Improvements in Spring Hinges for Doors and the like.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 15th Oct., 1895-Accepted, 7th Dec., 1895
Improvements in Spring Hinges for Doors and the like.
1, JOSEPH KEENE, of No. 6955 Perry Avenue, in the City of Chicago,
County of Cook and State of Illinois, United States of America, Manufacturer,
do hereby declare the nature of my invention, and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:
The invention has relation to that class of spring hinges known as double-acting
hinges and especially designed for sustaining doors that are adapted to be swing
in either direction from a centrally closed position.
Fig. is a perspective view of the spring hinge, the leaves being shown partially
open.
Fig. 2 is a view in rear elevation.
Fig. 3 is a view in horizontal section on line 3-3 of Fig. 2.
Fig. 4 is a view in side elevation, the leaves of the spring being shown in closed
position.
Fig. 5 is a view in vertical section on line 5-5 of Fig. 2.
Fig. 6 is a detail perspective view of one of the torsion spring spindles.
Fig. 7 is a view in elevation of a modified form of the invention, one of the
leaves of the hinge being shown open.
Fig. 8 and 9 are horizontal sections on line 8-8 of Fig. 7, parts being shown
in different positions.
A and B denote respectively the upper door and jamb leaves of the hinge, and
A and B designate respectively the lower door and jamb leaves of the hinge, the
upper leaves A and B being connected by an intermediate or central leaf while
the lower leaves A and B are connected by the intermediate or central leaf D.
The central lenf C is pivotally connected by a pintle e with the door leaf A and is
pivotally connected in like manner by a pintle c¹ with the jamb leaf B, and in like
manner the lower central leaf D is pivotally connected by a pintle d with the door
leaf A and by a pintle d' with the jamb leaf B'. The upper and lower door
leaves A and Aare shown as united together by, or formed in piece with a central
connecting portion a and the upper and lower jamb leaves B and B are shown as
united by, or formed in piece with a connecting portion b. The part 6 that
connects the upper and lower jamb leaves B and B is formed with a space 2 to
receive a coil spring E to the upper end of which is connected a spindle F and to
the lower end of which is connected a spindle F1, these spindles being journalled
respectively in the transverse bearing plates 3 and 4 at the top and bottom of the
space 2 wherein the coil spring E is held. The spindle F is formed with a recess f
adapted to receive the inwardly turned end of an arm G, the body of which arm
rests between raised portions formed at the top of the spindle F. The purpose
in thus forming the spindle F (and the companion spindle F' at the opposite end
of the spring E) is to enable the tension of the spring to be modified as desired by
shifting the position of the arm G with respect to the projections upon the
spindle F. The body of the arm G projects outwardly from the head of the
spindle F and has an upturned end g that passes through an eye formed in one end
of a link H, the opposite end of this link Hf being united by a pin or screw 5 to the
intermediate leaf Cat a point one side of its vertical centre. Under the strain of
the coil spring E, the spring actuated arm G serves to normally hold the leaf C in
[Price 8l

page_text: closed position as seen in Figs. 2, 4 and 5. In like manner the spindle F' at the
lower end of the coil spring E has its head formed with a central opening/
receive the inwardly turned end of the arin G' that rests between the raised
portions projecting from the head of the spindle F. So also the outer down-
wardly turned end of the arm Genters an eye formed in the end of the link H.
the opposite end of this link being connected as at 6 to the intermediate leaf Dat
one side of its vertical centre. By reference more particularly to Figs. 1 and 2 it
will be seen that the spring actuated arms G and Gat the opposite ends of the
coil spring E extend outwardly from a centre line in opposite direction and the
links and I to which these arms are connected are attached to opposite sides
of the vertical centres of their respective intermediate leaves Canil D.
From the foregoing description it will be seen that when the door is moved in
one direction to open the same, it will turn about the pintles c and d as a centra,
and by reference to Fig. of the drawings it will be seen that as the door is thus
turned the link H will be drawn outward and will carry with it the outer end of
the projecting arm G against the force of the torsion spring E. By connecting
the outer end of the link to the intermediate leaf C at one side of the vertical
centre of said leaf, and preferably at a distance therefrom, the point of attachment
of this link and consequently the point of application of the power of the spring in
resisting the swinging movement of the door is removed to a considerable extent,
from the pintle about which the door at such time is turning as a centre.
