US3550185A - Door hinges with combination hold-open,cushioning,and assist means - Google Patents

Description

Dec. 29, 1970 J. H. MARCHIONE 3,550,185

DOOR HINGES WITH COMBINATION HOLD-OPEN,

CUSHIONING, AND ASSIST MEANS Filed Jan. 21, 1969 3. Sheets-Sheet 1 FIG. 1

INVENTOR: JOSEPH H. MARCHIONE 7 2 AHornev J. H. MARCHIONE DOOR HINGES WITH COMBINATION HOLD-OPEN,

Dec. 29, 1970 CUSHIONING, AND ASSIST MEANS 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Jan. 21, 1969 INVENTOR JOSEPH H. MARCHIONE Dec. 29, 1970 J. H. MARCHIONE 3,550,185

DOOR HINGES WITH COMBINATION HOLD-OPEN,

GUSHIONING, AND ASSIST MEANS 3. Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Jan. 21, 1969 INVENTOR:

JOSEPH H. MARCHIONE United States Patent 3,550,185 DOOR HINGES WITH COMBINATION HOLD-OPEN, CUSHIONING, AND ASSIST MEANS Joseph H. Marchione, Rockford, Ill., assignor to Atwood Vacuum Machine Company, Rockford, 111., a corporation of Illinois Filed Jan. 21, 1969, Ser. No. 792,358

Int. Cl. E05d 11/10 US. Cl. 16145 31 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE The hinge has two scalloped rollers as strikers mounted in spaced relation each on a vertical pin for rotation relative to one plate of the hinge, the other plate carrying a vertical torsion bar with one end bent in a semi-circle to provide a laterally extending arm with a substantially vertical detent portion projecting from its outer end, which is supported on the plate independently of the other plate so as to maintain a preload spring tension, the detent portion being disposed in the path of arcuate movement of the striker rollerss and movable relative to the torsion bar by deflection of said arm by said rollers in a direction to increase the spring tension in said bar when said rollers come into engagement with said detent in the door opening and closing movement of the door for a holdopen action in half-open and fully opened position, the scalloped periphery of the rollers causing the detent to drop into a scallop upon each engagement, thereby forcing the roller to turn through a certain angularity in each movement of the rollers past the detent. There is friction means resisting turning of the rollers so that the same scallop is engaged by the detent in each operation in the door opening and closing operation until each roller is turned to a new position. In addition, the same detent, in one form, carries a roller, which, in the closing of the door rides up on a cam for increase over preload tension in the torsion bar for both door cushioning action in the closing and assist action in the opening of the door.

This invention relates to improvements in automobile door hinges, and, more particularly, improvements on the disclosure of my Patent 3,370,317, namely, the provision in cage-type hinges of novel torsion bar means designed to give not only a thoroughly reliable hold-open action in the fully and partially opened positions of the door, but, in addition, door cushioning action in closing and an assist action in opening, such assist action being especial ly important in doors designed to have an upward swing as they are opened as it is important in such cases to keep the opening effort to a minimum.

In accordance with my invention, a torsion type spring bar or rod of generally S or C-shape has a detent defined by one vertical end portion on one radius arm entered in a hole in one side of the door half of the hinge and another detent defined by the other vertical end portion on the other radius arm at the other end entered in a slot or recess in the other side of said hinge member in such a way that a torsional stress is preloaded therein in the mounting thereof on said hinge member, the mounting being such that the bar is securely locked against vertical displacement and therefore cannot shift out of operative relationship to one striker means mounted on the body half of the hingefor hold-open purposes along with another striker means for the door cushioning and assist purposes, the spring tension present in the torsion bar for the latter purposes throughout theperiod of the door being closed serving incidentally to eliminate door rattle.

