of the member 30 from the solid line position to the dotted line position of FIG URE 2 and such solid and dotted line positions are also illustrated by solid lines in FIGURES 3 and 4 respectively.

In particular, it will be seen that by pivoting the movable member 41 from the substantially upright position of FIGURE 3 to the substantially horizontal position of FIGURE 4 the arm 44 of the L-shaped integral hook 42 is received within slot 36 and the inside surface of the arm 44 engages an associated surface of projection and holds the member 41 and the entire assembly in a substantially horizontal position.

.As best seen in FIGURE 4 of the drawings the outer leg 33 of member 30 has a rounded top edge 56 defining a smooth pivot about which the lower end portion of the movable member 41 is pivoted. The movable member 41 also has an arcuate ledge 60 which is adapted to engage the rounded top edge 56 to support the lower end portion of the movable member 41 in a substantially upright position as illustrated in FIGURE 3 and to enable free pivoting of the movable member 41 about the rounded edge 56 in the manner illustrated in FIGURE 4. Thus, it will be appreciated that the movable member 41 and hence the assembly 45 are easily pivoted about the arcuate edge 56 of outer leg 33 in a smooth and unobstructed manner and the assembly 45 is held in the substantially horizontal position illustrated at 61 in FIGURE 2 by its own weight upon moving the integral hook 42 within the slot 36 and booking arm portion 44 of the integral hook 42 against the projection 40. With the assembly 45 in the horizontal position illustrated at 61 easy and unobstructed access is provided to the interior of the stationary housing member 30. Thus, it is a simple matter to maintain and replace the reflector 22, the light 23, the supports 24, etc., as desired, in the course of using the lighting fixture 20.

The assembly 45 is normally fastened in an upright position by a plurality of bolts 63 each extending through an associated opening 64 in the member 50 and being threadedly received in a threaded opening 65 in a member 70 fixed to the inside surface of the upper portion 54 of the stationary member 30. The member 70 may be in the form of a nut or internally threaded sleeve which may be suitably fixed to the member 30, as by welding, for example. In some applications of this invention it is merely necessary to provide suitable openings in the upper portion of a stationary member 30 and suitable self-tapping or metal screws may be utilized without the necessity of fastening a separate member in the upper portion in the housing member 30 to further reduce costs of the lighting fixture 20.

The assembly 45 and hence the movable member 41 may be easily removed from the stationary member 30 by loosening the bolts 63 whereupon the assembly 45 is free to be moved substantially upwardly from the dotted line position illustrated at 68 in FIGURE 5 to the solid line position illustrated at 69 in such figure. Thus, it is a simple matter with this construction to easily install the assembly 45 and hence member 41 in position and to remove the assembly for repair and maintenance thereof such as to repair a cracked or broken window panel 46, as required.

The manner of forming and structural arrangement of the stationary member 30 is also such that it is a simple matter to adjust the tolerances and positions of the legs 33 and 34, the width of the channel 35, and the arrangement of the slot 36 so that any desired cooperating arrangement may be provided between the movable member 41 and the stationary member 40. Where comparatively tight tolerances are required between cooperating members used in certain applications, it would be a simple matter to tilt the assembly 45 through a slight angle from the vertical and still enable simple removal thereof in an essentially unobstructed manner.

The members 50, 41, and 30 may be made in any suitable manner and utilizing any suitable material. However, these members are preferably made of metal such as metal containing aluminum and preferably by extrusion process and as will now be described.

The member 50 is of utmost simplicity and is made by cutting an elongated strip 72 of stock material to the desired lengths. The strip 72 is made by extruding a suitable material through an associated die head 73 Which has an opening 74 provided therein corresponding to the cross-sectional configuration of the member 50.

The member 41 is also formed from a strip of elongated stock material 75 which is extruded through a die head 76 which has an opening 77 provided therein which corresponds to the cross-sectional configuration of the member 41. Each member 41 is then cut to the desired length from the strip 75.

As will be apparent from FIGURE 8 of the drawings the housing member 30 is also preferably for-med by extrusion process and is defined by extruding an elongated structural member 80 through an associated die head 81 which has a die opening 82 provided therein which corresponds to the cross-sectional configuration of the member 30. The member 30 is then cut the desired length from the elongated member 80.

