US1949581A - Mounting for vehicle doors and the like - Google Patents

Description

March 6, l934- a. c. PLACE MOUNTING FOR VEHICLE DOORS AND THE LIKE Filed NOV. 15, 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet l lll/111111111 IIII.

7017 6 P/dc'@ March 6, 1934. B c, PLACE 1,949,581

MOUNTING FOR VEHICLE DOORS AND THE LIKE Filed Nov. l5, 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 nl f e l. ntented :Mai-.9.6, '19347' Y 1 ,MOUVNTING FOR VEHICLE DOORS AND THE f` n 'K LIKE f Bion C. Place, Detroit, Mich., assignor of one-half y p' c 4 torGeorge E. Gagnler, Detroit, Mich.

f1 ,Application November `15, 1930, Serial No. 495,995

n y 7 claims. (01.296-44) This, invention relates to mountings forpivoted likely to swing open whenfan occupant is leanclosure elements such, for example, as vehicle ing thereagainst, with'dire results if the vehicle doors and the like. Itisthe general object of the is in motion. 1

presentinvention to providean improved mount- Accordingly, the major objects of the presen Aiing,arrangement of f this typefand, moreV speciinvention aretoimprove upon present-day hinges e0 cally, to design suchL amounting for particular and door mountings and to remedy the defects applicationto the` doors yotautomobile bodies. and disadvantages pointed out in the preceding The common practice rin present day vehicle discussion. The general and more speciiic ob body construction is to mount each of the doors jects, through which my major objects are accom- 10 upona pair or more ofV individual spaced hinges of plished, are as follows: .I L

a conventional type. fr The door, [especially one of It is an object of my invention to design an imyall `metal Aconstructiomvand having a plate glass proved mounting or hinge, for swinging doors. window, is-too heavy to be properly supported in which will in itself provide a sumcient support for vthis fashion. It will sagV when open and the indithe door throughout the life of the latter and rl5 vidual hinges j will become distorted or loosened regardless of what position the latter may be in. 70 l 'through' constantl usev Sagfg'ing and distortion This may be accomplished without reenforcement cause the door to swing improperly, with conseand Without the provision of additional supportquent dimculty insclosing it and with difficulty in ins devices at the lathed side 0f thedoor. j bringing the several latch portions into interen- Another important object of the present inven- 4. gaging alignment. Manufacturers haveattempttion is that of providing a hinge structure for an 1| ed` to refenforce the individual hinges, and have alltOmOble dOOI 0r the like. Which Structure Shall placedy coactin'g lugsand sockets `on the body and be invisible from the outer side of the door in all ytheunhinged side of the door respectively .to pro- DOStOnS 0f the letter. vide additionalsupport forlthe door when closed. A further Object 0f this invention iS t0 Provide The door and bodyarethus locked together at a an automobile door mounting which will serve 90 kplurality ofvpointsr kand hence, when the body beto close the door automatically and to resist comes momentarily slightly twisted or subjected to Opening movement of the latter: which Will Subshock, as the vehicle passes over road irregularistantially eliminate the usual rattles and squeaks ties, rattling and squeaky noises emanate from caused by relative movement between the door y Ithe (numerouspoints ofinterlockin'g. and the body; and which will permit the use oi el A further undesirable ,feature of the old type an inexpensive latch'with relatively loosely inter- {hin'ges is that they project-outwardly beyond the fitting parts.

"vehicle bodyy to y, destroyy its otherwise pleasing Still another object resides in the provision of .,'streamline effect,..fand to placeoiland accumua spring-closed automobile door in combination lated dirt where it can bewiped oil easily and with a checking device for preventing too rapid 00 L. inadvertently by `the clothing of those persons usclosingy movement that might break the glass, dising ,they automobile. .V tort the hinges or cause personal injuries. In n As recommended bythe distributors in the autothis connection it is an important object to disrnotive'industry, the doors ymust be kept closed at pose the checking device in a concealed position. 4.0 all times whennotrin-usein order to prevent sag- These and further objects will more fully ap- M f ging.A and to prevent them from being inadvertentpear from a study of the following detailed dely damaged oretornoff by trees orv the like Whenthe scription of preferred embodiments of the inven- `vehicle isput into motion. This recommendation tion illustrated in the accompanying drawings. f, mustberobserved because the doors are manually. In the drawings: i