The striker means for door hold-open purposes which is herein disclosed as a roller or rollers is arranged to deflect a detent projection on the movable end of the ice torsion bar against the preload as the door swings relative to this roller or rollers, the interengaging detent and roller parts being so arranged that considerably less effort is required for the roller means to deflect and pass the detent in the door opening movement than is required for the roller means to deflect and pass the detent in the opposite direction in the door closing movement. A roller mounted on the detent in one of three forms cooperates with an elongated cam in a lower plane than/first named rollers to effect the cushioning action in closing and a corresponding door assist action in opening. In two other forms, the detent itself rides up onto an additional roller to give the cushioning action in closing and the assist action in opening. In all cases, the added functions are obtained without detriment to the hold-open function.

In all three forms I provide scalloped or so-called star rollers, the scallops on the rollers periphery being so close together as to be certain of a scallop seating on contact with the detent in the first operation in the event there is not direct alignment of a scallop with the detent beforehand, and the scallop thereafter insuring that the roller will be forced to turn with the relative door movement under all sorts of operating conditions, such as ice, rust, abrasives, and whatever might otherwise tend to cause the roller to stick or freeze and could otherwise cause malfunctioning or noisy operation. A wavy spring washer is preferably employed for friction purposes in connection with each roller to prevent its spinning freely after the detent has passed it, thus reducing likelihood of a scallop not being properly aligned with the detent on the next operation of the door.

In all three forms the detent portion of the torsion bar derives lateral bearing support by engagement with the sides of the slot, thereby preventing over-stressing and work hardening, which could cause the bar to fail to operate properly by assuming a set condition more or less backward away from its normal roller contacting position.

Another object of the invention is to provide, in lieu of the metallic rollers in the door cushioning and assist means engaged by the detent on one end of the torsion bar, rollers made at least partially of resilient compressable material having the desired degree of compressability for each installation, to provide only as much springback or kickback as required, both the torsion bar and the cooperating part made of this material participating in the cushioning action and assist action, instead of confining it all to the torsion bar.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a side view of a cage type hinge embodying the improvements of my invention, the parts being shown in What corresponds to the closed position of the automobile door;

FIG. 2 is an end view of FIG. 1, looking up, in order to better show the cam with which a roller on the detent portion of the torsion bar cooperates for the door cushioning and assist action;

FIG. 3 is a detail on the line 3-3 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a detail on the line 4-4 of FIG. 3;

FIGS. 5 and 6 are, respectively, a plan view and side view of another cage type hinge embodying the improvements of my invention, in which, in lieu of the cam shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 for door cushioning and assist action, an additional scalloped or so-called star roller is provided cooperating directly with a detent on a radius arm on one end of the torsion bar for these two new functions;

FIG. 7 is a horizontal section on the line 7-7 of FIG. 6, to better illustrate the functioning of this additional scalloped or star roller;

FIG. 8 is a plan view similar to FIG. 5 of still another cage type hinge embodying the improvements of my invention, this figure showing the additional or third roller of larger diameter cooperating directly with the same detent on one radius arm for the door cushioning and assist functions that cooperates directly with the two other smaller scalloped or star rollers for the hold-open function, and

FIGS. 9 and 10 are views of rollers similar to the large metallic one shown in FIG. 8, but made so as to be compressable and resilient to a desired degree so that in both the cushioning action and assist action the roller participates by virtue of its radial give and kickback, instead of confining all of the spring action to the torsion bar.

Similar reference numerals are applied to corresponding parts throughout the views.

