Abstract:
A hinge apparatus includes a first hinge section with a pair of oppositely positioned flange sections connected to the first hinge section. A second hinge section is provided with a pair of oppositely positioned flange sections connected to the second hinge section and a hinge device moveably connects the first hinge section and the second hinge section.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
   This invention relates to a hinge apparatus and method. In particular, in accordance with one embodiment, the invention relates to a hinge apparatus including a first hinge section with a pair of oppositely positioned flange sections connected to the first hinge section. A second hinge section is provided with a pair of oppositely positioned flange sections connected to the second hinge section and a hinge device moveably connects the first hinge section and the second hinge section. 
   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   A hinge is a useful tool for moveably connecting objects. In wooden fence construction, for example only and not by limitation, the most popular prior art method of creating a hinged walk gate is to install “strap hinges”. Strap hinges are hinges that are flush mounted to the face of the gate section with lag screws. The lag screws horizontally penetrate the fence board and the two by four, for example, stringer so as to secure the strap hinge to the gate section. Thus the entire weight of the gate section hangs on the horizontal screws which inevitably sag and tilt downward under the force of gravity. This causes the gate section to become misaligned such that the gate drags on the ground, making the gate difficult to open and close and sometimes making the gate section inoperable. 
   Another problem with the prior art gate hinge is that it only operates in one direction. The prior art strap hinges only allow a gate to swing out. Further, strap hinges are weak, as described above and are, therefore, very ineffective in securely holding heavier gates, such as drive gates, in position. 
   Thus, there is a need in the art for providing a hinge that maintains the gate in the selected operable position without sagging. It, therefore, is an object of this invention to provide a hinge apparatus and method that is easy to use, easy to install and which, when installed, holds objects to which it is attached against misalignment. It is a further object of the invention to provide a universal hinge that operates effectively as a hinge in two directions without need of modification. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   Accordingly, the hinge apparatus and method of the present invention includes, according to one embodiment a first hinge section with a pair of oppositely positioned flange sections connected to the first hinge section. A second hinge section is provided with a pair of oppositely positioned flange sections connected to the second hinge section and a hinge device moveably connects the first hinge section and the second hinge section. 
   According to another aspect of this invention, the hinge includes an offset in the first hinge section and the second hinge section. In another aspect, a connecting face section connects the oppositely positioned flange sections. In a further aspect, the oppositely positioned flange sections are connected transverse to the first hinge section and the second hinge section. In another aspect, the oppositely positioned flange sections are connected at approximately right angles to the first hinge section and the second hinge section. According to another aspect of this invention, the oppositely positioned flange sections include holes. In a further aspect, the offset is approximately ¼ inch. In another aspect, the offset is between approximately ¼ inch to ⅝ inch. 
   According to another embodiment of the invention, a hinge apparatus includes a first hinge connection section and a second hinge connection section. A first upper flange section is connected transverse to the first hinge connection section and a second upper flange section is connected transverse to the second hinge connection. A first lower flange section is connected transverse to the first hinge connection and is spaced apart from the first upper flange section and a second lower flange section is connected transverse to the second hinge connection and is spaced apart from the second upper flange section. A hinge movably connects the first hinge connection section and the second hinge connection section. 
   In accordance with another aspect of this invention, an offset is provided in the first hinge connection section and the second hinge connection section. In another aspect, the flange sections are connected at approximately right angles to the first hinge connection section and the second hinge connection section. In another aspect, the flange sections are conformed to attach vertically to an object. In another aspect, the flange sections include attachment holes. According to one aspect, the hinge is a hinge pin. In another aspect, the offset is between approximately ¼ inch to approximately ⅝ inch. 
   According to another embodiment of the invention, a method of creating a hinged gate includes: providing a hinge with a first hinge section with a first pair of oppositely positioned flange sections connected to the first hinge section and with a second hinge section with a second pair of oppositely positioned flange sections connected to the second hinge section and with a hinge device moveably connecting the first hinge section and the second hinge section; enveloping a stationary section of a gate with the first pair of oppositely positioned flange sections and vertically attaching the first pair of oppositely positioned flange sections to the stationary section of the gate; and enveloping a moveable section of the gate with the second pair of oppositely positioned flange sections and vertically attaching the second pair of oppositely positioned flange sections to the moveable section of the gate. 
