Improvements in Spring Hinges.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 25th Apr., 1893-Accepted, 5th Aug., 1893
COMPLUID
DI BUIFICATION.
[Communicated from abroad by JOHN SYLVESTER LEVIS, of No. 469, First
Street, Brooklyn, Kings County, State of New York, United States of
America, Salesman.]
Improvements in Spring Hinges.
I, HENRY HARRIS LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake & Co. Patent Agents,
45 Southampton Buildings, in the County of Middlesex, do hereby declare the
nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be
particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement :-
This invention has for its object to provide a novel, simple, efficient and
économical double acting spring hinge for a door, whereby the latter can be quickly
and conveniently removed and replaced if occasion demands.
To accomplish this object the invention consists in the features of construction
and the combination or arrangement of devices hereinafter described.
In the accompanying drawings,
Figure 1 is a vertical central sectional view of the improved double acting spring
hinge, showing portions of a door and a door frame.
Figure 2, is a horizontal sectional view of the same.
Figure 3, is a similar view showing the parts in position when the door is swung
on its hinged connection.
Figure 4 is a detail perspective view of the metallic pocket or case adapted to set
in the door frame.
Figure 5, is a rear elevation of the same.
Figure 6, is a detail perspective view of the spring pressed spindle or bolt which
carries the pintle on which the door is hung.
Figure 7, is a detail perspective view of the plate or bracket having an eye to
engage the pintle.
Figure 8, is a vertical central sectional view showing a modification of the
invention; and
Figures 9 and 10, are detail views of parts illustrated in the modified construction
Figure 8.
Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the several figures of
the drawings.
In order to enable those skilled in the art to make and use my invention
I will now describe the same in detail, referring to the drawings wherein the
numeral 1, indicates a door frame, 2 a door, 3 a metallic plate or bracket secured
to the inner edge of the door through the medium of screws 4, and provided
with a laterally projecting eye or socket 5, adapted to engage and disengage a
cylindrical pintle 6, carried by the outer end of a horizontally movable spindle or
bolt 7. The edge of the door frame is constructed with a recess to receive a
metallic pocket or case which comprises a horizontal or base portion 8, an inclined
rear wall 9, parallel side walls 10, and a flanged front portion 12, having screw
holes 13, for the passage of screws 14, into the door frame for the purpose of
securing the pocket or case in position. The rear wall of the pocket or case is
constructed with a square or similar angular orifice 15, to receive the angular
portion 16, of the spindle or bolt 7, so that the latter is prevented from axially
turning while it can move lengthwise. The door frame is also constructed with a
horizontal cavity 17, to receive the spindle or bolt and the coiled spring 18, which
is coiled upon the spindle or bolt between the metallic pocket or case and a
shoulder at the inner end of the spindle or bolt, which shoulder is composed of a

page_text: screw nut 19, adjusted on a threaded portion 20, of the spindle or bolt and
preferably acting upon a washer 21, against which bears the inner end of the
spring.
The upper end of the cylindrical pintle 6 is constructed with a bevelled or
inclined surface 22, in such manner that when a door is to be applied, and the 5
eye
of the plate 3, is placed over the upper end of the pintle, and the door permitted
to descend, the eye 5 will act upon the bevelled or inclined portion 22 and thus
move the spindle or bolt. 7 slightly in an outward direction for the purpose of
placing the coiled spring 18 under an increased tension thereby causing the door
to be drawn squarely against the door frame and rendering it susceptible of being
freely opened and closed without loose play between the parts which would be
objectionable.
The upper end of the pintle 6 is preferably constructed with an aperture 23, to
_ receive a key or pin 24, for the purpose of preventing vertical displacement of the
eye 5, from the pintle. To apply this key or pin it is only necessary to swing the
door to the position indicated by dotted or by full lines Figure 3, which affords
space by which to introduce the key or pin.