Referring to the drawings, and at first mainly to FIGS. 1 to 4, the reference numeral designates the outer or body half of a cage type hinge to which the inner or door half 12 is pivotally connected by means of a pintle 13. The hinge members 11 and 12 are both of formed sheet metal construction, member 11 having bolt holes 14 therein for reception of bolts for fastening it to the body, and member 12 having bolt holes 15 therein for reception of bolts to fasten it to the door. Both are hinge members of generally channel shaped cross-section, the body member 11 having the top wall extension 16 on the outer end of which are rotatably mounted the metallic scalloped or star rollers 17 and 18 at a predetermined radius with respect to the downwardly bent detent end portion 19 of the upper radius arm 20 of the metallic torsion bar 21 to deflect the arm 20 when detent 19 engages each of these rollers and passes the same at mid-open position and nearly fully opened position for the hold-open function, similarly as described in my Pat. No. 3,370,317, mentioned before. It is on the flanges 22 and 23 of the L-shaped inner hinge member 12 that the torsion bar 21 is mounted and bearings 24 are provided for the pintle 13. Vertically aligned notches 25 in the edges of flanges 22 and 23 have the intermediate vertical portion of the torsion bar 21 received therein. The upwardly bent detent end portion 26 of the lower radius arm 27 of the torsion bar, in assembling the latter on the inner hinge member 12, is first entered through a hole 28 in the lower flange 23 and moved upwardly enough for the downwardly bent detent end portion 19 of the upper arm 20 to be clear of the upper flange 22 so that it can be cranked into position over and entered in the circular recess 29 provided in the outside of flange 22, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, hereby preloading the torsion bar and at the same time locking the torsion bar in assembled relationship to the inner hinge member as the upwardly bent detent end portion 26 of the lower arm 27 becomes disengaged from the hole 28 and is lodged in the annular recess 30 next to hole 28 as appears in FIG. 2. The operating clearance for the detent 19 of arm 20 in the larger radius depression 29 is, of course, suflicient for the arm 20 to oscillate as it will with detent 19 riding upon and over the rollers 17 and 18 with increase over the preload spring tension, and, as can easily be seen in FIG. 2, the angle of the arm 20 with respect to the rollers 17 and 18 is such that there is much less resistance to opening of the door than to its closing. The torsion bar 21 is bent from high carbon steel round bar stock with the lower radius arm 27 normally at an angle relative to the upper radius arm 20 as indicated by the dotted line a-b in FIG. 2, which is merely illustrative of an angle and not intended to represent the specific angle required, as that might be larger or smaller than the one shown, depending on the requirements of the hinge so far as its preload spring tension is concerned. The torsion bar is heat treated before assem y on the inner hinge member 12, and, in the assembling operation previously described, the upper radius arm 20 is twisted with respect to the intermediate portion of the torsion bar to preload the latter to the desired extent and at the same time make it a permanently assembled part of the inner hinge member 12 while still permitting a limited amount of spring restrained oscillation of the upper radius arm 20 as required for the hold-open action, the downwardly bent detent end portion 19 engaging in one of the scallops of each of the rollers 17 and 18 as the roller engages this detent and moves past it, the roller in each such operation being turned through a small angle locking the door in the mid-position at roller 17 and in the fully opened position at roller 18, a small amount of latitude for door swinging movement being left in both of these positions, a greater amount of free movement being usually provided for in front doors than in rear doors. A wavy spring washer w compressed against the top of each of the rollers 17 and 18 serves to hold them frictionally against turning after the detent end portion 19 of arm 20 has passed the same in either direction, so the same scallop is used in each operation.

Coming now to the improvements of the present invention, the downwardly bent detent end portion 19 of the upper radius arm 20 has a roller 31 assembled thereon and caged between the flange 22 of the inner hinge member 12 and an eyebrow projection 32 struck from the detent 19, so that the roller is always in the same plane with an elongated cam 33 that is secured, as at 34, to the extension 16, as shown in FIG. 2, so that its profiled elongated edge 35 on that side toward the roller 31 is in a plane below that of the rollers 17 and 18 to ride on the roller 31, whereas the detent 19 on the torsion bar is arranged to ride on the roller 17 and 18. As can be seen in FIG. 2, showing the hinged members in closed position, the rounded end 35 of the cam edge has deflected the radius arm 20 of the torsion bar by engagement with roller 31 on detent 19, thereby accomplishing three things never heretofore to my knowledge accomplished with a torsion bar in a door hinge:

1) Cushioning of the door closing movement to prevent slamming;

(2) Providing a corresponding amount of assist action in opening of the door, and

(3) Eliminating rattle of the door by virtue of the fact that the door and its latch in closed position is maintained under a predetermined amount of spring tension toward opening.

In passing, it will be seen that the roller 31 has a sintered bronze bushing 36 provided therein for a self-lubricating bearing on the detent end portion 19 of the torsion bar, for longer life and quieter operation.

