Hinge For Articulating A Wall Pivotable To And Fro Between Open And Closed Positions

Abstract

A hinge for pivoting a door or the like to a stationary member has coil springs acting in such a way on the door as to tend to hold it in open position. The springs operate on the door through a sliding block which frictionally engages the wall of the casing in which the springs are mounted so as to exert a braking effect on the movement of the door.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The invention relates to a hinge for articulating a wall pivotable to and fro between open and closed positions.

2. The Prior Art

More particularly, the invention refers to hinges of the kind in question for articulating a lid, flap, door or other comparable closure, to the associated fitment body, for example for sound reproduction cabinets, refrigerator cabinets, etc. More especially the invention relates to a hinge of the above kind which has on one hand a hinge casing connected to the cabinet body, containing a pressure spring arrangement, and on the other hand a hinge flap connected to the pivotable wall and articulated to the hinge casing, said flap being acted on by the pressure spring arrangement, which attempts to hold it in the open position, the pressure spring arrangement being stretched when the pivotable wall (that is, the flap, door, lid or closure) is closed, the wall being held in the closed position with the help of any suitable locking device.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to the invention, provision is made in the new hinge for an additional brake device serving to damp the pivoting movement of the pivotable wall, or of the closure, between the open and closed positions, and in particular from the closed into the open position. The brake device is more suitable designed as a double-acting brake. This device can, for example, contain a brake block, movable to and fro in a straight line in the hinge casing, said block being on the one hand under the pressure, towards the hinge flap, of the pressure spring arrangement, and on the other hand under the opposite pressure of the hinge flap linked to the hinge casing, said block having more or less the shape of a C the outer sides of whose two arms bear frictionally against the walls of the hinge casing, and are pressed away from the said walls, from the inside, during the pivoting movement of the hinge flap, the C-shaped brake block preferably having an inner brakeshoe between its arms, the outer surfaces of the said brakeshoe bearing on corresponding surfaces of the brake block. This design of the brake device as double-acting brake allows all parts to be reduced in size without any unfavorable effects on the braking efficiency. It is of particular advantage to have the brake device housed in the hinge casing, so that it is accessible from above once the casing cover is removed. This design of the arrangement according to the invention is of particular importance in mass production. The hinge flap can, for example, be connected to the frontal edge of the associated pivotable wall, for example of the lid, the flap, or the like, facing the hinge casing, by means of a screwed-in bolt on the hinge flap, said bolt being pressed into a hole running at right angles to the wall's bearing surface. Thus assembly is quick and reliable, and in this case the lid need not be reinforced with hardwood. The bolt serves to absorb the considerable forces acting on the flap to be fixed to the lid. The hinge casing has preferably the form of a longitudinally flattened prismatic body of rectangular cross section, the length of the hinge casing preferably being greater, for example, twice to three times greater, than its breadth, and likewise considerably greater, for example four to five times greater, than its height. This arrangement allows the hinge to be mounted on the appropriate part of the piece of furniture as inconspicuously as possible. The cutout to take the hinge casing is preferably broader than the casing itself, the casing having two lugs on the side facing the hinge flap, projecting outwards from both longitudinal side edges of the casing, and thus in directions opposed to each other, and bent off outwards more or less at right angles to the hinge casing, these lugs covering from the outside the intermediate space between the outer edge of the hinge casing and of the cutout containing the hinge casing.

This larger design of the cutout is necessary for mass production, as the lugs are then used to conceal the inaccuracy which is unavoidable in mass production.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

These and other objects, features, and advantages of the present invention will become further apparent from the following detailed description thereof, particularly when the same is read with reference to the accompanying drawings.

