US2743476A - Lift hinge for automobiles - Google Patents

Description

y 1, 1956 A. R. TURNER 2,743,476

LIFT HINGE FOR AUTOMOBILES Filed July 20, 1950 2 Sheets-Sheet l 74L o/vzo 05527 EeA/Ee M 7' Wk y 1956 A. R. TURNER 2,743,476

LIFT HINGE FOR AUTOMOBILES Filed July 20, 1950 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 lNVE/VTOB 142 0/1/20 05527 fine/we United States Patent LIFT HINGE FOR AUTOMOBILES Application July 20, 1950, Serial No. 174,897

6 Claims. (Cl. 16-141) The present invention relates to a hinge construction and especially to a novel hinge assembly for pivotally mounting a cover member or closure such'as those employed for the rear deck or trunk as well as the hood of an automobile.-

Among the objects of the present invention is the provision of a novel hinge assembly for pivotally mounting a cover member or closure for an automobile about a horizontal axis and automatically retaining this cover member or closure in any position or degree of opening.

The present invention furthercomprehends the provision of'a novel counter-balanceing hinge construction that maintains the cover member or closure counterbalanced in any position between completely closed and fully open. By reason of this novel hinge arrangement, a positive finger-tip control is provided so that the cover member or closure may be easily and quickly elevated or lowered by the expenditure of a minimum of effort and positively maintained in its adjusted position.

In'the'novel embodiment of the present invention, the cover member or closure is spring-loaded in all positions of movement from closed to fully open position, but is maintained in any position to which it is moved until manual effort again moves it from that position. This cover member or closure functions as a lever to com press the spring when the cover or closure is moved to its lowered, closed position, and the compressed spring is employed to help or augment the lifting eifort in the raising of the cover or closure whenmanually moved to an elevated, open position. Thus the effect of gravity is counter-balanced with the cover or closure automatically held in any position to which it is moved or adjusted, and only a small external force is required to raise or lower it from its closed or open positions or to change its position.

It will thus be evident that the present invention effectively eliminates any danger of the cover member or closure from swinging toward open position or from dropping toward closed position when released from a fully or partially open position.

Another important object of the present invention is the provision of a novel lift hinge construction which permits the cover member or closure to be moved from closed position through an arc of approximately 90 to open position and thereby give maximum access to the trunk or compartment when the cover member or closure is in fully open position. By reason of the novel construction and arrangement, when the cover member or closure is fully open, the greater portionof the weight thereof is disposed directly over the pivot point of the cam arm.

A further object is the provision in the novel lift hinge assembly of the present invention, of a novel means of pivotally mounting the cover member or closure in such manner that when it is moved from its closed position to an open position, its initial movement is in a substantially horizontal plane for a considerable height before it moves through an arcuate path to fully open position.

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Thus when this novel hinge is used to pivotally mount ,a deck lid or closure for a trunk or hood the hinge assembly permits maximum utility of the available space beneath the closure.

Yet another object of the present invention is the provision of a novel hinge assembly that is extremely compact and is mounted upon the encompassing shell of the automobile body at the opposite sides of the opening of the trunk or compartment. As most hinge constructions and especially those now employed with the rear deck or lid for the trunk, require a pair of elongated springs and support mountings disposed beneath the shell of the body and beneath and rearwardly of the rear windows of the automobile, it has not been practicable to mount the rear window closely adjacent the rear deck or trunk lid. And in convertibles, the prior springs and their support mountings require space beneath the shell of the body that should be available to receive the convertible top when in lowered position. By the present invention this objection has been completely obviated as no part of the hinge extends beneath the space or shell of the body forwardly of the trunk opening, but is disposed in the opposite corners and laterally of the opening.

Another important feature of the present invention is that the hinge mounting and assembly is disposed laterally of the trunk or hood opening and adjacent the upper corners thereof so that the opening is unobstructed. Furthermore, no part of the hinge assembly in open or in closed position projects beneath the stationary mounting support. Thus there is provided an unobstructed interior which greatly augments the available space in the compartment of the trunk or beneath the hood of an automobile.

A further object is the provision of a novel means and manner of mounting this lift hinge assembly in the body of an automobile at the opposite sides of the opening adapted to be closed by the cover member or closure. This mounting is accomplished in the most rigid portion of the trunk area available where there is provided suitable means such as a channelled or ribbed bar or strap for reenforcing the shell of the automobile.

Further objects are to provide a construction of maximum simplicity, efficiency, economy and ease of assem; bly and operation, and such further objects, advantages and capabilities as will later more fully appear and are inherently possessed thereby.

The invention further resides in the construction, colbination and arrangement of parts illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and while there is shown therein a preferred embodiment, it is to be understood that the same is susceptible of modification and change, and comprehends other details, arrangements of parts, features and constructions Without departing from the spirit of the invention.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary view in perspective of the rear of an automobile with the trunk closure or deck lid in raised or open position to disclose the construction and arrangement of the present novel lift hinge assembly when applied to the trunk or rear compartment.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary view, part in side elevation and part in vertical cross-section, showing in full lines the trunk closure or deck lid and lift hinge in closed position and in dotted outline the closure or lid and lift hinge in fully open or elevated position.