In operation, the moment the door handle is operated for opening the door, the spring pressure of the torsion bar effective on roller 31 bearing on the cam edge 35 causes the door to pop open for the assist action, and thereafter, when the detent end portion '19 of the torsion bar encounters the roller '17 at the mid-open position there is one hold-open action and again when it encounters the other roller 18 at the fully opened position for the other hold-open action, and, it goes without saying, that in the closing of the door, the torsion bar again through the engagement of roller 31 on cam edge 35 gives the door cushioning action, and so long as the door remains closed, an anti-rattle eflect is obtained by reason of the spring tension in the torsion bar acting against the cam 33. It is clear from this description that the added functions described are obtained without in any way interfering with the hold-open function.

Referring next to FIGS. 5 to 7, the outer and inner hinge members 11a and 12a correspond to the outer and inner members of the first mentioned hinge and having a corresponding pintle 13a, and corresponding metallic scalloped or star rollers 17a and 18a that cooperate in a similar manner with the downwardly projecting inlet end portion 19a of the upper radius arm 20a of the C-shaped torsion bar 21a to give hold-open action in mid-open and fully opened positions of the door. However, in this construction the upwardly bent detent end portion 26a of the lower radius arm 27a is notched out on one side, as indicated at 37, to engage the edge 38 of the lower flange 23a of the inner hinge member 12a to hold the torsion bar against endwise displacement with respect to the inner hinge member 12a at such time that the detent end portion 26:: of the lower radius arm 27a of the torsion bar is not engaging the third scalloped or sta rroller 33a, which in this form performs a similar function as the cam 33 in the first form, namely, that of cushioning the door closing by deflection of the lower radius arm 27a of the torsion bar as the door is closed, and, in the opening of the door, give a corresponding assist action as the lower radius arm 27a in the opening of the door moves toward the edge 38 of the lower flange 23a, which centers the notch 37 to lock the torsion bar positively against endwise displacement. It is obvious in FIG. 6 that the notched portion 37 of the torsion bar does not engage in the scallops of the roller 33a and hence the reliance is upon the tight frictional engagement of the detent end portion 26a in the scallop of the roller to resist endwise displacement of the torsion bar from its normal operative position. The upper detent end portion 19a of the torsion bar extends through the slot 29a in the upper flange 22a of the inner hinge member 12a where it has ample operating clearance in relation to the amount of deflection of the radius arm a in riding of detent 19a over rollers 17a and 18a for the door hold-open functions.

In operation, all three metallic rollers 17a, 18a and 33a, which are mounted on pins under heads 38 with wavy spring washers w compressed between the heads and the rollers, so that the rollers turn against frictional resistance only as far as required to perform their functions, provide with roller 33: a door cushioning action in the closing of the door by reason of the deflection of the radius arm 27a to the extent seen in FIG. 7, and thereafter, in the unlatching of the door there is an assist action causing the door to pop open the instant the handle is operated to release the latch. After that, there is the holding action afforded by roller 17a cooperating with the detent 19a on upper radius arm 2011 at the mid-open position, and a further hold-open action at the fully opened position is afforded by roller 18a cooperating with the same detent. It requires more effort to close the door than to open it due to the angle of the upper radius arm 20a in relation to rollers 17a and 18a being more favorable in the opening direction than in the closing direction, as should be obvious from FIG. 5.

Referring next to FIG. 8, showing the third form, th generally S-shaped torsion bar 2112 mounted on the inner hinge member 12b has the detent 19b on its upper radius arm 20b arranged to cooperate with the three rollers 17b, 18b, and 33b, all mounted on the upper flange of the outer hinge member 11b, the downwardly bent detent end portion 19b of the upper arm 2012, having ample clearance in the slot 2% in the upper flange, to allow for the amount of oscillation of the radius arm 20b involved in its detent 19b riding up on the large roller 33b almost to a dead-center position in cushioning the door closing movement, and, of course, also in riding off the roller in the opening of the door to give the assist action, the parts being shown with the door in fully closed POSI- tion. The clearance for detent 19b in the slot 2% is, of course, also ample in respect to the amount of oscillation involved with radius arm 20b in the detent19b riding onto and over rollers 17b and 18b in the mid-open position and fully-opened position, respectively, for the holdopen function. As indicated best by the dotted triangle, the roller 33b does not reach a dead-center relationship to the torsion bar in the closing of the door, so as soon as the door is unlatched there is spring pressure of the torsion bar available to start the assist action, this spring pressure asserting itself with increasing force through the small angle in which the detent end portion 19b rides on the periphery of the roller 33b.

