GB2033956A

GB2033956A - Hinge

Info

Publication number: GB2033956A
Application number: GB7934542A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: CHEREAU J
Current assignee: CHEREAU J
Priority date: 1978-10-04
Filing date: 1979-10-04
Publication date: 1980-05-29
Also published as: GB2033956B; BE879167A; DE2940169A1; FR2438147A1; ES246211U; FR2438147B1; DE2940169C2

Abstract

A recessed hinge between a frame (1) and a leaf (2) comprises an intermediate piece (6) connected by two hingepins (7, 8) to two fittings (3, 4) in the frame (1) and the leaf (2) respectively. The fittings (3, 4) and the intermediate piece (6) exhibit complementary abutment surfaces which limit in the two directions the pivoting of the leaf (2) relatively to the piece (6) and of the piece (6) with respect to the frame (1). The intermediate piece is clear of the frame opening when the leaf is open. The hinge is especially useful for the side doors of road vehicles to provide an opening movement through 180 DEG . <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Hinge The present invention refers to a recessed hinge for pivoting doors and other leaves which open in one direction.

Ordinary hinges for pivoting doors and other leaves have a hinge axis between the leaf and the frame. When the face of the leaf on the opening side, and the face of the wall including or forming the frame, against which the leaf pivots at the time of its opening, must be aligned in the closed position of the leaf, the hinge axis is generally located projecting in the direction of opening of the leaf with respect to those faces. In short, only such a projecting hinge axis enables the leaf to be opened through 1 800 so that in the completely open position the leaf is parallel with the wall providing the frame.

In certain applications such, for example, as the side doors of road vehicles or other transport equipment, for example, railway stock, hinges having a projecting hinge axis offer disadvantages. That is, the overall maximum widths of such vehicles are regulated and the fact that the hinges of the side doors project beyond the bodywork of the vehicles brings about a substantial reduction in the useful widths inside and consequently the useful volumes inside these vehicles. Thus on a vehicle of useful length of 10 m. and a useful height of 2 m., hinges projecting sideways by 5 cm. on one side of the vehicle bring about for a given maximum width a reduction of the useful internal volume of 1 m3.

Again, projecting hinges are on such vehicles particularly exposed to impacts and accordingly frequently become damaged.

Recessed hinges are indeed known, but most of these hinges limit the angle of opening of the leaf to less than 1800 so that in the completely open position the leaf is not parallel with the wall providing the frame, which is inadmissible, for example for road vehicles where the side doors must be able to be opened through 1800 in order to get in the way as little as possible at the time of loading and unloading the vehicle.

Recessed hinges do exist which enable opening of the leaf through 1800, but in that case the hinges are of complicated construction and of little strength, and their employment is generally limited to furniture.

It would be desirable to provide a hinge of the recessed type, of simple construction and great strength, which enables an angle of opening of at least 1800, and which ensures complete clearance of the opening provided in the frame when the leaf is open to the maximum. It would also be desirable to provide such a hinge which ensures in the completely closed position the alignment of the leaf with the frame and resistance for the leaf at the hinged side against thrusts coming from the inside or the outside, and in the completely open position resistance for the leaf against the effect of thrusts coming from the outside.

In accordance with the invention, a recessed hinge for pivoting leaves, such as doors, which open out of an opening in a frame in one direction comprises between the frame and the leaf an intermediate piece which pivots relatively to the frame about a first axis located inside a cavity in the frame and relatively to the leaf about a second axis parallel with the first axis and located inside a cavity in the leaf, the intermediate piece on the one hand and the leaf and the frame on the other hand exhibiting respective complementary abutment surfaces which come into abutment during the course of and at the end of the opening movement and of the closing movement of the leaf in order in the two directions to limit the pivoting of the leaf relatively to the intermediate piece and the pivoting of the intermediate piece relatively to the frame, the cavity in the frame opening in the direction of the leaf and the cavity in the leaf opening in the direction of the frame, characterised in that the cavity in the frame also opens in the opening direction in the outer face of the frame and the first axis and the abutment surfaces on the frame and on the intermediate piece are so arranged that in the completely open position of the leaf the intermediate piece clears completely the opening provided in the frame for the leaf.

The intermediate piece is thus, in the closed position of the leaf, completely recessed into the frame and into the leaf. In the closed position the complementary abutment surfaces ensure the fixing of the leaf with respect to the frame at the hinge side, and may provide resistance against the effect of thrusts coming from the inside or the outside. In the open position these complementary abutment surfaces may provide resistance of the leaf with respect to the frame at the hinge side against the effect of thrusts coming from the outside.

The hinge provides double pivoting movement namely, a pivoting of the intermediate piece relatively to the frame about the first axis, such as a hingepin, through a first angle advantageously greater than 900, and of the leaf relatively to the intermediate piece about the second axis, such as a second hingepin, through a second angle. The sum of these two angles defines the total angle of pivot of the leaf with respect to the frame. In the case in which the total angle of pivot is equal to 1 800 this double pivoting movement ensures that, although the two hingepins are recessed, in the completely open position through 1 800 the leaf is located in parallel with and at a distance in front of the wall providing the frame, in which position the leaf is fixed by the aforesaid complementary abutment surfaces.

