Hinge Member for an All-Glass Plate Member Including a Metal Fitting

The present invention is directed to a metal fitting for an all-glass plate member such as for a door, window, glass transoms, or display window panel. The all-glass plate member has a recess extending between its opposite face surfaces and a pair of clamping plates are arranged to be located on the opposite face surfaces of the plate member and to be interconnected. Each of the clamping plates has an elongated recess aligned with the recess in the plate member. The recesses are arranged to receive a hinge member.

Metal fittings of this type are known. In such known metal fittings the hinge members or elements are attached at carriers or supports located at the clamping plates and they contact the all-glass plate member. The carriers protrude from the front face of the all-glass plate member. This is true for hinge elements in the shape of hinge lugs. The hinge pins must also engage into specially designed door bottom locks and their insert spaces tends to collect dust.

The primary object of the present invention is to provide a metal fitting which does not project beyond the edges of the all-glass plate member and can be secured over a large area so that the all-glass plate member is stressed only over an area and not at individual points.

In accordance with the present invention, the hinge member is made up of at least two hinge member parts each arranged to fit into a different one of the recess in the clamping plates. The recesses in the clamping plates have shoulders at their opposite ends so that the shoulders project into the recesses. The hinge member parts have spaced end sections arranged to seat against the shoulders in the recesses. One hinge member part has a projecting region extending toward the other hinge member part with the projecting region located between the end sections. The hinge member parts are interconnected by bolts or the like.

In the present invention, the clamping plates can be formed to cover a large area and the portions of the all-glass plate members extending between the edge parallel to the hinge axis and the recess through the plate member can be comparatively wide. In spite of this dimensional feature, the hinge axis can be located relatively close to the edge parallel to the hinge axis, that is, in the range of 45 to 65 mm. The height of the clamping plates can be selected in accordance with the respective strength requirements. The hinge members are supported only on the shoulders in the recesses and at the clamping plates and, accordingly, do not apply point loads to the all-glass plate member. By tightening the bolts, the hinge member parts are fastened to the clamping plates and the glass clamping force of the clamping plates is increased.

For the adjustment of the hinge member, a certain amount of play is provided between the ends of the shoulders in the recesses and the ends of the hinge member parts.

Generally, only the upper hinge member has to be adjusted, the lower hinge member can seat tightly between the shoulders. In a particularly simple form the hinge member can be made up of two hinge member parts with one part seated within the recess in one clamping plate and projecting through the recess in the all-glass plate member with another hinge member part located in the other clamping plate. Where particularly heavy stresses are developed, the hinge member can be formed of three parts, two hinge member parts each located in a different one of the recesses in the clamping plate and an intermediate part located within the recess in the plate member.

The portion of the hinge member located within the recess in the plate member can be provided with a hinge connection for a swing leaf. In addition, the hinge member can include a support for a door leaf or window with a stop located on one side of the plate member. In an extremely simple arrangement, the recesses in the all-glass plate member can be formed as at least part of a circle so that the recesses can be formed by a drilling machine.

The various features of novelty which characterize the invention are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexted to and forming a part of this disclosure. For a better understanding of the invention, its operating advantages and specific objects attained by its use, reference should be had to the accompanying drawings and descriptive matter in which there are illustrated and described preferred embodiments of the invention .

In the drawing:

FIG. 1 is a partial elevational view of an all-glass door leaf with the metal fittings for the door leaf shown in an exploded arrangement;

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line II--II in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a cross sectional view taken along the line III--III in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view in an exploded arrangement of a three-part hinge member, that is, the upper hinge member, for a swinging door; and

FIG. 5 is a perspective view in an exploded arrangement illustrating a hinge member for the lower end of a door including a backstop.

As shown in FIGS. 1-3, an all-glass plate member 2 has a pair of oppositely directed face surfaces and edge surfaces extending between the face surfaces. As viewed in FIG. 1 the upper end of the plate member is the top and the lower end is the bottom. An edge recess 4 is located in the top edge and another edge recess 6 is located in the bottom edge. Each recess is defined by an edge surface forming at least a part of a circle 8, 10. The edge recess 4, 6 can be formed by a drilling machine. Further, on the opposite side of the recess from the vertical edge adjacent the recess, a circular bore 12 is formed adjacent the top and bottom edges of the plate member. At the opposite face surfaces of the all-glass plate member 2 a pair of clamping plates 14, 16 are provided extending over the edge recesses 4, 6 so that they bear against the face surface located around the recesses. Soft pressure distribution shims or intermediate layers 18, 20 are located between the clamping plates and the face surfaces of the plate member 2. Preferably the shims 18, 20 are formed of Klingerite or nylon.

Each of the clamping plates 14, 16 has an elongated recess 22 in its edge extending along the corresponding edge of the plate member 2 so that the recesses align with the recesses 4, 6 through the plate member 2 and form a receiving space for hinge member 24 for the top of the plate member and hinge member 26 for the bottom of the hinge member, such as for a swinging door. Each hinge member 24, 26 is formed of two hinge member parts 24a, 24b and 26a, 26b so that each hinge member part can be inserted from an opposite side of the plate member extending into the receiving space formed by the recesses 4, 6, 22. The recesses in the clamping plates 14, 16 have shoulders 221, 222 at the opposite ends of the recesses spaced apart in the direction of the top and bottom edges of the plate member. The hinge member parts 24a, 24b, and 26a, 26b each have end sections 24a1, 24a2; 24b1, 24b2; 26a1, 26a2; 26b1, 26b2 which bear against the shoulders 221, 222. As can be seen in FIGS. 2 and 3, there is a certain amount of play within the recesses 22 between the ends of the recesses where the shoulders are located and the adjacent ends of the end sections of the hinge member parts. The hinge member parts 24b and 26b each have a part which extends through the recess 4, 6 in the plate member with a projecting region 30 centered between the ends of the recesses. The projecting region 30 bears against the middle region of the other hinge member part 24a, 26a when the parts are secured together. On the opposite side of the projecting region, bolts 32 extend through the hinge member parts 24a, 24b and 26a, 26b for securing and tightening the hinge member parts together. When the hinge member parts are tightened by the bolts 32, the hinge member parts 24a, 26a bends slightly and grips tightly at the shoulders 221, 222 so that the hinge members 24, 26 fit tightly in the recesses 22 because of the clamping action. The bottom hinge member 26 has a hinge hole or opening 34 for receiving a hinge lug of a floor door lock. The top hinge member 24 has a hinge bushing extending through the hinge member part 24b which can be pushed over an upper cylindrical hinge lug.

In the embodiment just described each of the hinge members 24, 26 is made up of two hinge member parts. In FIG. 4 a hinge member 40 is shown made up of three parts for use on a swinging door with the hinge member consisting of an intermediate part 42 and two outer or side parts 44, 46 with bolts 48, 50 arranged to secure the side parts to the intermediate part.

In FIG. 5 a two-part hinge member 60, an insert member with a liner part function, is formed of a side part 64 formed as a single unit with an intermediate part 62 and another side part 66. A support carrier 70 is secured to the separate side part 66 and forms a back stop for a door and has a hinge hole or opening 72 for an all-glass plate member which can be stopped on one side. The hinge member 60 and the carrier 70 are secured together by a pair of bolts 74, 76 which are secured from the opposite sides and are provided with countersunk heads for affording a burglar-proof construction. For the attachment of the carrier 70, the hinge member 60 has a part which has only a liner feature and a clamping function.

While specific embodiments of the invention have been shown and described in detail to illustrate the application of the inventive principles, it will be understood that the invention may be embodied otherwise without departing from such principles.