The operation of this form is believed to be clear from the description of the form of FIGS. 5 to 7, which is closely similar in construction.

Referring next to FIGS. 9 and 10, showing rollers 33c and 33d similar in size and shape to the metallic one 33b, the roller 33c is substantially entirely of resilient plastic material, save for a metallic bearing sleeve 40 provided at the center thereof, while the roller 33d is of resilient plastic material between the metallic sleeve 40 provided at the center for bearing purposes and the flexible thin metallic corrugated ring 41 provided on the periphery for cooperation with detent 19b. Obviously, with rollers like these there will be radial compression of the roller as the detent end portion 19b of the upper radius arm 20b rides upon the periphery of either of these rollers to give the cushioning action in the closing of the door and the subsequent assist action when the door is unlatched to swing open, with this important difference in relation to the functioning of the metallic roller 33b in FIG. 8, that the springback or kickback is participated in both by the torsion bar and the roller, and, accordingly, I may with different plastic material having different give and resilience, obtain operating characteristics better tailored to the needs of a given weight door than would be obtainable otherwise with all of the spring action centered in the torsion bar itself.

It is believed the foregoing description conveys a good understanding of the objects and advantages of my invention. The appended claims have been drawn to cover all legitimate modifications and adaptations.

In another form the same detent rides up onto but short of dead-center on a third and larger scalloped roller at the point of door closing to cushion the closing and assist the opening.

In a third form, a second detent on the other end of the torsion bar cooperates with a third scalloped roller for door cushioning in closing and assist action in opening.

I claim:

1. In a hinge comprising a pair of pivotally connected members, one of which is adapted to be secured to a body and the other to a door swingable to and from open position relative to the body about a substantially vertical axis, the improvement which consists in the provision of an elongated substantially vertical torsion bar mounted on one of said members with a preload spring tension therein, the bar having a laterally extending radius arm on one end with a substantially vertical detent portion projecting from its outer end, said torsion bar being supported on said one member independentlyof the other member so as to maintain the preload spring tension therein and said radius arm being movable relative to said torsion bar member by deflection of said arm in a direction to increase the spring tension in said bar, a striker mounted on and projecting from the other of said members so that it comes into engagement with the detent to deflect said arm to increase said spring tension in said bar above preload spring tension and go past said detent in the door opening and colsing movements of the members relativeto one another for a hold-open action, and a second striker mounted on and projecting from the same member with the first striker so that it comes into engagement with the detent in a predetermined range short of the closed position of the door to again deflect said arm to increase said spring tension above preload spring tension in the door closing movement of the members relative to one another to cushion the door closing movement and give the door an assist action in its opening v 2. A hinge structure as set forth in claim 1, wherein the radius arm carrying the detent is disposed at such an angle in relation to the striker that a greater force is required to deflect said arm by engagement of the striker on the detent in a door closing direction than in a door opening direction.

3. A hinge structure as set forth in claim 1, including a third striker mounted on and projecting from the same member as the first mentioned strikers so that it comes into engagement with the detent on said torsion bar radius arm to hold the door open in an intermediate position.

4. A hinge structure as set forth in claim 1, including a third striker mounted on and projecting from the same member as the first mentioned strikers so that it comes into engagement with the detent on said torsion bar radius arm to hold the door open in an intermediate position, the first and third strikers being spaced relative to one another to predetermine the extent of freedom of movement of the door between the intermediate hold-open position and substantially fully opened hold-open position.

