US2322286A - Concealed hinge for automobile doors - Google Patents

Description

June 22, 1943. c. DUMELIN CONCEALED HINGE FOR AUTOMOBILE DOORS 2 Sheefs-Sheet 1 Filed Sept. 5, 1941 1N VENTOR.

0 I l 0 l June 22, 1943. c. DUMELlN CONCEALED HINGE FOR AUTOMOBILE DOORS Filed Sept. 5, 1941 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 MMw IN VENTOR.

Patented June 22, 1943 unrrso STATES PATENT OFFICE CONCEALED HINGE FOR AUTOMOBILE DOORS Charles Dnmelin, Detroit, Mich.

Application September 5, 1941, Serial No. 409,677

' 2 Claims. ,(Cl. 16-166) The primary object of my invention is to provide a concealed hinge particularly adapted for automobile bodies. It comprises two channels arranged to carry two elements of pivotal connections.

A further object of my invention is to provide two elongated channels adapted to close one over the other with the elements disposed within the space bounded by the outer edges of recesses formed on a pillar and door of an automobile body.

A further object being to provide a hinge comprising two channels to be set in recesses of the pillar and door, said channels being provided with two alignments of bearing portions which are axially aligned by means of ball bearing elements, one set of bearing portions of each alignment being provided with grooves. The vertical alignment of the ball elements and the disposed grooves in the bearing portions give the desired hinging movement.

In providing a plurality of spaced bearing portions and ball elements I obtain a strong hinge with the elements so disposed as to conform to curved body and door construction.

The invention is fully disclosed in this specification of which the accompanying drawings ,form a part and in which the separate parts of my improvement are designated by suitable reference characters in each of said views and in which:

Fig. 1 is a vertical, sectional view of an automobile body pillar and side elevation of a door with the hinge attached to it.

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view of a body pillar with the hinge in its relative closed position.

Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the hinge.

Fig. 4 is a sectional plan View of the hinge showing it in a closed position between a body pillar and adjacent door.

Fig. 5 is a sectional plan view illustrating the hinge in an open position.

Figs. 6 and '7 are elevation views of the pivotal channel with a set of grooved bearing portions and two pairs of spaced bearing portions.

Figs. 8 and 9 are elevation views of the stationary channel with a set of grooved bearing portions and two pairs of spaced bearing portions.

Fig. 10 is a plan view of a pivoted connection taken along lines AA in Figs. 1, 2 and 3 of the drawings.

Fig. 11 is a plan View of a pivotal connection taken along lines BB in Figs. 1, 2 and 3 of the drawings.

Figs. 12 to 19, inclusive, are detail views in plan and elevation of the pivotal connecting members or bearing portions of the hinge.

In the drawings there is shown a body pillar l and a hingedly related door 2, the body pillar having an outer body curve 3 and inside construction line 4 (see Fig. 2). The hinge for connecting the body pillar and door includes two opposite channels 5 and 6 of the same length and are adapted to be secured to the door and body pillar respectively with the channels opening outwardly toward each other (note Figs. 4 and 5). Fitting within the open channels are pivotal connecting members conforming at their inner ends to the inside cross section of the channels and these members are secured in place in the final assembly.

The pivotal connecting members or bearing portions are shown in detail in Figs. 12 to 19, inclusive, and as shown in Figs. 6 to 9, inclusive, are finally assembled with relation to the channels in a particular arrangement. At the upper and lower ends of the channel 5 there are situated pairs of similar bearing portions l2 having recesses 15 for ball bearing elements B. These bal1 elements are movably mounted in curved grooves 55 in the upper and lower faces of bearing portions IE1, secured to channel 6 near the ends thereof. Also secured to the channel 6 intermediate of the ends are pairs of similar bearing portions I I having ball receiving recesses I4, and the balls A received therein are slidably mounted in slightly curved grooves 13 in the upper and lower faces of bearing portions 9 secured to channel 5 at points intermediate of the length thereof.

The plan views of Figs. 4, 5, 10 and 11 illustrate the relative position of the bearing portions and connecting means of ball elements. The resultant hinge action allows considerable outward bodily movement of the door concurrently with the compound pivotal movement thereof. These movements are determined by the shape, extent and direction of the grooves -I3 and IS in the bearing portions 9 and I0 respectively.

The arrangement of these grooves is clearly shown in the drawings, as well as the relative location of the ball bearing elements A and B. It is further noted that in the closed position of the door and hinge, the ball elements A connecting the intermediate bearing portions are located adjacentthe outer side of the door, while the ball elements B connecting the end bearing portions are located adjacent the inner side of the door.

From the foregoing description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, the operation and advantages of my invention will be readily understood.

Having thus described one embodiment of my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A door hinge of the concealed type comprising two channels for attachment to a door and door jamb, said channels having aligned bearing portions secured thereto, the bearing portions being located in pairs at the upper and lower ends of one channel and intermediate the channel length of the other channel, each pair of bearing portions receiving a bearing portion therebetween secured to a channel opposite the corresponding pair of bearing portions, said bearing portions being slidably and pivotally connected by ball bearing elements, said elements being seated in recesses in said pairs of bearing portions and movable in curved grooves in the bearing portions receivedbetween said pairs of bearing portions.

2. A door hinge of the concealed type comprising two channels for attachment to a door and door jamb, said channels having aligned bearing portions secured thereto, the bearing portions being located in pairs at the upper and lower ends of one channel and intermediate the channel length of the other channel, each pair of bearing portions receiving a bearing portion therebetween secured to a channel opposite the corresponding pair of bearing portions, said bearing portions being slidably and pivotally connected by ball bearing elements, said elements being seated in recesses in said pairs of bearing portions and movable in curved grooves in the bearing portions received between said pairs of bearing portions, and with the door in closed position the ball elements connecting the end bearing portions being disposed adjacent the inside of the door, with the ball elements connecting the intermediate bearing portions being disposed adjacent the outside of the door.

CHARLES DUMELIN.

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