GB2364744A

GB2364744A - Adjustable hinge

Info

Publication number: GB2364744A
Application number: GB0114358A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Nigel Philip Shenton
Original assignee: Window Fabrication and Fixing Supplies Ltd
Current assignee: Window Fabrication and Fixing Supplies Ltd
Priority date: 2000-07-07
Filing date: 2001-06-13
Publication date: 2002-02-06
Anticipated expiration: 2021-06-13
Also published as: GB2364744B; GB0114358D0; GB0016624D0

Abstract

A hinge comprises a base 10 adapted for fixing to a frame 66, a hinge pin 31 supported by the base and a hinge member 20 pivotally mounted on the hinge pin 31. The hinge member 20 is adapted for fixing to a door or window to be hung with in the frame 66. Positioning members 41 are mounted on threaded shafts 51 captivated within upstanding ends 12, 13 of the base 10; the positioning members engaging the pin. Rotation of each shaft 51 causes displacement of a respective positioning member 41 and hence displacement of one end of the hinge pin 31. One embodiment (figure 6A) allows "toe and heel" adjustment of the hinge pin 31 relative to the base 10 and a second embodiment (figure 7) allows adjustment of the hung door or window in and out of the frame 66 to adjust the pinch of a seal.

Description

<Desc/Clms Page number 1> Title - Hinge The present invention relates to a hinge, and more particularly, but not exclusively, to an adjustable hinge useful in the hanging of a wing, such as a door or window.

When hanging a wing, for example a door, because the frame into which the door is fitted is seldom perfectly square in form, it is generally necessary to adjust the alignment of the door within the frame to obtain the optimum door position. Such adjustment is commonly referred to as "toe and heel" adjustment.

Adjustability of the alignment of a door in this way is particularly important in the case of modern doors made of materials such as plastics since it is generally not possible for the edges of such doors to be planed in the manner in which the dimensions of conventional timber doors were altered.

Similarly, in some circumstances it is desirable to be able to adjust the position of a wing, for example a door, hinged to a frame, in and out of the frame. This enables adjustment of the pinch of a seal, positioned between the frame and door face.

There has now been devised a hinge which is particularly suitable for the hanging of doors or windows which need to be adjusted in orientation within a door or window frame. According to the present invention there is provided a hinge comprising a base adapted for fixing to a frame, a hinge pin supported by the base, and a hinge member hingedly mounted on the hinge pin, the hinge member being adapted for fixing to a wing to be hung within the frame, a positioning member mounted on a threaded shaft captivated within the base, the positioning member engaging the hinge pin, rotation of the threaded shaft causing displacement of the positioning member and hence displacement of the hinge pin and alteration of the position of the hinge member relative to the base.

The hinge according to the invention is advantageous primarily in that it permits rapid and

easy adjustment of the alignment of a wing, for example, a door or window, within a frame, greatly facilitating the process of hanging the door or window.

The base most preferably has the form of a yoke with a pair of spaced upstands between which the hinge pin is supported. In such a case, the threaded shaft is preferably captivated within one of the upstands.

The threaded shaft preferably takes the form of a grub screw or the like, at least one end of which is formed with a slot or other drive formation. An opening is preferably provided in the wall of the base, in alignment with the threaded shaft, the opening being of sufficient dimension to permit the introduction of a screwdriver or other tool, so that the threaded shaft can be engaged and rotated.

The positioning member preferably has a body with a threaded bore by which the positioning member is mounted on the threaded shaft. An annular socket which receives the hinge pin as a snug fit is preferably mounted on the body, most preferably being formed integrally with the body. Alternatively, a pair of limbs which define a channel may extend from the body in the form of a cradle within which the hinge pin is received.

Most preferably, positioning members are provided at both ends of the hinge pin.

In order to accommodate the positioning member and threaded shaft, the upstands of the base may be of generally hollow construction.

Currently preferred embodiments of the invention will now be described in greater detail, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which Fig 1 is a side elevation, partially cut away, of a first embodiment of an adjustable hinge including a hinge member pivotally connected to a base in accordance with the invention;

Fig 2 is a sectional view on the line II-II in Fig 1; Fig 3 is an end view, on an enlarged scale, of the hinge of Fig 1, with certain components omitted for clarity; Fig 4 is an end view of a support forming part of the hinge of Fig 1, on the same scale as Fig 3; Fig 5 is a side view of the support of Fig 4; Fig 6A is an end view with certain components omitted for clarity, on an enlarged scale, of a second embodiment of a hinge according to the invention, shown fitted to a door and a door frame, with the hinge pin in a first position; Fig 6B is a similar end view of the hinge of Fig 6A, with the hinge pin in a second position; and Fig 7 is an end view with certain components submitted for clarity, on an enlarged scale, of a third embodiment of a hinge according to the invention, shown fitted to a door and door frame.

Referring first to Figure 1, an adjustable hinge according to the invention is generally designated 1 and comprises two principal components : a hinge base 10 and a hinge plate 20. Both the hinge base 10 and the hinge plate 20 are of diecast metal construction.