5. In a hinge comprising a pair of pivotally connected members, one of which is adapted to be secured to a body and the other to a door swingable to and from open position relative to the body about a substantially vertical axis, the improvement which consists in the provision of an enlongated substantially vertical torsion bar mounted on one of said members with a preload spring tension therein, said bar having laterally extending radius arms at opposite ends, each with a substantially vertical detent portion projecting from its outer end, said torsion bar being supported on said one member independently of the other member so as to maintain the preload spring tension therein and said radius arms being movable relative to said torsion bar member by deflection of either arm in a direction to increase the spring tension in said bar, a first striker mounted on and projecting from the second one of said members so that it comes into engagement with the first one of said detents to deflect the first one of said radius arms to increase spring tension in said torsion bar above preload spring tension and go past said first detent in the door opening and closing movements of the members relative to one another for a hold-open action, and a second striker on the same member with the first striker projecting therefrom so that it comes into engagement with the second one of said detents, in the door closing movements of said members relative to one another to deflect the second one of said radius arms to increase spring tension in said torsion bar above preload spring tension for a door cushioning action in closing and an assist action in opening.

6. A hinge srtucture as set forth in claim 5, wherein the first radius arm carrying the first detent is disposed at such an angle in relation to the first striker that a greater force is required to deflect said arm by engagement of the striker on the detent in a door closing direction than in a door opening direction.

7. A hinge structure as set forth in claim 5, including a third striker mounted on and projecting from the same member as the first mentioned strikers so that it comes into engagement with the first detent on said fisrt torsion bar radius arm to hold the door open in an intermediate position.

8. A door hinge construction as set forth in claim 5, wherein both strikers are rotary rollers which have a non-skid surface on the periphery thereof to insure taking hold on the detent upon engaging the same and turn in passing the same.

9. A door hinge construction as set forth in claim 1, wherein the striker is a rotary roller which has a nonskid surface on the periphery thereof to insure taking hold on the detent upon engaging the same and turn in passing the same.

10. A door hinge construction as set forth in claim 5, wherein the striker is a rotary roller Which has a nonskid surface on the periphery thereof to insure taking hold on the detent upon engaging the same and turn in passing the same.

11. A door hinge construction as set forth in claim 1, wherein the first striker is a rotary roller which has a scalloped periphery so that the detent upon engaging said periphery drops into a scallop, thereby forcing the roller to turn through a predetermined angularity in the movement of the roller caused by engagement with the detent.

12. A door hinge construction as set forth in claim 5, wherein the first striker is a rotary roller which has a scalloped periphery so that the detent upon engaging said periphery drops into a scallop, thereby forcing the roller to turn through a predetermined angularity in the movement of the roller caused by engagement with the detent.

13. A door hinge construction as set forth in claim 1, wherein the first striker is a rotary roller which has a scalloped periphery so that the detent upon engaging said periphery drops into a scallop, thereby forcing the roller to turn through a predetermined angularity in the movement of the roller past the detent, the construction including means frictionally resisting turning of the roller so as to insure proper positioning of the scallop engaged by the detent so that the same scallop is engaged by the detent in each operation in the door opening and closing movements.

14. A door hinge construction as set forth in claim 5, wherein the first striker is a rotary roller which has a scalloped periphery so that the detent upon engaging said periphery drops into a scallop, thereby forcing the roller to turn through a predetermined angularity in the movement of the roller past the detent, the construction including means frictionally resisting turning of the roller so as to insure proper positioning of the scallop engaged by the detent so that the same scallop is engaged by the detent in each operation in the door opening and closing movements.

15. A door hinge construction as set forth in claim 1 wherein the second striker is a rotary roller which has a scalloped periphery so that the detent upon engaging said periphery drops into a scallop, thereby forcing the roller to turn through a predetermined angularity in the movement of the roller caused by engagement with the detent.

16. A door hold-open construction as set forth in claim 5, wherein the torsion bar has another laterally extending arm on the other end opposite the second detent carrying arm by means of which the torsion bar is adapted to be cranked for the preloading thereof, this additional arm having a substantially vertical end portion having abutment with the plate in the assembled position of said bar on said plate to retain the preload spring tension in said bar, said construction including walls on said plate in one of which a slot is provided in which the detent is engaged, the slot affording a predetermined latitude of deflection of said first mentioned arm, the other Wall having an edge portion arranged to engage in a notch provided in the vertical end portion of the other arm whereby to hold the torsion bar against endwise. movement and accordingly hold the detent end of the first mentioned arm in said slot.

