US2353175A - Hinge - Google Patents

Description

July 11, 1944. R MARPLE I Y2,353,175

HINGE Filed Feb. 17, 1941 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR )falla wry/e.

BY my n YM ATT RNEYS.

July-11, 1944. R. MARPLE HINGE Q Z 5 A: $5 h. Nd- R M .m m A e 0 m i ab BY M Filed Feb. 17, 1941 Patented July l1, 1944 UNITED STATES PATENT yOFFICE HINGE Mich., assigner to Application February 17, 1941, Serial No. 379,271

1 Claim.

.The present invention relates to combined hinging and bracing structures, particularly adapted for, but not limited in their application to, automobile body structures. The Sullivan Patent No. 2,229,315, and the De Orlow'Patent No. 2,091,673, disclose and claim hinging structures, and in certain of its aspects, the present invention is directed to improvements upon the Sullivan and De Orlow structures. More particularly, the present construction, as herein illustrated, employs hinge elements, the counterparts whereof are employed in the De Orlow construction and which function to give the same characteristic hinging movement as is afforded by the Sullivan construction. In the present arrangement, however, certain of the hinge elements, disposed at respectively opposite sides of the hinged body member, are interconnected in such a way as to enable these elements to materially brace the hinged member during its hinging movement.

With the foregoing general considerations in view, the principal objects of the present invention are to provide a combined hinging and bracing structure, which is simple in construction, economical of manufacture and assembly, and which provides improved operating characteristics; to provide such structures of the compound type, wherein a hinging movement involves a bodily movement of one of the hinged members relative to the other, and wherein, further, the hinge elements are interconnected in such a way as to brace the hinged member; to provide such structures embodying a pair of hinge assemblies spaced apart along the axis of hinging movement, and further embodying interconnections between said assemblies, which act to brace the hinged member; to provide such structures wherein each seid assembly comprises a pair of link members, pivoted respectively to the hinged member and the cooperating structure, one link ci each pair being interconnected whereby to race the ai god member; and to in general improve the construction and operation oi hinging systems4 With the above, as well as other and more detailed in View. which appear in the iollowing description in the appended claim, a preferred but illustrative embodiment of the invention shown in the accompanying drawings, throughout the several views of which corresponding reference characters are used to designate corresponding parte and in which:

Figure l is a view in side elevation of an automobile hood hinging structure embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged detail view of certain of the hinge elementsshown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a View in top plan of the structure shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a detail view in vertical section, taken along the line lof Fig. 3; and

Fig. 5 is a View in vertical section, taken along the line 5--5 of Fig. 2.

It will be appreciated from a complete understanding of the present invention that the improvements thereof are susceptible of various uses. A preferred use, however, is in connection with the hinging of automobile body parts, specifically the hood. for an automobile engine compartment, and in an illustrative but not in a limiting sense, the present improvements are so disclosed herein. It will further be appreciated that the invention may be embodied in structures of various different types, and the herein disclosed specific structure is, therefore, to be considered in an illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

Referring to the drawings, the present structure comprises a pai-r of similar xed brackets I0,

located at respectively opposite sides of the dash I2, of an associated automobile bod"; a xed bracket IS secured to a part of the body structure spaced a substantial distance in advance of the dash l2 a pair of movable brackets I8 positioned interiorly of, but at respectively opposite sides of the hood 263; and interconnections between theseveral brackets, comprising the rodlike links 22 and the links 24.

1n accordance with conventional automotive practice, the cov-Jl 25 is of crowned construction, and is integral with the forwardly extending side panels, such as at respectively opposite sides of the engine compartment. The hood 20 is also of crowned form and in accordance with conventional practice extends from the cowl to the radiator structure at the forward end of the engine compartment. In closed position, the rear marginal edge 23a of the hood seats upon an undercut ledge to formed at the forward marginal edge of the cowl, and the lateral side edges 2th ci the hood seat against the upper edges of the side panels 28. In the closed position of the hood 2e, accordingly, the entire hinging and bracing structure is concealed. A hinging movement oi the hood 20 causes the same to rotate about a moving, generally horizontal axis adjacent the cowl 26, and accompanying bodily movement of the hood is in a forward direction. The combined swinging and bodily movement of the hood causes the rear marginal edge thereof to clear the ledge .Se without binding thereon.