Y and? not `automatically,closed.V Due to the lack Figure 1 isa view, in outside elevation, of a 100 0f veutOlhefl'fie,elsille(elldthe Provision of a reladoor mounted at its pivotal edge upon a portion j tively expensivelatch, mechanism that must work of an automobile body in the manner contemf ,Withprecsion' andacourecy ill order t0 help SUP- plated in the present invention. Y y n .g portthefdoor andmaintan'it tightly closed, it is Figure 2 represents a side elevational view ot 4 50 y, often necessaryto Slam thek (1001' With greet fOICe the right side of the structure of Figure 1. 105 `in order to cause the bollito enter intO tS keepel'- Figure 3 shows, in enlarged perspective when` This' results `in breakage of glass, and wear and looking at the door from its inner side. an upper ffdistszirtion of the,r hinges, ,Moreoven since no corner of the door together with a portion of the means, auxiliary to the latch; is provided for main-V preferred hinge structure and a checking device. 5e taininglthek door in closed position, the latter isy The supporting pillar of Figures 1 and! has been 110 minating in a cylindrical sleeve 19 (see Figure 5).

.a plurality of vertically spaced and aligned sleeves 19 that are maintained in a fixed position reladoor position. Open position of the door is shown in broken lines.

Figure 6 is a section similar to that of Figure 5, but taken along the plane of `line 6-6 in Figure 3.

Figure 7 is a detailed View of one of the springs l employed in the hinge structureof Figures 3, 5

`and 6.

Figure 8 is an enlarged partial section taken along the vertical plane of line 8--8 in Figure 3, vandwith a portion of the vehicle body and interior trimming added to show the manner in which the ,checking device is concealed and associated with the body. Y

With further reference to the drawings, wherein like numerals are employed to designate like parts, numeral 10 indicates a door forming a part of the body of a vehicle (not shown). The door is supported by a pillar 12 for swinging movement about a vertical axis. The pillar may be a conventional upright post of the `vehicle frame revamped to adapt it for receiving and concealing the hinge structure (later described), or it may be a specially designed casing in the form of a post adapted to be built into the body structure. Because of its peculiar shape and functions hereinafter appearing more fully, the pillar may properly` be called either a part of the vehicle body or a part of the hinge structure.

l. With particular reference to Figures 3, 5 and 6,

l the pivoted edge ofthe door has secured thereto,

as by rivets or spot welding, a strengthening and supporting strip of metal 14, The strip 14 is L-shaped in horizontal section and extends vertically substantially throughout the length of the door. Along its vertex or line of bending, the strip 14 has a plurality of spaced slits l5 cut therein in vertically aligned relationship to receive portions of a specially designed multiplefingered hinge leaf, designated generally by numeral 16.

The leaf 16 comprises an elongated, flat vertical strip 17 rigidly secured to the edge of the door by the same rivets, 13, which fastened the element 14 to the door, and further comprises a plurality of spaced fingers 18 formed integral with the strip 17. As illustrated, these fingers preferl ably are formed by bending, in each instance, a 'single horizontal and narrow strip of material of the main strip 17 to form a curved loop ter- After thelformation of the sleeve, the strip is bent backwardly upon itself until its free end 20 reaches the main strip 17, and thence it is passed through one of the slits 15 of the angle membern 14. The end 20 is then riveted, as at 21, into engagement with theinterior side of the longitudinal face ofthe angle member.

The hinge leaf Vunder discussion thus Vcomprises.

`tiveto `the door. This relative fixed position may become of prime importance, as will be explained later, but it should be understood that multiple downward movement.

fingers may be formed by other methods and in other ways than that just outlined. 'I'he number of fingers necessary is determined by the weight of the door, and by the length of the latter. They may continue throughout the length of that portion of the door which is flat and of uniform thickness. (Some vehicle doors are gradually curved to form a thin `lower edge, as seen in Figure 2.) The sleeves 19 receive a common cylindrical pin 22 which passes vertically therethrough to provide a pivotal axis for swinging movement of the,` door. The other leaf of the hinge, that is, the one which supports the pin 22 to x its axis with respect to the body of the vehicle, will now be described.