The hinge base 10 has the form of a yoke, having a planar base part 11 and a pair of spaced upstands 12,13. The base part 11 has three fixing holes 14 by which the hinge base 10 can be fixed to a substrate, eg a door frame.

The upstands 12,13 have internally facing walls 3,5, that is, walls facing each other on either side of the yoke. Elongate slots 15 (see Figure 3) are provided in the walls 3,5 through which a steel hinge pin 31 can pass, so as to be adjustably supported within the upstands 12,13. The

upstands 12,13 are of hollow construction, and a support or positioning member 41 is housed within each upstand 12,13 and supports the hinge pin 31 as described more fully below. The hinge plate 20 is pivotally mounted on the hinge pin 31 by means of a generally cylindrical projection 21, which is offset from the hinge plate 20. The projection 21 has a longitudinal bore 22, and fits between the upstands 12,13 such that the hinge pin 31 passes through the bore 22. A pair of nylon bushes 23 are inserted in opposite ends of the bore 22 in the projection 21 to eliminate metal-to-metal contact between the projection 21 and the upstands 12,13 and between the hinge pin 31 and the internal surfaces of the bore 22 in the projection 21. The hinge plate 20 has two fixing holes 24 by which the hinge plate 20 can be fixed to a wing, for instance, a door.

The manner in which the hinge pin 31 is supported and positioned within the upstands 12,13 will now be described in greater detail. Each positioning member 41, one of which is shown in Figures 4 and 5, comprises a body 42 with a transversely oriented threaded bore 43. The upper part of the positioning member 41 is formed as an annular socket 44, which receives an end of the hinge pin 31.

Threaded grub screws 51, mounted parallel to and alongside the slots 15 of the respective upstands 12,13, are engaged with respective threaded bores 43 of each positioning member 41. Initially, each positioning member 41 is mounted substantially centrally on a respective screw 51, with the socket 44 positioned midway along the slot 15. The screws 51 have a length slightly less than the internal width of the upstands 12,13 so that the screws 51 fit relatively closely between the walls of the upstands 12,13.

End plugs 61 substantially close the open ends of the upstands 12,13, one of which can be seen in Fig 1. The end plugs 61 may be of metal or a suitable plastics material, and have an internal recess 63, within which a respective end of the hinge pin 31 is received. The internal recesses 63 are positioned in alignment with the slots 15. In Figure 3 the end plug 61 has been omitted to expose the positioning member 41 etc. Optionally, shaped plastics caps (not shown) may cover the end plugs 61.

A circular opening 16 is provided on one side of each upstand 12,13. The openings 16 are aligned with the grub screws 51 and have a diameter which is slightly smaller than that of the grub screws 51. The ends of the grub screws 51, which are visible through the openings 16, have a driving slot 52. The grub screws 51 can thus be rotated by means of a screwdriver, which is inserted through the openings 16 to engage the slots 52. Rotation of each grub screw 51 in this way causes the respective positioning member 41 to travel along the threaded grub screw 51, the positioning member 41 thus being laterally displaced within the respective upstand 12, 13, along the slots 15.

The grub screws 51 housed within the two upstands 12,13 can be adjusted independently, thus adjusting the position of the hinge pin 31 and hence the position of the hinge plate 20 relative to the hinge base 10.

By independent adjustment of the grub screws 51 at each end of each hinge by which the door or window is hung, considerable and very easy "toe and heel" adjustment of the door or window is possible.

A further embodiment of the hinge, indicated generally at 64, will now be described with reference to Figs 6A and 6B. The same reference numerals have been used to designate parts in common with the parts described in the first embodiment, shown in Figs 1 to 5. A hinge base 10 is mounted on a door frame 66, and a hinge plate 20 is attached to the edge of a door 68. A seal 70 is fitted in an undercut channel 72 in the side of the door 68 which faces the frame 66, and seals to prevent drafts between the door and frame in conventional manner. An upstand 12, at the upper end of the hinge 64, has a lateral slot 15, and a threaded grub screw 51, mounted alongside and parallel with the slot 15. The grub screw 51 is retained in position by projections 74 and 76, which are cast integrally with the side walls of the upstand 12. A positioning member 41 is threaded onto the grub screw 51, and extends into the slot 15, between the projections 74, 76. An annular socket 44 formed in the positioning member 41, is provided perpendicular to the grub screw 51 and supports one end of a hinge pin 31,

which extends through the slot 15 of the upstand 12. One end of the grub screw 51 is formed with a slot (not shown) for engagement with a screwdriver, and a hole or opening 16 is provided in the side wall of the upstand 12, which provides access to the slot.