The link 24 at each side of the body structure is pivoted by means of pins 32 and 34 to the brackets l and I8 at the corresponding side of the hood. Preferably and as illustrated, each link 24 is provided with an extension 36, which in the open position of the hood is disposed to abut a stop 38 struck from the corresponding bracket ID, so as to provide a limit to the opening movement of the hood 20.

The forward ends of the moving brackets i8 are interconnected by a stiffening member 40 and the respectively opposite ends of this stiffening member are provided with brackets 42, which form anchors for the pivot pins 44, associated with the rear ends of the respective links 22. The links 22 extend from the pins 44 in forwardly converging relation, and preferably and as illustrated, are rigidly secured together as by welding at a plurality of points, such as 4G. The forward ends of the links 22 are pivoted by means of a pin 48 to a downwardly projecting portion 5l), associated with the bracket I6, which may, in the broader aspects of the invention, be supported in various ways. In the present instance, advantage is taken of the usual stay rods 52, associated with the radiator structure 54, as a means for supporting the bracket I6. As will be understood, the stay bars 52 extend in crisscross relation from the radiator structure 54 to the dash I2, and the upper and lower halves Ilia and |51) of bracket I6 are clamped to the bars 52 by means of the bolts 56.

In accordance with the disclosures of the aboveidentified Sullivan and De Orlow patents, spring mechanism may be and preferably is associated with the present structure, and in a generic sense. this spring mechanism may be arranged to continuously urge the hood towards the open position, to continuously urge it to the closed position, or to pass an over-center position during the course of the hinging movement. In the present instance, two springs 60 and 62 are utilized at each side of the hood structure. Each spring 60 is anchored at one end to the dash I2 and is anchored at the other end to the corresponding movable bracket I. One end of each spring S2, in turn, is anchored to the dash I2 and the other end thereof is anchored to the corresponding link 24. For this purpose, each link 24 is provided with a slot 54 through which the corresponding end of the associated spring 62 is hooked. In the present instance, further, the springs Eil and 52 are arranged so as to continuously bias the hood towards the open position, and it will be understood that suitable hood latch structure (not shown) may be employed to latch the hood 20 in the closed position. The springs 60 and 62 are preferably proportioned so as to substantially counterbalance the weight of the hood 2D, thereby enabling the hood 20 to be lifted upon release of the hood latch with a minimum of effort.

It will be appreciated that in certain instances the links 22 may require special formation so as to clear parts of the automobile engine. By way of illustration in the present instance, one of the links 22 is illustrated as being positioned above the usual air cleaner structure 66, and in order to enable such link 22 to clear the latter, the link in question is provided with an upwardly offset intermediate portion 22a.

In operation and as aforesaid, the hood 25J, when in closed position, seats upon the cowl ledge 30, and upon the upper marginal edges of the side panels 28, under which conditions, the parts occupy the positions shown in full lines in the several gures, and in which positions the springs Bil and 62 are stressed to a degree which enables them to substantially counterbalance the weight of the hood 20. In order to lift the hood, the previously mentioned hood latch structure (not shown) may be released and an upward force applied to the front end of the hood. During the consequent lifting movement of the hood. the links 24 swing from the full line positions of the several figures to the dotted line positions thereof, and a similar swinging movement is im-A parted to the links 22. By virtue of the relative lengths and relative positionings of the pivot points for the links 22 and 24, the lifting movement of the hood causes the same to move bodily forwardly, which forward component of movement enables the rear marginal edge of the hood to clear the iedge so without binding thereon. 1t

will be appreciated that the links 24 are relatively short in length, and consequently these links can readily be arranged, together with their pivot pins, so as to give the necessary Ibracing effect to the rear end portions of the hood 2D. A corresponding substantial bracing for the forward portions of the hood 2l) is afforded by the rigidly interconnected links 22, which bracing effect not only prevents the front end of the hood from being moved back and forth laterally of the body, but also prevents the same from being warped.

What is claimed is:

In a hinging mechanism for controlling a hinging movement between relatively movable members, the combination of a pair of hinges, each hinge comprising a link having its respectively opposite ends pivotally connected to the re` spective members and having means associated therewith to cause a hinging movement to occur about an axis which moves through a predetermined path in a plane substantially normal to the axes of pivotal movement of said links relative to said members, one end of one of said links and the corresponding end of the other link having a common point of pivotal connection to the corresponding member.

ROLLO MARPLE.

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