Fig. 3 is a partially disassembled view in perspective of the novel hinge construction.

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the complete hinge assembly with parts of the spring housing and mount ing or supporting bracket broken away for clearer illustration, and showing the position of the component parts when the lid or closure is in a raised or open position.

drawinglandtorthe novel embodiment selected to illustrate the present invention, the novel lifthingeassembly isushown: asemployed in pivotally mounting a cover memberior closure :such as the trunkdeck lid orthe hoodl'llqifor-an automobile (Fig. 6). The novel hinge constructionA comprises a'hollow mounting frameor supporting bracket 12 having a rear mounting plate 13 provided'with one'or more openings 14 for-attachment 10 a? tranverse supporting member! 15 by bolts, screws oruother attaching means. The rnounting'frame or sup-- porting-bracket is providedwith a laterally'projecting and longitudinally extending anchoring flange 16 adapted to=be attachedto the-underside of the shell of the. automobile body along an edge lti of the access opening of the trunk compartment 19, andprovided with suitably spacedopenings 14 for the reception of. anchoring bolts,

screws-or other attaching means.

1 Pivotally mounted by means of its spacing bifurcations or ends 21 within the hollow of the mounting frame or supporting bracket 12 and upon a transverse pivot pin 22 journalled-inthe spaced sides of the frame or bracket, is a housing 23. This housing provides an enclosure for receivinga compression or coil spring 24 seating at its lower end against a flange or abutment 25 provided at the-base of the housing and disposed adjacent the pivot 22. At its upper end the coil spring seats against a cam follower shown as comprising a substantially U-shaped slide or yoke 26 having its opposite, spaced arms 27 slotted at 28 to freely receive the endsof a pin 29carrying a roller or follower 31 maintained in contacting engagement with the cam face 32 of a cam 33.

The cam33 is secured toand carried by a cam arm 34;pivotally lmounted adjacent one end upon a pivot pin 35 carried by the bifurcations or spacedmembers 36 ofthe housing 23. Thispivot pin 35 projects. through aligned openings 37 in the bifurcations or spaced projecting ends 38. of the cam arm 34 and which bifurcations or'ends are bent inwardly to conformably receive and retainthe cam33 in the manner shown in Fig. 3. A pivot pin 39 projects through the ends of the bifurcations or spaced projecting ends 38 and to an end of this pin 39- is pivotally secured an end of a control arm 41, the other end 42 of this control arm being. pivotally mounted, upon a pivot pin or rivet 43 in a depending side wall 44 of the mounting frame or supporting bracket 12.

The cam arm 34 is attached to the nndersideofthe cover member or closure 10 for the trunk, and to permit limited longitudinal adjustment of this mounting the arm 34 is provided with spaced slots 45 for the reception of attaching bolts, screws or thelike.

'l'he face 32 of the cam 33 is so contoured and related to the cam follower that the cover member or closure is maintained counter-balanced in any position between closed and fully open position, and tolock the cover member or closure in fully open position the cam is provided with a concavity 46 in which the roller or cam follower 31 seatsor dwells. If desired, a-concavity adjacent'the end of the cam where it abuts the underside of the cam arm 34 may be provided if it is desired to lock the cover member or closure in fully closed position. By adjusting the position of the pivot 43.01? the control arm or link 41 along the side wall'44; it will be appreciated that the degree of. opening of the cover member or closure may be altered as this controlsarm or link governs the path of. movement of the movable parts.

From the above description and the disclosure ..in the drawings, it will be appreciated that the present invention comprehendsa noveltlift hinge in'which the cover member or closure may be quickly elevated or .lowered lbyuthev expenditure. 'of. aminimum. .of. -manual effort and positively maintained in any desired adjusted position between closed and fully open.

Having thus disclosed the invention, 1 claim:

1. A lift hinge assembly for pivotally mounting a cover member upon theibodywf an automobile in such manner as to retain the cover member counter-balanced in any position between fully closed and fully open positionssaid hinge assembly includingahollowmounting frame adapted to be l'litfid to thebodyhianhousing pivotally mounted adjacent one end withinzthehollow and adjacent one end of the mounting frame, a cam arm adapted to-be afiixedto the' cover member, means for pivotally connecting. the cam arm adjacent one end thereof to an end of the housing, a cam carried by the cam arm and provided withv a cam face, a cam follower slidably mounted in the housing and provided with a roller in contacting--engagement with the cam face,.'a. compression spring carried in the housing and in engagement with said cam follower to force the roller against, and maintain it in continuous pressure engagement withr the cam face, said cam, cam follower and spring being so constructed and arranged as to counter-balance the weight ofthe cover member and maintain it in any position to'wvhich'it is manually moved, and a concavity; in the cam face toreceivethe roller whenthe cover member is moved' to closed position.