17. A door hold-open construction as set forth in claim 5, wherein the torsion bar has another laterally extending arm on the other end opposite the second detent carrying arm by means of which the torsion bar 15 adapted to be cranked for the preloading thereof, this additional arm having a substantially vertical end portion having abutment with the plate in the assembled position of said bar on said plate to retain the preload spring tension in said bar, said construction including walls on said plate in one of which a slot is provided in which the detent is engaged, the slot affording a predetermined latitude of deflection of said first mentioned arm, the other wall having an edge portion arranged to engage in a notch provided in the vertical end portion of the other arm whereby to hold the torsion bar against endwise movement and accordingly hold the detent end of the first mentioned arm in said slot, the construction including means frictionally resisting turning of the roller so as to insure proper positioning of the scallop engaged by the detent so that the same scallop is engaged by the detent in each operation in the door opening and closing movements.

18. A door hold-open construction as set forth in claim 5, wherein the torsion bar has another latera ly extending arm on the other end opposite the second detent carrying armby means of which the torsion bar is adapted to be cranked for the preloading thereof, this additional arm having a substantially vertical end portion having abutment with the plate in the assembled position of said bar on said plate to retain the preload spring tension in said bar, said construction including walls on said plate in one of which a slot is provided in which the detent is engaged, the slot affording a predetermined latitude of deflection of said first mentioned arm, the other wall having an edge portion arranged to engage in a notch provided in the vertical end portion of the other arm whereby to hold the torsion bar against endwise movement and accordingly hold the detent end of the first mentioned arm in said slot, the construction including means frictionally resisting turning of the roller so as to insure proper positioning of the scallop engaged by the detent so that the same scallop is engaged by the detent in each operation in the door opening and closing movements.

19. A hinge construction as set forth in claim 1 wherein the second striker comprises a cam having an uphill surface up which the second detent rides in the final portion of the door closing movement for above preloading of said torsion bar for door cushioning action in closing and assist action in opening.

20. A hinge construction as set forth in claim 1 wherein the second striker comprises a cam having an uphill surface up which a roller on the second detent rides in the final portion of the door closing movement for above preload loading of said torsion bar for door cushioning action in closing and assist action in opening.

21. A hinge construction as set forth in claim 1 wherein the second striker comprises a roller up the periphery of which the second detent rides to a position short of dead center relative to the roller in the final portion of the door closing movement for above preload loading of said torsion bar for door cushioning action in closing and assist action in opening.

22. A hinge construction as set forth in claim 1 wherein the second striker comprises a roller up the periphery of which the second detent rides to a position short of dead center relative to the roller in the final portion of the door closing movement for above preload loading of said torsion bar for door cushioning action in closing and assist action in opening, the roller having a scalloped periphery so that the detent upon engaging said periphery drops into a scallop, thereby forcing the roller to turn through a predetermined angularity in the movement of the roller caused by engagement with the detent.

23. A hinge construction as set forth in claim 1 wherein the second striker comprises a roller up the periphery of which the second detent rides to a position short of dead center relative to the roller in the final portion of the door closing movement for above preload loading of said torsion bar for door cushioning action in closing and assist action in opening, the roller having a scalloped periphery so that the detent upon engaging said periphery drops into a scallop, thereby forcing the roller to turn through a predetermined angularity in the movement of the roller caused by engagement with the detent, at least a portion of said roller being of compressible resilient material, whereby in the door cushioning and assist actions the radial compression and expansion of said roller accounts for a portion of the spring effect, the torsion bar accounting for the rest of it.

