AU2013200359B2 - A hinge assembly - Google Patents

Abstract

This invention relates to a lift-off hinge assembly for doors and windows. The hinge assembly includes a lower hinge portion and an upper hinge portion. The upper hinge portion is releasably hingedly connectable to the lower hinge portion. The hinge assembly includes an adjustment means for adjusting the relative positioning between the lower hinge portion and the upper hinge portion. (Figure 1) Cil <D z .5 00 0-- c COC fnC > 0Oa Cmn) 0 ED0 0 a) M. 5c> 0-- 0 0 co4 Ec z - CL<<-

Description

- 1 AUSTRALIA PATENTS ACT 1990 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION FOR THE INVENTION ENTITLED: "A hinge assembly" The invention is described in the following statement:- -2 A hinge assembly Field of the Invention [0001] This invention relates to hinges and in particular to adjustable hinges for doors and windows. [0002] The invention has been developed primarily for use as a lift-off hinge for aluminium hinged doors and windows and will be described with reference to this particular application. However, it will be appreciated that the invention is not limited to this particular field of use. Background of the Invention [0003] The following discussion of the prior art has been provided in order to place the invention in an appropriate technical context and allow the advantages of it to be more fully appreciated. However, any discussion of the prior art throughout the specification should not be considered as an express or implied admission that such prior art is widely known or forms part of common general knowledge in the field. [0004] Changes in temperature and ground and foundation settling can cause a door or window to go out of square and cause interference between the door or window and the associated frame, when opening and closing the door or window. Where the door and/or door frame are formed of timber it is often possible to plane away a section of the door and/or door frame at the point of interference so as to provide the necessary clearance gap. [0005] However, this process is necessarily labour intensive and requires a relatively high degree of skill to be carried efficiently and effectively. Furthermore, the process may need to be repeated overtime. [0006] In applications involving non-timber framing, such as aluminium doors and windows, it is not possible to use a plane to remove a portion of the frame material in the manner used with timber framing. [0007] It is an object of the present invention to overcome or ameliorate one or more of the disadvantages of the prior art, or at least to provide a useful alternative.

-3 Summary of the Invention [0008] According to a first aspect of the invention, there is provided a lift-off hinge assembly, including: a lower hinge portion having a lower hinge knuckle with a first bore; an upper hinge portion having an upper hinge knuckle with an internal bore, the upper hinge portion being releasably releasably hingedly connectable to the lower hinge portion; a sub-assembly including a pivot pin having a first end which is receivable within the first bore of the lower hinge knuckle and a second end which is receivable within the internal bore of the upper hinge knuckle; a first adjustment mechanism for providing selective independent adjustment of the relative positioning between the first and second hinge portions in an axial direction, and a second adjustment mechanism for providing selective independent adjustment of the relative positioning between the first and second hinge portions in a lateral direction; wherein, the first end of the pivot pin has a narrowed section with generally flat side faces, and a pair of spacer plates mounted on opposed sides of the narrowed section in a desired spaced apart relationship relative to the narrowed section; wherein, the second adjustment mechanism includes an adjustment member engagable with the pivot pin such that movement of the adjustment member causes a corresponding movement of the pivot pin between the spacer plates, thereby to cause a corresponding lateral movement of the upper hinge portion relative to the lower hinge portion. [0009] Preferably, the adjustment means is configured to enable adjustment in at least two dimensions. [0010] The adjustment means preferably includes a first adjustment mechanism for providing selective independent adjustment in a first dimension. Preferably, the first adjustment mechanism is configured to allow adjustment in an axial direction (e.g. in a substantially vertical direction). [0011] The adjustment means preferably includes a second adjustment mechanism for providing selective independent adjustment in a second dimension. Preferably, the - 3A second adjustment mechanism is configured to allow adjustment in a substantially horizontal direction (e.g. in a lateral/sideways direction, or a for-and-aft direction). [0012] Preferably, the lower hinge portion has a lower hinge knuckle and a lower hinge leaf extending from the lower hinge knuckle. The lower hinge leaf preferably has a plurality of holes for receiving fixing elements (e.g. screws) for fixing the lower hinge portion to a door or window frame or jamb. Preferably, the lower hinge knuckle has a cross-sectional profile generally in the form of an ellipse, or an oval. It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the cross-section of the lower hinge knuckle is not limited to these preferred shapes, but could be formed in other suitable shapes including, but not limited to: square, rectangular, triangular, circular or polygonal. [0013] The lower hinge knuckle is preferably configured to house a first end of a sub assembly. Preferably, the lower hinge knuckle is open at its upper end and includes a first bore for slidably receiving the first end of the sub-assembly. The first bore is preferably square or rectangular in cross-section to facilitate linear upward and downward substantially vertical sliding movement of the sub-assembly. It will be -4 appreciated by those skilled in the art that a bore of square or rectangular cross-section advantageously has generally straight flat wall surfaces which act as a guide for the desired linear movement of the sub-assembly housed therein. [0014] Preferably, the first bore is stepped down from the upper end of the lower hinge knuckle so that this step, in combination with the square or rectangular bore, forms a bearing surface against which the upper hinge knuckle bears to limit (downward) movement of the upper hinge portion when it is hingedly connected to the lower hinge portion. [0015] The lower hinge knuckle preferably has a second bore at its lower end for housably receiving the first adjustment mechanism such that the first adjustment mechanism is in operative communication with the sub-assembly. Preferably, the second bore is axially, more preferably, coaxially aligned with the first bore. The first and second bore preferably form a through-bore in the lower hinge knuckle. [0016] Preferably, the upper hinge portion has an upper hinge knuckle and an upper hinge leaf extending from the upper hinge knuckle. The upper hinge leaf preferably has a plurality of holes for receiving fixing elements (e.g. screws) for fixing the upper hinge portion to a movable panel, such as a door or window. [0017] The upper hinge knuckle has a cross-sectional profile generally in the form of a circle, an ellipse, or an oval. Preferably, the cross-sectional profile of the lower hinge knuckle is advantageously configured to be different (e.g. larger) to that of the upper hinge portion. In certain preferred embodiments, the difference in configuration and/or size between the cross-section of the upper and lower hinge knuckles advantageously minimises any overlap of the upper hinge knuckle with the lower hinge knuckle at the extremes of lateral adjustment provided by the second adjustment mechanism. [0018] Preferably, the upper hinge knuckle has an internal bore which is open at its lower end. An inner sleeve is preferably housed within the internal bore for receiving a second end of the sub-assembly, the inner sleeve facilitating rotational movement between the upper and lower hinge portions. Preferably, the inner sleeve sits proud of the lower end of the upper hinge knuckle.