An exemplary embodiment of the subject matter of the invention is shown in the drawing:

FIG. 1 shows a frontal view of a hinge according to the invention in the open position, with the lid of the hinge casing removed;

FIG. 2 shows a frontal view of the hinge according to FIG. 1, in the closed position, with the casing lid likewise removed;

FIG. 3 shows a side view in vertical section of a hinge according to FIGS. 1 and 2, in the closed position, and

FIG. 4 shows a side view of the hinge according to FIGS. 1 to 3, in the open position.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The hinge according to the drawings contains a hinge casing 1, two spirally shaped pressure springs 2, 3, together forming the pressure spring arrangement and the hinge flap 4. Hinge casing 1 is attached to one of the two parts to be joined together by means of the hinge, namely to cabinet body 5, while the hinge flap is attached, as by screws, to the other of the two parts to be joined, namely to lid 6 on a corresponding flap, door or comparable closure, and quite commonly to a pivotable wall. The device is so arranged that the pressure spring arrangement tries to hold the hinge flap in the open position, said arrangement being stretched when the flap or door is closed, and the flap, door, closure, lid, or the like is held fast in the closed position by means of any suitable locking device. A brake device designed as a double-acting brake serves to damp the pivoting movement of the closure between the open and closed positions, and particularly from the closed into the open position.

The brake device according to the invention contains a brake block 7, which is on the one hand under the influence of pressure springs 2, 3, and on the other of hinge flap 4, joined to the casing, the brake block being more or less in the shape of a C (see FIGS. 1 and 2). The outer sides of both of the arms 7a, 7b of the brake block bear on the sidewalls 1a, 1b of the hinge casing, on to which they are pressed from the inside during the pivoting movement of the hinge flap, so that the braking effect, or at least part of it, can be obtained. The C-shaped brake block 7 has between its arms an inner brakeshoe 8, whose outer surfaces 8a, 8b bear on the corresponding bearing surfaces of the brake block, and thus exert the other part of the braking effect. The brake block has, on the side facing the brakeshoe, an opening 9 both of whose longitudinal sides 9a, 9b run more or less obliquely to the longitudinal axis of the hinge casing, while on the side of the brakeshoe facing the brake block there is a projection 10 which correspondingly tapers towards the brakeshoe. The opening in the brake block and the brakeshoe projection are more or less trapezoidal in cross section. Moreover, the part of the brakeshoe facing the brake block, and thus its projection, has a medial longitudinal slot 11, which thus separates two shanklike parts of the brakeshoe, these parts springing towards and away from each other. The brake block and brakeshoe are made of plastic, particularly the material known to the trade as "Teflon," a shaped plate 12 being inlaid between the surfaces of brakeshoe and brake block which bear on each other. On closing the flap, door or other closure, both pressure springs are compressed, the force acting on the plastic parts compressing the inner brakeshoe, so that considerable friction is exerted on the shifting axis, and the attached oblique surfaces cause the outer shoes to be simultaneously pressed apart, and frictional forces act on the inner walls of the casing. The shaped plate inlaid between the trapezoidal oblique surfaces prevents an opposed seizing or working back of the plastic parts.

The braking arrangement thus comprises a first part (walls 1a, 1b) connected to the hinge casing 1, a second part 8 connected to the hinge flap 4 and a third part 7 in frictional engagement with the first and second parts.

The assembly consisting of the brake block and the brakeshoe set in it is on one hand under the influence of pressure springs 2 and 3, which are designed as mutually parallel spiral springs, mounted side by side, and on the other under the influence of a pressure member 13, guided in the hinge casing, which is connected with the hinge flap 4, and which, on the hinge flap being being pivoted into the closed position is pressed inwards in the direction of arrow 14 against the spring pressure. This pressure member is connected with the hinge flap by lever assemblies 15 attached on both sides of the hinge flap and pivotable with it on shaft 18, the lever assemblies being connected at 16 with push lever 17, which is linked to the pressure member, the arrangement being such that pivoting of the hinge flap is transmuted into a straight line reciprocating movement of the pressure member, resulting in the stretching or relaxing of the pressure spring arrangement. Both lever assemblies are connected together by a shaft 18 running transversely to the longitudinal axis of the hinge casing, said levers running at the same presettable angle to the said shaft 18. When the parts 6 connected with the hinge flap are pivoted in the direction of arrow 19 (FIG. 3), the lever assemblies are pivoted in the direction of arrow 2, pushing the push levers outwards in the direction of arrow 21, so that springs 2, 3 are compressed. Part 6 of the fitment is held in this out swing position by means of a locking device of a type known per se, which is not shown. When the lock is released, the springs are relaxed, and on one hand the pressure member, and on the other the lever assemblies, and also part 6, respectively describe movements in the reverse direction. The brake device can be housed in the hinge casing in such a way that it is accessible from above after removal of the casing lid, and can be set from above. The arrangement has the advantage of considerable simplification of the mass-production process.

