CA2159122A1 - Vertically adjustable door hinge - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention consists of a vertically adjustable two leafed butt hinge. The adjustable hinge is used to adjust the vertical position of a door relative to it's frame. The most outstanding feature of the hinge is that the vertical door position may be adjusted while the leaf hinges remain mounted onto the door and door frame. The idea consists of a threaded door leaf, a non threaded door frame leaf and a screw inside the leaf knuckles attached to the threaded door leaf. This enables the user to adjust the vertical position of the door by simply turning the hinge screw.
Turning the screw clockwise or counterclockwise moves the threaded leaf attached to the door up or down depending if its threads are clockwise or counterclockwise. A clockwise or counterclockwise screw thread pattern may be used. The vertical movement of the leaf attached to the door moves relative to the stationary door frame because the screw resting on top of the door frame hinge remains at a fixed vertical position when you turn it. The screw remains at a fixed vertical position since it's head is pressed against the door frame leaf and held at that position by the weight of the door pushing down on it. The screw/thread assembly used for the hinge is selected such that it prevents the screw from unscrewing and screwing from the friction torque placed upon it when the door is opened and closed. A space is provided in between the hinge's door leaf knuckles and the hinges frame leaf knuckles to allow vertical motion of the door leaf without interference from the frame leaf knuckles. The vertical distance which the hinge will allow the door to move is the total space on top and bottom in between a door leaf knuckle and the nearest adjacent door frame knuckle. This type of vertically adjustable hinge assembly may be manufactured to any size to accommodate different door sizes and\or weights.
The materials used to manufacture it may be various types of steel or other suitable materials which are cost effective and have the required wear resistant. A horizontal adjustment of the hinge may also be accomplished, if the materials used will allow the hinge knuckles to bend in the horizontal direction when sufficient force is applied, but strong enough to maintain it's postion after adjustments.

Description

,~ 2159122 This invention relates to a vertically adjustable two leafed butted door hinge used to adjust the vertical position of a door.
Research has revealed that there are other ve].tically adjustable hinges that achieve the same results but they operate differently and cost nnore to ~ urh~LuL~. These other hinges are more complex and some require the hinge to be ~i~mt~lmtPd to provide door position ~ lctm~ntq The more complex hinges are more costly to Ill~lI.U~ UUCi and are more difficult to install and use.
The novelty of this invention is that it cost less to manufacture and is easier to install and use then other vertically adjustable hinges. It's main use would be to allow its user to adjust the vertical position of a door to clear obstructio]ls above or below a door which may rub against it or prevent the door from shutting all the way against the door frame. Once the door has been adjusted to clear obstructions, it will enable the door to function as it should and shut properly against its door frame without any noticeable rubbing against the door frame or floor.
The traditional non vertically adjustable two leafed butted door hinges require to be installed and uninstalled many times if the door hinge Ill~ L mounting positions are measured inaccurately. The use of the single centre screw vertically adjustable two leafed butted door hinge saves door installation time. This is tile case since the door position relative to frame may be adjusted to, ~ ' for imprecise molmtings. The non adjustable two leafed butted door hinge must be ;li~ ul~Led and remounted in a different position for all ~ tmPnt~ The vertical " ,. ., 1 ~ of the door by means of moving its non adjustable hinges also creates more old hinge position screw holes in the door frame and door. This may also weaken the strength of the mounted hinge. The vertically adjustable hirlge will enable its user to adjust the vertical door position to alleviate improper shutting of the door caused by such obstructions as the frame above the door, the floor or other obstructions. A horizontal adjustment of the hinge may also be ac~,u...~ l.cd, if the materials used will allow the hinge knuckles to bend when sufficient force is applied but strong enough to maintain it's postion.

~n drawings which illustrate embodiments of the invention, Figure A-A' is a cross section of the frame leaf 4 and door frame leaf knuckle 6 assembly, adjustment screw or bolt 1, and the door leaf. Tllere is some space in between the door frame knuckle and adjustment screw or bolt, to enable the screw or bolt to turn freely within the door frame leaf knuckle 4. Figure B-B' is a cross section of the door frame leaf, adjustm~ nt screw or bolt I, and the door leaf knuckle 7 and door leaf assembly 5. There are threads in the door leaf knuckle 7 which are manufactured to function with the screw or bolt 1. Hence as the screw or bolt 1 is turned the threads in the door leaf knuckle function with the screw to prodllce the vertical ~ r~ nn~nt of the door. Figure I is the entire hinge assembly consisting of one centre pin adjustment screw or bolt 1, the screw or bolt head 2, the screw or bolt bottom head 3 ~optional), the door frame leaf 4, the door leaf 5, the three door frame leaf knuckles 6, the two door leaf knuckles 7 with threads machined to compatibility with the threads on the centre E)in screw 1, the door frame leaf mounting holes 8, 9, 10, the door leaf mounting holes 11,12,13. ~ he spaces in between the knuckles 14,15,16 and 17 are used to enable the door frame leaf to mo~ e up and down when the screw 1 is turned. The sum of the spaces 14 and 15 or the sum of the spaces 16 and 17 specify the total vertical ,1;~1,1 ,,. ., .rl .I capability of the door hinge.
There may be variations of the design of the ~djustable hinge as follows. The screw bottom head 3 in Figure 1 is optional and may be removed to simplify the, " - " . r~ 1, ., ;. .~ and installation of the hinge. That is the hinge may be taken ap~rt and its leafs mounted separately onto the door and the door frame such as a traditional non ~ldjustable hinge. The disadvantage of removing the bottom screw head would be that only the to~ screw head may be used for ;~.lj.,~l ,.,....~ It could be ~ ur~ ul~d with different amounts oft~lreaded door leafknuckles and door frame leaf knuckles, for example three door leaf knuckles and four door frame leaf knuckles. There are many other leaf knuckle amount c-~mhin:lti~rl.c which could be used. There are many different types of materials which may be used to ~ ura..~u.~; the hinge such as standard mexpensive metals and other materials.

The vertically adjustable two leafed butted door hinge assembly is as simple to install as it's kaditional non adjustable one. The user screws the door leaf onto the door using the mounting holes and the non threaded leaf onto the dool frame. Once installed, the position of the door is adjusted by screwing or unscrewing the screw in the hinge knuckles until the door closes properly within the door frame.
The invention may be used for any door whi~h may require vertical ad;u~Llll~.lL, either vertically or horizontally. Some examples would be car doors, refrigerator doors, cupboard doors and many other types of ~uLuLu.,.wdl and residential doors that require vertical dd; U:~LLU.,llta.

Claims

Claims The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privelege is claimed are defined as follows.
A vertically adjustable two leafed but hinge comprising of, a door leaf with threads inside it's knuckles, a door frame leaf, a threaded screw or bolt used to hold the hinge leaves to each other and enable bidirectional vertical adjustments of the door position by simply turning the hinge screw or bolt clockwise or counterclockwise.