Furniture hinge having a spring biased pivoting pressure member

A hinge is urged into a closed position by a spring. The hinge includes a hinge arm and a hinge casing which are linked by internal and external outer hinge links. The internal hinge link is a two armed lever and a pressure member is mounted on an end of an arm thereof extending into the hinge arm. The pressure member and a spring which acts thereon abut hinge axles which connect the hinge links to the hinge arm.

FIELD AND BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
The invention relates to a hinge for an article of furniture provided with 
a closing mechanism. The hinge includes a hinge casing at the side of the 
door in which inner ends of two hinge links are pivotally mounted. The 
outer ends of the two hinge links are pivotally mounted on a hinge arm, 
thereby forming a hinge quadrangle. A pressure member, pre-stressed by 
spring pressure, is provided within the hinge arm and is pivotally mounted 
on the internal hinge link. The pressure member abuts in the closed 
position of the hinge against a hinge axle connecting the external hinge 
link to the hinge arm. A preferably convex support surface is provided on 
the pressure member. 
DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART 
Such hinges having a separate closing mechanism are well known. It is their 
essential advantage that a separate closing member, e.g. a magnetic catch 
member, is not required on the piece of furniture. 
This closing mechanism generally is of a construction such that the closed 
door is retained closed by the hinge and that, when the door is opened, 
the spring pressure of the closing mechanism must be overcome and when a 
dead center has been passed, the door is moved outwardly by the closing 
mechanism, i.e. into the open position. 
When the door is closed, the closing mechanism operates vice versa in an 
analogous manner. 
It is the main disadvantages of such hinges that the closing effect of the 
hinge substantially starts when the door is in a 45.degree.-open position. 
That is, the door is closed relatively early, namely at a time when the 
actual effect of the hinge and of the closing mechanism is not yet 
desired. Moreover, the doors of the piece of furniture are often banged 
due to the long effective closing path, thus causing undesired noise and, 
furthermore, creating disadvantages with respect to the high stresses 
acting on the axles and links of the hinge. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
It is the object of the invention to provide a hinge of the afore-mentioned 
type wherein the angle of the furniture door to the actual closing plane 
of the furniture door at which the closing effect occurs can be freely 
selected and can be relatively small, preferably an angle of between 
10.degree. and 15.degree.. Hence, neither when opening nor when closing 
the door, need a dead center of the hinge be overcome. Furthermore, the 
closing mechanism of the hinge according to the invention is accomodated 
in the hinge arm in a very compact manner. 
According to the invention this is achieved in that the pressure member and 
its pressure spring constantly abut against the two hinge axles of the 
hinge arm in the open as well as in the closed position of the hinge arm. 
An embodiment of the invention provides that one arm of the internal hinge 
link extends into the hinge arm and that the pressure member is hingedly 
connected with such arm. The hinge axles of the hinge arm and the point at 
which the pressure member is hingedly connected with such one arm of the 
internal hinge link define a substantially isosceles triangle in the 
closed position of the hinge. 
A further embodiment provides that in the closed position of the hinge a 
straight line which extends through both hinge axles of the hinge arm 
extends at an angle of between 30.degree. and 50 .degree., preferably of 
41.degree., to the longitudinal center axis, of the pressure spring which 
is designed as a coil spring.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
As can be seen from the drawing, the hinge according to the invention 
comprises a hinge arm 1 fastened to a furniture side wall 7 by means of a 
base plate 8. The base plate 8 is fastened to the furniture side wall 7 in 
a conventional manner by means of screws or dowels. The hinge arm 1 is 
retained on the base plate 8 by means of a clamping screw 10. An adjusting 
screw 11 for adjustment of the joint of the door is also provided on the 
hinge, the adjusting screw being mounted in a female thread in the hinge 
arm 1 and abutting against the base plate 8. 
A hinge casing 2 of a recess in hinge is inserted into the door 9. 
The hinge arm 1 is connected with the hinge casing 2 by means of external 
and internal hinge links 3, 6 mounted on respective hinge axles 13, 12 on 
the hinge arm 1 and on respective hinge axles 15, 14 on the hinge casing 
2. 
The internal hinge link 6 is a two-arm lever, including first and second 
arms 6", 6', pivoting around the hinge axle 12 of the hinge arm 1. At the 
free end of second arm 6' of the hinge link, i.e. at a position spaced 
from hinge axles 12, 14 toward hinge arm 1, and mounted on a bolt or axle 
16 is a pressure member 4 having a holding arm 17. The pressure member 4 
is pivotable around the bolt 16, but the pivoting motion of the pressure 
member 4 is limited in one direction by the hinge link axle 13 and in the 
other direction by the hinge link axle 12. 
The pressure member 4 has a recess receiving a pressure spring 5 abutting 
against the internal hinge link axle 12. 
The pressure member 4 according to the invention abuts in the closed 
position of the door 9, as illustrated in the drawing, with its pressure 
surface 18 against the hinge link axle 13 and presses the internal hinge 
link 6 into the closing direction, i.e. the door 9 is held in the closed 
position. 
When the door is opened or is moving in the opening direction, a pressure 
surface 20 of the pressure member 4 moves on the hinge axle 13 but no load 
is applied by the pressure spring, i.e. the pressure member 4 and the 
pressure spring 5 are equally tensioned. 
When the door 9 is closed, the surface 20 of pressure member 4 moves along 
the hinge axle 13, but the tensioning condition of the pressure spring 5 
is not changed. That is, with the hinge according to the invention, the 
pressure spring is not under tension either when closing nor when opening 
the hinge, and thus banging on the door 9 will not occur. There is no dead 
center which must be overcome, but nevertheless the door 9 is absolutely 
securely held in the closed position by the pressure spring 5. 
The curve of the pressure surfaceses 18,20 of the pressure member 4 can 
obviously be selected such that the door 9 is closed at a desired angle, 
e.g. 10.degree., to the closing plane.