The preset tension of the pressure springs can be altered, a setscrew being provided for this purpose. The pressure springs are supported on the side opposite to the hinge flap on a spring base 25 in the form of a small plate or strip, with a central tapped hole, into which the end 26a, provided with a thread, of setscrew 26 can be screwed, the head of the said screw being supported on the opposed frontal wall of the hinge casing, as shown at 27 in FIG. 3. The setscrew can be adjusted from the outside, from the frontal side of the hinge casing, facing the hinge flap, its head 27, designed after the fashion of a slotted screwhead, passing through the frontal wall of the casing, and being supported in a countersunk fashion on this wall. The setscrew can be turned from the outside with the aid of a screwdriver in order to alter the tension of the pressure springs.

The hinge flap is connected to the frontal edge 28a of the associated pivotable wall, as of a lid, flap, door, or the like, with the help of a long inserted bolt 28 on the hinge flap, said bolt being thrust into a hole running at right angles to the wall's bearing surface, and also the screws 29a, 29b are in addition provided, mounted on both sides of the inserted bolt 28, each parallel to it, and at about the same distance from it. This arrangement has the advantage that assembly is quick and reliable, and that there is no necessity for the lid to be reinforced with hardwood.

It can be seen from the drawings that the hinge casing has the shape of a longitudinally flattened prismatic body, the length L of the hinge casing being considerably greater, for example, twice to three times greater than its breadth B and likewise considerably greater, for example, four to five times greater than its height t, the longitudinal medial axis of the hinge casing running at right angles to the pivoting axis of the part connected to the hinge flap, and also to the plane in which this pivoting is located and takes place. The hinge casing is contained in a prismatic opening 30 of the associated part, so that its upper side fits more or less flush with the surface of the part containing the opening, while the upper side 31 of the hinge casing facing the base of the opening runs more or less at right angles to the surface f the hinge flap in the hinge's open position, (FIG. 4), and is contained approximately on the same plane with the hinge flap when the hinge is in the closed position (FIG. 3). The lid 32 of the hinge casing is flat in shape, and removable upwards, that is, to the side opposite the base of the opening, along arrow 33, said lid being connected to the hinge casing by releasable pins 34, and attached by a raised edge 35 to the surface of the associated fitment wall at 36a, being screwed on, for example. The opening housing the hinge casing is open at the side facing the hinge flap, the casing being so housed in the opening for it that the head of the setscrew is accessible from the open side of the opening facing the hinge casing. The opening for the hinge casing is broader than the casing itself, which has, on the side facing the hinge flap, lugs 36, 37 projecting outward from both longitudinal sides and thus in opposed directions, bent outwards more or less at right angles to the hinge casing.

Although my invention has been illustrated and described with reference to the preferred embodiments thereof, I wish to have it understood that it is in no way limited to the details of such embodiments, but is capable of numerous modifications within the scope of the appended claims.

Claims

Having thus fully disclosed my invention, what I claim is:

1. A hinge for articulating a wall pivotable to and from between open and closed positions to the associated fitment body, which has on the one hand a hinge casing connected to the fitment body, containing a pressure spring arrangement, and on the other hand a hinge flap connected to the pivotable wall and articulated to the hinge casing, a pressure spring arrangement acting on said flap tending to hold it in the open position, the pressure spring arrangement being tensioned when the pivotable wall is closed, wherein the hinge has a double-acting brake device serving to damp the pivoting movement of the pivotable wall between the open and closed positions and wherein the brake device comprises a brake block movable to and fro in a straight line in the hinge casing, said block being on one hand under the pressure towards the hinge flap of the pressure-spring arrangement, and on the other under the opposite pressure of the hinge-flap linked to the hinge-casing, said block having substantially the shape of a C, the outer sides of whose two arms bear frictionally against the walls of the hinge-casing, and are pressed away from the said walls from the inside during the pivoting movement of the hinge-flap.

