IMPROVEMENTS IN DOOR HINGES AND IN HANGING DOORS."
Year: 1877

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Samuel Hill, of Southwark, in the County of Surrey,
and George Edward Williams, of Dulwich, in the same County, for the
Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN DOOR HINGES AND IN HANGING DOORS."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Samuel Hill and George
Edward Williams at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 17th
December 1877
SAMUEL HILL, of Southwark, in the County of Surrey, and GEORGE EDWARD
WILLIAMS, of Dulwich, in the same County. "IMPROVEMENTS IN DOOR HINGES
AND IN HANGING DOORS."
This Invention relates to improvements in door hinges and in hanging doors, and
it has for its objects the making of improved double action, self-adjusting, well
spring hinges applicable to folding, lobby, and other doors, and the simplifying the
fixing or banging and adjusting of doors.
The hinge of the door is constructed with a metal box or well within which the
working parts (which are formed of metal) are arranged and enclosed by a cover
plate and kept free from the entrance of dust or dirt. The pivot of this hinge
(upon which the door turns) works in bearings in the top and bottom of the box, and
is provided between the said top and bottom with shoulders formed with or con-
nected by two off centres not in line with the axis of the pivot but parallel there-
with, and on each side thereof. The upper end of this pivot projects through the
top of the box, and is formed flat with an angular bend, to which the heel plate or
shoe of the door is suitably secured in lieu of to the usual squared end of the pivot.
The shoe (and consequently the door which is fixed thereto as usually) is kept in
the proper closed position, and caused automatically to return thereto, after having
been opened in either direction, by means of a crutch or T shaped spring driver,
the head of which is formed with two bearings which engage with the said off
centres, and the shank of which passes through a centred or pivotted guide plate
within and at the forward end of the box, and is encircled by a helical spring of

page_text: square or other suitable section, which, pressing between and against the guide
plate and the head of the driver has a constant tendency to thrust the latter into
such a position as that it shall bear equally upon the two off centres and tend to
keep the door in the proper closed position. The head of the driver in addition to
being formed with the two bearings is formed longitudinally in two parts hinged
or suitably united at one end, and between which at the other end a wedge-acting
piece is placed, being forced between the parts or withdrawn from between them as
desired by the action of a screw which can be easily manipulated, and held in the
position desired by a set screw. The head of the driver is thus arranged to enable
the door to be readily set when being hung, or if at any time requiring adjustinent
as its action when the screw is turned either one way or the other is to slightly
alter the position of the said bearings and off centres, and cause the door to set a
little to one side or the other of its incorrect position, and thus align it with the
door frame or its opposite door without requiring its removal.
By this arrangement when the door is in the closed position the crutch driver
bears equally against the two off centres of the door's bottom pivot or centre, and
thus the door is kept closed; but when the door is opened in either direction, one or
other of the off centres is moved away from the crutch, and the whole power of its
spring is then brought to bear upon the other off centre, and thus to return the
door to its closed position. In these actions the crutch driver has endway and side
movements which it is enabled to receive by means of the said pivotted guide
plate.
The advantages gained by this action are that in this construction of hinge there
are no friction wheels nor anything liable to become loose or deranged by wear, and
the crutch driver being divided and adjustable as described, enables the doors to be
readily aligned, saving a great deal of time and labor. The hinge also cannot well
get out of order by any fair usage, and will as long as it is in use tend to keep the
door firmly in its proper closed position until extraneous pressure be brought against
it, thus the wear on its bearings will not cause it to become loose, simplifying its
fixing and adjustment, and being very durable.
By means of connecting bars underneath the flooring or otherwise, the hinge
of one door may be caused to effect the closing of opposite doors, both doors
opening in opposite directions on one being pushed or pulled in a manner well
understood.
The top centre of the door is also provided with an adjustable pivot carried by a
sliding piece which is set fast in the position desired by a screw or other suitable
means, the pivot being raised or lowered into its socket in the door by the
usual means, This arrangement is also advantageous in that it allows of
the door being quickly hung, and at the same time readily set, saving much
time and trouble.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Samuel Hill and George Edward Williams in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 17th June 1878.
