AN IMPROVED DOUBLE-JOINTED BUT-HINGE
Year: 1869

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Benjamin Franklin West at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
20th February 1869.-A communication from abroad by James
Bidwell, of San Francisco, California, United States of America.
I, BENJAMIN FRANKLIN WEST,. of Rochester, New York, United States
of America, now of No. 8, Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane, in the
County of Middlesex, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention
for "AN IMPROVED DOUBLE-JOINTED BUT-HINGE," a communication, to be as
follows:-
The object of my Invention is the construction of a double-jointed
but-hinge for doors which open or swing in both directions, or inwardly
and outwardly, and the nature of the said Invention consists in the
peculiar arrangement of the parts of the said hinge whereby it is allowed
to fold or open and close in two directions, or upon two centres, while at
the same time the said parts are kept from separating laterally, so that
the door will swing freely on these two centres, and is at the same

page_text: time confined thereto as securely as if fixed on ordinary single-jointed
hinges.
My improved hinge consists of four plates or leaves, two long plates
and two short ones; one of the long plates is secured to the door and
the other to the post or jamb. The two long plates are each jointed at
the opposite sides of each end to one of the short plates, and when the
hinge is closed the two long plates lie parallel to each other, with the
short plates between them. The two short plates are placed end to end,
and their opposite edges carry the two joint pins of each end of the
hinge, each end of the long plates or leaves of the hinge being con-
nected to the joint at opposite edges of the short plates. It is
obvious that if the hinges or joints which connect the long plates or
leaves to the short plates were extended on each side from end to
end of the same that the hinge would turn on both joints at the same
time in such a manner as to leave a wide space between the door
and the jamb, but as the two ends of the long plates are jointed to
opposite sides of the short plateş it will not open on both centres at the
same time.
My improved hinge may be formed of brass or other suitable metal.
I prefer to form the parts by casting, only two patterns being necessary,
as both of the long plates and both of the short plates are (when the
hinge is properly made) of precisely the same size and form. The said
plates are put together with the pointed edge of cach long plate on
opposite sides of the hinge, the knuckles or sockets for the hinge
pins being, when the hinge is closed, in line with each other on
both edges of the hinge. I then drill the holes for the said pins, and as
the efficiency of the hinge depends in a great measure upon the way in
which this operation is effected great care must be taken to ensure the
holes being drilled in a straight line from end to end of the hinge. As
each centre is divided into two parts four hinge pins will be required,
each being about half the length of the hinge. Each pin connects one
of the short plates to opposite sides of both of the long plates. The said
pins may then be secured by riveting, or in any other convenant
manner. Holes are formed through each of the long plates for the
screws which are to secure the hinge to the door and jamb, the said
holes being countersunk on the inner side of each plate to receive the
screw heads. Care must be taken that all the hinges on a door are

page_text: attached thereto and to the jamb by their corresponding leaves or
plates. The said hinges may be provided with springs placed around
the joint pin inside the knuckle to cause the door to close, or may be used
in connection with separate springs ordinarily used for that purposé.