2. The hinge set forth in claim 1, wherein the C-shaped brake block contains between its arms a brakeshoe whose outer surfaces bear on corresponding surfaces of the brake block.

3. The hinge set forth in claim 2, wherein the brake block has, on the side facing the brakeshoe, an opening both of whose longitudinal sides run obliquely to the longitudinal axis of the hinge casing, while the brakeshoe, on the side facing the brake block, has a projection which tapers correspondingly towards the brake block.

4. The hinge set forth in claim 3, wherein the opening in the brake block and the brakeshoe's projection are substantially trapezoidal in cross section.

5. The hinge set forth in claim 2, wherein the part of the brakeshoe facing the brake block and its projection has a medial longitudinal slot, which separates two shanklike parts of the brakeshoe from each other, these parts springing towards and away from each other.

6. The hinge set forth in claim 1, wherein the brake block and brakeshoe consist of plastic material.

7. The hinge set forth in claim 6, wherein a shaped plate is inlaid between the faces of brake block and brakeshoe which bear on each other.

8. The hinge set forth in claim 1, wherein the assembly consisting of brake block and brakeshoe is under the influence of a pressure member guided so as to reciprocate longitudinally in the hinge casing, which is connected to the hinge flap and is under its influence, and which, when the hinge flap is pivoted into the closed position, is pressed inwards against the spring action.

9. The hinge set forth in claim 8, wherein the pressure member is connected with the hinge flap by lever assemblies attached on both sides of the hinge flap and pivotable with it, and wherein the lever assemblies are connected with a push lever, which is linked to the pressure member, the arrangement being such that a pivoting movement of the hinge flap is transmuted into a straight reciprocating movement of the pressure member, resulting in the stretching or relaxation of the pressure spring arrangement.

10. The hinge set forth in claim 9, wherein each lever assembly is guided in the hinge casing side wall, and wherein both lever assemblies are connected together by a shaft running transversely to the longitudinal axis of the hinge casing, with which the said lever assemblies form the same presettable angle.

11. The hinge set forth in claim 1, wherein the pressure springs are supported on the side facing away from the hinge flap on a striplike spring base, which has a central tapped hole running transversely to the longitudinal axis, into which the end of the setscrew, provided with a thread, is screwed, the head of the screw being supported on the opposite frontal wall of the hinge casing.

12. A hinge for articulating a wall pivotable to and fro between open and closed position to the associated fitment body, which has on the one hand a hinge casing connected to the fitment body, containing a pressure spring arrangement, and on the other hand a hinge flap connected to the pivotable wall and articulated to the hinge casing, a pressure spring arrangement acting on said flap tending to hold it in the open position, the pressure spring arrangement being tensioned when the pivotable wall is closed, wherein the hinge has a double-acting brake device serving to damp the pivoting movement of the pivotable wall between the open and closed positions and wherein the pressure spring arrangement comprises two spiral springs lying parallel, side by side, near each other, the pressure springs being supported on the side facing away from the hinge flap on a striplike spring base, which has a central tapped hole running transversely to the longitudinal axis, into which the end of the setscrew, provided with a thread, is screwed, the head of the said screw being supported on the opposite frontal wall of the hinge casing.

13. The hinge set forth in claim 12, wherein the setscrew can be adjusted from the outside, from the frontal side of the hinge casing, facing the hinge flap, its head comprising a slotted screwhead passing through the frontal wall of the casing and being supported in a countersunk fashion on this wall.

14. A hinge for articulating a wall pivotable to and fro between open and closed positions to the associated fitment body, which has on one hand a hinge casing connected to the fitment body, containing a pressure spring arrangement, and on the other hand a hinge flap connected to the pivotable wall and articulated to the hinge casing, a pressure spring arrangement acting on said flap tending to hold it in the open position, the pressure spring arrangement being tensioned when the pivotable wall is closed, wherein the hinge has a double-acting brake device serving to damp the pivoting movement of the pivotable wall between the open and closed positions in which said double-acting brake device comprising a first part connected to the hinge casing, a second part connected to the hinge flap and a third part in frictional engagement with said first and second parts.