US2100928A - Closure for wall openings - Google Patents

Description

Nov. 30,A 1937. w. R. WAY

CLOSURE FOR WALL OPENINGS Filed June 2l, 1935 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Tlillllilli |21 wal/'5e 2* LU@ Nov. 30, 1937. w. R. WAY 2,100,928

CLOSURE FOR WALL OPENINGS I Filed June 2l,A 1935 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 ,Dive-Wow wawe W75: Llkgy i i 3W/vw@ NOV. 30, W R` WAY 2,100,928

CLOSURE FOR WALL OPENINGS Filed June 21, 1935 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 J Miara@ Patented Nov. 30, 1937 UNITED STATES ATi-:NT OFFICE 3 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in closures for wall openings.

More especially it relates to improved means for mounting, enframing and controlling open- 5 able closures in a Wall, the term Wall being used herein in a broad sense whichincludes side walls, floors and ceilings of building structures, cars, boats, etc., and sides, tops and bottoms of containers, cabinets andthe like. v Y l The invention will be described herein as it may be employed in connection with doors, openable panels and other closures set with the plane of the face of the panel flush with the plane of the face of the wall. Such a panel may provide lsaccess to equipment and apparatus of various descriptions such as, for example, switches for a lighting or power system, and re extinguishing equipment; or, as another instance, the closure may be one which embodies a lens or glass 20 for projecting or for disseminating light.

In the planning of structures, particularlyv building structures, rarely, if ever, can number, sizes, proportions, and locations of open-able closures be so maneuvered that the closures can be g treated successfully as parts of the general design, If they cannot be omitted entirely the one logical alternative is to suppress them so far as this is physically possible. The objective is to carry the wall through with the minimum of ap- 30 parent interruption, making the frame and the necessary hardware invisible or as nearly invisible as possible.

In attempting to do this, however, there is one ever recurring condition in particular that has 5 not been met satisfactorily. This is the relatively thin plate-type door mounted in a metal frame which, in turn, is to be set flush in plaster, terrazzo, concrete, or in other plastic material,

Conspicuity of frame structure has been necessary 40 heretofore, when the frame has had to serve as a plaster retainer at theiace of the wall, and it has been desired to have a substantial thickness ofY plaster engaged back of a portion of the frame. Prior frame structures showing only an inconspicuously thin edge at the plane of the wall face have attained this only by sacrificing the desired plaster-retaining feature at and behind the wall face. But unless the plaster bordering the wall 50 opening is Aadequately maintained by the frame, atA the wall face, shrinkage of the plaster may cause cracks in the plaster adjacent to the frame.

It is among the objects of the present invention to provide a closure frame which can efiectively contribute needed support for the bordering plaster, and which can be practically concealed by the plaster and the closure element.

A feature resides in having a thin edged rim4 portion of the frame for providing the desired metallic border around the closure, at the plane 5 of the wall face, and for protectingzthe plaster there, which m-ay run up to the said bordering.` rim; also in having this thin rim extending in continuity all around the opening, except Yfor a single joint which may be eiectively obscured, *l preferably at a corner.

Another feature resides in the provision Whereby w-all plaster may extend back of the rabbeted. seat for the panel, and be held by the said rab-Y beted portion of the frame. 15.

A further feature resides in a structure for the panel-seating portion of the frame whereby the said bordering rim may be accurately tted to the panel by being wrapped around the panel during formation.

Another and important object is to provide an improved hinge mount for a closure on my improved frame, having provision for' supporting the closure from an accessible interior ,portion of the frame, and for the projecting of the closure clear of its close fitting frame during initial opening movement, and for the maintaining of it n clear of the frame during an `opening travel through 180.

Another object is to combine such'a frame and hinges so that theY hinges normally may be en-' tirely concealed, and so that the stresses incident tomovement of the closure may be distributed through the full distance of inward extent of the frame, thereby to relieve the outer frame region, flanked by the plaster, from a concentration of these stresses. Y

These various objects and results may be attained by forming the frame as a wall-penetrating shell around whose forward edge extends a flange rabbet to receive the panel. This rabbet constitutes a seat for the panel in a plane parallel to and close to the plane of the wall face; and the Wall of the rabbet is a thin surrounding rim that reaches forward to the face of the plaster wall. The rabbet seats the door, serves as a metal screed, or straight-edge, for plastering, and constitutes a metal trim to bound, hold, confine and protect the plaster. In result, the plaster appears to be co-extensive with the bound and toY extend practically to the edge of the closure element, the thin metal rebate lending aVv much needed sharpness and iirmness of delimitation 'to. the plaster opening. j

The joint between plasterand-frame is thus made invisible and the frame is virtually concealed. And in the case of an infrequently opened closure, the remaining joint between door and frame can be obscured with a suitable filler and be painted or papered over so as to be entirely invisible, although permitting opening of the closure in case of need. In cases where frequent openings of a closure may be usual, this joint can be reduced soas to be practically unnoticeable.