   In another aspect of this invention, the first hinge section and the second hinge section include an offset. In a further aspect, the flange sections are connected at approximately right angles to the first hinge section and the second hinge section. In another aspect, the oppositely positioned flange sections include attachment holes. And, in another aspect, the user rotates the moveably connected first hinge section and second hinge section 180-degrees such that the hinged gate will open in the opposite direction. 

   
     DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     Other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become more fully apparent from the following detailed description of the preferred embodiment, the appended claims and the accompanying drawings in which: 
       FIG. 1  is an exploded view of the hinge apparatus according to one embodiment of the invention; 
       FIG. 2  is a top view of the hinge apparatus according to one embodiment shown in the closed position; 
       FIG. 3  is a top view of the hinge of  FIG. 2  shown in the open position; and 
       FIG. 4  is a perspective view of the hinge apparatus of the present invention shown vertically attached gate stringers and shown in the open position. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
   The preferred embodiment of the present invention is illustrated by way of example in  FIGS. 1-4 . With specific reference to  FIG. 1 , the hinge apparatus  10 , according to one embodiment of the present invention, includes a first hinge section  12  and a second hinge section  14 . An upper flange section  16  and a lower flange section  18  are connected to the first hinge section  12  and the second hinge section  14  such that the upper flange section  16  is maintained in a spaced apart relation to the lower flange section  18 . As illustrated, upper flange section  16  and lower flange section  18  are connected transverse to first hinge section  12  and second hinge section  14 . According to one embodiment, upper flange section  16  and lower flange section  18  are connected approximately at right angles to first hinge section  12  and second hinge section  14 . First hinge section  12  and second hinge section  14  may be any dimension desired including a narrow band of uniform dimension as shown in  FIG. 1  or, preferably, it includes a connecting face section  13  as wide as the upper and lower flange sections  16  and  18  as more clearly shown in  FIG. 3 . 
     FIG. 1  shows hinge pin  20  and hinge pin receivers  22 . Hinge pin receivers  22  are connected to first and second hinge sections  12  and  14  such that they interlock when aligned and form a connection receiver tube into which hinge pin  20  is inserted so as to moveably join first hinge section  12  and second hinge section  14 , as is known in the art and not disclosed further hereafter. According to a preferred embodiment, hinge pin  20  is “fast set” and/or spun on both ends so that pin  20  once in place will not fall out and can not be tapped out as is known with common door hinge pins. Thus, when Applicant&#39;s hinge apparatus  10  is reversed to allow a gate to open in the opposite direction, as will be discussed more fully hereafter, the hinge pin  20  can not and will not be at risk of falling out. 
   Referring now to  FIG. 2 , a top view of the hinge apparatus  10  of the present invention is shown “assembled” in that hinge pin  20  is in place in hinge pin receivers  22 , that were aligned before hand as discussed above. Hinge apparatus  10  is shown in the “closed position” as will be discussed more fully hereafter.  FIG. 2  illustrates an important feature according to one aspect of the invention where first and second hinge sections  12  and  14  include offset  24 . Prior art door hinges, for example, are located directly next to the hinge sections with no appreciable offset. Applicant&#39;s offset  24  is an extended portion of first and second hinge sections  12  and  14  that results in hinge pin  20  being located a distance away from upper and lower flange sections  16  and  18 . Offset  24  is preferably approximately ⅝ of an inch and up to 1⅛ inches with the useful formula being that the offset  24  is at least ⅛ of an inch bigger than the thickness of the board to be attached to the stringer to which the hinge apparatus  10  is attached. Thus if the board is 1 inch the offset should be 1⅛ inch. The function of the offset  24  is to enable the board to rotate around the hinge pin  20  and not bind to adjacent boards. Obviously, offset  24  may be any desired length useful for the purposes of the invention. In general, however, offset  24  is most useful when hinge apparatus  10  is used with a moveable gate section to allow the moveable gate section to fully open as will be discussed more fully hereafter. 
