GB2339238A

GB2339238A - Adjustable hinge

Info

Publication number: GB2339238A
Application number: GB9915387A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Nigel Pugson; Frank James Hopps
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1998-07-02
Filing date: 1999-07-02
Publication date: 2000-01-19
Also published as: GB9915387D0; GB9814264D0

Description

2339238 Improvements relating to Hinges This invention relates to hinges.

It is particularly intended for hinges supporting wooden doors exposed to the weather. As the seasons pass such doors are subjected to widely varying humidity and temperatures, and while in summer they may close easily, in winter they may swell and jam. It is neither practical nor sensible to shave bits off the door, or permanently adjust the hinges, to cope with this since when the door dries out it will shrink and leave large gaps.

It is the aim of this invention to enable certain adjustments to be made by means of the hinges alone, without removing them from the jamb or door. One desirable adjustment is to raise and lower the door, and another is to push the door in its own plane away from the hinges, or pull it in the opposite direction, either as a solely translatory movement or to tilt the door in its own plane.

In this specification, the term "axial" will refer to the longitudinal direction of the hinge pin, and it will be assumed that the hinge is positioned with that pin vertical.

According to one aspect of the present invention there is provided a hinge with flanges connected by a pin through sets of inter- digitat ing lugs, the lugs having dimensions allowing relative axial movement between the flanges of the hinge, wherein screw means engaged with one set of lugs and co-operating with the other set are adjustable to set the relative axial position of the flanges.

The co-operation is conveniently a lug of the other set 2 bearing on part of the screw means.

Preferably there is symmetry providing for screw adjustability whichever way up the hinge is used. Thus the part of the screw means used to support a lug of said other set when the hinge is in one orientation can also bear on that lug when the hinge is in the other orientation, serving to limit axial play.

Conveniently, the screw means are sleeves through which the hinge pin passes and which have screw threaded engage- ment in opposite directions into adjacent lugs of said one set, a lug of the other set being confined between the exposed ends of said sleeves. The exposed end portions of the sleeves may be enlarged and adapted for rotation by a compatible tool. Generally there will be means for locking the screw means in their set positions.

According to another aspect of the present invention there is provided a hinge with a flange having screw means for engaging the structure by which it is carried and enabling that flange to be adjusted generally perpendicular- ly to its plane.

In the preferred form the flange has a backing place for fixing to a door jamb or the like and the screw means comprises at least one bolt with one end captive but rotatable relative to the plate when so fixed, the other end then projecting to have screw threaded engagement with an aperture in the flange and being adapted for rotation by a tool through said aperture.

It is advantageous for the backing plate to have a 3 projecting rim to support the lower end of the flange.

The other flange may be recessed or apertured to accommodate the other end of the or each bolt when the hinge is closed.

Both these aspects will preferably be combined in one hinge.

For a better understanding of the invention, one embodiment will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective, partly exploded view of a hinge, Figure 2 is a front view of one flange of the hinge, with the hinge pin indicated in outline, Figure 3 is a front view of another flange of the hinge, with the hinge pin indicated in outline, Figure 4 is a face view of a locating plate for said other flange, Figure 5 is a perspective view of the locating plate, Figure 6 shows one of two similar screw threaded sleeves partly visible in Figure 3, and Figure 7 shows side and end views of one of two adjusting bolts, partly visible in Figure 1.

Superficially, the hinge is of conventional form with two rectangular flanges 1 and 2 joined by a hinge pin 3 through two sets of aligned lugs 4 and 5 along adjacent flange edges, one set inter-digitating with the other. In this example, there is just one lug 4 on the flange 1 between two lugs 5 on the flange 2, but it will be under- 4 stood that there could be more. The axial length of the lug 4 is substantially less than the spacing between the lugs 5 so that the flanges 1 and 2 can move relative to one another in their longitudinal directions. The flange 1 has countersunk holes 6 for screw attachment to a door, and two slots 7 on its vertical centre line, the purpose of which is explained below. The bore through the lug 4 is plain and the hinge pin fits closely but rotatably through it.

