Improvements in Spring Hinges.
Year: 1889

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Spring Hinges.
I, JOSEPH KEENE, of Chicago, in the County of Cook, and State of Illinois, United
States of America, Merchant, do hereby declare the nature of my invention for
" 'IMPROVEMENTS IN SPRING HINGES," and in what manner the same is to be
performed to be particularly ascertained and described in and by the following
statement:-
My present invention, while applicable in part to the construction of hinges
designed to be applied to doors that are to be opened in one direction only, is more
particularly designed as an improvement upon that class of spring-hinges intended to
be applied to doors adapted to be opened in both directions, so as to bring the door to
its normally-closed position after it has been moved therefrom in either direction.
The object of my present invention is primarily to provide an improved construction
of hinge in which the torsion-spring that serves to restore the door to its closed
position shall be held within fixed bearings, so as to be incapable of outward movement,
but shall exert its pressure upon the intermediate leaf or leaves of the hinge through
the medium of a projecting arm or arms adapted to engage with suitable bearing-
pieces upon intermediate leaves.
My invention consists in the various novel features of construction hereinafter
described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and particularly pointed out in
the claims at the end of this specification.
Figure 1 is a perspective view of a spring-hinge embodying my invention. Fig. 2
is a perspective view with the parts in reverse position from that shown in Fig. 1.
Fig. 3 is a view in vertical longitudinal section through the hinge with the parts in
closed position. Fig. 4 is a view in transverse section on line 44 of Fig. 2. Fig. 5

page_text: is a view in transverse section on line 5 5 of Fig. 3. Fig. 6 is a view of a modified
form of my invention. Fig. 7 is a view in transverse section on line 7 7 of Fig. 6.
Fig. 8 is a perspective view of the upper part of the modified form of hinge shown
in Fig. 6.
A and B denote what, for convenience, may be termed the "door" and "jamb"
leaves of the hinge, since when applied to use one of these leaves will be attached to
the door and the other will be fastened to the jamb, and A¹ and B¹ denote a lower
corresponding set of door and jamb leaves, these upper and lower sets of leaves
being by preference united together by suitable connections, C and C¹, while the
connection C¹ unites the upper and lower leaves B and B'. It is obvious, however,
that in case one set of leaves only is employed these connections may be omitted.
Between the door and jamb leaves A and B is held in well-known manner the
intermediate leaf D, this leaf being pivotally connected by a pintle, d, with the leaf A,
and by a pintle, d, with the leaf B, the pintles d and d¹ passing, respectively, through
a suitable knuckle-joint, a, of the leaf A and through a knuckle-joint, 6, of the leaf B,
as clearly shown in Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings. At the base of this intermediate
leaf D is formed what, for convenience, I terni a "bearing piece," E, the precise shape
of which is more particularly shown in Fig. 4 & 5 of the drawings, and by preference
this bearing piece has its wearing face inclined across the plane of the intermediate
leaf and of irregular outline, so that in its co-action with the arm that projects from
the torsion-spring the pressure of such spring may be more effectually exerted upon
the door. In the construction shown in Figs. 1 to 5 of the drawings this bearing-
piece E at one end approaches very nearly the offset d' at the base of the leaf D, and
at its outer end is by preference provided with a somewhat abruptly-curved face, e,
for a purpose to be presently stated. Against the wearing-face of this bearing-piece E
of the intermediate leaf D, and riding freely over said bearing-piece in the action of
the hinge, bears the angular end of the arm F, that is suitably fixed to the enlarged
portion of the spindle &, that extends through a suitable bearing, g, and is suitably
connected, as shown, with the upper end of the coiled torsion-spring H. The angular
end of this projecting arm F is by preference provided with a small friction-sleeve, f,
to save wear upon the arm and the bearing-piece E, over which it rides.
It will be observed that the lower end of the coiled spring H is provided with a
spindle, G¹, similar in construction to the spindle G at its upper end, this spindle G¹
being in like manner held within a bearing, g', so that by means of these spindles the
coiled spring will be securely held against movement in outward direction, the spindles
being free, however, to turn within their bearings during the operation of the hinge.
The bearings g and gl, in which the spindles G and G¹ are journaled, are preferably
formed in piece with the connection C, that serves to unite the upper and lower
leaves A and A¹ of the hinge, and these bearings are at such point that the body of
the spring while extending in vertical direction shall largely project beyond the outer
face of the leaves A and A¹, and I prefer to provide this connection with a semi-
cylindrical casing, c, that shall serve to cover the spring when it is in position for use.
My purpose in so sustaining the coiled spring H that a great part of its body shall
extend beyond the outer face of the leaves A and A is to avoid the necessity of
cutting away so much of the door or the jamb as would be required if the entire body of
the spring were located at the back of the connection which serves to unite the
upper and lower leaves. I also prefer when a connection, O¹, is used between the
leaves B and B¹ to provide this connection with a recess, c¹, adapted to receive
the cylindrical casing c when the hinge is in closed position.
Between the lower set of door and jamb leaves, A and B¹, is held the intermediate
leaf D¹, that is pivoted, respectively, to these door and jamb leaves, and in construction
and function corresponds with the intermediate leaf D. This intermediate leaf D¹,
between the lower set of leaves, A¹ and B', has its upper edge provided with a bearing-
piece, E, corresponding with the bearing-piece E upon the lower edge of the upper
intermediate leaf, D, this bearing-piece E₁ serving to engage with the angular end
of the arm F¹, that projects from the spindle G₁ at the lower end of the coiled
spring.