Rotation of the grub screw 51, by means of a screwdriver causes the positioning member 41 to move along the grub screw. The end of the positioning member 41, which is situated in the channel 15, is guided by a planar surface 78, which is also parallel with the grub screw 51, and is integrally cast with the upstand 12. In Fig 6A, the positioning member 41 is shown midway along the grub screw 51, and consequently the axis of the hinge pin 31 is positioned centrally in the upstand 12, mid way along the slot 15. As the grub screw 51 is rotated, for example clockwise, the positioning member 41 moves along the grub screw and slot 15 in the direction of arrow A. The movement of the positioning member 41 is limited by the projections 74 and 76 on one side of the upstand 12, which act as stops, as shown in Fig 6B. The projections 74 on either side of the upstand 12 are shaped to correspond with the external shape of the positioning member 41.

A pair of vertically extending pins 80 provided at one end of the upstand 12, and a part circular vertically extending pin 82 cast into the side wall at the other end of the upstand 12 provide a location for an end plug (not shown), similar to that shown in Fig 1. A projection 84 of square cross section extends perpendicularly from the positioning member 41 in alignment with the grub screw 51, which is located in a lateral recess in the end plug. The walls of the recess add to the support of the positioning member 41 in the upstand 12. A plastics cover (not shown), may also be provided to enhance the appearance of the end of the upstand 12.

The features of the upstand 12 are mirrored in an upstand 13, provided at the other end of the hinge base 10, in the manner of a yoke as shown in Fig 1. As in the first embodiment described, adjustment of the position of the hinge pin 31 is possible independently at either end of the hinge pin for adjusting the "toe and heel" of a wing, such as a door or window mounted in a frame.

A further embodiment of the invention will now be described with reference to Fig 7. A hinge, indicated at 164 comprises a base 110 mounted on a door frame 166, and a hinge plate 120 attached to the edge of a door 168. A seal 170 is fitted in an undercut channel 172 in the side of the door 168 which faces the frame 166, and seals to prevent drafts between the door and frame in conventional manner.

As in the manner of the previous embodiment, an upstand 112, at the upper end of the hinge 164 has a lateral slot 115 and a threaded grub screw l51, mounted alongside and parallel with the slot 115. The grub screw 151 is retained in position by projections 174 and 176, which are integrally cast with the upstand 112. A positioning member 141 is threaded on to the grub screw 151 and extends into the slot 115, between the projections 174. An annular socket 144 formed in the positioning member 141 is provided perpendicular to the grub screw 151 and supports one end of a hinge pin 131, which extends through the slot 115 of the upstand 112. One end of the grub screw 151 is formed with a slot (not shown) for engagement with a screwdriver, and a hole or opening 116 (shown in dotted outline) is provided in the end wall of the upstand 112, which provides access to the slot.

Rotation of the grub screw 151, by means of a screwdriver causes the positioning member 141 to move along the grub screw. If, for example the grub screw is rotated in a clockwise direction, then the positioning member 141 would tend to move in a direction towards the door frame 166, as indicated by arrow B. This movement would tend to pinch the seal 170, positioned between the door frame 166 and door face.

As in the previous embodiment, the features of the upstand 112 are mirrored in an upstand provided at the other end of the hinge base 110, in the manner of a yolk as shown in Fig 1. Adjustment of the position of the hinge pin 131 is possible independently at either end of the hinge pin, for adjusting the pinch of a seal, positi^ned between a door or window mounted in a frame.

Claims

CLAIMS 1. A hinge comprising a base adapted for fixing to a frame, a hinge pin supported by the base, and a hinge member hingedly mounted on the hinge pin, the hinge member being adapted for fixing to a wing to be hung within the frame, a positioning member mounted on a threaded shaft captivated within the base, the positioning member engaging the hinge pin, rotation of the threaded shaft causing displacement of the positioning member and hence displacement of the hinge pin and alteration of the position of the hinge member relative to the base.
2. A hinge as claimed in claim 1 in which the base has the form of a yoke with a pair of spaced upstands between which the hinge pin is supported.
3. A hinge as claimed in claim 2 in which the threaded shaft is captivated within one of the upstands.
4. A hinge as claimed in claim 1 in which the threaded shaft is a grub screw, one end of which is formed with a slot or other drive formation.
5. A hinge as claimed in claim 1 in which an opening is provided in the wall of the base, in alignment with the threaded shaft, the opening being of sufficient dimension to permit the introduction of a screwdriver or other tool, enabling engagement and rotation of the threaded shaft.
6. A hinge as claimed in claim 1 in which the positioning member has a body with a threaded bore by which the positioning member is mounted on the threaded shaft.
7. A hinge as claimed in claim 6 in which an annular socket, which receives the hinge pin as a snug fit, is formed on the body of the positioning member.
8. A hinge as claimed in claim 7 in which the annular socket is formed integrally with the body.

<Desc/Clms Page number 9>
9. A hinge as claimed in claim 6 in which a pair of limbs extend from the body in the form of a cradle within which the hinge pin is received.
10. A hinge as claimed in claim 1 in which positioning members are provided at both ends of the hinge pin.
11. A hinge as claimed in claim 1 in which the upstands of the base are of generally hollow construction.
12. A hinge substantially as described herein with reference to and as illustrated in Figs 1 to 5, and Figs 6A and 6B of the accompanying drawings.