GB2155538A - Hinge - Google Patents

Abstract

A hinge includes first and second U-shaped members each having parallel limbs of circular cross-section, and first and second hinge plates, each of the hinge plates having first and second limb- receiving journals. One hinge plate is arranged so that it can pivot through 360 DEG relative to the other, the first 180 DEG of this movement being pivoted about a first common axis CA1 defined by collinearity of two axes of pivoting, namely the axis of pivoting of the second limb L2 of the first U-shaped member U1 within the first journal J1 of the second hinge plate P2 and the axis of pivoting of the first limb of the second U-shaped member within the second journal of the first plate, and the second 180 DEG of the said movement being pivoted about a second common axis CA2, defined by collinearity of two axes, namely the axis of pivoting of the first limb of the first U-shaped member within the first journal of the first hinge plate and the axis of pivoting of the second limb of the second U- shaped member within the second journal of the second hinge plate. The U-shaped members may have an additional cross member to form a rectangular frame, Figs. 9, 10 not shown. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Hinge This invention relates to a hinge, and particularly although not exclusively to a hinge useful in joining two or more panels together to make a folding composite panel or space divider screen. Such screens are often useful in exhibitions and conferences, where they can be used to display posters and visual presentations as well as dividing up the space in the desired manner.

According to the invention, a hinge includes first and second U-shaped members each having parallel limbs of circular cross-section, and first and second hinge plates, each of the hinge plates having first and second limbreceiving journals, the arrangement being such that one hinge plate can pivot through 360 relative to the other, the first 180 of this movement being pivoting about a first common axis defined by collinearity of two axes of pivoting, namely the axis of pivoting of the second limbs of the first U-shaped member within the first journal of the second hinge plate and the axis of pivoting of the first limb of the second U-shaped member within the second journal of the first plate, and the second 180 of the said movement being pivoting about a second common axis defined by collinearity of two axes, namely the axis of pivoting of the first limb of the first U-shaped member within the first journal of the first hinge plate and the axis of pivoting of the second limb of the second U-shaped member within the second journal of the second hinge plate.

The invention will be better understood from the following non-limiting description of an example thereof given with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figures 1-3 are diagrams illustrating the principle of operation of the present invention; and Figures 4-8 are perspective views illustrating successive stages in the relative pivotal movement between two hinge plates of one example of hinge according to the invention.

Figures 9 and 10 illustrate an alternative embodiment of the invention.

Referring firstly to Figs. 1-3, these illustrate merely the two U-shaped members used in the present invention, each having a first limb and a second limb. For ease of identification, the second limbs have a short cross- shown thereon but these have no physical significance and are on merely for identification. In Fig. 1, it is indicated that the first and second U-shaped members can pivot about a common axis CA1 which is in effect defined by the collinearity of the axis of the second limb L2 of the first U-shaped member and the first limb L1 of the second U-shaped member.

As seen in Fig. 2, the second U-shaped member has pivoted around this axis through 180 from the position shown in Fig. 1. Thereafter, relative pivoting movement between the two U-shaped members continues in that the second U-shaped member pivots about a second common axis CA2 which is in effect defined by the collinearity of the axis of the first limb of the first U-shaped member and the second limb of the second U-shaped member.

The construction of a hinge according to one example of the invention is illustrated in more detail in Figs. 4-8, in which like parts are represented by like reference codes. The illustrated hinge according to the invention includes a first hinge plate P1 and a second hinge plate P2. As seen, these have holes therein whereby they may be fixed either by bolting, screwing or other convenient means to an edge of a panel. The first hinge plate P1 and the second hinge plate P2 each have first and second journals, the journals being indicated at P1 J1, P1 J2, P2 J1 and P2 J2.

These journals are constructed and arranged to receive the limbs of the first and second members as indicated, the limbs being indicated as U1 L1, U1 L2, U2 L1 and U2 L2. It will be seen that each U-shaped member connects one hinge plate to the other. The arrangement is such that relative pivoting of the two hinge plates can take place at one time about a common axis defined by one pair of journals, one journal being on each hinge plate, and at another time about a second common axis defined by the remaining pair of journals.

Figs. 4-8 illustrate stages in the pivoting movement of one hinge plate P1 relative to another hinge plate P2.

In Fig. 4 the hinge plates P1 and P2 are located in a single plane. In moving to Fig. 5, hinge plate P2 pivots around a common axis CA1. Regarding (for the sake of explanation) plate P1 and journals P1 J1 and P1 J2 as stationary, the hinge plate P2 and its journal P2 J1 pivot around the limb U1 L2 of the first U-shaped member U1. In this movement the first limb U2 L1 pivots within the journal P1 J2. This movement continues until the hinge takes up the configuration illustrated in Fig. 6, the hinge plates then being substantially parallel to each other.As seen in Fig. 7, the pivoting movement then continues about a second common axis CA2, the hinge plate P2 and its journal P2 J2 pivoting around the first limb U2 L1 of the second U-shaped member and the second limb U1 L2 pivoting within the journal P1 J1. This pivoting movement can continue a total of 180 through the position shown in Fig. 8 wherein the hinge plates are co-planar until the two plates are once again substantially parallel to each other, whereupon the hinge is in its folded condition and would appear as in Fig. 6 but with plate P1 visible at the front instead of plate P2 visible at the front as is the case in Fig. 6.

It will be realised that the U-shaped members have a single cross piece or central web.

According to an alternative embodiment of the invention, each U-shaped member can be replaced by a rectangular member having two vertical limbs and two horizontal limbs, that is to say having, in effect, an extra horizontal limb compared to the U-shaped member of Figs. 4-8. In some instances this construction is preferable as giving somewhat greater rigidity. This construction is illustrated in Figs. 9 and 10 but its manner of operation is the same as previously described.

It will be realised that the hinge disclosed herein is extremely simple in construction and straightforward in operation. There are no complicated mechanisms to give rise to problems of failure, malfunction, or difficulties in maintenance.

In the present specification, the term Ushaped member is intended to include the loop members LM1 and LM2 shown in Figs.

9 and 10 and all mechanical equivalents of the members Ul, U2, LM1 and LM2.

Claims (5)

1. A hinge including first and second Ushaped members each having parallel limbs of circular cross-section, and first and second hinge plates, each of the hinge plates having first and second limb-receiving journals, the arrangement being such that one hinge plate can pivot through 360 relative to the other, the first 180 of this movement being pivoting about a first common axis defined by collinearity of two axes of pivoting, namely the axis of pivoting of the second limbs of the first U-shaped member within the first journal of the second hinge plate and the axis of pivoting of the first limb of the second Ushaped member within the second journal of the first plate, and the second 180 of the said movement being pivoting about a second common axis defined by collinearity of two axes, namely the axis of pivoting of the first limb of the first U-shaped member within the first journal of the first hinge plate and the axis of pivoting of the second limb of the second U-shaped member within the second journal of the second hinge plate.

2. A hinge according to claim 1 in which the U-shaped members each have an additional cross-web, thereby having a substantially rectangular configuration.

3. A hinge according to claim 1 or 2 in which each hinge plate is in substance a rectangular whose height is approximately twice its width.

4. A hinge substantially as herein described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

5. Any novel combination or sub-combination disclosed and/or illustrated herein.