Demountable door hinge

3,166,367

Jan. 19, 1965

R. VINCENS

DEMOUNTABLE DOOR HINGE

Filed Oct. 15. 1962

Sheets-Sheet 1

<img file="US3166367A_D0001.tif" />

Jan. 19, 1965

3,166,367

R. VINCENS

DEMOUNTABLE DOOR HINGE

Filed Oct. 15, 1962

Sheets-Sheet 2

<img file="US3166367A_D0002.tif" />

United States Patent Office _Pa,_enled,

3.166,367 ^: DEMOUNTABLE DOOR HINGE / _: . Rene Vincens, Martin-Eglsse, near Dieppe, France, assignor 'to Societe Civile de Recherches et d’Etades Industrielles, Neuville-Ies-Dieppe (Seine-Maritime), France . . ? '

Filed Oct. 15,1962, Ser. No. 230;586 4 Claims. (Cl. 312—329) \

This invention relates to cabinets of which the frame structure consists of metal frames made of sections of the type described and illustrated in the U.S. Patent No. 3,042,473. .;

The aforesaid patent also contemplates the possibility of fitting doors on a rack of this character for converting same into a cabinet, and to this /end the rack receives at the four corners of . its front face fittings constituting the female elements of door-hinges which are adapted to receive the pins of the door-hinges, .

However, the doors thus mounted are objectionable in that in their closed position they ptoject from the front face of the cabinet and show relatively large clearances along their outer/edges, thus permitting the ingress of dust into the cabinet.

It is the essential object of the invention to provide an improved door mounting arrangement for collapsible metal cabinet according to the aforesaid patent, which is characterized in that two strips carrying the door hinge plates are secured respectively on the upper portion and on the lower portion of the front frame of the cabinet, and act as fillistered casings to these doors.

' Other features of the door mounting arrangement according to this invention will be described hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view showing a cabinet equipped according to the present invention;

FIGURE 2 is an exploded view showing the elements necessary for equipping the cabinet; /

FIGURE 3 is a fragmentary vertical section showing on a larger scale a door hinge according to this invention;

FIGURE 4 is a horizontal section taken upon the line IV—IV of FIG. 3;

FIGURE 5 is a part-sectional view showing the device for locking one of the door hinges; and

FIGURE 6 illustrates the . fitting of a beading on a door. .

To facilitate the understanding of the present invention, only the upper strip of the cabinet will be described hereinafter, but it is clear that the lower strip is of similar design.

The strip 1 consists essentially of a channel section of a length equal to the width of the cabinet and of a width permitting the: straddling of the upper cross member 5 of the front frame of the cabinet.

The upper flange 2 of this strip has. punched lugs 3 formed in the vicinity of its free edge for snappily engaging the free edge of the upper flange 4 of said cross member 5; the free edge 31 of the lower flange 6 of strip 1 is bent upwards at right angles to its plane so as to engage the free edge of the lower flange 7 of said cross member 5; thus, the strip 1 is locked on cross: member 5 by the lugs .3 and the bent portion of its lower flange, as shown in FIG. 3.

To permit the engagement of the lower flange 6 of this strip under the cross member 5, the former is formed with notches 6α at either end, the width of each notch corresponding substantially to the thickness of the vertical side posts of the front frame of the cabinet.

When the strip 1 is anchored on the cross member 5 it projects from the cabinet front face by a distance corresponding substantially to the thickness of the doors and door hinges, so as to constitute the element of a filllstered casing for/these doors.

As shown in the figures, the hinge of each door is shifted outwardly from the main plane of the relevant door to permit an angular movement of about 270° of the door;/ thus, in the fully open position each door can engage the corresponding side post of the cabinet and free its front face completely.

The: lower flange 6 of strip 1 has a hole 32 formed in the vicinity of its outer edge aiid overlying this hole is a welded inverted cup 8 constituting the female element of the door hinge.

Each door has . secured along its vertical outer edge a channel section 9 having a half-round bottom, this section protruding from the front face of the cabinet by a length corresponding substantially to the thickness of the side posts of the cabinet.

Fitted in the upper end of section 9 is a bushing 10 formed with a top flange 11 bearing on the upper end of this section. This bushing 10 is also formed with an axial bore 12 adapted to receive the male element 13 of the door hinge. This male element has a lower extension in the form of a rod 14 bent at right angles, the outer, horizontal portion 15 of this rod extending rearwardly and cooperating with a lock plate 16 secured on the door liner; to this end, this lock plate 16 has a Ushaped aperture formed therein (FIG. 5), the vertical base 17 of this aperture being narrow, enough to prevent tlie sliding engagement of said bent portion 15 therein, and having a length corresponding to the stroke of the male element 13 from its retracted position to its engaged position in the female element 8; the two horizontal portions 19 Of this aperture form therebetween a locking lug 20 the purpose of which will be explained presently; on the other hand, the width of each horizontal portion 19 permits the free sliding movement of rod 15.

The lower flange 6 of strip 1 is provided as usual with a door stop 22 and formed with notches 21 adapted to be engaged by the door espagnolette bolt.

The free edge of the lower flange 6 of strip 1 is also provided preferably with a plurality of notches 18 to facilitate the removal of this strip if desired, by inserting therein a screwdriver or Other similar tool acting as a lever.

The lower strip is exactly similar to the upper strip, except that it is mounted upside down, that is, with its lower flange identical wtih the upper flange of the upper strip; preferably, the male element 23 of the lower door hinge is molded integrally with the lower bushing 24; otherwise, this bushing 24 is exactly similar to the upper bushing 10.

Small plates 26 are secured on the ends of each strip 1 for occluding the section thereof which protrudes from the front face of the cabinet.

The method of assembling this structure is clearly shown in the exploded view of FIG. 2.

Firstly, the upper strip 1 is fitted in position by anchoring its lower flange 6 on the lower flange of the upper cross member 5 of the cabinet, then this upper strip 1 is pushed home backwards until the punched lugs 3 on its upper flange are snapped in position for locking engagement with the free or inner edge of the upper flange 4 of said cross member; the lower strip is then fitted exactly in the same manner.

The male element 23 of the lower door hinge is subsequently fitted into the corresponding female element 8, care being taken that the male element of the upper door hinge is properly retracted; the locking lug 20 of the upper door hinge is open to permit the upward sliding movement of rod 15, thus causing the male element 23 to engage the relevant female element; finally, the lug

3,166,367 · · 3 /-- ' 7 is closed, thus locking said element 23 in its Operative position.

Both bushings 10 and 24 are preferably made by molding from anti-friction material, and the cups 8 of the female element of each door hinge may be provided with sockets 25 of .same material.

Advantageously, the doors of this collapsible cabinet may be lined with any desired and suitable material to impart a more pleasant appearance to. the cabinet, but in this case, it is difficult to line also the channel members 9 of the doors as described hereinabove and illustrated in the drawings.

/ According to another feature characterizing this invention, these channel members 9 may be covered by a suitably shaped beading adapted to conceal the vertical edge of the door lining.

To this end, this beading 27 has a cross-sectional configuration corresponding substantially to that of channel member 9, and its outer flange is bent twice at right angles inwardly, its free edge 28 being adapted to engage a vertical slot 29 formed to this end in the door.

FIGURE 6 illustrates the fitting of this beading, which is simply threaded on the aforesaid, channel member 9.

Although the present invention has been described in conjunction with a preferred embodiment, it is to be understood that modifications and variations may be resorted to without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention, as. those skilled in the art will readily understand. Such modifications and variations are considered to be within the purview and scope of the invention, and appended claims. .