Abstract:
A lockable hinge for preventing opening of a door wherein the fixed and pivoting hinge plates have solid, torque resistant knuckles with aligned passages configured in non circular shapes to permit insertion of a complementary hinge pin thereby preventing opening of the door. The passage may be further configured to permit insertion of a circular hinge pin to selectively allow normal opening and closing of the door.

Description:
RELATED APPLICATION 
   This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/523,561 filed on Nov. 20, 2003 in the name of James W. Ace and entitled “Lockable Hinge”. 

   FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
   The present invention relates to hinges for closures, and, in particular, a hinge set that may be incorporated on existing doors to provide a selectively locked condition of the door. 
   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   Conventional doors are supported on the door jam by a plurality of hinge sets allowing the door to pivot from a closed position to an open position. For providing a locked condition, simple locking mechanisms are incorporated in the door handle assembly. Such locks are relatively easy to defeat with simple tools, and accordingly supplemental dead bolt locks are often used for additional protection against unauthorized entrance. In addition to time and expense for installation, the same are also aesthetically unattractive. 
   Various hinge based devices have been proposed for providing a locking capability directly at the hinges. These approaches has generally been directed to convenience and deterrence rather than security against unwanted intrusion. 
   U.S. Pat. No. 1,683,814 to Block patent discloses a hinge assembly wherein a circular hinge pin having a radial tab engages a radial slot on the hinge knuckle to prevent opening or limit opening of a door. The assembly is primarily intended for use in low force applications such as limiting door movement to prevent damage to adjacent furniture and doors, acting primarily as an alternative to a door stop. The tab is relatively thin and provides limited shear resistance to the large torques applied in forceful entry. 
   U.S. Pat. No. 5,642,910 to Betherum discloses a hinge lock that slides over the hinge assembly and captures the hinge plates at slots to prevent movement of the door from a selected position. The design also would be subject to shear and deformation at high force levels. 
   U.S. Pat. No. 6,591,453 to Jenks discloses a locking hinge system wherein a separate, small diameter pin is inserted into a vertically aligned series of holes outwardly of the hinge pin to lock the hinge plates at open or closed positions. These device is a very light weight construction having small shear interfaces resisting unwanted movement. 
   BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   The present invention provides a hinge lock that is incorporated into the hinge sets of the door and frame without requiring and structural modifications. More particularly, the invention provides a lockable hinge for preventing opening of a door wherein the fixed and pivoting hinge plates have solid, torque resistant knuckles with aligned passages configured in non-circular shapes to permit insertion of a complementary hinge bolt thereby preventing opening of the door. The passage may be further configured to permit insertion of a circular hinge pin to selectively allow normal opening and closing of the door. The knuckle and pin, additionally, are able to restrain high entry forces without breakage or deformation. 
   Accordingly, it is an object of the invention to provide a hinge for permitting selective locking between a fixed member and a pivoting member. 
   Another object of the invention is to provide a hinge for a pivoting door that has non-circular passages in the hinge knuckles for receiving a complementary non-circular hinge pin to restrict pivoting of the door from a select position. 
   A further object of the invention is to provide hinges for a door that accept either non-circular hinge pins for locking the door against pivoting and a circular hinge pins for permitting normal pivoting. 

   
     DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The above and other features of the present invention will become apparent upon reading the following description of the preferred embodiments taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which: 
       FIG. 1  is a front perspective view of a lockable hinge in accordance with an embodiment of the invention and showing the locked condition; 
       FIG. 2  is a partially sectioned rear view of the lockable hinge and showing the pivoting unlocked condition; 
       FIG. 3  is a rear perspective view of the hinge plates for the lockable hinge; 
       FIG. 4  is a front perspective view of the hinge plates; 
       FIG. 5  is a disassembled view of the hinge plates mounted on the door and frame, and the hinge bolt assembly for establishing the locked and pivoting conditions; 
       FIG. 6  is a perspective view of the hinge pin assembly; 
       FIG. 7  is a top view of the hinge pin assembly; 
       FIG. 8  is an enlarged fragmentary view of a representative hinge knuckle showing details of the pin passage; 
       FIG. 9  is an enlarged fragmentary view of the hinge knuckle of  FIG. 8  with the lock pin disposed in the locked condition; and 
       FIG. 10  is an enlarged fragmentary view of the hinge knuckle with the pivot pin disposed in the pivoting condition; 
       FIG. 11  a front view of a lockable hinge in accordance with another embodiment of the invention; 
       FIG. 12  is a top view taken along line  12 — 12  in  FIG. 11 ; 
       FIG. 13  is a side elevational view of the hinge pin of  FIG. 11 ; 
       FIG. 14  is a bottom view of the hinge pin of  FIG. 13 ; 
       FIG. 15  is a top view of the moveable hinge plate of the lockable hinge of  FIG. 11 ; 
       FIG. 16  is a top view of the fixed hinge plate of the lockable hinge of  FIG. 11 ; 
       FIG. 17  is a top view of a another embodiment of the invention; and 
       FIG. 18  is a top view of a further embodiment of the invention. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
   Referring to  FIGS. 1 and 2 , there is shown a lockable hinge  10  in accordance with an embodiment of the invention for, in combination with conventional or like hinges, controlling pivotal movement of a pivotal panel such as a door, shutter, window or the like with respect to a frame. For door applications, the doors are mounted on the jambs with a plurality of hinges, usually three sets. For light force applications, the lockable hinge  10  may be incorporated on any one of the hinges, preferably the middle hinge in a set of three hinges. For heavy force or security applications, the lockable hinge is preferably incorporated on all three hinges. 