An example of a hinge constructed in accordance with the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is an elevation of a portion of a frame and a leaf equipped with the hinge; Figure 2 is a section taken on the line Il-Il in Figure 1 showing the closed position of the leaf; Figure 3 is a similar section during the course of opening the leaf; Figure 4 is a similar section showing the leaf open through 1800; and, Figure 5 represents the profile of the intermediate piece of the hinge.

As shown in Figure 1, a frame 1, for example, a side wall of an isothermal road vehicle, and a leaf 2, for example, a side door of such a vehicle, each includes a fitting 3, 4. The fittings 3 and 4 are recessed into the frame 1 and into the leaf 2 at the outer angles facing one another. The fittings 3, 4 are fixed to the frame 1 and to the leaf 2 by, for example, means of screws of which only the screws 5 for fixing the fitting 4 to the leaf 2 are shown.

Each of the two fittings 3, 4 is hollowed out over a portion of its height and receives into its cavity a respective end of an intermediate piece 6 the height of which corresponds to the height of the cavities in the fittings 3 and 4. The end of the intermediate piece 6 recessed into the fitting 3 is connected to the latter by a hingepin 7 which passes through the fitting 3 from top to bottom while passing through the portion of the piece 6 which is recessed into the fitting 7. In a similar fashion the end of the intermediate piece 6 recessed into the fitting 4 is connected to the latter by a hingepin 8 which passes through the fitting 4 from top to bottom while passing through the portion of the piece 6 which is recessed into the fitting 4.

As shown in Figure 2, the cavity 9 arranged in the fitting 3 in order to receive one end of the intermediate piece 6 opens in the direction of the leaf 2 and towards the outside and is bounded on the two other sides by two adjacent surfaces 10, 11 which make an angle substantially equal to 900 with one another and merge together through a curved angle.

The recess 12 in turn, which is provided in the fitting 4 in the leaf 2 for receiving the other end of the intermediate piece 6, opens in the direction of the frame 1 and is bound towards the inside by a surface 1 3 on the body of the leaf 2, towards the side opposite to the frame 1 by a surface 14 on the body of the fitting 4 and towards the outside by the inner surface 1 5 of a portion 1 6 of the fitting 4 of small thickness which extends in the direction of the frame 1 from the surface 14. The surface 13 and the surface 14 on the one hand, and the surface 14 and the surface 1 5 on the other hand, respectively make an angle substantially equal to 900 with one another.

The two hingepins 7 and 8 by which the intermediate piece 6 is joined to the fittings 3 and 4 are mounted in the fittings 3 and 4 so that in the closed position represented in Figure 2 the common plane of these pins is not parallel with the outer face of the frame 1 and the leaf 2. That is, the pin 8 is offset with respect to the pin 7 towards the inside by a value corresponding substantially with the thickness of the portion 1 6 of the fitting 4.

As is shown in particular in Figure 5, the intermediate piece 6 exhibits at the side of the pins 6 and 7 facing the inside, a plane surface 17 which in the closed position which can be seen in Figure 2 is parallel with the outer face of the frame 1 and the leaf 2. This plane surface 1 7 extends to opposite sides as far as perpendiculars to the surface 1 7 which pass through the hingepins 7 and 8.Starting from the intersection of the surface 1 7 with the perpendicular through the hingepin 7 the piece 6 exhibits a 900 rounded corner profile and then a rounded profile 1 8 which extends round the hingepin 7 through an angle substantially equal to another 1350. To this rounding-off 1 8 is joined on the side of the piece 7 which faces the outside, a plane surface 1 9 which makes an angle substantially equal to 450 with the surface 17.This plane surface 19 is joined, substantially at the middle between the two hingepins 7 and 8, by a rounding-off 20 to a plane surface 21 which makes an angle substantially equal to 900 with the surface 19, hence like the surface 19 an angle of 450 but in the opposite direction, with the surface 1 7. The plane surface 21 is joined by a radius portion 22, the centre of which lies on the axis of hinge 8, to a plane surface 23 parallel with the surface 17. The plane surface 23 is joined by an angle substantially equal to 1350 to a surface 24 which rejoins by a radius portion 25, centred upon the axis of hinge 8, the surface 17 with which it therefore makes an angle substantially equal to 450.

In Figure 2 it may be seen that in the closed position of the leaf 2 the surface 1 7 of the intermediate piece 6 by the side of the hingepin 9, has come into abutment against the surface 10 of the cavity 9 in the fitting 3 and that the surface 23 of the intermediate piece 6 has come into abutment against the surface 1 5 of the fitting 4.

In accordance with Figure 3 which represents the leaf 2 during the course of opening, the leaf 2 has pivoted by about 45" with respect to the intermediate piece 6 about the hingepin 8, so that its surface 1 5 has come into abutment against the surface 21 of the intermediate piece 6. The intermediate piece 6 itself has not yet pivoted with respect to the frame 1 about the hingepin 7.