SAMUEL HILL, of Southwark, in the County of Surrey, and GEORGE EDWARD
WILLIAMS, of Dulwich, in the saine County. "IMPROVEMENTS IN DOOR HINGES
AND IN HANGING DOORS."
This Invention which relates to improvements in door hinges and in hanging
doors, has for its objects the making of improved double action, self-adjusting, well
spring hinges, applicable to folding, lobby, and other doors, and the simplifying the
fixing or hanging and adjusting of doors.
Such being the nature and objects of our said Invention, we will now proceed to
describe more in detail the manner in which the same is to be or may be performed
or carried into practical effect; and in order that our Invention may be completely
understood, we have annexed hereunto three Sheets of Drawings, illustrative of our
improvements, and have marked the same with Figures of reference corresponding
with those in the following description or explanation thereof, that is to say :-
Figures 1 to 7 on the accompanying Sheets of Drawings are illustrative of our
improved hinges, and Figures 8 to 10 are illustrative of our improved top centres
for folding, lobby, and other similar doors.
With reference, firstly, to Figures 1 to 7, they illustrate our improved door hinges,
and show them as constructed with a box 1 (of cast iron or other suitable metal),
within which the working parts (which are also formed of cast iron, or of wrought
iron, or of steel or brass, or other appropriate metal) are arranged and enclosed by a
cover plate 2, and thus kept free from the access or entrance of dust and dit;
3 represents the pivot of this hinge upon which the door turns; and 4, the bearings
in the top and bottom of the box 1, in which it works; between these bearings the
pivot 3 is provided with shoulders 5, formed with or connected by two off centres G,
which are not in line with the axis of the pivot 3, but run parallel therewith, and
are arranged one on each side thereof; the off centres may be formed separate, as
shown in Figures 1 to 4, or they may be connected as shown in Figure 6. The
upper end of the pivot 3 projects through the top or cover plates 2, 7, of the box 1,
and is formed flat as at 8, with an upward or angular bend 9, to which the heel
plate or shoe 10 of the door is secured by screws 11 or otherwise, in lieu of to the
usual squared end of the pivot of the door hinge, which latter arrangement is very
insecure, and allows of the door quickly working loose thereon, which disadvantage
our improved connection obviates. The door which is fixed to the shoe 10 by screws
in the usual manner is kept in the proper closed position, and caused automatically
to return thereto, after having been opened in either direction by means of a crutch
or T shaped spring driver 12, the head 13 of which is formed with two bearings 14
which engage with the said off centres 6, and the shank or stem 15 of which passes
through a guide plate 16, centred or pivotted at 17, within and at the forward end
of the box 1, and is encircled by a helical spring 18 of square or other suitable
section, and which, pressing between and against the guide plate 16 and the head 13
of the driver 12, has a constant tendency to thrust the latter into such a position as
5 that its bearings 14 shall bear equally upon or against the two off centres G, and
tend to keep the door in the proper closed position.
By this arrangement when the door is in the closed position, as represented in
Figures 1 and 2, which are respectively a sectional elevation and a sectional plan
view, the dotted line 19 representing the centre line of the door, the bearings 14 of
0 the crutch driver 12 bear equally against the two off centres 6 of the door's bottom
pivot or centre 3 as shown most clearly in Figure 2, and thus the door is kept closed;
but when the door is opened in either direction as illustrated in the plan view,
Figure 3, one or other of the off centres 6 is moved away from its bearing 14
of the driver 12, and the whole power of the spring 18 is then brought to
5 bear upon the other off centre 6, and, when the door is released, thus imme

page_text: diately to return to its closed position, the parts assuming the position shown
in Figure 2. In these actions the crutch driver has endway and side movements
which it is enabled to receive by means of the guide plate 16, which turns
upon its centre 17, and through which it passes into a recess 20 in the pivot
block 21.
The head 13 of the driver 12, in addition to being formed with the two bearings
14, is formed longitudinally in two parts which are pressed together by the spring 18,
and which are inclined in contrary directions at their opposite faces 22, between
which a wedge-acting piece 23 is placed, and which can be forced between the parts
or withdrawn from between them to any desired extent by the action of a screw 24,
which can be easily manipulated by means of a wheel 25 which may be held in any
desired position by a set screw. The end of the screw 24 works in a clip 34
embracing the parts of the head 13.
