Improvements in Spring Hinges and Door Springs.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 18th Jan., 1897
Complete Specification Left, 14th Sept., 1897-Accepted, 30th Oct.,
1897
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Spring Hinges and Door Springs.
We, TONKS LIMITED, of Moseley Street, Birmingham, in the County of
Warwick, Manufacturers, and ISAAC WHITING, of No. 4 back of 152 Spring Hill,
Birmingham aforesaid, Brass and Iron Worker, do hereby declare the nature
of this Invention to be as follows:-
The said invention has reference to spring hinges and door springs in which
the coiled springs of the said hinges and door springs act by torsion, and the said
invention consists of the arrangements or combinations of parts hereinafter
described for adjusting the torsion of the spring or springs and preventing the
untwisting or return motion of the said spring or springs.
The improvements constituting this invention are very simple in construc-
tion and efficient in action.
The said invention is especially applicable to single and double spring hinges
in which the torsion is put on the coiled spring or springs by the turning of a
movable spindle at the bottom of the hinge to which movable spindle one end
of the spring is connected, the other end of the spring being connected to a fixed
spindle at the top of the hinge
Instead of fixing the position of the torsioned coiled spring so as to prevent its
back motion, by means of a cross pin passed through coincident holes in a collar
in the movable spindle and in the fixed end plate of the hinge, as usual, we
employ the following arrangements or combinations of parts for that purpose.
The end of the movable spindle projects from the bottom end plate of the hinge
and on the said projecting end we fix a capstan head, that is, a collar having in
it one or a series of radial holes through which a pin may be passed for turning
the spindle. At the base of the capstan head or collar, and preferably made in
one piece therewith is a notched ring, that is, a ring in the edge of which a
series of equi-distant nearly circular notches or indentations is made. The said
combined capstan head and notched ring is made by casting and is preferably
screwed on the movable spindle to which one end of the spring is connected'; but
the capstan head and notched ring may be made in one piece with the movable
spindle of the spring. With the notched ring described we use a headed detach-
able cotter for locking or cottering the notched ring and spindle and preventing
the return motion of the torsioned spring. The shank of the detachable locking
cotter is fitted by a vertical motion in one of the notches of the notched ring
and also takes into one or other of two holes in the bottom fixed end plate of the
hinge; one hole only may however be used but it is preferred to use two
holes for receiving the locking cotter, when two of the said holes are used, are
made at opposite sides of the notched ring and are situated in the path of the.
notches of the rotating notched ring so that the several notches may in succession
be brought over the said holes.
The
In torsioning the spring the movable spindle is turned through the required

page_text: angle by a cross pin passed through its capstan head. The spindle is then
locked by fitting the locking cotter in one of the notches of the notched ring and
making its end engage with one of the holes in the fixed end plate of the hinge.
By withdrawing the locking cotter after the position of the cross pin in the
capstan head has been changed, the spindle is further rotated and in this way
the required degree of torsion may be put on the spring and the spindle re-locked
or re-cottered.
In place of the notched ring, detachable cotter and fixing hole or holes
described, a ratchet may be made at the base of and in one piece with the capstan
head and a jointed or spring pawl qn the fixed end plate of the hinge be made to
engage with the teeth of the said ratchet.
When the movable spindle of the coiled spring is turned by means of a cross
pin passed through its capstan head so as to put the required torsion on the
spring, the ratchet on the said capstan head pushes back the pawl and the latter
engaging with the teeth of the ratchet prevents the return or back motion of
the spring whatever torsion may be put upon it. A very fine adjustment of the
torsion of the spring may be thus effected and the danger of the return or back
motion of the spring during the ordinary cross cottering of the spindle is
avoided.
The improvements described may be applied to single and double spring hinges
and to all kinds of door springs the coiled springs of which require to be put into
a state of torsion prior to use.
T
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W. T. WHITEMAN,
Agent for the Applicants.
Improvements in Spring Hinges and Door Springs.