As previously indicated the lighting fixture 20 is particularly adapted to be used along roadways. Housing members of comparatively long lengths, such as 24 feet or longer may be used and the members 41 and 50 may generally be provided of shorter lengths such as roughly 8-foot lengths. This technique enables easier fastening of the housing member 30 at only a comparatively small number of supports and the utilization of comparatively short members 41 and 50 with an associated window panel 46 therebetween makes it a simple matter to unfasten only those assemblies 45 where a light needs to be replaced, and allowing the unfastened assembly 45 to be moved by its own weight to a horizontal position. Thus, it will be appreciated that it is not necessary to disassemble the assemblies 45 across the full length of the stationary member 30 to thereby enable easier upkeep of the fixture 20. As previously indicated, the members 30, 41, and 50 are preferably made by extrusion and may be made of metallic material containing aluminum.

The movable assembly 45 presented in this example of the invention is shown as utilizing a window panel 46 which may be made of a material such as glass or plastic which enables light to easily pass therethrough. However, it will be appreciated that the panel means 46 may be made of any suitable material and in the form of a door panel, or the like, which need not necessarily allow light to pass therethrough.

The stationary housing member 30 comprising the lighting fixture may be supported in position in any suitable manner and may have legs or other fastening means provided thereon for attaching the housing member 30 in position. In this example of the invention a substantially identical pair of flanges each designated by the same reference numeral 85 are provided for fastening the housing member 30 in position.

The member 30 of this example of the invention com prises substantially an entire housing for a lighting fixture, however, member 30 may be a substantially flat member and comprise only the lower portion of an associated housing means and such fiat member may have legs similar to legs 33 and 34 defining its opposite side edges whereupon movable members similar to movable member 41 could be supported in position in a hinged manner along opposite sides of such a modified, i.e., flat, version of the stationary member 30. With such a fiat member it would then be a simple matter to provide a panel assembly associating with each of its opposite side edges as well as a top housing portion and provisions for suitably mounting reflectors, lights, etc., so as to define a lighting fixture which provides light from opposite sides thereof; yet, each side would have the simple and unique hinge construction 21 of this invention comprising an integral part of such fixture.

The hinge construction presented in this example of the invention is shown as being used to define an improved lighting fixture. However, it will be appreciated that such hinge construction may be utilized for other uses and for other purposes where it is desired to provide a hinge construction of simple and economical construction, which is easily and readily swung open and held attached in position, which utilizes only two essential parts, one easily removable from the other, and which enables parts of its associated structure to be easily and economically maintained.

While a present exemplary embodiment of this invention has been illustrated and described, it will be recognized that this invention may be otherwise variously embodied and practiced within the scope of the following claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A hinge construction comprising, a movable member having a lower end portion provided with an integral hook at its terminal end and a stationary member having an outer leg and an inner leg arranged in spaced relation to define an upwardly open channel for receiving said lower end portion of said movable member therewithin, said inner leg having a downwardly open slot provided therein which is arranged above said channel, said movable member being normally supported by said stationary member in an upright manner and with its lower end portion received within said channel and being adapted to be pivoted about said outer leg and held in a substantially horizontal position by its own weight upon moving said integral hook within said slot and hooking said integral hook against said inner leg, and said movable member being easily removed from within said channel by lifting said movable member upwardly.

2. A hinge construction as set forth in claim 1 in which said movable member and said stationary member are elongated extruded members each having a substantially uniform cross-sectional configuration throughout its entire length.

3. A hinge construction as set forth in claim 1 in which said stationary member comprises an elongated rail-like housing for a lighting fixture and said inner and outer legs comprise a side portion of said housing and define the lower edge of an access opening for said housing.

4. A hinge construction as set forth in claim 1 in which said outer leg has a rounded top edge defining a pivot about which said lower end portion of said movable member is pivoted.

5. A hinge construction as set forth in claim 4 in which said lower end portion comprises an arcuate ledge adapted to engage said rounded top edge to support said lower end portion and enable free unobstructed pivoting of said movable member about said rounded edge.

6. A hinge construction as set forth in claim 1 in which said integral hook is substantially L-shaped and has an arm which is adapted to be received within said slot and hooked against said inner leg.

7. A hinge construction as set forth in claim 1 in which said outer leg has a rounded top edge defining a pivot about which said lower end portion is pivoted, said lower end portion comprises an arcuate ledge adapted to engage said rounded top edge to support said lower end portion and enable free pivoting of said movable member about said rounded edge, and said integral hook is substantially L-shaped and has an arm which is adapted to be received within said slot and hooked against said inner leg.