Accuracy of iit of the panel within the rim may be assured by making that rim as a wrapping of metal around the panel, in the forming of the seat portion of the frame, especially in cases where the seat portion is formed as one part of a two-piece frame. The frame being thus fitted to the particular panel, there is the further advantageous result that the edge of the rim has continuity in its extent around the seat, having but a single joint, and that at one corner. In such case the rear portion of frame may be welded to the flange or seat portion; or an inner frame structure of other material may be used.

The advantages ascribed to my improved frame may be utilized in rassociation with a hinged closure element only when the hinges have certain peculiar and novel characteristics whereby they can function co-operatively with the. frame. Prior hinges, so far as I am aware, cannot be employed with my frame because they are not properly offset. The hinge required must lie wholly within two co-ordinates, of which one as a rule is located back of the inner face of the door and the other is spaced inward from the edge of the closure element enough to accommodate any particular rebate of the frame. The hinge must not cross either the ordinate or the abscissa because the crossing would cause it to enter the adjacent wall construction or the closure, neither of which is permissible.

My improved hinge, which conforms to these spatial requirements, is attached to the back of the closure element and to the inside of the box or frame. The hinge is invisible when the door is closed, and no cutting of frame or of door is involved. The hinge becomes completely exposed when the door is opened, having no part buried in the wall construction. The weight and operating stresses of the door are delivered to the inner portions of the frame. It is an important feature that my hinge, regardless of tight fit of the closure element, will project the door clear of its housing, and will permit its movement through 180 without danger of its being obstructed, without injury to unit or to wall, and without possibility of its becoming stalled on dead center.

I employ a peculiar and novel link-suspension in the hinge. The hinge links reach out to the panel from a base secured interiorly on the frame; and provision is made in the link connections so that the panel in opening, by pin-and-cam action, will be projected clear of its seat, and may be swung to wide open position, while held suspended by the links at a safe distance out from the frame, with the links guiding and controlling the lpanel movements.

It is intended that the patent shall cover, by suitable expression in the appended claims, Whatever features of patentable novelty exist in the invention disclosed.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is an elevation of a portion of a plastered wall having a panel closure for an opening therein, according to the present invention; Y

Figure 2 is an elevation,` in section Von'2--'2 of Figure 1, perpendicular to the face of the wall, on an enlarged scale, showing the panel partially open;

Figure 3 is an elevation of a fragment, showing the device of the lower portion of Figure 2 when the panel is open to a horizontal position;

Figure 4 is a plan of Figure 3;

Figure 5 is a view similar to Figure 3, but showing the panel in wide open position;

Figures 6, 7, 8 and 9 are elevations of fragments, in section perpendicular to the face of the wall, showing modified forms of wall frames for mounting a panel;

Figure 10 shows still another modication, be.- ing a wall or ceiling frame suitable for mounting glass lenses of a lighting system;

Figure 1l is an elevation of a fragment of the rabbet-flange p-anel-seating element of a wall frame, illustrating the constructional method whereby right angular corners may be attained without breaking the continuity of the visible, bordering rim thereof;

Figure 12 is an elevation, in section through a wooden door and door frame, showing a slightly modified form of hinge applied thereto;

Figure 13 is an elevation, in section on I3-I3 of Figure 12; and

Figure 14 is an elevation, in section, showing a cam-clip type of retaining and controlling means for a closure element.

Referring to the drawings, and particularly to Figures 1-5, the elements I0, I2 may be parts of the frame structure of a wall, and lathing or its equivalent is indicated at I4, with a suitable. thickness of plaster I6, or the like, surfacing the wall and mounted in a usual manner on the lathing I4.

The panel type closure element I8 is in the nature of a plane plate for closing an opening 20 in the wall. This opening may be for any of a variety of purposes, one among which may be a chamber deep-set in the wall. In any case a frame is provided for mounting and seating the panel; and hinges which are normally concealed, when the panel is closed, are designed to permit an opening movement of the panel through 180, without undesired restriction between the frame and vthe panel.

