Miscellaneous hardware (e.g. – bushing – carpet fastener – caster – Hinge – Including adjustment for changing relative orientation of...
Reexamination Certificate
1999-09-13
2001-04-10
Knight, Anthony (Department: 3626)
Miscellaneous hardware (e.g., bushing, carpet fastener, caster,
Hinge
Including adjustment for changing relative orientation of...
C016S243000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06212734
ABSTRACT:
DESCRIPTION BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to hinges for mounting a door to a frame. More particularly it relates to an adjustable, lift-off hinge which enables precise vertical positioning of the door relative to the frame and lift off removal of the door from the frame.
2. Description of Related Art
Vertically adjustable hinges for mounting a door onto a frame are generally known in the art. Some known adjustable hinges, such as those disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,381,580, 5,755,011, 5,713,105 allow vertical adjustment of the door relative to the mounting frame along the pivotal rotational axis of the door. However, the adjustable hinges disclosed in those patents are relatively complex from a manufacturing stand point. The disclosed hinges require the fabrication of two distinct hinge members. Moreover, the mechanism for vertically adjusting the disclosed hinges is limited to a single screw element. A single screw element limits either the placement of the hinge or the ability to adjust the hinge once installed. Also, only the hinge disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,381,580, allows the door to be easily removed from the frame. p Accordingly it would be advantageous to have an adjustable hinge more suitable for lower-cost manufacturing methods. It would also be advantageous to have an adjustable hinge which allows the door or other attached object to be easily removed from the frame. It would be further advantageous to have a more versatile adjustable hinge designed such that vertical adjustments can be made from more than one location on the hinge.
An improved vertically adjustable hinge incorporating the foregoing advantages would be a significant advance in the art.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
This invention is directed to an adjustable, lift-off hinge. The hinge has a hinge assembly including a first hinge member and a second hinge member joined by a tension pin along a vertical rotational axis. Advantageously, the hinge has two identical hinge members enabling manufacturing with a single mold or tooling set. The present invention allows low friction, pivotal movement of the first hinge member relative to the second hinge member about the vertical rotational axis. The hinge also includes a vertical adjustment mechanism allowing for precise movement of the first hinge member relative to the second hinge member along the vertical axis and precise movement of the second hinge member relative to the first hinge member along the vertical axis.
The present invention is also directed to a hinge including first and second hinge members each having base plates and corresponding hinge sleeves. The hinge members are coupled by inserting a vertical adjustment cylinder in the bottom of the hinge sleeve of the second hinge member; inserting a steel ball in the top of the hinge sleeve of the second hinge member such that is rests on the vertical adjustment cylinder; inserting a tension pin through the top of the hinge sleeve of the first hinge member such that the tension pin protrudes out the bottom of the hinge sleeve of the fist hinge member; inserting a set screw into the top of the hinge sleeve of the first hinge member; and coupling the first and second hinge members by inserting the hinge pin protruding from the first hinge member into the top of the hinge sleeve of the second hinge member such that the tension pin makes contact with the steel ball. Each hinge member can be adjusted vertically in relation to the other along the vertical axis defined by the tension pin. The adjustments are made by altering the insertion depth of the tension pin into the hinge sleeve of the first hinge member and altering the insertion depth of the vertical adjustment cylinder inserted in the bottom of the hinge sleeve of the second hinge member. The steel ball allows for low friction adjustments, and increases the useful life of the hinge.
REFERENCES:
patent: 442547 (1890-12-01), Radler
patent: 801232 (1905-10-01), Foss
patent: 860615 (1907-07-01), Winkler
patent: 1563869 (1925-12-01), Larson
patent: 2611921 (1952-09-01), Weidelstam
patent: 4381580 (1983-05-01), Hellstrom et al.
patent: 5713105 (1998-02-01), Toomey
patent: 5755011 (1998-05-01), Green et al.
Knight Anthony
Korfanta Craig M.
Sandy Robert
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