8. A hinge construction as set forth in claim 7 in which said slot in said inner leg is defined by a projection extending substantially downwardly from the top portion of said inner leg and said arm of said L-shaped integral hook is adapted to be received in said slot and hooked against said projection.

9. A lighting fixture comprising, a movable member having a lower end portion provided with an integral hook at its terminal end, a panel fastened to said movable member for movement therewith and comprising a movable assembly, a stationary member adapted to partially house a light, said stationary member having an outer leg and an inner leg arranged in spaced relation to define an upwardly open channel for receiving said lower end portion of said movable member therewithin, said inner leg having a downwardly open slot provided therein which is arranged above said channel, said movable member and its panel being normally supported by said stationary member in an upright manner with said lower end portion of said movable member received within said channel and with the upper end portion of said assembly fastened to said stationary member, said assembly being adapted to be pivoted about said outer leg and held in a substantially horizontal position by its own weight upon moving said integral hook within said slot and hooking said integral hook against said inner leg to define an access opening for said fixture, and said assembly being easily detached from said stationary member for maintenance and replacement by lifting said assembly upwardly to move said movable member from within said channel.

10. A lighting fixture as set forth in claim 9 in which said movable member and said stationary member are elongated extruded members each having a substantially uniform cross-sectional configuration throughout its entire length.

11. A lighting fixture as set forth in claim 9 in which said outer leg has a rounded top edge defining a pivot about which said lower end portion of said movable member is pivoted.

12. A lighting fixture as set forth in claim 9 in which said integral hook is substantially L-shaped and has an arm which is adapted to be hooked against said inner leg.

13. A fighting fixture set forth in claim 9 in which said outer leg has a rounded top edge defining a pivot about which said lower end portion of said movable member is pivoted, said lower end portion comprises an arcuate ledge adapted to engage said rounded top edge to support said lower end portion and enable free pivoting of said movable member and hence said assembly about said rounded edge, an said integral hook is substantially L-shaped and has an arm which is adapted to be received within said slot and hooked against said inner leg.

14. A lighting fixture as set forth in claim 13 in which said slot in said inner leg is defined by a projection extendin substantiallv downwardly from the top portion of said inner leg and said. arm of said L-shaped integral hook is adapted to be received in said slot and hooked against said projection.

15. A lighting fixture as set forth in claim 14 in which said movable member and said stationary member are elongated members each having a substantially uniform cross-sectional configuration throughout its entire length and said stationary member has a length several times longer than the length of said assembly and a plurality of assemblies comprise each lighting fixture and enable more economical upkeep of said lighting fixture.

16. An elongated member adapted to be used to define housing means for a lighting fixture and adapted to support panel means having a lower end portion provided with an integral hook at its terminal end, said member having an outer leg and an inner leg arranged in spaced relation to define an upwardly open channel for receiving said lower end portion of said panel means there within, said inner leg having a downwardly open slot provided therein which is arranged above said channel and said panel means being normally supported by said member in an upright manner and with the lower end portion of said panel means received within said channel and being adapted to be pivoted about said outer leg and held in a substantially horizontal position by its own weight upon moving said integral hook within said slot and hooking said integral hook against said inner leg, and said panel means being easily removed from within said channel by lifting said panel means upwardly.

17. A member as set forth in claim 16 in which said outer leg has a rounded top edge defining a pivot about which said lower end portion of said panel means is adapted to be pivoted.

18. A member as set forth in claim 17 in which said slot in said inner leg is defined by an integral projection extending substantially downwardly from the top portion of said inner leg.

19. A member as set forth in claim 18 in which said member comprises a substantially U-shaped housing member adapted to be supported with its bight arranged substantially vertically and said outer and inner leg define an outer edge portion of a lower one of the roughly parallel arms of the U-shaped housing member.

20. A member as set forth in claim 15 and further comprising fastening means in the upper end portion of said member for fastening the upper end portion of said panel means in position.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,302,661 1l/l942 Benson l6l72 X 2,533,661 12/1950 Arenberg 2203l X 2,834,056 4/l959 Kutbatzky l6l72 X 2,912,568 11/1959 Winkler 22031 X 3,361,289 l/l968 Mattson 220--3l GEORGE E. LOWRANCE, Primary Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 16172

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