The flanged face 12 of the metallic pocket or case is sufficiently wide to afford
a bearing at either side for one of the vertical edges of the plate 3, which is secured
to the inner edge of the door, so that when the latter is swung in either direction,
one of the vertical edges of the plate 3 will strike the face plate of the metallic
pocket or case and act as a fulcrum for the lengthwise movement of the spindle or
bolt 7 in an outward direction, whereby the coiled spring is placed under increased
tension and operated to automatically close the door when the latter is released.
In the modification shown in Figures 8, and 10, the pintle 6 is formed integral
with or otherwise provided on a hollow metallic block or section 24, through which
passes a spindle or bolt 25, which as here shown, is in the form of an ordinary
metal screw having its notched head 26, adapted to receive a screw driver by which
to rotate the screw for moving the nut 27, and thereby adjusting the tension of the
spring 18. The spring is secured at one end to the metallic pocket or case as
at 28, and at the opposite end to the screw nut as at 29, so that rotary motion of the
spindle or bolt 25, will cause the nut to move longitudinally on the spindle or bolt
and thus increase or diminish the tension of the spring according to the direction
in which the spindle or bolt is rotated. The remaining parts exhibited by
Figure 8 are substantially the same as described with reference to Figures 1 to 7
inclusive.
My invention provides a double acting spring hinge of very simplified construction
which is susceptible of being economically manufactured and in practical operation
is entirely satisfactory. The relative arrangement of parts is such that the door
can be readily removed and replaced for obviously the door can be raised to lift
the eye
5 from the pintle 6 as there is ample room in the metallic pocket or case
for this purpose.
By constructing the housing or casing with a chamber in which the pintle 6
normally lies, and providing the plate 3 with an eye 5 to engage the pintle, the
several parts can be so applied that when the door is closed the pintle and the eye
are wholly concealed from view and consequently the improved hinge presents no
objectionable projecting parts.
While I have shown in the drawings the spring 18 as spiral and mounted on the
spindle or bolt, I wish it understood that the form and location of the spring may
be variously modified without changing the character of my invention. The spring
may be rubber, or volute, or convoluted or it may be a flat or leaf spring, suitably
arranged to act on the spindle or bolt.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, as communicated to me by
my foreign correspondent I declare that what I claim is :-
First. In a spring hinge attachment, a pocket or casing composed of a base 8,

page_text: rear wall 9, having orifice 15, side walls 10, and flanged front 12, substantially as
described.
Second. The combination in a double acting spring hinge, of a chambered
metallic casing adapted to set in a recess in the door frame and having its rear wall
provided with an orifice 15, a rigid spindle or bolt 7 acted on by a spring and
slidable through the said orifice in the rear wall of the casing and having at its
outer end an upwardly projecting cylindrical pintle 6 which normally lies in the
chamber of the casing, and the plate 3 having an eye 5 to engage the pintle on the
spindle or bolt, substantially as described.
Third. The combination in a double acting spring hinge, of a metallic plate
having an eye, a metallic pocket or case having an orifice in its rear wall, a spring
pressed spindle or bolt extending through said orifice and carrying a vertical
cylindrical pintle having a bevelled or inclined portion at the rear side of its upper
end against which the eye of the metallic plate operates in hanging the door to
move the spindle or bolt in an outward direction and thereby place the spring under
increased tension substantially as described.
Fourth. The combination in a double acting spring hinge, of a metallic plate 3
having an eye 5, a metallic pocket or case composed of the flanged face plate 12,
horizontal base 8, inclined rear wall 9, and side walls 10, the rear wall containing
an orifice, a spring pressed spindle or bolt extending through the orifice in the
pocket or case and carrying a cylindrical pintle which is formed with a bevelled or
inclined portion 22 at the rear side of its upper end for engagement with the eye
on the plate so that the spindle or bolt is moved outward when the door is hung,
substantially as described.
Dated this 25th day of April 1893.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, Agents for the Applicant.