GB2398832A

GB2398832A - Hinge support with alignment tolerance between hinges

Info

Publication number: GB2398832A
Application number: GB0402919A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Barry Richard Baker; Gary James Tate
Original assignee: TATE FENCING Ltd
Current assignee: TATE FENCING Ltd
Priority date: 2003-02-26
Filing date: 2004-02-10
Publication date: 2004-09-01
Anticipated expiration: 2024-02-10
Also published as: GB0304369D0; GB0402919D0; GB2398832B

Abstract

A hinge support arrangement for a gate or like structure comprises a first leaf member 1 adapted to be secured to a gate or like structure 3 preferably by means of a U-shaped member 2, and a second leaf member 11 adapted to be connected to a pivoting member, wherein the first and second leaf members are connected together by interconnecting means and spaced apart by a spacing member 13. The spacing member preferably takes the form of a pressure pad with a boss for accurate location. The connecting means preferably comprises of at least one annulus 5 which is secured to the leaf members by bolts 6, 8 and nuts 7, 9. The support arrangement can be used in automatic gates, wherein the pivoting member would be a splined drive shaft 16 of an electric motor 17, said shaft being engaged with a splined boss 15 secured to the second leaf member 11. The flexibility inherent in the hinge support reduces the tolerance required in the alignment of hinges and permits an upper hinge to deflect from the vertical by up to 5 degrees.

Description

Title: IMPROVEMENTS IN HINGES This invention relates to improvements in

hinges and is particularly concerned with an improved hinge for a gate or like structure.

According to the invention, there is provided a hinge for a gate or like structure which comprises a first member adapted to be secured to a gate or like structure and a second member adapted to be connected to a pivoting member which is located in a fixed structure, wherein the first and second members are interconnected by interconnecting means and are spaced apart by a spacing I o member.

Preferably the spacing member takes the form of a pressure pad and is provided with means for locating it on at least one of said first and second members.

The interconnecting means desirably comprise at least one annulus or disc which is located between the first and second members and is connected to both of them. Preferably, at least two annul) or discs are provided.

Each of the first and second members preferably takes the form of a strip, the longitudinal axis of the first strip being located substantially at right angles to the longitudinal axis of the second strip.

so According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the pivoting member takes the form of a drive shaft of an electric motor which is located either on or below the surface of the ground and from which the drive shaft projects in a substantially vertical direction.

The invention will now be described in detail, by way of example, with reference to the drawings, in which: Fg. I is a side elevation of one embodiment of a hinge according to the invention; s Fig. 2 is a section taken the line II -11 in Fig. 1 in the direction of the arrows; Fig. 3 is a plan view showing the first and second members of the hinge as well as the interconnecting means; Fig. 4 is a plan view of the second member of the hinge; lo Fig. 5 is a section taken on the line V - V in Fig. I in the direction of the arrows; Fig. 6 is a side elevation of a second embodiment of a hinge according to the invention; Fig. 7 is a section taken on the line VII - VII in Fig. 6 in the direction of the arrows; Fig. 8 is a plan view showing the first and second members of the hinge as well as the interconnecting means; Fig. 9 is a plan view of the second member of the hinge; and Fig. 10 is a section taken on the line X - X in Fig. 6 in the direction of the arrows. !

In the drawings, like parts are denoted by the reference numerals.

Reference will first be made to Figs. 1 to 5 of the drawings in which a hinge according to the invention comprises a first leaf member 1 in the form of a strip which is secured, for example by welding, to a U-shaped channel member 2 which is adapted to receive one of the lower corners of a gate or like structure 3.

The channel member 2 is secured to the gate 3 by screws or bolts 4.

As shown in Figs. 1 and 3, the first leaf member 1 is secured to one side of an annulus 5 by countersunk bolts 6 and nuts 7 and the ends of the leaf member 1 are curved to conform with the outer curved periphery of the annulus 5. A second lo leaf member 11 in the form of a strip is secured to the other side of the annulus 5 by countersunk bolts 8 and nuts 9 and the ends of the leaf member 11 are likewise curved to conform with the outer curved periphery of the annulus 5. The longitudinal axis of the second leaf member 11 extends substantially at right angles to the longitudinal axis of the first leaf member 1.

5Interposed between the leaf members 1 and 11 at the point at which they intersect is a spacing member in the form of a pressure pad 13. As shown in Fig. 2, the pressure pad is substantially T-shaped in cross-section and the leg 14 of the pad is located in a central bore 12 which is substantially at the centre of the leaf member 11. This arrangement ensures that the pressure pad 13 is correctly located between the leaf members 1 and 11.

The side of the leaf member 11 remote from the pressure pad 13 and annulus 5 is secured, for example by welding, to a splined boss l5 which is designed to fit over and engage with a splined drive 16 of a drive unit 17 such as an electric motor.

