Miscellaneous hardware (e.g. – bushing – carpet fastener – caster – Hinge – Retractable pintle
Patent
1983-02-22
1985-01-29
Meister, James M.
Miscellaneous hardware (e.g., bushing, carpet fastener, caster,
Hinge
Retractable pintle
16258, 16380, E05D 710, E05D 1550
Patent
active
044956720
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
DESCRIPTION
1. Technical Field
The present invention relates generally to a hinge latch configured for selectively releasable, pivotable hinging securement of relatively moveable structural members and, more especially, to an improved device of that character particularly adapted to function as a hinge joining those structural members for pivotal movement thereof and, in a correlary mode, as a latch allowing releasable displacement of the hinge components for separation of those structural members.
2. Description of the Background Art
There are several environments within which it is desirable to secure a pair of structural members in such a fashion that the same may be pivotally disposed about a hinge member or array of same and which may also be separated relative to one another for some good advantage. For example, motor vehicles have sometimes been provided with cargo doors particularly constructed for hinged disposition relative to the body of the vehicle about either a horizontal or vertical hinge line. Likewise, household appliances, most notably refrigerators, have sometimes been equipped with devices allowing the door to be pivoted from either the right-hand or left-hand side thereof upon the desires of the user. The devices utilized to achieve these desired results, commonly dubbed "hinge latches", all have certain basic attributes in common. In capsule summary, the hinge pintle providing a stationary point of securement for pivotal motion of one member relative to the other is itself displaceable in order that male and female parts associated respectively with the two members may be separated in the nature of a latch.
The devices heretofore proposed, certain of which are discussed in greater detail below, have historically suffered two important drawbacks as particularly respects the most preferred enviroment for the device of the present invention--use in an aircraft. On the one hand, conventional hinge latch structures have tended to be exceedingly complex mechanisms, oftentimes mandating a specific design of the structural members pivotally secured thereby in order to accept the device. Hence, with the hinge latch and, e.g., door structure collectively defined in terms of design, most approaches do not admit of the ability to retrofit existing structures to achieve the benefits of releasable, pivotal securement thereof. On the other hand, and generally related to the foregoing, these complicated designs impose a severe weight penalty within the context of aircraft usage.
Turning to the patented prior art devices, that described in U.S. Pat. No. 2,261,146 typifies one conventional approach in the design of these hinge latches. The apparatus is one destined for the releasable securement of a refrigerator door or the like wherein the hinge latch itself forms an integral part of the door construction. It is a hinge latch best described as one comprised of a pair of so-called hinge butts secured to the refrigerator proximate each side of the door, in turn including upper and lower hinge lugs. An articulated hinge linkage is associated with the door at each of the butt locations with retractable hinge pin elements cooperating within the lugs to establish a hinging relationship. Opposed pairs of hinge latch devices are associated with a latch for the door through additional linkage members, the articulated hinge pins being responsive to the associated latch. Manipulation of the latch is translated to the articulated linkage through pivot points folding that linkage out of engagement with the respective lugs. With the pins disposed within the lugs, those hinge latches on the opposed side of the door function as a hinge, thereby allowing the door to open from either side at the desire of the user. The construction of that device includes a fairly ungainly linkage interaction and, furthermore, mandates a specific door design to accommodate the hinge latch; limiting the range of adaptability of that design.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,663,989 discloses another latch and hinge device having a master latch and at le
REFERENCES:
patent: 1425995 (1922-08-01), McGiveney
patent: 1972575 (1934-09-01), Schmidt
patent: 2369148 (1945-02-01), Langhorst
patent: 4178657 (1979-12-01), Way, Jr.
Meister James M.
The Boeing Company
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