A sheet metal angle bar 23, L-shaped in horiV aontal cross section and elongated vertically to substantially the same length as the angle bar 14, is utilized to mount the pin 22 on the vehicle body. One wing, 24, of the bar 23 is in surface contact with the metal strip 17, when the door is in its illustrated closed position, and isslotted opposite each looped finger 18 to provide a plurality of spaced supporting tabs `25 which alternate with the lingers 18 throughout the length of the hinge. Each tab 25, except the top one, is freely disposed between a pair of the fingers 18, and each tab has a vhole 26 for the reception of a screw 27 that fastens it to the pillar l2 in manner later to be described.

The other wing, 28, of the angle bar '23 is shaped to provide a plurality of s paced fingers 29 each of which, except the top one, is spaced between a. pair of the lingers 18 and is of a width `about one half asV great as the distance between the fingers 18. The free ends of the fingers 29`are rolled or bent to form a set of cylindrical `sleeves 30 in alignment with the sleeves 19 of the other hinge leaf. The long pin 22 passes vertically y through the sleeves 30 as well as the sleeves 19, and is provided with a head 31 `for limiting its The pillar l2 (see Figures 4, 5 and 6), comprises an elongated LJ-shaped channel member 32 of substantially the same thickness vas the door, the

ends of this member being firmly supported by the body structure Y(not shown). The open side of the channel faces the door lhinge and receives the latter to completely conceal it from external,v

33 are provided with threaded openings 34 for v.

the reception of the threaded lends of the screws 27 that pass through the tabs 25, wherebythe tabs 25 are firmly locked stationarily uponthe lugs 33. cally if desired, and floatingnuts placed behind them to receive the threads of screws 27,` in this manner providing for a vertical adjustmentof the entire door. The loopednngers 18 of the swinging hinge leaf` are freely received inthe channel member between the lugs 33, and hence are permitted to osci-llate in the channel without restriction as the door is opened or`closed.

In order to increase thefrigidity ofthe chan` nel member 32 and to strengthen the supporting lIfhe holes 34 may be elongated vertl` iao lugs 33, an Velongated ,bridging element 35 of special shape is built into the channel of ,the L with the ihner- ,surfaced .one Side .of .th uclnrlnlriel member.

It has a plurality of offset integral" iingers bent through several right angles to form a corresponding plurality of bridges. each of which is directly opposite a lug 33and comprises three wings, 38, 39 and 40. The wings 40 are of the approximate shape of the lugs 33, and are interposed between said lugs andcthe tabs 2,5. The threaded holes 34 of the lugs continue through the wings 40, and hencethe` lugs, the

wings and the tabs are rigidly clamped together vby the screws 27. 'I'he bridging element 35 has been given its special design in order that it may not interfere with the free oscillation of the hinge elements 18.

From the description thus far given, it will be seen that the door is free to swing outwardly from the vehicle body (in a counterclockwise direction in Figures 3, 5 and 6) about the axis of the pin 22 as illustrated in broken lines in Fig. 5. Since the hinge structure is disposed entirely behind the plane of the outer door surface and is receivable by the pillar 12, it is completely concealed from the view of one standing beside the vehicle, and this is true whether the door is open or closed. Nothing projects beyond the streamline surface of the body. The location of the axis of oscillation is important in a concealed hinge arrangement of this nature, since its dispositiommust be such that none of the swinging parts will bindingly engage any of the stationary parts when the door o is swung. The outer edge of the door is flanged, as

at 41, adjacent the crimped edge 37 of the pillar.y

These flanged and crimped edges may easily be brought into overlapping relationship when the door is closed, simply by prolonging the edge 37 and bending it to iit under the edge 41, and redesigning the hinge to proportion the parts so that they will permit the door to swing in spite' of the overlapped relationship. The door being pivotally supported continuously throughout a substantial portion of its left, the door weight is uniformly distributed along the pillar, the door will not sag or cause hinge distortion, and no auxiliary supports at the free side of the door are necessary.