   The lockable hinge  10  comprises a moveable hinge plate  20  pivotally connected to a fixed hinge plate  22  by a U-shaped combination hinge pin assembly  24 . As described in greater detail below, the hinge pin  24  may be positioned in the hinge plates to establish a locked condition as shown in  FIG. 1  or a pivoting or unlocked condition as shown in  FIG. 2 . 
   Referring additional to  FIG. 5 , the fixed hinge plate  22  includes a rectangular base  30  which is conventionally mortised into the frame  31  and fixed thereto by fasteners  32  at a plurality of spaced, fastener holes  33  countersunk on the front surface. The fixed hinge plate  22  includes three vertically spaced, solid cylindrical hinge sleeves or knuckles  34 . The front surface of the hinge plate  22  is planar. The rear surface of the hinge plate  22  is planar and includes a pair of generally triangular ribs  36  extending rearwardly and tapering inwardly from each knuckle  34 . The ribs  36  provide structural reinforcement against deformation of the base under loading. The fixed hinge plate  22  is preferably a one-piece die cast member. 
   The moveable hinge plate  20  includes a rectangular base  40  conventionally mortised into the side of the door  41  and fixed thereto by fasteners  42  at a plurality of vertically spaced fastener holes  43  countersunk on the front surface. The moveable hinge plate  20  includes two vertically spaced solid cylindrical hinge sleeves or knuckles  44  laterally slidably interleaved between the knuckles  34  of the fixed hinge plate  22  in a conventional manner. The front surface of the hinge plate  20  is planar. The rear surface of the hinge plate  20  in planar and includes a pair of generally triangular ribs  46  extending rearwardly and tapering inwardly from the knuckles  44 . The ribs  46  provide structural reinforcement against deformation of the base under loading. The fixed hinge plate  22  is preferably a one-piece die cast member. 
   Referring to  FIGS. 3 and 4 , the hinge pin assembly  24  includes an elongated locking pin  50  and an elongated pivot pin  52  located parallel thereto and interconnected by a semicircular connecting hook  54 . The pins  50  and  52  have laterally spaced axes,  56  and  58  respectively. The locking pin  50  has a square cross section having a width “w’. The pivot pin  52  has a circular cross section having a diameter “d” which is larger than the width “w”. The axial length of the locking pin  50  and the pivot pin  52  is substantially the same as length of the fixed hinge plate  22  and the spacing between the end faces of the outer knuckles. The locking pin  50  is connected with one end of the hook  54  at an enlarged stop collar  57  having a polygonal cross section providing visual shape association with the locking pin  50 . For example, a typical installation would have a locking pin with a width of 0.250 in and a pivot pin of 0.280 in. diameter. 
   The pivot pin  52  is connected with the other end of the hook  54  an enlarged stop collar  59  having a circular cross section providing a visual shape association with the pivot pin  52 . Accordingly, in assembly, a user may identify the condition of the lock hinge  10  by observing the shape of the stop collar adjacent the upper knuckle. 
   The knuckles are coaxially aligned in assembly to allow the locking pin  50  and pivot pin  52  to be selectively slidably disposed through coaxial passages therein. Referring to  FIGS. 8 through 10 , a representative knuckle  70  includes a cylindrical body  72  merging with a reinforcing rib  74  and including a pin passage  76  symmetrically formed about a vertical axis  78 . 