24. A hinge construction as set forth in claim 1 wherein the second striker comprises a roller up the periphery of which the second detent rides to a position short of dead center relative to the roller in the final portion of the door closing movement for above preload loading of said torsion bar for door cushioning action in closing and assist action in opening, the roller having a scalloped periphery so that the detent upon engaging said periphery drops into a scallop, thereby forcing the roller to turn through a predetermined angularity in the movement of the roller caused by engagement with the detent, a portion of said roller being of compressible resilient material, whereby in the door cushioning and assist actions the radial compression and expansion of said roller accounts for a portion of the spring effect, the torsion bar accounting for the rest of it, the scalloped peripheral portion of said roller being defined by a scalloped metallic ring fixed to the rest of the roller.

25. In a hinge comprising a pair of pivotally connected members, one of which is adapted to be secured to a body and the other to a door swingable to and from open position relative to the body about a substantially vertical axis, the improvement which consists in the provision of an elongated substantially vertical torsion bar mounted on one of said members with a preload spring tension therein, the bar having a laterally extending radius arm on one end with a substantially vertical detent portion projecting from its outer end, said torsion bar being supported on said one member independently of the other member so as to maintain the preload spring tension therein and said radius arm being movable relative to said torsion bar member by deflection of said arm in a direction to increase the spring tension in said bar, and a striker mounted on and projecting from the other of said members so that it comes into engagement with the detent as the door approaches closed position to deflect said arm to increase said spring tension in said bar above preload spring tension to cushion the door closing movement and give the door an assist action in its opening.

26. A hinge construction as set forth in claim 25, wherein the striker comprises a cam having an uphill surface up which the second detent rides in the final portion of the door closing movement for above preload loading of said torsion bar for door cushioning action in closing and assist action in opening.

27. A hinge construction as set forth in claim 25, wherein the second striker comprises a cam having an uphill surface up which a roller on the second detent rides in the final portion of the door closing movement for above preload loading of said torsion bar for door cushioning action in closing and assist action in opening.

28. A hinge construction as set forth in claim 25, wherein the second striker comprises a roller up the periphery of which the second detent rides to a position short of dead center relative to the roller in the final portion of the door closing movement for above preload loading of said torsion bar for door cushioning action in closing and assist action in opening.

29. A hinge construction as set forth in claim 25, wherein the second striker comprises a roller up the periphery of which the second detent rides to a position short of dead center relative to the roller in the final portion of the door closing movement for above preload loading of said torsion bar for door cushioning action in closing and assist action in opening, the roller having a scalloped periphery so that the detent upon engaging said periphery drops into a scallop, thereby forcing the roller to turn through a predetermined angularity in the movement of the roller caused by engagement with the detent.

30. A hinge construction as set forth in claim 25-, wherein the second striker comprises a roller up the periphery of which the second detent rides to a position short of dead center relative to the roller in the final portion of the door closing movement for above preload loading of said torsion bar for door cushioning action in closing and assist action in opening, the roller having a scalloped periphery so that the detent upon engaging said periphery drops into a scallop, thereby forcing the roller to turn through a predetermined angularity in the movement of the roller caused by engagement with the detent, at least a portion of said roller being of compressible resilient material, whereby in the door cushioning and assist actions the radial compression and expan- 11 sion of said roller accounts for a portion of the spring effect, the torsion bar accounting for the rest of it.

31. A hinge construction as set forth in claim 25, wherein the second striker comprises a roller up the periphery of which the second detent rides to a position short of dead center relative to the roller in the final portion of the door closing movement for above preload loading of said torsion bar for door cushioning action in closing and assist action in opening, the roller having a scalloped periphery so that the detent upon engaging said periphery drops into a scallop, thereby forcing the roller to turn through a predetermined angularity in the movement of the roller caused by engagement with the detent, a portion of said roller being of compressible resilient material, whereby in the door cushioning and assist actions the radial compression and expansion of said roller accounts for a portion of the spring effect, the

12 torsion bar accounting for the rest of it, the scalloped peripheral portion of said roller being defined by a scalloped metallic ring fixed to the rest of the roller.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,065,497 11/1962 Faber 16l42 3,371,374 3/1968 Marchione 16145 3,431,588 3/1969 Frey 16145 10 3,438,083 4/1969 Kirk 16145 BOBBY R. GAY, Primary Examiner P. A. ASCHENBRENNER, Assistant Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 16-85

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