-5 [0019] The sub-assembly preferably includes a pivot pin having a first end which is slidably received within the first bore of the lower hinge knuckle and a second end which is receivable within the inner sleeve of the upper hinge knuckle. Preferably, the first end of the pivot pin is a narrowed section with generally flat side faces. A spigot (or lug or other suitable tail portion) preferably extends downwardly from the lower end of the first end of the pivot pin. [0020] Preferably, two spacer plates are mounted on opposed sides of the narrowed section of the pivot pin. The two spacer plates preferably include mounting means for mounting the spacer plates to the narrowed section. The mounting means preferably includes a tie rod extending from an inner face of each spacer plate, each tie rod passing through a corresponding opening in the narrowed section and engaging a receiving hole in the other spacer plate. Preferably, the tie rods extend from opposite sides of the narrowed section. The free ends of each tie rod are preferably shaped (e.g. narrowed, stepped) to facilitate locating and retaining the free ends in corresponding openings in the associated spacer plate. Preferably, the shape of the free end of each tie bar also acts to hold the two spacer plates at a desired spaced apart relationship (and preferably equally spaced from the narrowed section of the pivot pin). The spacer plates are preferably spaced to provide a close-fit within the first bore of the lower hinge knuckle to thereby facilitate the desired substantially vertical adjustable movement of the pivot pin. [0021] Preferably, the first adjustment mechanism includes a selectively adjustable member movably arranged within the second bore of the lower hinge knuckle, wherein movement of the adjustable member causes a corresponding axial movement of the sub-assembly. It will be appreciated that the axial movement of the sub-assembly can be used to move the upper hinge portion upwardly and away from the lower hinge portion or downwardly towards the lower hinge portion for aligning the associated door or window with its frame, as desired. [0022] Preferably, the adjustable member is threadedly engaged with the second bore of the lower hinge, wherein rotation of the adjustable member causes a corresponding linear movement of the adjustable member for adjustably moving the sub-assembly.

