Hinges and Fastenings for Hinged Articles.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 7th July, 1894-Accepted, 27th Apr., 1895
Hinges and Fastenings for Hinged Articles.
I, WILLIAM VEITCH, a subject of Great Britain, residing at 715 West Tenth
Street, Kansas City, in the County of Jackson and State of Missouri, United
States of America, Tailor, 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, that is to say :-
My invention relates to an improvement in hinges and fastenings for hinged
articles, and the primary object of my invention is to produce a hinge which will
lie flush or even with the face of the objects to which it is attached. A further
object of my invention is to provide a hinge by which both sides will be caused to
fold an equal distance, that is, when completely folded the face of the hinge-pin
will be at right angles to the surface or face of the rule or other object to which
the hinge is attached, when one part of the rule or other hinged object is folded
back upon its companion part. Furthermore, to produce a hinge wherein one side
cannot drop (when operated) to a lower horizontal plane than the corresponding
hinge-section. A further object of my invention is to produce a hinge of this
character which is simple, strong, durable and inexpensive of construction, and also
to provide a locking device by which the rule or objects to which the hinge may
be applied shall be locked in an extended or open position.
To the above purposes, my invention consists in certain peculiar and novel
features of construction and arrangement, as will be hereinafter described and
claimed.
In order that my invention may be fully understood, I will proceed to describe it
with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:
Figure 1. represents a face view of a combined straight edge and curve used to
obtain various measurements by tailors, and showing a hinge of my improved
construction applied thereto.
Figure 2. is a longitudinal sectional view taken on the line -x of Figure 1.
Figure 3. is a similar sectional view but showing the hinge-plates and the end of
the rule carried thereby at right angles to each other.
Figure 4. is a detail perspective view of the hinge pin.
Figure 5. is a face view of the opposite side of the combined square and curve to
show more clearly the construction of the locking mechanism.
Figure 6. is a sectional view taken on the line y-y of Figure 1.
Referring to the drawings, 1 designates a tailor's square of the usual construction,
and 2 designates a curve formed integrally therewith which is adapted to conform
to every curve of the human figure. This square is formed in two sections, which
are connected together by a hinge of peculiar construction. The hinge-plates 3-3,
of any suitable or preferred form, are secured by screws or rivets 4 in recesses 5
formed in the face of the sections of the square, and arranged so that their upper
side shall lie flush with the upper sides of said section. The inner ends of said
plates are formed square, and are formed with the oppositely disposed
recesses 4'-4. The hinge-block 6 is of peculiar construction, and is provided
with the parallel hinge-pins 7 and 8; these pins extending transversely of the
sections or parts hinged together. These hinge-pins project at each side for a
suitable distance beyond the sides of the hinge-block, and are embraced by the
cylindrically turned ends 9-9 of the hinge plates at each side of the hinge-block,
and are arranged so that the cylindrical portions 9 of each plate shall be in contact
with the similar portion to the other plate. The hinge-block is formed in its upper

page_text: edge and at each end with a transverse groove 10, and the inner ends of the
recessed portions of the hinged plates are adapted to rest in said grooves so that
the upper sides thereof shall lie flush with the upper side of the hinge-block. The
ends of this hinge-block are curved to extend concentrically with the axis of the
adjacent hinge-pin, and the recesses in the ends of the sections are curved
correspondingly, as shown clearly in Figures 2 and 3. The shoulders 11-11 of
the hinge-block; formed by grooving the ends thereof at 10, are also preferably
arranged concentric to the axis of said hinge-pins as shown most clearly iu
*Figure 3.
It will be seen from the above description, that when the sections carried by the
hinge plates 3-3 are extended or opened, the inner ends of said section below the
hinge-block will abut or bear against each other, and the curved and recessed
portion thereof will then fit snugly against the correspondingly curved portions of
the hinge-block, and the inner ends of the recessed portions of said plates 3 will
rest in the recesses 10 of said hinge-block, and thus prevent the sections and hinge-
plates from sagging at their pivotal points, as is the case with hinges of the usual
construction after the abutting ends of the rule or other objects to which they are
attached become slightly worn from contact.
When the hinge is being folded or closed the peculiar form of the hinge-block
causes both sides to be folded equally, or in other words after one side has been
folded upwardly to the position shown in Figure 3 and without changing the
position of the hinge-block relative to the other section, it will be impossible to
continue the closing movement of said arm without moving the hinge-block also.
This movement will be produced because the end of the recessed portion of the
. plate 3 comes in contact with the upper side or surface of the hinge-block and
prevents any further movement of that plate towards a folded position.
After one section has been folded to the position shown in Figure 3 the other
portion may also be folded upwardly to lie perfectly flat against the first folded
portion, and so that the face or upper side of the hinge-block shall lie at right
angles to the disposition of said hinge-plates, or the section already folded to the
position shown in Figure 3, may be continued in the direction of the arrow so that
it shall lie perfectly flat against the horizontal portion, and this movement will
cause as above stated, the hinge-block to assume a position at right angles to the
disposition of said hinge plates.
From the above description, it will be seen that I have produced a hinge which
will prevent any sagging of the sections carried thereby, and which insures by the
peculiar formation of the hinge-blocks and its connections the equal folding of the
hinge plates, and the objects or sections carried thereby. It is to be understood
that I may form this hinge plate of any suitable width so that one or more of
the hinge-blocks may be used, the plates in this instance being formed with a
series of recesses 4' corresponding in number to the hinge blocks used.
In order to prevent the accidental collapsing or folding of the square, rule or
other objects carried by said hinge, I form the similar recesses 12-12 in the
adjacent ends of the sections of the square or rule, and at the opposite side from
that occupied by the hinge plates, and secured by screws or rivets 13 in these
recesses are plates 14 and 15.
Longitudinally extending recesses 14* and 15" communicate with the recesses 12
at the under sides of the plates 14 and 15, and formed longitudinally in the
plate 15 is a slot 16. A slide latch 17 occupies the recess 15 and has a knob or
projection 18 adapted to travel and be guided in the slot 16. Now when the
sections of the square or rule are opened, pressure is brought to bear against the
.knob 18 to force the slide latch 17 outwardly so that it shall enter and occupy
the recess 14, thus locking the sections of the square or rule in their extended or
unfolded position. By forcing the slide latch 17 in the opposite direction to
disengage the slide latch from the recess 14" of the sections, the square or rule may
again be folded. It is to be understood that, this hinge and locking latch may be
used whenever it is applicable, for table leaves, etc.

page_text: From the above description it will be seen that I have produced a hinge which
when opened shall present no projections above the surface of the square, rule or
table leaves to which it may be attached, and also a sliding latch to lock them in
their extended position.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what mauner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. A hinge, comprising a hinge-block having grooves formed in its upper
surfaces, and having its lower end surfaces rounded, and pius carried by said
block, and arranged so that the curved ends of the block shall be concentric to the
axis of said pins, in combination with plates recessed to embrace the opposite sides
and rest in the grooves of said hinge-block, and having the portions of said plates
at each side of said block bent to encircle the projecting ends of said pins,
substantially as set forth.
2. The combination with a hinge, aud sections carried by said hinge, provided
with recesses in their adjacent edges, of plates secured in said recesses, one of them
slotted, a slide-latch occupying one of said recesses beneath the slotted plate, and
having a lug projecting through said slot, said slide-latch being adapted to enter
the recess of the other section beneath its plate, to lock the sections in their
opened or unfolded position, substantially as set forth.
This 25th day of June 1894.
WILLIAM VEITCH.
Higdon & Higdon,
Agents for Applicant.