IMPROVEMENTS IN BUTT HINGES
Year: 1867

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Edward Newton, of the Office for Patents,
66, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, for
the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN BUTT HINGES."-A communication
from abroad by Benjamin Franklin Barker, of San Francisco, California,
United States of America.
Sealed the 22nd May 1868, and dated the 28th December 1867.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Edward Newton
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
28th December 1867.
I, WILLIAM EDWARD NEWTON, of the Office for Patents, 66, 'Chancery.
Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN BUTT HINGES," to be as
follows:-
The subject of this Invention is an improvement in butt hinges for doors
that swing or open both ways. The hinge is divided into three parts, and is
made to fold into itself, it being a reversible hinge, and forms a butt in such
a manner that it shall be a three-leaf butt. Two of these butts placed
together form a single hinge which work alternately as the door swings back-
wards and forwards from the centre.
There is also an arrangement for making the door self-closing. A slot is
made in the door and a spiral or helical spring firmly fixed therein, the spring.

page_text: is also connected to a bracket in the door frame, so that when the door is
swung back the spring will be in tension and will tend to pull it back into
its place. Into a plate to which the butt hinge is attached is inserted a block
of vulcanized india-rubber, or any other suitable elastic substance for the
purpose of muffling the sound when the door is forcibly brought bock to its
place by the spring.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said William Edward Newton in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 27th June 1868.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
EDWARD NEWTON, of the Office for Patents, 66, Chancery Lane, in the County
of, Middlesex, Civil Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-eighth day of December, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-seven, in the thirty-first year of Her
reign, did for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said William Edward Newton, Her special licence that I, the said William
Edward Newton, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others
as I, the said William Edward Newton, my executors, administrators, and
assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others, from time to time
and at all times thereafter during the term therein expressed, should and
lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of
Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Inven-
tion for "IMPROVEMENT IN BUTT HINGES," being a communication to me
from abroad, upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said William
Edward Newton, my executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing
under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals, should particularly.
describe and ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner
the same was to be performed, and cause the same to be filed in the Great
Seal-Patent Office within six calendar months. next and immediately after
the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said William Edward Newton, 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; reference being had to. the Drawing hereunto annexed,
and to the letters and figures marked thereon (that is to say) :-

page_text: This Invention relates to the peculiar manner of constructing butt hinges
for doors which swing or open both ways. This improved construction of
hinge folds into itself it being a reversible rabitted hinge.
:
The Invention further consists in forming a butt in such a manner that it
shall be a three-leaf butt folding into itself, two of which folds placed together
will form a single butt and will work alternately as the door swings back.and
forth from the centre.
:
The Invention further relates to the manner of attaching the butt to the
door and casing and in the device for muffling the sound and for rendering
the door self closing or automatic in its back movement towards the centre as
will be herein-after more fully described.
In the accompanying Drawing Fig. 1 represents the butt attached to the
door with the door open and thrown back. The Figure represents a vertical
section through the line x, x, of Fig. 2. Fig. 2 shews the butt as it appears
with the door closed and with the bed plate lapped on to the door and casing;
Fig. 3 shews a side view of one of the leaves folded; Fig. 4 is an edge or
top view of the same; Fig. 5 is a view of the bed plate attached. to the edge
of the door on which the butt is placed; Fig. 6 is a sectional top view of the
door and casing shewing the spring arrangement for rendering the door auto-
matic in its closing, the section being through the line y, y, of Fig. 1; Fig. 7
represents the outer edge of the butt and bed plate as seen when the door is
closed; Fig. 8 represents the edges of the bed plates with the butt removed
shewing the finish on the door and on the casing; Figures 9,. 10, and 11
represent parts connected with the automatic arrangement at the top of the
door as seen in place in the sectional view Fig. 6; Fig. 12 is a pláte seen. in:
red on the edge of the door through which works' the link which connects the
casing with the helical spring; Fig. 13 is the rod which is used in the same
connection; Figure 14 represents the helical spring which is connected with
the door and casing as seen in Fig. 6.
A, A, are metallic plates fitted to the edge of the door and to, the casing
as seen in Fig. 5. Holes for screws are made through these plates and
correspond with holes through the butt so that the same screws will fasten
both plate and butt to the door and casing. Other holes a through these
plates correspond with holes in the edge of the door and casing, in which are
placed small helical springs which are held in place by screws. The heads
of these screws are sunk in pieces of gutta percha c which project through the
plate sufficiently far to receive the concussion of the door when it swings to
the centre, thereby muffling the sound occasioned by the closing door. When
the door is opened the gutta percha is forced outward by the small springs

page_text: before mentioned. Other elastic substances may answer the same purpose
and the springs might perhaps be dispensed with. The edges of the plates A
are turned at right angles on to the sides of the door and casing as seen in the
Drawing and form a handsome finish. B is the butt and it is formed as seen
in Figures 3 and 4. Two of these butts are placed side by side as seen in
Fig. 1 each butt folds into itself as the door is closed, and they act alter-
nately as the door swings either way to or from a central position. These
butts act in connection with a helical spring and the bracket and connecting
link and rod seen in the sectional Drawings, Figures 1 and 6. d is the
bracket; e, the link; f, a rod which connects the link e with the helical
spring g, h. Fig. 12 is the plate through which the link e works. The
curved link e (Fig. 11) is designed to be used on doors which swing only one
way, or on ordinary doors, and it is curved so that it may be changed from one
side of the door to the other, or to doors which swing from different sides.
The butts have small dowels or teats on their inner sides which fit into
cavities in the plates A which prevents the butt from working loose or moving
on the plate.
Having now. described the Invention that has been communicated to me
from abroad, and having explained the manner of carrying the same into effect,
I claim as the Invention secured to me by Letters Patent as aforesaid con-
structing folding butt hinges as herein shewn and described so that two butts
will form a reversible hinge which will act alternately as set forth.
In combination with a butt hinge I claim the use of the plate A.
I claim also the helical spring 9 and the parts by which it is connected with
a door and casing for the purpose of closing the same as shown and described
in combination with any kind of a door or hinge.
I claim the use of the mufflers c in combination with a butt hinge as and
for the purpose set forth.
In witness whereof I, the said William Edward Newton, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, the Twenty-sixth day of June, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-eight.
Witness,
J. W. MOFFATT,
66, Chancery Lane.
W. E. NEWTON. (L.S.)