-6 [0023] In some preferred embodiments, the adjustable member directly engages the sub-assembly such that axial movement of the adjustable member causes a corresponding axial movement of the sub-assembly. [0024] Preferably, the first adjustment mechanism provides for vertical adjustment of up to about 3mm. [0025] Preferably, the second adjustment mechanism includes a horizontal adjustment member engaged with the sub-assembly, wherein the horizontal adjustment member is selectively adjustable to move the sub-assembly and thereby cause a corresponding movement of the upper hinge portion relative to the lower hinge portion. [0026] Preferably, the horizontal adjustment member is threadedly engaged with the narrowed lower section of the pivot pin, wherein rotation of the horizontal adjustment member causes a corresponding substantially horizontal movement of the pivot pin for adjustably moving the sub-assembly (and thereby the upper hinge portion) relative to the lower hinge portion. It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that this movement of the upper hinge portion causes a corresponding horizontal movement of the door or window to which the upper hinge portion is fixed, facilitating alignment to the associated frame. [0027] In certain preferred embodiments, the horizontal adjustment member is an adjusting screw having a head at one end and a threaded shaft extending from the head, wherein a retaining means is engagable with the distal end of the shaft such that the head and retaining means act to hold the horizontal adjustment member in place. [0028] Preferably, the retaining means includes a circumferential groove at the distal end of the shaft and a clip mountable to the groove for holding the adjustment screw in place. The clip is preferably a snap-fittable clip such as a circlip (or c-clip). [0029] Preferably, the narrowed section of the pivot pin has a threaded opening with which the threaded shaft is threadedly engaged. The two spacer side plates each have clearance openings through which the threaded shaft may pass, wherein the head and the clip bear against the respective spacer plate. Preferably, the lower hinge knuckle has a pair of slots aligned with the clearance openings, the slots housing the head and the retaining means, respectively.

