Patent ID: 7594555

Claim:
A releasable hinge for securing a hood to a vehicle, the releasable hinge comprising: a base portion; a first member pivotally secured to the base portion at one end and having an other end; a second member having one end pivotally secured to the other end of the first member and having an other end pivotally secured to the base portion, said second member having an opening apart from the ends; a third member having one end pivotally secured to the other end of the first member and having an other end configured to be pivotally secured to the hood, said third member having an opening apart from the ends and aligned with the opening in the second member; and a release mechanism for releasably securing the first member, the second member, the third member and the base portion in a first position wherein the first, second and third members are adjacent the base portion, said release mechanism being mounted to said base portion and comprising a release bolt slideably received in the openings of the second and third members and removable from the openings to release the members, whereupon the members are able to pivot from the first position to a second position wherein the other end of the third member is spaced apart from the base portion to allow the hood to move apart from the base portion.