An Improved Hinge for Automatically Closing Gates and the like.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 4th June, 1891-Accepted, 4th July, 1891
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Hinge for Automatically Closing Gates and the like.
I, JOHN HENDERSON GALBRAITH, of Oxford Street, in the Thompson Estate,
South Brisbane, in the Colony of Queensland, Carpenter, 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:-
The object of this invention is to provide a simple and inexpensive hinge which
will automatically close gates and the like without necessitating the employment of
special closing weights or springs.
In a hinge constructed according to my invention, the lower surface of the socket
which is secured upon the gate is made in the shape of a spiral, instead of being
flat or cut off in a horizontal plane, as is the case with hinge-sockets of ordinary
construction, while the hinge-pin over which this socket is fitted is formed or
provided with a corresponding spiral-shaped enlargement or base at its lower end;
the whole hinge being so constructed that, when the gate is swung open on its
hinges, the spiral-shaped surface of the socket rides up the spiral-shaped shoulder
or surface on the pin, and correspondingly raises the gate, so that, when the gate is
released, it will return automatically under the influence of gravity to its closed
position, as will be readily understood from the following description, reference
being had to the accompanying drawings, wherein :-
Figure 1 is a front elevation of a gate-hinge constructed according to this inven-
tion and in its normal or closed position.
Figure 2 is a similar view, but showing the hinge in its open or raised
position.
Figure 3 is a front elevation of the hinge-pin and plate.
Figure 4 is a front elevation of the socket.
A represents the socket, which is formed with a spiral-shaped under surface B,
while C represents the hinge-pin over which the said socket is fitted, and which is
provided with a shoulder or projection D having a spiral-shaped upper surface E
against which the spiral-shaped under surface B of the socket A bears, as illus-
trated in Figure 1. While the gate is being opened, the spiral-shaped surface B
of the socket A rides up the spiral-shaped surface E of the projection D; thus
raising the hinge (and therefore the gate to which it is attached) as illustrated in
Figure 2, when obviously the weight of the gate will tend to cause the parts of the
hinge to resume their normal relative positions, and thus close the gate on the
same being released.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
The herein-described hinge for automatically closing gates or the like wherein a
socket (such as A) connected to the gate is formed with a spiral-shaped under
surface (such as B) and is fitted over a pin (such as C) having a shoulder or pro-
jection formed with a spiral-shaped upper surface (such as E), the whole being
constructed, arranged and operating substantially as herein described with reference
to the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 4th dox of Tune 1891
G. G. M. HARDINGHAM,
191, Fleet Street, London, E.C., Associate Agent.