-7 [0030] In some preferred embodiments, the slots are sized to limit the extent of axial movement of the pivot pin provided by the first adjustment mechanism. In certain embodiments, at least the head and/or the retaining means is configured to abut the end of the corresponding slot to define the end of travel. In some preferred forms, the head and corresponding slot define the extreme of upward travel. The lower extreme of adjustment is preferably limited by a seat formed between the first and second bores, wherein the tail of the sub-assembly bears against the seat. In some embodiments, the second bore and seat are formed by a threaded insert fixedly secured at the lower end of the lower hinge knuckle. [0031] Preferably, the second adjustment mechanism provides for horizontal adjustment of up to about 3mm. [0032] Preferably, a cover releasably mountable to the upper hinge portion (e.g. upper hinge knuckle) is provided for inhibiting dust or other debris from entering the join between the upper and lower hinge portions. In certain preferred embodiments, the cover is generally cylindrical in shape with an opening at one end to allow receipt of the upper hinge knuckle. Preferably, the cover has a cut-out to enable the cover to pass over the upper hinge leaf. The cut-out is preferably tapered to facilitate ease of mounting. [0033] A lower edge of the cover preferably has a circumferential collar configured to overlie the join between the upper and lower hinge portions. Preferably, the collar tapers or flares outwardly to provide a greater coverage for the cover. The collar preferably extends from one side of the cut-out to the other. [0034] The cover is preferably configured so as to not inter with the lower hinge portion when the upper hinge member is rotated relative to the lower hinge member. Brief description of the drawings [0035] A preferred embodiment of the invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: [0036] Figure 1 shows an exploded perspective view of an embodiment of a lift-off hinge assembly according to the invention; -8 [0037] Figure 2 shows a top plan view of the lift-off hinge assembly of Figure 1; [0038] Figure 3 shows a side view of the lift-off hinge assembly; [0039] Figure 4 shows a rear view of the lift-off hinge assembly; [0040] Figure 5 shows a cross-sectional view of a pivot pin sub-assembly of the lift off hinge assembly, showing the spaced apart relation of the two spacer plates and the interconnection with the narrowed section of the pivot pin; [0041] Figure 6 shows a side view of the sub-assembly of Figure 5; [0042] Figure 7 shows a front view of the sub-assembly of Figure 5; [0043] Figure 8 shows an exploded perspective view of the sub-assembly, with the spacer plates removed from the sub-assembly; [0044] Figure 9 shows a perspective underneath view of the lift-off hinge assembly with the lower hinge portion fixed to a door frame and the upper hinge portion connected to a door; [0045] Figure 10 is a perspective view of the lift-off hinge assembly showing the second adjustment mechanism; and [0046] Figure 11 is a perspective view of the lift-off hinge assembly showing the first adjustment mechanism. Preferred embodiments of the invention [0047] Referring to the drawings, the invention provides a lift-off hinge assembly 1 for a hinged door or window or the like. The hinge assembly 1 includes a lower hinge portion 2 and an upper hinge portion 3. [0048] For clarity of description, the following description of the figures will be made with specific reference to doors. However, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the lift-off hinge assembly 1 is equally suitable for applications relating to doors, windows, gates, screens or similar hinged panels. It will also be appreciated that the -9 lift-off hinge assembly 1 is readily usable in a variety of building applications including residential, commercial and industrial applications. [0049] The lower hinge portion 2 has a lower hinge knuckle 4 and a lower hinge leaf 5 extending from the lower hinge knuckle 4. As most clearly shown in Figure 3, the lower hinge leaf 5 has a plurality of holes 6 for receiving fixing elements in the form of screws 7 (Figure 9) for fixing the lower hinge portion 2 to a door frame 8 (Figure 9). [0050] As most clearly shown in Figure 2, the lower hinge knuckle 4 is generally hollow and has a cross-sectional profile in the form of an oval or similar. [0051] The upper hinge portion 3 has an upper hinge knuckle 9 and an upper hinge leaf 10 extending from the upper hinge knuckle 9. The upper hinge leaf 10 has a plurality of holes 11 (Figure 3) for receiving fixing elements in the form of screws (Figure 9) for fixing the upper hinge portion 3 to a movable panel in the form of a door 12 (Figure 9). [0052] The upper hinge knuckle 9 has a generally circular cross-sectional profile which is smaller than that of the lower hinge knuckle 4. As will be described in greater detail below, the difference in size and/or configuration between the cross-section of the lower and upper hinge knuckles (4, 9) advantageously minimises any overlap of the upper hinge knuckle 9 with the lower hinge knuckle 4 at the extremes of lateral adjustment provided by the second adjustment mechanism. [0053] The lower hinge portion 2 and upper hinge portion 3 are releasably hingedly connected together via a sub-assembly in the form of a pivot pin 13. [0054] The lower hinge knuckle 4 has a first bore 14 for slidably receiving a first end 15 of the pivot pin 13. The upper hinge knuckle 9 has an internal bore 16 for housing a second end 17 of the pivot pin 13. The upper knuckle 9 preferably includes a friction reducing inner sleeve facilitating free rotational movement between the upper and lower hinge portions when the door 12 is opened and closed. [0055] The first bore 14 has a rectangular cross-section to facilitate linear upward and downward substantially vertical sliding movement of the pivot pin 13. It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the bore 14 of square or rectangular cross- - 10 section advantageously has generally straight flat wall surfaces which act as a guide for the desired linear sliding movement of the pivot pin 13 housed therein. [0056] The lift-off hinge assembly 1 includes adjustment means for adjusting the relative positioning between the lower hinge portion 2 and the upper hinge portion 3. The adjustment means is advantageously configured to enable adjustment in two dimensions. [0057] Referring to Figure 11, the adjustment means includes a first adjustment mechanism 18 for providing selective independent adjustment in a first axial dimension (e.g. in a substantially vertical direction). The first adjustment mechanism provides for vertical adjustment of up to about 3mm. [0058] Referring to Figure 10, the adjustment means includes a second adjustment mechanism 19 for providing selective independent adjustment in a second horizontal dimension. The second adjustment mechanism can be configured to provide adjustment in a lateral/sideways direction or a for-and-aft direction. Any reference to the term 'lateral' adjustment throughout this specification is intended to cover both sideways and for-aft adjustment. The second adjustment mechanism provides for lateral adjustment of up to about 3mm. [0059] The lower hinge knuckle 4 has a second bore 20 in which an internally threaded insert (not shown) is fixedly housed. The first adjustment mechanism includes a selectively adjustable member in the form of an externally threaded lug 21 (Figure 4 and 11) in threaded engagement with the threaded insert and in operative communication with the pivot pin 13. [0060] As shown in Figure 11, a hex-key can be used to rotate the lug 21 to cause it to move relative to the threaded insert and, by direct engagement with a tail portion 22 of the pivot pin13, cause a corresponding axial movement of the pivot pin 13, up or down as desired. It will be appreciated that the axial movement of the sub-assembly can be used to move the upper hinge portion upwardly and away from the lower hinge portion or downwardly towards the lower hinge portion for aligning the associated door or window with its frame, as desired.

