EP0553600A1

EP0553600A1 - An adjustable hinge for door and window fixtures

Info

Publication number: EP0553600A1
Application number: EP92830527A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Marco Lambertini
Original assignee: Giesse SpA
Current assignee: Giesse SpA
Priority date: 1992-01-31
Filing date: 1992-09-25
Publication date: 1993-08-04
Also published as: ITBO920030A0; IT1258499B; ITBO920030A1

Abstract

The adjustable hinge comprises a pivot (7) divided into two basically identical parts (7a, 7b) united by a collar (11) and permanently offset one from another, of which one affords a tooth (12) located adjacent to the collar and designed to enter into positive engagement with one of a set of matching seats (13) distributed uniformly around the mouth of a relative alignment bush (9); an adjustment is effected by lifting the pivot (7) sufficiently for the tooth (12) to clear the seat (13), and rotating left or right such that the mutual positions of the two hinge bosses (1, 2) are altered by the changed position of the pivot.

Description

The present invention relates to an adjustable hinge for door and window fixtures, in particular metal fixtures.
Conventionally, a hinge of the type in question is composed of two bosses, usually aluminium, secured respectively to the stationary surround frame and to the moving sash of a fixture by way of lateral flanges, using screws of which the heads are seated in sockets afforded by the flange; the screw shanks are either tightened against clamp plates inserted into longitudinal channels afforded by the metal section, or driven directly into the metal.
Each of the hinge bosses affords a longitudinal hole accommodating a respective alignment bush, of plastics material, in which to insert one half of a pivot that constitutes the element of articulation between the bosses.
The typical bush affords a pivot centre hole offset from the longitudinal median axis of the relative plastic moulding, a stop collar positioned to abut with the lip of the relative boss, and immediately below the collar, one or more projecting elements insertable into corresponding equispaced seats or recesses afforded by the lip of the boss.
The non-symmetrical bush embodied in this manner affords the facility of varying the misalignment between the axes of the hinge bosses, by rotation of each bush about its own axis, and therefore of adjusting the position of the sash in relation to the fixed surround frame during the final steps of the installation procedure, even after the surround has been definitively anchored, without the need to dismantle the fixture altogether.
Nonetheless, the adjustment provided by the bushes in hinges of the type in question is imprecise, and difficult to accomplish where the hinge pivots are small in diameter, in which case the time required to complete the installation of the fixture becomes protracted, and still with no better guarantee of a faultless adjustment.
Accordingly, the object of the invention is to overcome the drawbacks in question by providing an adjustable hinge embodied in such a manner as will allow a simple, secure and precise adjustment, even after fitment, and with any given size of pivot.
The stated object is realized in an adjustable hinge as characterized by the appended claims.
The invention will now be described in detail, by way of example, with the aid of the accompanying drawings, in which:

fig 1 shows the hinge according to the invention, fitted, in a frontal elevation with certain parts cut away and in section better to reveal others;
fig 2 shows the hinge in a view from A in fig 1;
figs 3 and 4 are side elevations illustrating two details taken from fig 1, showing an intermediate and a final stage in the adjustment of the hinge;
fig 5 is the section through a bush forming part of the hinge disclosed;
figs 6 and 7 show the bush of fig 6 respectively in plan from above and in section through VII-VII.