The lugs 5 of the other flange 2 have larger screw threaded bores into the inner ends of which engage externally screw threaded sleeves 8. The hinge pin 3 is a close but rotatable fit through these sleeves 8 and, when fitted, its ends are enlarged to retain it by engagement with the outer ends of the lugs 5. The sleeves 8 have slightly enlarged heads 9 which limit their axial movement into the lugs 5, and which are adapted, for example by holes 10, to be engaged by a tool by which they can be rotated. When screwed fully home, the gap between the heads 9 is still significantly larger than the axial length of the lug 4.

The sleeves 8 can be locked in any adjusted position by grub screws 11 engaged in the lugs 5.

on the vertical centre line of the flange 2 there are two screw threaded apertures 12. These receive squat bolts 13 the ends of whose stems each have a transverse slot 14 or other formation for a screwdriver. It is this end that will be exposed, as explained below, and not the countersunk head 15.

The flange 2 is not directly attached to a door jamb.

It is designed to seat in a plate 16 with a rim 17 along the two short sides and one of the long ones. This plate has two apertures 18 on its vertical centre line, and they are countersunk on the reverse side, as indicated in broken lines, to receive the heads 15 of the bolts 13. The plate also has countersunk holes 19 for its screw attachment into a rebate cut in the door jamb.

In order to conceal the gap that may be necessary between the flange 2 and the plate 16, the flange 2 may have a sub-flange 20, as shown in Figure 1, along the edge carrying the lugs 5 and projecting to the rear.

As sold, the flanges 1 and 2 will be hinged together by the pin 3. But the plate 16 will be separate, or at least it will have to be separated from the plate 2 for installa- tion. It is screwed into place in the prepared rebate with the bolts 13 trapped by their heads 15 and with their threaded stems projecting out through the apertures 18. The edge without the rim 17 aligns with the free edge of the rebate. Then the main part of the hinge can be offered up, the flange 2 registering over the plate 16. A screwdriver is applied to turn the bolts 13 and engage them in the threaded apertures 12. Initially, the flange 2 may be abutted tight against the plate 16, but later adjustment may be necessary.

Usually, this operation will be performed with the flange 1 already secured to the door. The hinge, and the others like it, is now adjusted to set the door in the optimum position. The lower sleeve 8 can be turned by its 6 head 9, and since the lug 4 bears on that head, the door will be raised or lowered. During this operation, the upper sleeve 8 will be screwed home, keeping its head 9 out of the way. But when the door is at the correct height, the upper sleeve 8 will be turned to bring its head 9 lightly down on to the upper end of the lug 4 to prevent vertical play. Then the grub screws 11 are tightened and the door height is set.

If adjustment is required horizontally in the plane of the door, then the bolts 13 are rotated. If the plate 16 is abutted by the flange 2, then turning the bolts in one direction will cause their heads 15 to bear on the rebate behind the plate 16 and push the flange 2 away from the jamb. The adjustment will generally not be very great and the flange 2 will not normally be shifted clear of the rim 17. Therefore the lower leg of that rim will provide support for the flange 2 (and thus for the door) and the load will not be entirely sustained by the bolts 13. If the door needs to move back in the opposite direction, then reversing the turn on the bolts 13 draws the flange 2 towards the plate 16 using the engagement of the heads 15 with the countersunk mouths of the apertures 18 on the reverse of the plate.

The slots 7 in the flange 1 are provided to accommodate the exposed slotted ends of the bolts 13 whatever the vertical adjustment of that flange 1 relative to the flange 2. If necessary, the rebate for the flange 1 may be gouged out locally below the slots 7 to accommodate the ends of the 7 bolts 13. But for short bolts 13, there may just be recesses in the flange 1 rather than slots.

It will be appreciated that the hinge shown and described has a symmetry allowing it to be reversed and used the other way up in exactly the same way.

It will also be understood that small hinges may require only one bolt 13, while large ones could have more than two. Indeed it may prove necessary generally to have at least three for most heavy duty applications, and for stability those should not be in a straight, vertical line parallel to the hinge axis.