2. A lift hinge for pivotally mounting a cover-member for an access" opening upon a support whereby the cover member is adapted to be lowered to close said opening or to be raisedandpermit access to saidopening, .saidlift hinge comprising a hollow frame adapted to bemounted on the support,.a housing member pivotally. mountedat one end within saidframe and provided with an abutment, a compressionrspringand a cam vfollower carriedbyt-and slidably. mounted in .saidhousingmember withone end of thesp'ring bearing. against .the. follower, andthe other end againstvthe abutment a camarm. adaptedtobecarr-ied bythe. cover member means for pivotally connecting an end of, the cam arm. to said housing member; and a. cam carried by the cam arm'and-having a camfacenwithtthe cam follower maintainedincontinuous pressure. engagement with the cam face by said compressionspring whereby; to maintaini'the cover .member counter-balanced; in any; position between fully; closed and. fully. topem-positions.

3. YA lift, hinge. adaptedi for pivotallylmountinga clo sure for an access opening-upon aifixed supporhwhereby the closure isadapted to: be lowered .to ClOSfiLSZlldtDPBH ing or ,to.be:raised and permit accessto saidopening; and maintained in any position to which it is manuallytmoved, said lift .hinge; comprising. ashollow isupporting bracket adapted to bemounted on the support, a membenpivotally mounted at one end in one end of the bracket, a'compression ispring 'anda carn follower carried-by andt slidably mounted in said member,-a Jcam. arm adapted to-be carried by the closure-and having spaced projections at one end, means for -pivotally connecting the'projections on said arm to said member; a cam carried by "the arm betweenssaidprojections and ha-vinga cam facealong one edge-'with'the cam follower maintained -in' continuous pressure eontact-withnhe cam faceby said compression springy-andamovable controlarm -pivotally-connected at one end tothe cam arm at a point spaced from the pivotal connection connecting the camtarm ,to' said member and at its other end saidcontrol arm is pivotally connected to said supporting bracket whereby to govern the path of movement of'the cam arm as .said closure is raised and lowered.

4. A lift hinge for pivotally mounting a cover member for an opening infthe body. of an automobile, comprising a stationary'frame adapted to be. secured to.the body, a housing, memberpivotally mounted at one end in the frame, a spring carried in the housing member, a cam follower slidably mounted in the housing member and actuated by the spring, an arm member adapted to be secured to the cover member and pivotally mounted adjacent one end upon the other end of the housing member, a cam carried by the arm member and having a cam face in engagement with the cam follower and maintained in continuous pressure engagement by the spring, and a movable control arm pivotally connected at one end to the frame and at its other end to the cam arm at a point spaced from the pivotal mounting of the arm member upon the housing member for governing the movement of the cam arm and the degree of opening of the cover memher, said cam face, cam follower and spring being so constructed and arranged as to counterbalance the Weight of the cover member and maintain it in any position to which it is manually moved, and a concavity in the cam face for receiving the cam follower when the cover member is closed.

5. A lift hinge for pivotally mounting a closure upon a support whereby the closure is adapted to be lowered to close an access opening to a compartment or to be raised and permit access to said opening and maintained in any position to which it is manually moved, said lift hinge comprising a supporting bracket adapted to be mounted on the support, a member pivotally mounted upon the bracket, a compression spring and a cam follower slidably mounted within and carried by said member, an arm adapted to be carried by the closure and provided with depending projections at one end thereof, means for pivotally connecting the depending projections of said arm to said member, a cam carried by the arm between said projections and provided with a cam face with the cam follower maintained in continuous pressure contact with the cam face by said compression spring, and a movable control arm connected at one end to the supporting bracket and at its opposite end to the depending projections of said arm at a point spaced from the pivot connecting said arm to said member for governing the path of movement of the arm.

6. A lift hinge for pivotally mounting a cover member upon a support whereby the cover member is adapted to be lowered to close an opening or to be raised and permit access to said opening, said lift hinge comprising a hollow frame adapted to be fixed to the support, a housing member pivotally mounted at one end in said frame, a compression spring and a cam follower carried by said housing member with the cam follower slidable therein, a cam arm adapted to be adjustably mounted upon the cover member, means for pivotally connecting the cam arm to the other end of said housing member including depending bifurcations on an end of said cam arm mounted within spaced sides of the housing members, and a cam mounted on said cam arm between its bifurcations and having a cam face with the cam follower maintained in continuous pressure contact with the cam face by the compression spring whereby to maintain the cover member counter-balanced in any position between fully closed and fully open positions.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 618,794 Hyde Jan. 31, 1899 991,026 Redenbeck May 2, 1911 1,645,977 Titus Oct. 18, 1927 1,888,345 Cummings Nov. 22, 1932 2,213,230 St. John Sept. 3, 1940 2,355,542 Liftin Aug. 8, 1944 2,388,021 Thomas Oct. 30, 1945 2,392,689 Peglow Jan. 8, 1946 FOREIGN PATENTS 467,525 Great Britain June 18, 1937

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