page_text: By reference more particularly to Figs. 1, 2 and 5 of the drawings and to the
relative positions of the parts there shown it will be readily seen that when the door
is moved in one direction-as, for example, in the direction shown in Fig. 1---the
turning of the door will occur upon the pintle d, that connects the leaf A with the
intermediate leaf D, and upon the pintle d³, that connects the lower leaf B¹, and it
will be apparent also that during this outward swinging of the doors the projecting
arm F will ride freely over the bearing-piece E of the intermediate leaf D, while at
the same time this projecting arm will be turned against the torsional strain of the
coiled spring. When the door is in its normally-closed position, the parts of the
hinge will be in the relative position shown in Fig. 5 of the drawings and it is obvious
that as the parts are turned from this position to that shown in Fig. 1, and as the
angular end of the arm F rides freely over the wearing-face of the bearing piece E,
the force of the spring will be at all times exerted; but during this movement it is
plain that since the angular end of the arm F applies the initial pressure at a point
farthest from the pintle D, that constitutes the fulcrum or pivot-point on which the
hinge is to be turned, the force of the spring will be exerted most strongly when
the door is in closed position. As the door is swung open from the closed position
shown in Fig. 5 to the position shown in Fig. 1, the angular end of the projecting
arm F will be brought gradually nearer the pintle d as this arm rides over the face of
the bearing-plate E, until, when the door is fully swung back the projecting arm F
will bear so near to the pintle d that the spring will exert comparatively little force
and merely sufficient to start the door inward toward its closed position.
By inclining the wearing-face of the bearing-piece E from a point in front to a
point back of the intermediate leaf, as I prefer to do, the force of the torsion-spring
exerted through the projecting arm F upon the bearing-piece is applied in a most
effective manner, while a freedom of movement of the arm is allowed, and by providing
the outer end of the bearing-piece E with the abruptly-curved portions e not only is
all danger avoided of the arm F slipping off the bearing-piece at such point, but a
stronger resistance is also offered to the initial movement of the door from its normally-
closed position. It will be readily understood by reference more particularly to Fig: 2
of the drawings that when the door is swung from its closed position to the open
position shown in Fig. 2 the swinging of the door will occur upon the pintle d', that
connects the intermediate leaf D with the leaf A, and upon the pintle d', that connects
the lower intermediate leaf, D¹, with the lower leaf A', and during this movement of
the door the action of the spring will be exerted through the medium of the lower
projecting arm, F, upon the bearing-piece E¹ on the upper edge of the lower inter-
mediate leaf, DI. Hence it will be seen that when the door is turned from its
normally-closed position to the position shown in Fig. 2 the angular end of the pro-
jecting arm will ride over the face of the bearing-piece E¹, the operation being
similar to that of the projecting arm F and the bearing-piece E, herein before
described.
It will be readily understood, of course, that when the torsion-spring is exerting its
force through the medium of the projecting arm F and bearing-piece E upon the
upper intermediate leaf, D, the lower projecting arm, F' will simply bear against
-the outer portion of the bearing-piece E', but will be inert so far as affecting the
action of the door is concerned; and the same is true also with regard to the pro-
jecting arm F when the door is opened in reverse direction to bring the arm F¹ and
the lower bearing-piece, E¹, into action.
It will be readily understood that projecting arms F and F¹ may be so attached to
the spindle in well-known manner that the position of these arms may be shifted
to different points of the spindle when it is desired to increase the torsional force of
the spring; but this, being no part of my present invention, need not be dwelt upon
in detail.
In the modification of the invention illustrated in Figs. 6, 7 and 8 of the drawings
the leaves A and A and B and B', with their connections Ċ and C¹, are substantially
the same as those illustrated in the preceding figures of the drawings, and the
spring H.is in like manner held in position upon the connection C. and attached to