I prefer to add further means to the hinge structure for the purpose of obtaining automatic door closure and for resisting the opening movement of the door. With reference to Figures 3, 5, 6 and 7, this means is as follows:

A plurality of resilient devices 42, one individual to each yhinge leaf iinger 18, are associated with the oscillating and stationary hinge leaves to react therebetween. Each device 42, (Figure 7) comprises a single continuous spring wire bent to provide a pair of spaced coils 43 interconnected by a straight reactance loop 44. The terminals of the spring device project from the outer sides oi the coils 43 to form a pair of parallel reactance arms 45. v a

The spring devices are so arranged in combination with the hinge that each is under tension with its coils pierced by the pin 22, its loop 44 reacting againsta finger 18 of the oscillating hinge leaf and its arm 45 reacting against the strip 23 of the stationary hinge leaf. The effect of these reactances is to urge the door toward its closed position and to yieldingly resist opening movement thereof. As the door is pushed open the fingers 18 oscillate and pull the springloops 44 with them in a manner to wind up (tighten) the coils of the spring device and hence to increase the tension of the latter.

Where the combination just described is utilized, itis impossiblerto leave a door open inadvertently with the risk of its being torn of! or damaged. The usual rattling and squeaking when a car is in motion is eliminated, since the edges of the door are always uniformly and yieldingly urged toward the adjacent surfaces surrounding the opening in the vehicle body. This action further eliminates the need for an expensive latch mounted so accurately that the door must be slammed with great force to permit the bolt to enter its keeper. All that is necessary, where the present invention is adopted, is the provision of any simple, inexpensive latch with loosely fitting i parts, for positively preventing the door from opening on the road and for locking it when parked. The door will thus close and latch itself without manual slamming, and hence there is no danger of glass breakage or hinge distortion.

I prefer to -use that portion of the invention, already described, in combination with a checking device for preventing too rapid closing movement of the door. No harm is ordinarily done where the spring devices of the hinge are' relatively light so that their strength is suiiicient to close thedoor without forceful and rapid movement. However, if the springs are made strong enough to increase their tension and quicken their action, it becomes desirable to provide a check to prevent glass breakage and possible personal injuries when the door swings shut. y

With reference to Figures 3` and 8 there is i1- lustrated a preferred form of checking arrangement wherein the check device is completely concealed. The arrangement comprises a closed cylinder 48 normally lying longitudinally of the upper edge of the door within a recess 47 cut or formed in the latter. 'I'hat endof the cylinder adjacent the hinge has an integral lug 48 which receives a vertical bolt 49 and is designed to pivot about the latter. The threaded end of the bolt projects upwardly through a portion 50 of the vehicle body (see Figure 8) and is locked in fixed position relative to the body by a nut 51.

' A plunger 52 iits for reciprocation within the 'cylinder and is secured to a rod 53 which projects outward through the free end of the cylinshaped to form an eye 54 which pivots about a screw-bolt 55. The latter .passes through the eye and that horizontal surface of the door which forms the bottom of the recess 47. A nut 56 locks the bolt 55 in vertical position on the door. An 125 interior trim panel 57 or the like (shown only in Figure 8) extends past the vehicle body to cover the open side of the recess 47 and hence to completely conceal the checking device when the door is closed.

As the door is swung upon its hinge it will be seen that the checking device may oscillate horizontally about the bolts 49 and 55, the plunger simultaneously reciprocating to a certain'extent Within its cylinder. Reoiprocation of the piston in either or both directions may be resisted to check the door in any conventional manner. The piston may have a restricted longitudinal passage. therethrough and the cylinder filled with a fluid, thus providing a dash-pot action (as shown). Other types of uid brakes might be employed, or a coil spring interposed between the plunger and anend of the cylinder. The checkingdevice per se, however, forms no part, of this invention and hence is but diagrammatically illustrated. It is added merely to show the method of its concealment and the general coimbination in which it functions as a part.

The invention may be embodied in other specinc forms without departing from the spirit or essential characteristics thereof.

e present embodiment is therefore to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, the scope of the invention being indicated by the appended claims rather than by the foregoing description, and all changes which come Within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are therefore intended to be embraced therein.