In Figures 1-5, the frame is shown as a onepiece metal structure comprising a seat 22, marginal rim or bound 24 and sub-frame 2'6, which may be drawn, rolled or otherwise formed of one strip of metal, It is an important feature of the invention that the rebated seat 22, 24 has the seat proper 22 standing close to the wall face and parallel thereto. As a result, plaster, of considerable thickness, extends behind the rebated seat as at 23 and is supported thereby making secure the plaster in the region adjacent to the bound 24 and the seat v22. The protection, confinement and retaining characteristics provided by this rabbetted metal frame are vital elements in the success of myimproved structure. The total contact areas at 22, l2li and 26, between metal and plaster, are such that the almost negligible cohesive, adhesive and elastic properties of common plaster are utilized but not palpably exceeded. And such shrinkage as may occur is so equalized and distributed as to be scarcely discernible. In effect, a metal-lined rebate is formed on all sides of the `plaster opening, yet it is covered and made invisible by the closure and the plaster. In constructions of brick, tile, marble, etc., the bound serves as a neat and inconspicuous protective liningfor 'the opening.

' The Apanel VI8 is mounted` on this frame by hinges of the invention. These'maybe mounted on any one of the four sides of the frame. Figures 6, '7, 10 and' 11 show modified forms of frame, in two-piece construction. In each of these forms, the rebated seat 22 for the closure, with its thin edged bounding `rim 24', may be formed independently of the Vinner sub-frame of the box, and be secured thereto in any suitable manner. Because they closure seat and rim in these forms may be readily and accurately fitted to a particular closure element, and because the seat element thus formed lends itself to various eiective ways of attachment to a sub-frame, I consider the two-,piece construction preferable to a one-piece structure under certain conditions. As shown in Figure 11, the rabbeted seat 22', with'its rim 24', is separate from the sub-frame until completely shaped, after which it may be secured, as by welding. to the sub-frame.V In its separate state, it may be mitre-cut easily at delsired locations, and `be bent or wrapped about the particular door, panel, etc., which is to seat in the'rabbet. Or the wrapping and tting may be about a template Qr replica of the closure element. In-this mannerthe relatively light-weight metal of the seat and rim conveniently and accurately may be formed to meet specific conditions; and any desired heavier and more rugged sub-frame may be combined therewith for lending needed strength and rigidity.

It should be noted that the mitre-cuts do not extend through therim 24 but leave this element continuous at the corners. Of course, at the location of joinder of ends of the wrapped piece, a reasonably careful splicing is necessary in order to get a substantially invisible joint. This may be accomplished by welding or brazing, followed by grinding to make the corner match the other three.

In the two-piece constructions, the sub-frame can be varied to suit the size and severity of conditions of a particular installation; yet the seat and visible rim parts of frame may be such as to maintain a high standard of neatness and efficiency. And, due to permissible extreme lightness of weight of metal in the shape, brass, bronze or other metal, of two'ounces per running foot, more or less, for example, may be used at minimum extra cost. And this may be plated economically, if desired.

Figure 8 shows another modied form of frame which will be found to have merit and advantage under certain conditions. The bound 24" and the sub-frame 26 being in the same plane, make mitre-cutting and forming comparatively easy. And the curved portion 2lia is adapted for receiving and maintaining a clip on a closure element, as illustrated in Figure 14.

Figure 9 shows a structure in which the bound 24" is a simple, independent member which can be bent or wrapped to iit a particular door. It serves to limit the plaster and permits neat and versatile architectural treatments around the panel or door.

If suitably light-weight metal is employed for the single piece frames of Figures 1 5, the described method of forming and fitting a frame by wrapping it about its closure element may be employed to advantage.

The practicability of my disclosed frame structures in connection with openable closures is dependent upon theprovision of means for mounting and controlling the panel without intruding upon the adjacent wall structure.

