Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
CA 02254158 1998-11-16
ADJUSTABLE HINGE ASSEMBLY
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates to an adjustable
s hinge assembly particularly, but not exclusively, for
casement windows where the window pane is hinged out of the
window frame.
BACKGROUND ART
~o Similar adjustable hinge assemblies of the type as
described herein are known and reference is made to Canadian
Patent 2,075,170 issued on February 4, 1997. It describes
an adjustable casement hinge wherein the support arm is
pivotally mounted to a stud which extends from an adjusting
15 flange and wherein the stud is eccentrically disposed with
respect to the rivet post which connects the stud to the
track. The support arm is secured to the stud by a lock
ring. A disadvantage of such attaching post is that the
assembly can easily become loose after it has been adjusted
2o thereby defeating its purpose. It is also difficult to
connect and disconnect the support arm from the post due to
the use of a lock ring. The lock ring can easily be lost as
it is a separate element from the assembly. If lost, the
installation cannot be completed. The friction between the
z5 lock ring and the connecting arm wears the protective
treatment and thus creates rust.
SUMMARY OF INVENTION
It is a feature of the present invention to
so provide an adjustable hinge assembly having an adjustable
connector which substantially overcomes the above-mentioned
disadvantages of the prior art.
Another feature of the present invention is to provide an
adjustable hinge assembly which utilizes a stationary post
35 and an adjustable nut in frictional fit therewith and
rotatable thereon and wherein the nut is easily engageable
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by a standard type wrench tool and further wherein the
adjustment nut and connecting post are fabricated from brass
which is self-lubricating and rust resistant.
Another feature of the present invention is to
provide an adjustable hinge assembly wherein the support arm
is easily attached and detached to the adjustable connector
by means of a sliding clip which is displaceably secured to
the support arm and therefore cannot be lost during its
installation or removal.
io Another feature of the present invention is to
provide an adjustable hinge assembly which is easy to
install and adjust due to the simplistic construction of the
adjustable connector.
Another feature is that the fit of the support arm
i5 over the post makes the arm more stable by reducing the
vertical angular movement.
According to the above features, from a broad
aspect, the present invention provides an adjustable hinge
assembly which is comprised of a track adapted to be
2o connected to a frame member. The track has a slide member
which is slidingly retained thereon for displacement along a
longitudinal straight axis thereof. An elongated first arm
is pivotally connected at one end to the slide member. A
support arm has a first end pivotally connected to the first
2s arm at a first predetermined location. The support arm has
a second opposed end pivotally connected to an adjustable
connector which is secured to the track at a second
predetermined location. The adjustable connector has a
stationary connecting post of circular cross-section, which
3o projects from a concentric circular disc secured to the
track. An adjustable nut has an eccentric bore for
receiving the post in close pressed frictional fit therein.
The adjustable nut has a cylindrical top outer wall portion
of circular cross-section, and a tool engaging portion
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defined therebelow. A circular cavity is provided in the
bottom wall of the adjustable nut and has a flat base wall.
The circular cavity is disposed concentric with the
cylindrical top outer wall portion. The connecting post has
s a head portion which projects above a top wall of the
adjustable nut . A connecting recess is provided in the head
portion. The second opposed end of the support arm has a
circular through bore for receiving the cylindrical top
outer wall portion of the adjustable nut in close fit
io therein. Clamping means is displaceably secured to the
support arm and engageable with the connecting recess to
pivotally secure the second opposed end of the support arm
to the adjustable nut. The circular cavity is larger than
the circular cross-section of the connecting post with the
15 connecting post eccentrically positioned therein whereupon
rotation of the nut by rotating the tool engaging portion
thereof causes the support arm to be adjustably displaced
while maintained connected to the adjustable connector.