In order to install the hinge according to the invention, the drive unit 17 will normally be located in the ground adjacent to a gate post with only the splined drive shaft 16 located above the ground surface. The Ushaped channel member 2 is secured to the corner of a gate or like structure 3 and the splined boss is then fitted onto the splined drive shaft]6. This hinge will be located adjacent to the bottom of the gate which has a conventional upper hinge connecting it to the gatepost.

It has been found that the hinge according to the invention provides a flexible coupling which permits the upper hinge to deflect from the vertical by up to 5 which equates to 25mrn off of plumb for every 300 mm in height between the flexible coupling of the invention and the upper hinge seat.

The leaf members 1 and 11 preferably take the form of 120 x 40 x 5mm lo mild steel plates and the annulus 5 is desirably made of stainless steel.

The embodiment shown in Figs. 6 - 10 of the drawings is similar to the embodiment shown in Figs. 1 to 5 except that the countersunk bolts 6 and 8 are replaced by hexagonal bolts 6' and 8' respectively. Washers 18 are interposed between the heads of the bolts 6' and 8' and the leaf members 1 and 11 respectively and between the nuts 7 and 9 and the leaf members I and 11 respectively. By utilising hexagonal bolts 6' and 8', it is unnecessary to provide countersinks in the leaf members 1 and 11 which thus simplifies manufacture and reduces cost.

Further, in the embodiment shown in Figs. 6 - 10 of the drawings, the stainless steel annulus 5 is replaced by two hardened stainless steel rings 19 each of which is approximately O.9mm thick. It has been found that by employing hardened stainless steel rings, the hinge arrangement is four times stronger than when a single stainless steel annulus is used but, at the same time, greater flexibility is achieved. If desired, three or even more hardened stainless steel rings may be utilised for greater torsion.

The embodiment shown in Figs. 6 to 10 is otherwise substantially the same as the embodiment shown in Figs. l to 5 of the drawings.

A further advantage of the hinge according to the invention is that the drive unit can be offset from the upper hinge which allows the closing end of a gate or like structure to rise up as the gate or like structure opens, thus clearing any increase in internal drive levels.

Wooden gates invariably drop after manufacture because of take-up in the joints. The hinge according to the invention will allow a gate to be readjusted after the hinge points are set without causing wear to bearings inside the drive lo unit. The same applies if a gate should become twisted.

The invention is not restricted to the above-described embodiments but variations and modifications are possible without departing from the scope of the invention. For example, instead of a U-shaped channel member 2, the first leaf member 1 may be secured, such as by welding, to a plate or shoe which is secured by screws or bolts to a gate or like structure. Further, the invention is not restricted to wooden gates or like structures but could also be used with metal gates or like structures. In the latter case, the first leaf member 1 can be secured i directly to the gate or like structure, for example by welding. If a metal gate or like structure is not square or is twisted, the hinge according to the invention can take up any tolerances.

While the invention is primarily intended for use with automatic gates and like structures, it should be noted that the invention is not restricted to such use.

Claims

1. A hinge for a gate or like structure, said hinge comprising a first member adapted to be secured to a gate or like structure and a second member adapted to be connected to a pivoting member which is located in a fixed structure, wherein the first and second members are interconnected by interconnecting means and are spaced apart by a spacing member.

2. A hinge according to claim 1, wherein the spacing member comprises a pressure pad.

3. A hinge according to claim 2, wherein means are provided for locating the lo pressure pad on at least one of said first and second members.

4. A hinge according to claim 3, wherein the pressure pad is substantially T- shaped in cross-section and wherein the second member is provided with a bore adapted to receive the leg of the T-sectioned pressure pad.

5. A hinge according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the interconnecting means comprise at least one annulus or disc which is located between the first and second members and is connected to both of them.

6. A hinge according to claim 5, wherein the interconnecting means comprise an annulus made of stainless steel.

7. A hinge according to claim 5, wherein the interconnecting means comprise at least two annul) or discs located between the first and second members and connected to both of them.

8. A hinge according to claim 7, wherein the interconnecting means comprise annul) made of hardened stainless steel.

9. A hinge according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein each of the first and second members takes the form of a strip, the longitudinal axis of the first strip being located substantially at right angles to the longitudinal axis of the second strip.

10. A hinge according to claim 9, wherein the first strip is secured to a U shaped channel member adapted to receive a lower corner of a gate or like structure.

11. A hinge according to claim 9 or claim 10, wherein a splined boss is secured to the second strip.

lo

12. A hinge according to claim 11, wherein the pivoting member comprises a splined drive shaft of an electric motor, said shaft being engageable with the splined boss on the second strip.

13. A hinge according to claim 12, wherein the splined drive shaft is arranged, when installed, to extend in a substantially vertical direction.

14. A hinge for a gate or like structure, said hinge being substantially as described herein with reference to Figs. 1 to 5 of the drawings.

15. A hinge for a gate or like structure, said hinge being substantially as described herein with reference to Figs. 6 to 10 of the drawings.