V,I provideV such ymeans in the form of hinges, and alsoin the form of cam-clips. My improved hinge may comprise one or more pairs of ybase members 3D, 32 `which may be sirnilar in form. Member 30 is mounted on the lower side of box 26, and has extent inward. It may be secured in place bybeing welded to the box; or

it mightl be riveted or otherwise secured. The

portion thereof which lies vagainst the box may be a horizontal plane foot 30 from which an integral plane plate or wing portionv 3| rises vertically to provide a place Yfor attachment of connecting elements of the hinge as at`40. The plate portion 3| also, as herein disclosed, has a controlling cam slot 34 for a purpose which later will appear. The other base member 32 is secured in a like manner on the inside face of panel I8, suitably spaced from the lower edge of the panel, Its vertical Wing plate 33'projects from foot 32' and has the cam slot 36 for controlling the panel movements. v The two base member plates 3|, 33 are connected together through a series of suspension links 38. All of these links may be identical in form, but they are arranged in two groups, individuals of one group alternating with individuals of the other group. In Figure 4, four such links are represented, two in each group, this number being a matter of choice.

Each link 38 preferably will be a plane element stamped of sheet metal, having three pivotal points:l Two pivotal points of each link 38 preferably are at opposite ends of the link; and the intervening stamped stock rises to the third pivotal point, so that the link has a'curved or angular form. As represented each linkis relatively broad in the vicinity of its central pivot point, becoming narrower toward each end.

In one group, each link 38 has its one end, here called the inner end, pivoted, as at 40, to a part of the vertical wing 3| of base member 30, and

has its other end slidably pinned and pivoted at,r

42 in the cam slot 36 of the hinge'basemember 32. Y The links 38 of the other group are reversely connected to the panel with a fixed pivot 44 on the vertical wing 32 and with their pin at the other end slidably pivoted at 45 in the cam slot 3,4 of member 30. The central pivotal point 46 is common to all of the links and is a floating ltransvere pin providing for relative rotation of the links.

The cam slots 34, 36 are designed to permit panel I8 to seat in the rabbeted' portion 22 of the frame, with the hinges on the inside and completely concealed. Any suitable means may be provided for securing the panel in closed position, such'as the rotatable two-way cam 48 interiorly on the panel which may be engagedrbehind lug 50 on the frame, by turning the screw head 52 at the face of the panel. Y C

In opening the panel, the cam slots 34, 36, acting through links 38, cause the initial movement to be principally a swinging of pin 46 about pivot VMl, which is a movement nearly perpendicular to Affeature 'of importance resides in forming those hinge pins which require aspacingwasher between links with one spacing washer. integral or xed on the pin, thereby to provide a stabilizing factor or agency at the pivots, preventing side play and wabbling.

It will be observed that stresses incident to the weight and movement ofthe panel are transmitted through the relatively long base member 26 to the inner portion ofthe frame; and that no appreciable stress is imposed on the rabbet flange 22, 24,nor on the surrounding plaster.

Under certain conditions it may be desirable or necessary to employ removable closures instead of the hinged closures heretofore described. For such a case I provide a cam-slip type of panel securing and controlling means, such asis illustrated in Figure 14.

Usual clips, dowels, hooks, etc., which y have been considered satisfactory for prior frame constructions Vare inadequate and impracticable for use with my improved frames. Such devices logically are located at the bottom of the closure element in' order that the panel may be removed and replaced with greater ease and safety thanv other- Wise. But the rim member of my frame is too delicate to carry the load of a heavy panel without yielding. It is therefore imperative that/the iinish-frame and the contiguous plaster be entirely relieved of the weight of the panel, and be free from distorting stresses vduring its movements.

The present invention makes use of pairs of concentric clips (Figure 14) whose arcs are struck from an imaginary center 8| so placed that the panel will clear as it leaves and re-enters .its housing, and so that the bottom of the door will be drawn Well into its rebate for close seating. It is also an advantage to work out the center of curvature of the clips Y so that the upper and lower clipscan -be made identical. These clips deliver all weight to the sub-frame and relieve the finish wall.

One element 80 of the clip is secured interiorly to the sub-frame structure and reaches out to- .ward the closure seat. The other element 82 of the clip is secured to the inner face of the closure element and reaches in toward the element 80. Each of the elements-.80, 82 has its reaching portion arcuate in form, and the element 82 is adapted to ride over element 80 when removing or inserting the closure.

Although these clips are particularly .well adapted for use with my improved frames, they will be found useful and advantageous in connection with other types-of frame.

It should be noted that my frame construction provides a continuous seat on all four sides `of the panel or door; and that neither the hinges nor the clips require any cutting or interruption of this seat. When an effective cam lock or-catch is. used on one jamb and the presenthinges or clips are used -on the opposite jamb, the result should be a practically airtight or gastight-in stallation. When it is realized that every point of air leakage in a vertical wall will in time occasion discoloration of the wall the importance of tight and complete seating becomes apparent.