2o BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
A preferred embodiment of the present invention
will now be described with reference to the accompanying
drawings in which:
FIG. 1 is a plan view of an adjustable hinge
2s assembly incorporating the adjustable connector of the
present invention;
FIG. 2 is an exploded view showing the positioning
of the adjustable nut onto the connecting post and into the
circular bore at the free end of the support arm thereby
3o illustrating their relationship;
FIG. 3 is a sectional side view of the adjustable
hinge assembly as shown in FIG. 1;
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FIG. 4 is an enlarged cross-section view
illustrating the construction of the adjustable connector
and its relationship with the track and the support arm;
FIG. 5 is a bottom view showing the relationship
s of the circular cavity in the bottom wall of the adjustable
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nut with respect to the concentric circular disc which is
secured to the base of the stationary post; and
FIGS. 6A and 6B illustrate the displacement of the
adjustable nut which is secured to the support arm when
s rotated about the stationary circular disc at the base of
the stationary connecting post.
DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
Referring now to the drawings and more
~o particularly to Figure l, there is shown generally at 10 an
adjustable hinge assembly particularly, but not exclusively,
for use in connecting a casement window (not shown), but
part of the horizontal rail 11 herein shown, to a window
frame, a part 12 thereof being herein shown in phantom line.
The hinge assembly is comprised of a track 13 which is
provided with securing bores 14 for securing same to the
frame 12. A slide member 15 is slidingly retained by a
guide rail 16 for displacement over the track 13 along a
longitudinal straight axis as defined by the guide rail.
2o An elongated first arm, herein a sash arm 17, is
pivotally connected at one end 18 thereof by a pivot
connection, herein rivet 19, to the slide member 15. A
support arm 20 is pivotally connected at a first end 21 by a
rivet 22 to a mounting bore 23. A plurality of mounting
z5 bores 23 are provided to connect the sash arm to the sash
horizontal rail 11, herein partly shown in phantom line.
The support arm has a second opposed end 26 which is
pivotally connected to an adjustable connector 27. As
hereinshown a connecting slide clip 28 is slidingly retained
3o at the free end 26 to facilitate connection and
disconnection to the adjustable connector 27, as will be
described hereinbelow.
With additional reference now to Figures 2 to 6B,
there will be described the construction and operation of
35 the adjustable connector which constitutes the improvement
of the adjustable hinge assembly 10, hereinabove described.
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As shown in Figures 2 to 4, the adjustable connector 27 is
secured to the track 13 at a predetermined location. As
shown in Figure 4, at this predetermined location, there is
provided a depressed cavity 29 within the bottom face 30 of
s the track 13 and a circular bore 31 is formed in this
depressed cavity to receive a rivet portion 32 extending
from a bottom flat wall 33 of a circular disc 34. A
connecting post 35 of circular cross-section projects from
the center of the circular disc 34 and disposed
~o concentrically therewith. The connecting post 35 and the
rivet 32 are in axial alignment, i.e., both being aligned
with the central longitudinal axis 36 of the post 35. The
rivet portion 32 is collapsed within the depressed cavity
29, as shown by phantom lines 25, whereby to rigidly and
i5 immovably retain the circular disc 34 on the top wall 37 of
the depressed cavity 29 and accordingly immovably retain the
post 35.
An adjustable nut 38 is provided with a circular
through bore 39 which is offset from the center in the top
zo flat face 40 thereof. The adjustable nut also has a
cylindrical top outer side wall portion 41 of circular cross
section, and a tool engaging portion 42 which is defined
therebelow.
As better seen in Figures 4 and 5, a circular
25 cavity 43 is formed in the flat bottom wall 44 of the
adjustable nut and has a flat base wall 45 for frictional
displacement on the flat top wall 33' or the disc 34. The
circular cavity 43 is disposed concentric with the
cylindrical top outer wall portion 41.
3o As better seen in Figure 4, the connecting post 35
has a head portion 46 which projects above the top wall 40
of the adjustable nut 38 and a connecting recess 47 is
provided spaced below the top end 48 of the head portion.
This connecting recess is formed as a circumferential
35 channel about the connecting post.