If, starting from the position as Figure 3, one continues to make the leaf 2 pivot in the opening direction, the leaf 2 the surface 1 5 of which is stopped against the surface 21 of the piece 6 carries the latter along in its movement and hence makes the intermediate piece 6 pivot with respect to the frame 1 about the hingepin 7. This pivoting movement of the intermediate piece 6 continues until the surface 1 9 on the piece 6 after pivoting through about 1350 comes into abutment against the surface 11 of the cavity 9 in the fitting 3.

This position is represented in Figure 4 where it may be seen that the surface 1 5 of the fitting 4 and the surface 21 of the intermediate piece 6, on the one hand, and the surface 19 of the intermediate piece 6 and the surface 11 of the fitting 3, on the other hand, are in abutment and prevent any supplementary pivoting movement of the leaf 2. In the example shown, the leaf 2 has pivoted through 1 800 with respect to its closed position and extends in parallel with and at a distance in front of the outer face of the frame, that is to say, of the wall 1.

It likewise appears in Figure 4 that in this position the intermediate piece 6 frees completely the opening provided in the frame 1.

The double pivoting movement described above in relation to the opening of the leaf develops correspondingly in the reverse sense at the time of closing the leaf, that is to say, the intermediate piece 6 pivots with respect to the frame 1 about the hingepin 7 and the leaf 2 pivots with respect to the intermediate piece 6 about the hingepin 8 round to the closed position in accordance with Figure 2.

It goes without saying that this double pivoting movement does not develop compulsorily in two stages as described above. That is, the pivoting of the leaf 2 with respect to the intermediate piece 6 and the pivoting of the intermediate piece 6 with respect to the frame 1 may take place simultaneously or in the reverse order to that described. In any case in the two extreme positions (completely closed and completely open) the conditions are those previously described.

It is well to observe that numerous modifications and variants may be applied to the embodiment represented and described within the scope of the present invention. Thus the maximum angle of opening may be increased beyond 1800, for example, to 2700 by a simple modification of the slopes of the surfaces 11 and 19 and of the surfaces 21,23 and 15.

Moreover, the pivoting angles of the intermediate piece with respect to the frame and of the leaf with respect to the intermediate piece, which are respectively 1350 and 450 in the examples shown, may vary in opposite directions within certain limits, for example, between about 40 and 500 and between about 140 and 1300 on condition that the sum of the two angles corresponds with the total pivoting angle sought.

Here it is likewise sufficient to modify consequently the slopes of the surfaces 11 and 19 and of the surfaces 21,23 and 15.

Claims

1. A recessed hinge for pivoting leaves, such as doors, which open in one direction out of an opening in a frame, the hinge comprising between the frame and the leaf an intermediate piece which pivots relatively to the frame about a first axis located inside a cavity in the frame and relatively to the leaf about a second axis parallel with the first axis and located inside a cavity in the leaf, the intermediate piece on the one hand and the leaf and the frame on the other hand exhibiting respective complementary abutment surfaces which come into abutment during the course of and at the end of the opening movement and of the closing movement of the leaf in order in the two directions to limit the pivoting of the leaf relatively to the intermediate piece and the pivoting of the intermediate piece relatively to the frame, the cavity in the frame opening in the direction of the leaf and the cavity in the leaf opening in the direction of the frame, characterized in that the cavity in the frame also opens in the opening direction in the outer face of the frame and the first axis and the abutment surfaces on the frame and on the intermediate piece are so arranged that in the completely open position of the leaf the intermediate piece clears completely the opening provided in the frame for the leaf.

2. A hinge according to claim 1, characterized in that the abutment surfaces on the frame consist of two adjacent non-open sides of the cavity in the frame, forming two plane surfaces substantially perpendicular to one another, and the corresponding surfaces on the intermediate piece are provided on the inside and on the outside of the intermediate piece by two surfaces which are joined together by a rounded portion extending by more than 1 800 about the first axis.

3. A hinge according to claim 1 or claim 2, characterized in that the abutment surfaces on the leaf consist of a plane surface bounding the outside of the cavity in the leaf and the corresponding abutment surfaces on the intermediate piece consist of two adjacent plane surfaces which are provided on the outside of the intermediate piece and which are joined together by a radius portion extending by less than 900 around, and centred upon, the second axis.

4. A hinge according to claims 2 and 3, characterized in that the rounded portion joining the abutment surfaces provided on the intermediate piece for cooperating with the abutment surfaces on the frame extend over an angle substantially equal to 2250 and that the radius portion joining together the abutment surfaces provided on the intermediate piece for cooperating with the abutment surfaces on the leaf extends over an angle substantially equal to 450, which enables the leaf to pivot relatively to the frame through an angle substantially equal to 1800.

5. A hinge according to claims 2 and 3, characterized in that the angle which the two abutment surfaces on the frame make with one another, the angle through which the rounded portion extends between the abutment surfaces provided on the intermediate piece for cooperating with the abutment surfaces on the frame, and the angle through which the radius portion extends between the abutment surfaces provided on the intermediate piece for cooperating with the abutment surfaces on the leaf are such that the total angle of pivot of the leaf relatively to the frame is greater than 1 800.

6. A hinge according to claim 1, substantially as described with reference to the accompanying drawings.