page_text: the spindles G and G¹. So, also, in this construction the intermediate leaves, D and D¹,
are pivoted to the door and jamb leaves in the manner above described; but these
intermediate leaves, instead of being provided with hearing-pieces such as before
described, are provided with bearing-pieces of modified construction, and the arms
that project from the upper and lower spindles, G and G¹, are also of corresponding
modified construction. In this form of my invention the leaf D is provided at its
lower end with a bearing-piece, E³, in the form of a simple pin or stud, preferably
fitted with a friction-sleeve, e³, and a like pin or stud, E3, with a friction-sleeve, et, is
fixed to the upper end of the lower intermediate leaf, D'. Against the friction-sleeve
of this bearing-piece E2 of the intermediate leaf D hears the projecting arm F³, that
extends from the spindle G at the upper end of the torsion-spring й, and in like
manner against the sleeve of the bearing-piece E3 at the upper end of the lower inter-
mediate leaf, D¹, bears the projecting arm F³, that extends from the spindle G₁ at the
lower end of the spring H. In order to enable the armis F2 and F3 to effectively exert
the force of the spring upon the bearing-pieces E and E³ of the intermediate leaves,
each of these projecting arms is bent to an irregular shape, preferable as shown, and the
ends of the arms are by preference bent over, as at ", not merely to prevent the
slipping of the arms out of engagement with the bearing-pieces F2 and F3, but also to
avoid danger of garments catching on the ends of these arms.
By reference more particularly to the dotted lines of Fig. 7 of the drawings it will
be seen that when the door is in its normally-closed position the bearing-piece E³
will contact with the arins F³ at such distance from the pintle d, about which the door
will turn when the arm F³ is to be brought into action, that the initial pressure of the
arm F against the bearing-piece E³ will be very strong, and in order to further increase
the strength of this initial pressure the projecting arm F3 is by preference bent, as
at, to a point near its inner end. When, however, the door has been swung open,
as seen in Fig. 8, less pressure will be exerted by the arm F' upon the bearing-piece
to restore the door to its closed position.
It will be readily understood that when my invention is to be applied (so far as it
is applicable) to doors opening in one direction only the intermediate leaves, D and D',
need not be used, and in such case the bearing-pieces will be formed directly upon one
of the door and jamb leaves.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is,
I. In a spring-hinge, the combination, with two or more leaves pivoted together, of
a torsion-spring, a projecting arm connected therewith and having a free outer end,
and a bearing-piece upon one of said leaves, against which the free end of said pro-
jecting arm can ride during the operation of the hinge, substantially as described.
II. In a spring-hinge, the combination, with the leaves for attachment to the door
and jamb, respectively, and the intermediate leaf pivoted to said door and jamb leaves,
of a torsion-spring, and a projecting arm connected therewith and having a free outer
end, and a bearing-piece upon said intermediate leaf, said arm and said bearing-piece
being movably sustained with respect to each other, and one of said parts being pro-
vided with an irregular surface, against which the other is held in a manner free to
ride, whereby a varying spring pressure in the action of the hinge is secured,
substantially as described.
III. In a spring-hinge, the combination, with an upper and lower set of leaves for
attachment to the door and to the jamb, respectively, and intermediate leaves pivoted
to said door and jamb leaves, of a torsion-spring located intermediate of said upper and
lower sets of leaves, a projecting arm at each end of said spring, and a bearing-piece
located upon each of the intermediate leaves, against which said arms are held in a
manner free to ride, substantially as described.
IV. In a spring-binge, the combination, with two or more leaves connected together,
one of said leaves being provided with a cut-away space, of a spring located within
said cut-away space of one of the leaves, and extending beyond the face of the leaf

page_text: with which it is connected, said spring having its ends held against outer movement,
a projecting arm connected to the spring, and a bearing-piece upon one of said leaves,
with which said arin engages, substantially as described.
V. In a spring-hinge, the combination, with two or more leaves pivoted together,
of a spring, an arm projecting therefrom, one of said leaves being provided with a
bearing-piece having a wearing-face, over which said arm freely rides, said wearing
face extending across the plane of said leaf, substantially as described.
VI. In a spring-hinge, the combination, with several leaves pivoted together, of a
spring, an arm projecting therefrom having an angular end, one of said leaves being
provided with a bearing-piece, over which the angular end of said arm freely rides,
substantially as described.
Dated this 7th day of March A.D. 1889.
JOSEPH KEENE.
Haseltine, Lake & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London,
Agents for the Applicant.