We, TONKS LIMITED, of Moseley Street, Birmingham, in the County of
Warwick, Manufacturers, and ISAAC WHITING, of No. 4 Back of 152 Spring Hill,
Birmingham, aforesaid, Brass and Iron Worker, do hereby declare the nature
of the said invention and in what manner the same is to be performed to be
particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement;-
The said invention has reference to spring hinges and door springs in which
the coiled springs of the said hinges and door springs act by torsion, and the said
invention consists of the arrangements or combinations of parts hereinafter
described for adjusting the torsion of the spring or springs and preventing the
untwisting or return motion of the said spring or springs.
The improvements constituting this invention are very simple in construc-
tion and efficient in action.
The said invention is especially applicable to single and double spring hinges
in which the torsion is put on the coiled spring or springs by the turning of a
movable spindle at the top of the hinge to which movable spindle one end
of the spring is connected, the other end of the spring being connected to a fixed'
spindle at the bottom of the hinge.
Instead of fixing the position of the torsioned coiled spring so as to prevent its
back motion by means of a cross pin passed through coincident holes in a collar
in the movable spindle and in the fixed end plate of the hinge as usual, we
employ the following arrangements or combinations of parts for that purpose.
The end of the movable spindle projects from the top end plate of the hinge

page_text: and on the said projecting end we fix a capstan head, that is, a collar having in
it one or a series of radial holes through which a pin may be passed by turning
the spindle. At the base of the capstan head or collar, and preferably made in
one piece therewith is a notched ring, that is, a ring in the edge of which a
series of equi-distant nearly circular notches or indentations is made. The said
combined capstan head and notched ring is made by casting and is
screwed on the movable spindle to which one end of the spring is connected; but
the capstan head and notched ring may be made in one piece with the movable
spindle of the spring. With the notched ring described we use a headed detach-
able cotter for locking or cottering the notched ring and spindle and preventing
the return motion of the torsioned spring. The shank of the detachable locking
cotter is fitted by a vertical motion in one of the notches of the notched ring
and also takes into one or other of two holes in the top fixed end plate of the
hinge; one hole only may however be used but it is preferred to use two. The
holes for receiving the locking cotter, when two of the said holes are used, are
made at opposite sides of the notched ring and are situated in the path of the
notches of the rotating notched ring so that the several notches may in succession
be brought over the said holes.
In torsioning the spring the movable spindle is turned through the required
angle by a cross pin passed through its capstan head. The spindle is then
locked by fitting the locking cotter in one of the notches of the notched ring and
making its end engage with one of the holes in the fixed end plate of the hinge.
By withdrawing the locking cotter after the position of the cross pin in the
capstan head has been changed, the spindle is further rotated and in this way
the required degree of torsion may be put on the spring and the spindle re-locked
or re-cottered.
In place of the notched ring, detachable cotter and fixing hole or holes
described, a ratchet may be made at the base of and in one piece with the capstan
head and a jointed or spring pawl on the fixed' end plate of the hinge be made to
engage with the teeth of the said ratchet.
When the movable spindle of the coiled spring is turned by means of a cross
pin passed through its capstan head so as to put the required torsion on the
spring the ratchet on the said capstan head pushes back the pawl and the latter
engaging with the teeth of the ratchet prevents the return or back motion of
the spring whatever torsion may be put upon it. A very fine adjustment of the
torsion of the spring may be thus effected and the danger of the return or back
motion of the spring during the ordinary cross cottering of the spindle is
avoided.
Figure 1 of the accompanying Drawings represents in side elevation and
Figure 2 in plan a double spring hinge containing the improvements constituting
part of the said invention, Figure 3 represents a vertical section of the same and
Figures 4 and 5 represent respectively an elevation and plan, the latter partly in
section, of one of the upper spindles of the said hinge.
Figure represents in perspective a single hinge made according to the said
invention and Figure 7 is a portion of the same drawn to a larger scale.
Figures 8, 9 and 10 represent the application of this part of the said invention.
to door springs.