Consequently the force of the torsion spring E is most effectively exerted to retain
the door in normally closed position. As the door is this swung open in the
direction of the arrow Fig. 1, the angle of the link with respect to the arm G
is increased and consequently the force of the spring is less effectively applied in
resisting the movement of the door as it approaches the limit of its open position.
So also when the door is in closed position the links Hand are brought more
nearly in the plane of the door (see Fig. 1) than would be the case if these links
were connected at the centre of the leaves and consequently the force of the spring
in resisting the swaying of the door is more effectively applied.
By forming the spindle-head with an open socket to receive the bent end of the
spring actuated arm G and with projections to engage such arm it becomes possible
by inserting a suitable tool (such as a unil or the like) to hold the spindle while
the spring actuated arm is withdrawn and then turn the spindle and set the arm in a
different position so as to increase or diminish as desired, the tension of the spring.
In the form of the invention illustrated in Figs. 7, 8 and 9, which is the preferred
form of the invention, the links 11 and that connect the spring actuated arms G
and G' with the intermediate leaves C and D are shown as curved, the purpose of
thus forming the links being to permit ornamental knobs and to be attached
to the knuckle joints at the inner edges of the hinge leaves in correspondence with
the bends of the pintles c and d thus making the ornamentation of the hinge more
symmetrical. So also the intermediate leaves C and D are shown as provided with
off-set lugs and to which the ends of the links and I are pivotally connected.
These lugs and serve to throw the pivot point of the links and 1 outside the
vertical centres of the intermediate leaves C and D and consequently enable the
torsion spring to more effectively exert its pressure in holding the door in normally
closed position and in resisting the tendency of the door to sway. Moreover when
the off-set lugs c and d are employed the links H and do not need to swing so
far backward towards the jamb ne in the construction illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2 of
the drawings and consequently the cutting of the edge of the door jamb to permit
the swinging of the links need be but very slight. Thus it will be seen that the
open casting at the inner end of the hinge leaves is much smaller in the construc-
tion shown in Figs. 7, 8 and 9 than in the form of the invention illustrated in
Figs. I and 4.
It has been found in practice that where the links Hand H' are connected to the
intermediate leaves instead of to the outside leaves of the hinge, as has been
heretofore proposed, the swaying of the door is more effectively guarded against

page_text: and when the ends of the links are connected outside the vertical centres of the
intermediate leaves the force of the torsion spring is most effectively exerted.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. A double-acting spring binge comprising upper and lower door and jamb leaves
and intermediate connecting leaves in combination with a torsion spring, projecting
arms connected to the opposite ends of said torsion spring and pivoted links
connected to said projecting arms and connected to said intermediate leaves, all
substantially as described and for the purpose set forth.
2. In a spring hinge, the combination with door and jamb leaves and an inter-
mediate connecting leaf and with a torsion spring having a projecting arm, of a
link pivotally connected to said projecting arm at one end and connected at its
opposite end to said intermediate leaf at one side of its vertical centre, all
substantially as described and for the purpose set forth.
3. A double-acting spring hinge comprising upper and lower door and jainb
leaves and intermediate connecting leaves in combination with a torsion spring,
projecting arms connected to the opposite end of said torsion spring and pivoted
links connected to said projecting arms and connected to said intermediate leaves.
the point of connection of said links to said intermediate leaves being at one side
of the vertical centre of said leaves whereby the force of the spring is more
effectively applied, all substantially as described and for the purpose set forth.
4. In a spring hinge, the combination with door and jamb leaves and au
intermediate connecting leaf and with a torsional spring having a projecting arm,
of a link pivotally connected to said projecting arm at one end and connected at
its opposite end to an off-set lug extending from the intermediate leaf at one side
of its vertical centre, all substantially as described and for the purpose set forth.
5. In a spring hinge, the combination with a door and jami leaves and an
intermediate connecting leaf and with a coil spring, of a spindle for said coil spring
having a vertical socket in its end and having its end formed with projections
adjacent said vertical socket and an arm having an angular portion set within
said vertical socket and having a part extending between said projections, all
substantially as described and for the purpose set forth.
Dated this 15th day of October 1895.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45 Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.