     FIG. 2  also illustrates another feature of the invention where upper flange sections  16  and lower flange sections  18  include holes  26 . Holes  26  are useful in providing pre-formed locations for screws, nails or the like to be inserted when hinge apparatus  10  is attached to an object. Any useful number of attachment holes  26  may be provided. 
   Referring now to  FIG. 3 , hinge apparatus  10  is shown in a top view, as in  FIG. 2 , but in the “open position”. For purposes of explanation, second hinge section  14  is in the same position in the “open position” as in the “closed position” shown in  FIG. 2 . Thus, for example, second hinge section  14  may be imagined to be attached to a non-moving part of a gate system, the fence, for example. On the other hand, first hinge section  12  as shown in  FIG. 3 , has moved in the direction of arrow  28  from the “closed position” shown in  FIG. 2  to the “open position”. First hinge section  12  may be imagined, therefore, for example, to be attached to the moveable portion of a gate system, the gate, for example. Once hinge apparatus  10  is vertically attached, as will be more fully described hereafter, hinge apparatus  10  easily moves to the open position and back to the closed position by moving around hinge pin  20 . 
   Referring now to  FIG. 4 , a preferred embodiment of the hinge apparatus  10  is shown attached to stringers  30 . Stringers  30  have a face  32 , a top edge  34 , a bottom edge  36  and an end  38 . Hinge apparatus  10  is attached to stringers  30  by placing upper flange section  16  over the top edge  34  and lower flange section  18  over the bottom edge  36  and pressing first and second hinge connection sections  12  and  14 , including preferably connecting face section  13 , against the ends  38 . At that point, screws  40  are screwed vertically into the top edge  34  and the bottom edge  36  of stringers  30 . The vertical location of the screws  40  is shown in dotted lines in  FIG. 4 . Once the hinge apparatus  10  is attached, facing fence boards (not shown) are attached to the face  32  of stringers  30  to complete a typical gate system as is known in the art. It should be obvious to those of ordinary skill, that should a user wish to have a gate that swings in the opposite direction, all the user has to do is rotate the hinge apparatus  10  180-degrees from the position shown in  FIG. 4 , for example, and then attach the hinge apparatus  10  to the stringers  30  as just discussed. 
   For the purposes of a complete description of the hinge apparatus  10  it should be mentioned again that the prior art devices connect the hinges to stringers  30  “horizontally”. By that it is meant that the screws  40  used to attach prior art hinges are screwed into the end  38  or face  32  of stringers  30 . Thus, all the weight of the moving portion, the gate, is supported on the screws  40  and all such horizontally attached hinges succumb, over time, to gravity. By way of contrast, however, Applicant&#39;s hinge apparatus  10 , as discussed and illustrated, attaches vertically to stringers  30 . Upper and lower flanges  16  and  18  capture the top edge  34  and bottom edge  36  in between them and will not succumb to gravity in any measurable amount. The hinge apparatus  10 , that is, supports the stringer  30  from underneath and above and thereby utilizes the inherent strength of the stringer in a vertical grip. Further, Applicant&#39;s hinge apparatus  10  allows, again, for a gate to swing “out” or “in” simply by reversing the hinge apparatus  10  as described above. 
   It should be apparent that hinge apparatus  10  may be made out of or used with any materials and with any size stringers  30 , for example, and not simply the normal “two by four” as is commonly used in gate construction. Metal drive gates are a perfect example of another gate application for which Applicant&#39;s hinge apparatus is well suited. 
   The description of the present embodiments of the invention has been presented for purposes of illustration, but is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the form disclosed. Many modifications and variations will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art. As such, while the present invention has been disclosed in connection with an embodiment thereof, it should be understood that other embodiments may fall within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the following claims.