The hinges can be applied tothe framewith tap screws so that the doorand hinges can beremoved if required. This is a reason for not burying the hinges in the wall construction, inaccessible in emergency. The hinge also -avoids the piercing or cutting and weakening of they frame. In addition, my hinge obviates the necessity of boxing- -inor segregating the moving hinge from the .wall construction; .inter-action here .would A. be mutually destructive. In my improved frame construction and in other thin, plate-type door frame .designs itis. obvious that any boxto enclose the hinge must lie too close to the face of the wall to be structurally. sound.

Figure 14 illustrates also a plaster inter-lock whereby any tendency. of the plaster to crackor pull away from the frame may be ,effectively counteracted. Thepart 84 preferably is .of a readily :bendable metal wherebythe part 86 may be. adjusted for, different thicknessesof plaster.

Although` my ,improved hinge has been described, principally .in its lapplication to Wall panels, it may be employed forv cabinet doors,

andeven for doors of buildings. `Figures 12 and 13 illustrate such anwembodiment in which the hinge base member 62 secured to the casing. may be the sameas those. heretoforedescribed. Theotherbasemember willbe in two parts66, 68, each..secured to thedoor 69. adjacent. to a vcutout'ltherein, as seen in Figure 13. All. of the links -38' extend .between these two members .65, 68. The action of this hinge is thesame as for the panel hinges.

I claim t as my invention:

l. A lhinge foranopenableclosure element for a wall opening, comprising a vpair of links,4 each reaching yto .the closure element from va stationary interior .wall ofv the. opening; lsaidlinks being mid-pivoted together, and each having. a terminalixed pivotal connection and a terminal sliding pivoted connection, one.of.which connections, of each link, is tothe said interior wall of .thevopeningf and the other of which-is to the said closure element; and a-pair of cams, one xed on said interior wall, for controlling the travel of the terminalfsliding pivotal connection of one said link, andthe other fixed on said closure element, for controlling the travel of the terminal sliding pivotal connection of` the other said link; said cams having eachl a camfslot, and the saidV slotshaving` curved terminalv portions in which the said sliding pivotal connections respectively and simultaneously travel during initial opening--movement of theclosure element, the'curvatures ofvsaidA terminal portions of slots being in directions respectively away from, and towardthe planes of said interiorwall and said y closure element.

2. A hinge for an openable-closure element closely conned at its-edges .Within a Wall opening, comprising a'pair-of approximately L-shaped links, each reaching to the closure element from a stationary interior Wall of thesopening; nsaid links having the junctures of their L.armsv midpivoted together, and each having a fixed pivotal connection at one L-arm terminal and a sliding pivotal connection atthez'other L-arm terminal, one of. which terminalconnections, of each link, is to said interior wall ofthe opening; and a pair of cams, one fixed on said interior Wall,` for controlling the travel of the terminal sliding pivotal connection of one said link, and the other xed on said closure element, for controlling the travel of ther terminal sliding pivotal connection of the other said link; said cams having each a cam slot whose extremities are curved in diverse directions relative to the plane of the support on which the particular cam is mounted, and said kcam slots being arranged on their respective supports with their said curvatures coordinated for the said sliding pivotal connections to travel simultaneously in diverse directions relative to the planes respectively of said interior Wall and said closure element.

3. A hinge for an openable closure element for a wall opening, in which the closure element extends past the plane of an interior Wall of said opening at which the hinge is secured; said hinge comprising a pair of links, each reaching to the closure element from said interior Wall of the opening; said links being mid-pivoted together, and each having a terminal fixed pivotal connection and a terminal sliding pivotal connection, one of which connections, of each link, is to the said interior wall of the openingand the other of which is to the said closure element; and a pair of cams, one fixed on said interior Wall, for

controlling the travel of the terminal sliding pivotal connection of one said link, and the other Xed on said closure element, for controlling the travel of the terminal sliding pivotal connection of the other said link; said cams having each a cam slot With terminal portions curved in reverse direction, and the said curved portions of one cam being the same as said curved portions of the other cam, but said cams being arranged with their corresponding curves at opposite ends of the cam slots, whereby the said sliding pivotal connections simultaneously negotiate portions of the cam slots Which do not correspond as to curvature.

WALTER. R. WAY.

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