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As shown in Figure 2, the second opposed end 26 of
the support arm 20 is provided with a circular through bore
49 for receiving the cylindrical top outer wall portion 41
of the adjustable nut 38 in close friction rotational fit
s therein. The sliding clip 28 constitutes a clamping means
as previously described and it is secured to the support arm
20 adjacent the circular through bore 49. The sliding clip
28 is provided with a clamping jaw portion 50 for engagement
with the connecting recess 47 formed about the head portion
~o of the connecting post 35. The sliding clip 28 is a spring
steel metal clip and provided with a sleeve portion 51 which
embraces the top wall 20' and the side edges 52 of the
support arm 20. The clip is provided with a tooth 58 which
extends inwardly into a clip retention slot 59 provided in
15 the top wall 20' of the support arm 20 spaced a
predetermined distance from the through bore 49 whereby to
retain the clip on the support arm 20 and limit displacement
thereof for engagement and disengagement and during
adjustment of the connector 27. Accordingly, this clip
zo cannot be lost during use.
The clamping jaw portion 50 is defined by a pair
of spaced-apart flat metal projecting arms 53 which extend
from the sleeve portion 51 and disposed on the top wall 20'
of the support arm. A connecting slot 54 is formed between
zs the projecting arms and it has a flared open end portion 56
and a clamping jaw section 55 rearwardly of the flared open
end. The clamping jaw section 55 is defined by opposed
arcuate cavities formed in a respective opposed edge of the
slot. The slot also has a rear extension portion 57
3o rearwardly of the clamping jaw section 55. Accordingly, the
projecting arms can flex outwardly when the connecting slot
is slid into the connecting recess 47 of the stationary
connecting post 35.
As shown in Figure 4, the cylindrical top outer
35 wall portion 41 of the adjustable nut 38 has a thickness
substantially equal to the thickness of the support arm 20
CA 02254158 1998-11-16
so that the connecting recess 47 lies immediately above the
top wall 20' of the support arm. The width of the
connecting recess 47 is hereinshown as being wider than the
thickness of the sleeve connector 28.
s As can be seen from Figure 5, the tool engaging
portion 42 has a hexagonal-shaped contour 58 whereby the nut
can be engaged by a standard wrench tool from various
directions, the top wall 37 formed by the recessed cavity 29
is elevated from the top face 13' of the track 13.
~o Therefore, as can be seen from Figure 4, there is ample
spacing between the support arm 20 and the top face 13' of
the track 13 for inserting a standard wrench tool to turn
the adjustable nut 38.
With reference now to Figures 5 to 6B, it can be
seen that as the adjustable nut 38 is rotated about the
concentric circular disc 34, the nut will be displaced
relative to the circular disc as illustrated in Figures 6A
and 6B. As the adjusting nut 38 is rotated it is displaced
about the concentric stationary circular disc 34 in the
2o manner as illustrated in Figures 6A and 6B. As the nut is
rotated clockwise, as shown in Figure 6A, it can effect a
maximum displacement of 0.8 millimeters. When displaced
counterclockwise, as illustrated in Figure 6B, it can be
displaced a maximum distance of 1.5 millimeters.
zs Accordingly, a total displacement of 2.3 millimeters can be
achieved by rotation of the adjusting nut. Because the top
side wall portion 41 of the nut is in close fit with the
circular bore 49 of the support arm 20, the support arm will
be displaced relative to the stationary post. Because the
3o sliding clip 28 is in sliding retention engagement with the
support arm, it will remain engaged with the post as the
slot 59 will accommodate the maximum displacement of the
support arm by the adjustment nut 38. Accordingly, the
connecting post 35 always remains stationary as well as the
3s circular disc 34 thereby maintaining a solid connection with
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the track 13 to extend the life of the connector as compared
with the prior art connector referred to herein.
It is also noted that because the post 35 and the
adjusting nut 38 are constructed of brass, it provides self
lubrication as the nut 38 is rotated about the connecting
post and the circular disc and is rust resistant. The
circular disc is also formed of brass material so that all
frictional moving parts are self-lubricating and rust
resistant. This is particularly desirable due to the press
~o fit connection between the post and the adjustment nut 38.
It is within the ambit of the present invention to
cover any obvious modifications thereof provided such
modifications fall within the scope of the appended claims.