With reference to the drawings, a hinge for metal door and window fixtures consists in two bosses 1 and 2 (fig 1) associated respectively with a moving sash 3 (such as a door) and with a fixed surround frame 4, by way of respective flanges 5 and 6; the flanges 5 and 6 are secured with relative fastening means denoted 30 not comprehensively illustrated in the drawings, being of conventional embodiment, but essentially comprising clamp plates 30p tightened against the relative frame member with screws 30v. The two bosses 1 and 2 are united by a vertically disposed hinge pivot 7 insertable in respective alignment bushes 8 and 9 associated stably with the bosses. The length of the pivot 7 is divided into two substantially identical longitudinal parts 7a and 7b, united by an integral ring or collar 11 and disposed in such a way that each is mutually offset from the other, as illustrated in fig 1, where X1 and X2 denote the respective longitudinal axes and E denotes the value of the offset.
12 denotes a tooth integral with one of the two parts 7a or 7b of the pivot, disposed transversely to and adjoining the collar 11; in the example of the drawings, the tooth 12 is associated with the part 7b of the pivot destined to occupy the bottom or male boss 2 of the hinge. The tooth 12 exhibits an angled profile by which the surfaces of the collar 11 and the relative part 7b of the pivot 7 are united, and is designed to locate positively in one of a plurality of matching seats 13 (see fig 6) distributed at uniform angular distances around the mouth of each bush 8 and 9 (whereas in practice the seats are an essential feature of the bottom bush only, identical bushes will be utilized to achieve economy in moulding); thus, by lifting, rotating and reseating the pivot 7, it becomes possible to alter the mutual positions of the hinge bosses 1 and 2, hence of the sash 3 and its fixed surround frame 4.
To allow manipulation of the pivot 7 for adjustment purposes, the end of the alignment bushes 8 and 9 remote from that offered to the collar 11 affords a through hole 33, and the end of the pivot 7 on the same side of the collar as the tooth 12 affords a socket 14 into which means 15 suitable for lifting and rotating the pivot can be inserted by way of the hole 33.
In the example of figs 1, 3 and 4, the socket 14 is of hexagonal profile, and means 15 by which to lift and rotate the pivot consist in a conventional key of hexagonal profile (Allen).
10 denotes means by which to ensure that each bush and the relative hinge boss remain locked together in rotation; such means 10 consist in practice of a rib 16 extending along the outermost surface of the bush 8 and 9 and insertable in a matching internal groove 18 afforded by each boss 1 and 2.
To give a more generous range of adjustment angles, the centre hole 8a and 9a of the bush 8 and 9 which accommodates the hinge pivot 7 might also be offset axially from the axis of the surrounding moulding, thereby affording additional degrees of relative movement between the bosses 1 and 2 (the solution in question is indicated by phantom lines in figs 5 and 6).
In this instance, each bush will be embodied with at least one rib 16, and each boss 1 and 2 with a plurality of matching internal grooves 18 spaced apart one from the next through an angular distance dissimilar to that which separates the seats 13 destined to accommodate the tooth 12; more exactly, in the example illustrated, the angle A between adjacent seats 13 is 60^o whilst the angle β between adjacent grooves 18 is 90^o.
To fit the hinge thus embodied, the flanges 5 and 6 of the female and male boss 1 and 2 are offered respectively to the moving sash 3 and the fixed surround frame 4 of the fixture and secured with the fastening means 30, whereupon the bushes 8 and 9 are inserted into the corresponding bosses; this accomplished, the hinge pivot 7 is inserted into the bushes and locked in the required position by location of the tooth 12 in one of the seats 13 of the bottom bush 9.
In the event that the moving sash 3 should fail to meet the fixed frame properly when hung, the hinge can be adjusted by introducing a hexagonal key 15 of the appropriate size into and through the lower boss 2 and the relative bush 9 from the bottom end (see fig 3) to the point where contact is made with the hinge pivot 7, whereupon, with the end of the key inserted into the corresponding socket 14, an upward pressure is applied to the pivot, hence also to the upper boss 1 and the sash 3 (see arrow F, fig 3), sufficient to dislodge the tooth 12 from the seat 13.
Having effected the upward movement, the pivot 7 can be rotated (arrow F1, fig 3), still using the key 15, then slotted back into the bush 9 (fig 4) with the tooth 12 occupying a different seat 13; in this way, exploiting the combination of a different seating for the tooth and the offset E afforded by the pivot, it is possible to change the relative positions of the hinge bosses, hence of the sash and its surround frame.
A hinge according to the present invention can be adjusted swiftly and simply, even when already fitted, thanks to the facility of manoeuvring the pivot without any need to remove the sash; also, the hinge affords a greater precision than that of previous embodiments, by virtue of the generous number of seats incorporated into the bush, of the aforementioned combination of offset pivot axes and tooth-and-seat settings, and in addition, of the adjustable coupling between bush and hinge boss.
To reiterate, the permutations provided by these features can be multiplied further if the bushes adopted are of the type with offset centre holes 8a and 9a, i.e. eccentric in relation to the axis of concentricity of the ribs 16 and grooves 18; with this arrangement, and the dissimilarity between the set adjustment angles A and β, any misalignment in the installed fixture can be taken up with greater precision.

Claims

An adjustable hinge for door and window fixtures, of the type comprising two bosses (1, 2) associated respectively with a swinging sash (3) and a fixed surround frame (4) by way of relative flanges (5, 6) secured with fastening means (30), each to the relative member of the sash (3) and the frame (4), and a vertical hinge pivot (7) insertable together with corresponding alignment bushes (8, 9) in holes afforded by the bosses,
characterized
- in that the hinge pivot (7) is embodied in two longitudinal parts (7a, 7b) united by a connecting portion (11) in such a way as to remain permanently offset in the axial dimension one from the other, and affords at least one transversely projecting tooth (12) adjoining the connecting portion (11);

- in that at least the lower bush (8 or 9) exhibits a plurality of seats (13) distributed around one end allowing introduction of the pivot, each set apart from the next through a predetermined angular distance and capable of positively accommodating the tooth (12); and,

- in that lifting and rotating the pivot (7) in the lower bush has the effect of altering the relative axial positions of the two bosses (1, 2).
An adjustable hinge as in claim 1, wherein the end of the bush (8, 9) remote from the end exhibiting the seats (13) affords a through hole, and the end of the part (7a, 7b) of the pivot (7) incorporating the tooth (12) affords a socket (14) of proportions and shape such as to allow the insertion of lifting and rotating means (15) introduced by way of the through hole afforded by the bush.
An adjustable hinge as in claim 1, wherein each part (7a, 7b) of the hinge pivot (7) is insertable into a bush (8, 9) of which the centre hole (8a, 9a) is offset axially from the hole afforded by the boss (1, 2), in such a way as to provide a further degree of adjustment between the two bosses, and of which the external surface exhibits at least one longitudinal rib (16) stably insertable into one of a plurality of matching internal grooves (18) afforded by the relative boss (1, 2), spaced apart at an angular distance dissimilar to the angular distance which separates the seats (13) destined to accommodate the tooth (12).