By these means the head of the driver is arranged to enable the door to be readily
set when being hung, or if at any time requiring adjustment, as its action when the
screw 24 is turned either one way or the other is to slightly alter the position of
the said bearings and off centres, as shown in the detached sectional plan view,
Figure 4, and cause the door to set a littlo to one side or the other of its incorrect
position, as indicated by the dotted line 19 in this Figure, and thus align it with
the door frame or its opposite door without requiring its removal as is necessary
according to the present systems of hanging such doors.
The advantages gained by the above-described means are that with such an
improved construction of hinge there are no friction wheels, nor anything liable to
become loose or deranged by wear, and the spring crutch driver being divided and
adjustable as above described, enables the doors to be readily aligned, saving a great
deal of time and labor compared with the present methods. The hinge also cannot
well get out of order by any fair usage, and will as long as it is in use tend to keep
the door firmly in its proper closed position until extraneous pressure be brought
against it, thus the wear on its bearings will not cause it to become loose, simplifying
its fixing and adjustment, and being very durable.
In Figures 1 to 4 the shank or stem 15 of the crutch driver is shown as encircled
with one spring 18, but it may be encircled with two concentric springs wound in
the same, but preferably in contiary directions, as illustrated in Figure 5; or the
crutch driver may be formed with two shanks or stems 15, as illustrated in Figure 6,
in lieu of with one shank or stem, as illustrated in Figures 1 to 4, and each of
which shanks is surrounded with a spring 18, the springs being wound in the
same, but preferably in contrary directions, as illustrated in Figure 6.
The head 13 of the crutch driver may also be formed of but one piece together
with its shank or stem 15, and without the above-described adjusting mechanism,
as illustrated in Figures 6 and 7. This arrangement would be less expensive, and
would be very suitable for heavy doors and gates.
By means of connecting bars the hinge of one door may be caused to effect the
closing of opposite doors, both doors opening in opposite directions on one being
pushed or pulled in a manner well understood.
With reference, secondly, to Figures 8 to 10. These Figures illustrate our
improved top centres for doors and show them as constructed or provided with an
adjustable pivot 26, carried by a block or piece 27 (shown most clearly in the
detached perspective view, Figure 8), which is capable of sliding in a slot 28 in the
frame 29 (as shown in the longitudinal section, Figure 9, and in the under plan
view, Figure 10), and can be set fast in any desired position therein by a set screw
30 (or other suitable means) passing through a slot 31 in the block 27, the pivot 20
being raised or lowered into its socket 32 in the door by the usual means 33. The
parts of these improved top centres may also be made of cast or wrought iron, or of
steel or brass, or other appropriate metal.
This arrangement is also advantageous in that it allows of the door being quickly
hung, and at any time readily adjusted and set, should the pivot be worn, saving
much time and trouble.

page_text: Having now described the nature and objects of our said Invention, together
with the manner in which the same is to be or may be performed or carried
into practical effect, we would remark in conclusion that we claim as our
Invention,-
1. The above-described improved method of constructing or forming the hinges of
folding, lobby, and other doors with a spring driver, capable of lateral and longitu-
dinal movements, and provided with bearings for exerting an equal pressure upon
off centres, forming part of the pivot of the door hinge for immediately closing the
door after it has been opened and upon its being released, and formed in one or
more parts, and provided or not with the above-described adjusting mechanism or
modifications thereof or equivalents therefor for aligning the door with its frame or
with an opposite door, and enabling it to be at any time readily adjusted and set
without necessitating its removal, and either with or without the above-described
improved means of securing the shoe of the door to the pivot of the hinge.
2. The above-described improved method of constructing or forming the top
centres of folding, lobby, and other doors with an adjustable block, carrying the top
centre or pivot of the door for enabling the door to be quickly hung and at any
time readily adjusted and set, should the pivot be worn, without necessitating the
removal of the door, all substantially as above described, and as illustrated on the
accompanying Sheets of Drawings, or any mere modifications thereof or equivalents
therefor.
We also claim the use and application of our improved door hinges and top centres
in the hanging of doors, either together or separately.
In witness whereof, wo, the said Samuel Hill and George Edward Williams,
have hereunto set our hands and seals, this Fourteenth day of June, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-eight.