What I claim and desire to secure by United States Letters Patent is:-

1. In combination with a door and a supporting structure including a vertical mounting pillar upon which the door is designed to be swingingly mounted, a hinge structure disposed entirely\ between the planes of the doors side surfaces,

said hinge structure comprising a pair of complemental hinge leaves secured to saiddoor and said supporting structure respectively, and each provided with a plurality of pivotally alignedv integral fingers concealed from external view within said pillar, the fingers of one leaf alternating with those of the other continuously throughout a substantial portion of the length of the hinged side of said door, and a single elonf gated pivot pin for interconnecting the sets of iingers.

2. In combination with a door and a supporting structure upon which the door is designed to. be

swingingly mounted, a hinge structure disposed 1 entirely between the planes of the doors side surfaces, said hinge structure comprising a pair of complemental hinge leaves secured to said door andisaid supporting structure respectively, and provided with a plurality of pivotally aligned ngers, the fingers of one leaf alternating with those of the other continuously throughout a substantial portion of the length of the hinged side of the door, a single elongated pivot pin for interconnecting the sets of fingers, and spring means reactingibetween one leaf and the complemental fingers of the other leaf to urge said door toward closed position at all times, said hinge structure, including the spring means, being jconcealed between said door and said supporting structure.

3. A mounting for closure elements such as vehicle doors and the like, said mounting including a pair of hinge leaves, one of said leaves being designed to have its-body portion rigidly supported and to form a plurality of spaced fingers terminating in substantially cylindrical sleeves, the other one of said leaves being designed to have its body portion attached to a closure element and to form a plurality of spaced fingers terminating in substantially cylindrical sleeves in alternating alignment with the first mentioned sleeves and spaced slightly therefrom, a pinA inserted through all of the alternating, sleeves, and spring means reacting between saidleaves to cause one of them to tend to swing about the axis of said pin relative to the other, said spring means comprising relatar coil springs surrounding said pin between the spaced cylindrical sleeves of said nngers and having extensions in torsional engagement .with portions oi said leaves.

4. A mounting for closure elements such as vehicle doors and the like, said mounting including a pair of hinge leaves, one of said leaves being designed to have its body portion rigidly supported and to form a plurality of spaced iingers ter-lv minating in substantially cylindrical sleeves, the other one of said leaves being designed to have its body portion attached to a closure element and to form a plurality of spaced fingers terminating in substantially cylindrical sleeves in alternating alignment with therst mentioned sleeves, and means pivotally interconnecting all of the alternating sleeves,the body portion Y leaves having spaced openings adacent the 1ingers of the other leaves to permit free pivotal movement of the last mentioned fingers.

5. A mounting for closure elements such as vvehicle doors and the like, said mounting. in-

cluding a pair of hinge leaves, one of said leaves being designed to have its body portion rigidly supported and to form a plurality of spaced fingers terminating in substantially cylindrical sleeves, the other one of said leaves being designed to have its body portion attached to a closure element and to form a plurality of spaced fingers terminating in substantially cylindrical sleeves in alternating alignment with the first mentioned sleeves,

of one of said.

a pin inserted through all of Lthe alternating 1 sleeves, the body portions of the leaves being. in.'

parallel engagement when in one of their extreme positions, and a plurality of qsprings reacting against the fingers of one leaf and the body portion of the other leaf with a normal tendency to urge said body portions into said position of parallel engagement.

6. InV combination with an automobile body or the like and a door therefor, a mounting structure, fon a rigidV part of said body and designed to support said door, said door having a plurality of spaced hinge elements projecting from one of its edges, said mounting structure having a plurality of openings for receiving said hinge elements and being designed to form a vertical channel, and there being an` elongated pin disposed in said vertical channel to swingingly support said spaced hingeelements.

1 7. In the combination defined in claim 6, said mounting structure being designed to form a plurality of spaced supporting members adjacent said channel in alternating relationship with said spaced openings, and there being a plurality of rigid extensions projecting from said supporting members into said channel to receive said elongated pin. s

BION C. PLACE.

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