8

Claims

1 A hinge with flanges connected by a pin through sets of interdigitating lugs, the lugs having dimensions allowing relative axial movement between the flanges of the hinge, wherein screw means engaged with one set of lugs and cooperating with the other set are adjustable to set the relative axial position of the flanges.

2. A hinge as claimed in Claim 1, wherein the co-operation is a lug of the other set bearing on part of the screw means.

3. A hinge as claimed in Claim 1 or 2, wherein there is symmetry providing for screw adjustability whichever way up the hinge is used.

4. A hinge as claimed in Claims 2 and 3, wherein the part is of the screw means used to support a lug of said other set when the hinge is in one orientation can also bear on that lug when the hinge is in the other orientation, serving to limit axial play.

5. A hinge as claimed in any preceding Claim, wherein the screw means are sleeves through which the hinge pin passes and which have screw threaded engagement in opposite directions into adjacent lugs of said one set, a lug of the other set being confined between the exposed ends of said sleeves.

6. A hinge as claimed in Claim 5, wherein the exposed end portions of the sleeves are enlarged and adapted for 9 rotation by a compatible tool.

7. A hinge as claimed in any preceding Claim, and including means for locking the screw means in their set positions.

8. A hinge with a flange having screw means for engaging the structure by which it is carried and enabling that flange to be adjusted generally perpendicularly to its plane.

9. A hinge as claimed in Claim 8, wherein the flange has a backing plate for fixing to a door jamb or the like and the screw means comprises at least one bolt with one end captive but rotatable relative to the plate when so fixed, the other end then projecting to have screw threaded engagement with an aperture in the flange and being adapted for rotation by a tool through said aperture.

10. A hinge as claimed in any one of Claims 4 to 9, and including means for locking the screw means in their set positions.

10. A hinge as claimed in Claim 9, wherein the backing plate has a projecting rim to support the lower end of the flange.

11. A hinge as claimed in Claim 9 or 10, wherein he other flange is recessed or apertured to accommodate the other end of the or each bolt when the hinge is closed.

12. A hinge as claimed in any one of Claims 1 to 7, and as claimed in Claim 9, 10,

11.

Amendments to the claims have been filed as follows Claims 1. A hinge with a flange having screw means for engaging the structure by which it is carried and enabling that flange to be adjusted generally perpendicular to its plane, wherein the flange has a backing plate for fixing to a door jamb or the like and the screw means comprises at least one bolt with one end captive but rotatable relative to the plate when so fixed, the other end then projecting to have screw threaded engagement with an aperture in the flange and being adapted for rotation by a tool.

2. A hinge as claimed in Claim 1, wherein the backing plate has a projecting rim to support the lower end of the flange.

3. A hinge as claimed in Claim 1 or 2, wherein the other flange is recessed or apertured to accommodate the other end of the or each bolt when the hinge is closed.

4. A hinge as claimed in Claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein the flanges are connected by a pin through sets of inter digitating lugs, the lugs having dimensions allowing relative axial movement between the flanges of the hinge, and wherein screw means engaged with one set of lugs and co operating with the other set are adjustable to set the relative axial position of the flanges.

S. A hinge as claimed in Claim 4, wherein the co-operation is a lug of the other set bearing on part of the screw means.

if 6. A hinge as claimed in Claim 4 or 5, wherein there is symmetry providing for screw adjustability whichever way up the hinge is used.

7. A hinge as claimed in Claim 5 and 6, wherein the part 5 of the screw means used to support a lug of said other set when the hinge is in one orientation can also bear on that lug when the hinge is in the other orientation, serving to limit axial play.

8. A hinge as claimed in any one of Claims 4 to 7, wherein the screw means are sleeves through which the hinge pin passes and which have screw threaded engagement in opposite directions into adjacent lugs of said one set, a lug of the other set being confined between the exposed ends of said sleeves.

is 9. A hinge as claimed in Claim 8, wherein the exposed end portions of the sleeves are enlarged and adapted for rotation by a compatible tool.