Figures 11 and 12 represent respectively in elevation and plan the modification
herein before referred to in which the capstan head is retained in the position to
which it has been turned by a ratchet and spring pawl.
The same letters of reference indicate the same parts in the several Figures of
the Drawings.
We will first describe the arrangement Figures 1 to 7 both inclusive.
a is the top or movable spindle of the joint or joints of the hinge and a¹ is the
capstan head of the same. At the base of the capstan head a¹ and formed prefer-
ably in one piece with the spindle a is a notched ring or collar a² (see Figures 4
and 5). The movable spindle a is fixed in the top of the hinge in the ordinary.

page_text: way, that is, by a screw pin 6 passed through a screwed hole in the top bearing
part c of the flap of the hinge the point end of which screw engages in a groove
or neck d in the spindle a. In the top fixed end plate e of the hinge, and at each
end thereof in the case of a double hinge, is a vertical hole into which a vertical
pin or cotter may be passed through one or other of the notches of the notched
ring or collar a².
When it is desired to torsion the spring the cotter f is withdrawn and the
capstan bar or rod by which the top spindle a is rotated is introduced into one or
other of the cross holes in the said capstan head a¹ and by an angular motion of
the said bar or rod the upper spindle a is turned in the direction to which
resistance is offered by the coiled spring 9 of the hinge.
When the required tension is obtained the cotter f is passed through the notch
of the notched collar a² coincident with the hole in the end plate e of the hinge
and the said spindle is thereby prevented from taking a back rotation by the action
of the spring g
Instead of a single hole in the end plate e for receiving the cotter f two or more
holes may be made; a second hole is indicated in dotted lines in the plan Figure 2
and marked e².
The application of this part of the said invention to door springs is represented
in Figures 8, 9 and 10 and differs in no essential respect from its application to
a single spring hinge and corresponding parts are marked with the same letters
of reference.
The arrangement before described may be modified in the manner illustrated
in Figures 11 and 12, that is to say, the notched collar is replaced by a ratchet
toothed collar a² and the end plate e is provided with a pawl h which is pressed
into engagement with the ratchet toothed collar a² by a spring i.
The action of the arrangement last described is essentially the same as that of
the arrangement Figures 1 to 10 both inclusive except in the respect that in the
arrangement Figures 11 and 12 the spindle a is automatically locked after it has
been turned in the direction proper to torsion the spring by the spring pawl h, i.
The said invention is applicable to all kinds of spring hinges and door springs
the coiled springs of which require to be put into a state of torsion prior to use
substantially in the manner hereinbefore described and illustrated.
The construction and arrangements of paults hereinbefore described and
illustrated permit of the ready regulation of the torsion of the spring from time
to time to compensate for loss of, or diminution in, the torsional power of the
spring.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that we
claim as the said invention:
-
First. The improvements in spring hinges and door springs hereinbefore
described and illustrated in Figures 1 to 10 both inclusive of the accompanying
Drawings, the said improvements consisting essentially in providing the capstan
head of the rotating or movable spindle of the spring hinge or door spring or
each rotating or movable spindle in the case of a double hinge, with a notched
collar and providing the end plate of the hinge or door spring against which the
notched collar bears with a hole or holes into one of which holes a detachable
cotter passed through one of the notches of the notched collar may be inserted for
fixing the spindle and preventing its back rotation substantially as hereinbefore
described and illustrated.
Secondly. The improvements in spring hinges and door springs herein before
described and illustrated in Figures 11 and 12 of the accompanying Drawings,
the said improvements consisting essentially in providing the capstan head of
the rotating or movable spindle of the spring hinge or door spring or each rotat-
ing or movable spindle in the case of a double hinge, with a ratchet toothed collar
and providing the end plate of the hinge or door spring with a spring pawl for

page_text: engaging with the ratchet toothed collar and thereby preventing the back
rotation of the spindle substantially as hereinbefore described and illustrated.
Dated the Fourteenth day of September 1897.
W. T. WHITEMAN,
Agent for the Applicants.