- 11 [0061] Referring to Figures 5 to 8, the first end 15 of the pivot pin 13 is a narrowed section with generally flat side faces 23. Two spacer plates 24 are mounted on the opposed sides of the narrowed section of the pivot pin by tie rods 25. [0062] Each tie rod 25 extends from an inner face of each spacer plate 24 and through a corresponding opening in the narrowed section 26, wherein the free distal end of each tie rod is stepped to engage a corresponding opening in the associated spacer plate 24 and hold the two spacer plates in a desired spaced apart relationship. The spacer plates 24 are preferably spaced to provide a close-fit within the first bore of the lower hinge knuckle 4 to thereby facilitate the desired substantially vertical adjustable movement of the pivot pin 13. [0063] The second adjustment mechanism includes a horizontal adjustment member in the form of an adjustment screw 27 having a head 28 at one end and a threaded shaft 29 extending from the head 28. The narrowed section 26 of the pivot pin 13 has a threaded opening 30 in which the threaded shaft 29 is in threaded engagement. The two spacer side plates 24 each have clearance openings 31 through which the threaded shaft 29 passes. [0064] The threaded shaft includes a circumferential groove 32 at its distal end in which a retaining means in the form of a circlip 33 is secured for holding the adjustment screw 27 in place. [0065] The lower hinge knuckle 4 has a pair of slots 34 aligned with the clearance openings 31 for housing the head 28 and the circlip 33, respectively, with the head 28 and circlip 33 bearing against the associated spacer plate 24. [0066] As shown in Figure 10, a hex-key can be used to rotate the adjustment screw 27 to thereby cause, due to the mating threaded engagement, the pivot pin 13 to travel along the threaded shaft 29 of the adjustment screw 27, causing a corresponding movement of the upper hinge portion 3 relative to the lower hinge portion 2. It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that this movement of the upper hinge portion causes a corresponding horizontal movement of the door or window to which the upper hinge portion is fixed, facilitating alignment with the associated frame.

- 12 [0067] The slots 34 limit the extent of upward movement available from rotation of the lug 21, with the head coming into contact with the end of the slot at the upper limit of travel. The lower extreme of adjustment is preferably limited by a seat formed by the threaded insert, against which the between the friction reducing sleeve bears at the lower limit of travel. The extent of horizontal travel is limited by the free space between the two spacer plates. [0068] As shown in Figure 1, a cover 35 is releasably mountable to the upper hinge knuckle 9 for inhibiting dust or other debris from entering the join between the upper and lower hinge portions (2, 3). The dust cover 35 is generally cylindrical in shape with a cut-out opening 36 extending from one end to allow receipt of the upper hinge knuckle with the cut-out passing over the upper hinge leaf. The cover 35 has an outwardly tapered circumferential collar 37 configured to overlie the join between the upper and lower hinge knuckles to provide greater coverage for inhibiting dust entering the join. [0069] The cover is advantageously configured so as to not interfere with the lower hinge portion 2 when the upper hinge portion 3 is rotated relative to the lower hinge portion 2, in use. [0070] Accordingly, the present invention, at least in its preferred embodiments, provides a streamline, robust and versatile lift-off hinge assembly for use with doors and windows in a wide range of applications. The hinge assembly is particularly suitable for providing adjustment to the alignment of a door or window relative to the frame within which it is mounted. It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the hinge assembly provides a simple yet effective means for making in situ adjustments to doors and windows which are subject to misalignment overtime. The hinge assembly is particularly advantageous in applications involving non-timber frames (e.g. aluminium door and window frame) which cannot be modified with a timber plane to provide the necessary clearance gap for closing a door which is misaligned. In preferred embodiments of the hinge assembly, the compact physical construction of the first and second adjustment mechanisms ensures that they are neatly arranged within the lower knuckle without substantially (if at all) increasing the overall footprint of the hinge assembly. In these and other respects, the invention in its preferred embodiments, represents a practical and commercially significant improvement over the prior art.

- 13 [0071] Although the invention has been described with reference to specific examples, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the invention may be embodied in many other forms.