   The pin passage  76  is a compound cross sectional surface a square section having a sliding fit with the locking pin  50  ( FIG. 10 ) and superimposed a circular section of greater diameter than the width of the square section and having a sliding fit with the pivot pin  52  ( FIG. 9 ). Each sector of the passage surface includes a cylindrical center section  80  and a pair of planar ends  82 . In assembly, the pivot pin  52  is journaled at the center sections  80  for free pivoting of the door. The locking pin  50  reacts against the ends  82  to establish the locked condition of the door. Although other polygonal shapes may be used for the locking pin and passage, the square design provides at least two distinct positions in the locked condition: a fully closed position for the door and an open position, 90° therefrom. 
   For installation, the door frame and door are suitably mortised to accept the respective hinge plates. The reinforcing ribs  36 ,  46  are accommodated by supplemental mortising or by local deformation in assembly. Thereafter, the door is mounted on the frame using the pivot pins for assembly. When it is desired to establish a locked condition, one or more or all of the pivot pins are sequentially removed and the locking pin(s) of the pin assembly inserted. For light force resistance, only the center hinge assembly is reversed. For higher force resistance, two or all of the hinge assemblies are reversed. 
   Referring to  FIGS. 11 and 12 , there is shown a further embodiment of a lockable hinge  110  for, in combination with conventional or like hinges, controlling pivotal movement of a door  112  with respect to a door jam  114 . Typically, doors are mounted on the jambs with a plurality of hinges, usually three sets. The lockable hinge  110  may be incorporated on any one of the hinges, preferably the middle hinge in a set of three hinges. 
   The lockable hinge  110  comprises a moveable hinge plate  120  pivotally connected to a fixed hinge plate  122  by a locking hinge pin  124 . The fixed hinge plate  122  includes a generally rectangular base  126  conventionally mortised into the jam  114  and fixed thereto by fasteners  128 . The fixed hinge plate  122  includes three vertically spaced hinge knuckles  130 . The moveable hinge plate  120  includes a generally rectangular base  132  conventionally mortised into the side of the door  12  and fixed thereto by fasteners  134 . The moveable hinge plate  120  includes two vertically spaced hinge knuckles  136  slidably interleaved between the knuckles  130  of the fixed hinge plate. 
   Referring to  FIGS. 13 and 14 , the hinge pin  124  includes a circular head  140  and a downwardly extending locking pin  142  having a non-circular, square cross section. The locking pin  142  includes four mutually perpendicular side walls  144  circumferentially connected with slightly rounded transition walls  146 . The locking pin  142  has a length substantially the same as the height of the hinge bases. 
   Referring to  FIG. 15 , the fixed hinge plate  122  is stamped from a metal plate with lateral tabs corresponding to the knuckles  130 . The knuckles  130  are formed around a mandrel having a cross section complementary with the locking pin  142  to form a vertical passage defined by three mutually perpendicular inner walls  150  and a partial width distal tab  152 . The tab  152  is structurally connected to the base  126  at weld  154 . 
   Referring to  FIG. 16 , the moveable hinge plate  120  is stamped from a metal plate with lateral tabs corresponding to the knuckles  136 . The knuckles  136  are also formed around a mandrel having a cross section complementary with the locking pin  142  and defined by three mutually perpendicular inner walls  160  and a partial width distal wall  162  structurally connected to the base  132  at weld  164 . The walls  160  and  162  define a vertical passage through the knuckles  136  for slidably receiving the locking pin  124 . Accordingly, the pin  124  may be slidably inserted into or removed from the passage for providing locked and unlocked conditions for the door. 
   In assembly, the foregoing construction provides a locking system for hinged doors wherein removal of the locking pin  124  from the lockable hinge allows the door  112  to swing freely between open and closed positions about the other two hinges. When it is desired to provide a locked condition for the door, the locking pin  124  is inserted in the locking hinge. The non-circular locking pin and the complementary journaling at the knuckles prevents relative rotation of the hinge plates  126 ,  132  establishing a locked condition. Further, the welding of the knuckle tabs to the plates provides substantial hoop strength thereby providing a construction that resists highly leveraged loadings. For unlocking, the pin is removed and stored. 
   It will be apparent that other non-circular configuration of the pin and hinge knuckles may be alternatively used. For instance as shown in  FIG. 17 , a circular pin  160  with an axial notch may be incorporated with the circular knuckle  162  having an indented tang  164  welded to the hinge plate  166  will provided a locked condition in a comparable manner. Other non-circular pin cross sections and complementary knuckles such as the hexagonal shapes shown in  FIG. 18  may be used. 
   Having thus described a presently preferred embodiment of the present invention, it will now be appreciated that the objects of the invention have been fully achieved, and it will be understood by those skilled in the art that many changes in construction and widely differing embodiments and applications of the invention will suggest themselves without departing from the sprit and scope of the present invention. The disclosures and description herein are intended to be illustrative and are not in any sense limiting of the invention, which is defined solely in accordance with the following claims.