Claims (16)

1. A lift-off hinge assembly, including: a lower hinge portion having a lower hinge knuckle with a first bore; an upper hinge portion having an upper hinge knuckle with an internal bore, the upper hinge portion being releasably hingedly connectable to the lower hinge portion; a sub-assembly including a pivot pin having a first end which is receivable within the first bore of the lower hinge knuckle and a second end which is receivable within the internal bore of the upper hinge knuckle; a first adjustment mechanism for providing selective independent adjustment of the relative positioning between the first and second hinge portions in an axial direction, and a second adjustment mechanism for providing selective independent adjustment of the relative positioning between the first and second hinge portions in a lateral direction; wherein, the first end of the pivot pin has a narrowed section with generally flat side faces, and a pair of spacer plates mounted on opposed sides of the narrowed section in a desired spaced apart relationship relative to the narrowed section; wherein, the second adjustment mechanism includes an adjustment member engagable with the pivot pin such that movement of the adjustment member causes a corresponding movement of the pivot pin between the spacer plates, thereby to cause a corresponding lateral movement of the upper hinge portion relative to the lower hinge portion.

2. A lift-off hinge assembly according to claim 1, wherein the first bore has generally flat wall surfaces to facilitate axial sliding movement of the sub-assembly relative to the lower hinge knuckle.

3. A lift-off hinge assembly according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein an inner sleeve is housed within the internal bore of the upper knuckle for receiving the second end of the sub-assembly, the inner sleeve facilitating rotational movement between the upper and lower hinge portions about the sub-assembly.

4. A lift-off hinge assembly according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the lower hinge knuckle includes a second bore aligned with the first bore, thereby to form a through-bore in the lower hinge knuckle, wherein the first adjustment -15 mechanism includes a selectively adjustable member threadedly engaged with the second bore of the lower hinge, wherein rotation of the adjustable member causes a corresponding axial movement of the adjustable member, thereby to cause a corresponding axial movement of the sub-assembly.

5. A lift-off hinge assembly according to claim 4, wherein a spigot extends downwardly from the first end of the pivot pin such that the adjustable member directly engages the spigot of the sub-assembly, whereby axial movement of the adjustable member causes a corresponding axial movement of the sub-assembly.

6. A lift-off hinge assembly according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein a tie rod extends from an inner face of each spacer plate to facilitate mounting to the narrowed section of the pivot pin, each tie rod passing through a corresponding opening in the narrowed section and engaging the other spacer plate, thereby to hold the two spacer plates in the desired spaced apart relationship.

7. A lift-off hinge assembly according to claim 6, wherein the tie rods extend from opposite sides of the narrowed section of the pivot pin.

8. A lift-off hinge assembly according to claim 6 or claim 7, wherein a free end of each tie rod is shaped to facilitate locating and retaining the free end in corresponding openings in the respective spacer plate which it engages.

9. A lift-off hinge assembly according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the spacer plates are spaced apart to provide a close-fit within the first bore of the lower hinge knuckle, thereby to facilitate axial movement of the pivot pin.

10. A lift-off hinge assembly according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the narrowed section of the pivot pin has a threaded opening and the lateral adjustment member is an adjusting screw having a head at one end and a threaded shaft extending from the head, wherein a retaining means is engagable with the distal end of the shaft such that the head and retaining means act to hold the lateral adjustment member in place, whereby rotation of the adjusting screw causes lateral movement of the sub-assembly, thereby to adjust the relative positioning between the upper and lower hinge portions. - 16

11. A lift-off hinge assembly according to claim 10, wherein the retaining means includes a circumferential groove at the distal end of the shaft and a clip mountable to the groove for holding the adjustment screw in place.

12. A lift-off hinge assembly according to claim 11, wherein the spacer plates each have clearance openings through which the threaded shaft passes, the head and the clip bearing against the respective spacer plates.

13. A lift-off hinge assembly according to claim 12, wherein the lower hinge knuckle has a pair of slots aligned with the clearance openings, the slots housing the head and the retaining means respectively, thereby to limit the extent of axial movement of the pivot pin provided by the first adjustment mechanism.

14. A lift-off hinge assembly according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the cross-sectional profile of the lower hinge knuckle is different than the cross sectional profile of the upper hinge knuckle, thereby to minimise any overlap of the upper hinge knuckle with the lower hinge knuckle at the extremes of lateral adjustment provided by the second adjustment mechanism.

15. A lift-off hinge assembly according to claim 14, wherein the cross-sectional profile of the lower hinge knuckle is larger than the cross-sectional profile of the upper hinge knuckle.

16. A lift-off hinge assembly substantially as herein described with reference to any one of the embodiments of the invention illustrated in the accompanying drawings and/or examples.