[1]Patented May 14, 1940 292009317 UNITED STATES PATENT - OFFICE 2,200,317 HINGE Andrew F. Wintercom and Edward P. Necanna, P.ockford, El., assignors to The Atwood Vacuum Machine Company, Rockford, M., a copartnership coinposed of Seth B. Atwood and Jaraes T. Atwood Application August 2, 1937, Serial No. 156,916 6 Claims. This Invention relates to hinges g6nerally, but is moreparticularly concerned with improved bau-and-socket type hinges for the doors of motor vehicles. 5 It, Is the principal object of our invention to provide hinges of the Igind mentioned wherein the boll head has a swivel fit in a circular hole, or In an annular seat formed in a perforated or recessed part, whereby to obtain greater accu10 racy at lower cost and with less difficulty in the process of manufacture. Another important object of our invention is to provide hinges of the kind mentioned having the socket part of stamped sheet metalconstruction. 15, Still another object is to provide hinges of the kind mentioned wherein both the ball head member and socket member are of stamped sheet metal construction. These and other objects of the invention will 20 appear in the course of the following detailed description in which reference is made to the aecompanylng drawing, whereinFlgs. I and 2 are a horizontal and vertical section, respectively, through a portion of a door 25 pular and door, showing a concealed ball-andsocket type hinge wherein the ball and socket parts are both of stamped sheet metal construetion, Flg. 2 being taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is similar to Flig. 2, but show a further 30 variation, while Flg. 4 is a sectional detail on the line 4-4 of Fig. 3, and Figs, 5 and 6 are views similar to Fligs. I and 2, but showing the reverse arrangement of the ball and socket m6mbers with relation to the 35 door pillar and door. similar r-eference numerals are applied to corresponding parts throughout the views. In Figs. 1 and 2, two sheet metal stampings 62c and 67c are bolted, as at 41e, to the wall of 40 the body pillar 25e. The plate 62c has a l.ug 6 le bent substantially at right angles thereto, while the plelte 67c hiis a lug 66c bent substantially at right angles thereto, and between these lugs the ball head $Da of the gooseneck member 28d is 45 adapted to be retained and supported for swivel movement. Theprojectinglugsonthetwoplates are formed to provide hollow cylindrical bosses, as at 74, and countersunk or chamfered to provide the annular seats 57 to flt the ball head. 5o Now, the gooseneck member 28a is formed from two sheet metal stampings 75_and 76 substantially L-sha@ed with one end stamped to hollow semispherical shape, as indicated at 77, while the other end is bent at right angles, as at 78, to provide 55 attaching lugs arranged to be bolted to the wall (Cl. 16--135) of the door frame member 45e, as indicated at 79. A tapping plate 80 is provided and the bolts 79 extend through vertical slots 81 in the door frame to thread in the tapping plate. 7be wall abutting face 82 on the lug 78, as well as the wall r) abutting face 83 on the tapping plate, are preferably serrated so as to take good hold when the bolts 79 are tightened. For a similar reason, the wall abutting faces 821 of the plates 62c and 67c are serrated, and it will be noticed that the bolts 10 4le extend through horizontal slots 81' in the wall of the body pillar member 25e to permit in and out adjustment of the socket. The pieces 75 and 76 are both ribbed longitudinally, as at 84, between the ball head end and the attaching 15 end for reenforcement and to lend stiffness, and the pieces may be riveted together, as indicated at 85. If desired, absorbent wick material may be provided inside the ball head 30a, as indicated at 86, and an oil hole 87 may be provided in one 2( half of the ball head, and another oil hole 88 in the upper half of the socket to. supply lubricant to the ball and socket joint. An additional hole -may be provided, if desired, as indicated at 89 in the lower half of the ball head to Insure lubrica- 25 tion of the lower half of the socket, although it is believed that sufficient lubrlcant will seep through the joint in the ball head to furnish adequate lubrication for both halves of the socket. Since the ball head or gooseneck member 28a is 30 vaortical ly adjustable while the socket parts are horizont ally adjustable, it is clear that the present construction makes the door universally adjustable in the door opening, and there is therefore no difficulty in centeriiig the door and lining 55 it up with the body and with a companion door. The manufacture of the ball head or gooseneck member of sheet metal construction results in a substanti al saving in cost, and the cost is low enough to be competitive with the old style pintle 40 hinges. The hinge is moreover easily assembled on the doors and pillars of motor cars as now constructed. The construction is furthermore selfcenterin g and there is definite assurance of a complet e circle of bearing contact between the 45 ball head and the seats 57 therefor, the present construc tion accordingly eliminating the necessity for keeping the production of ball heads within close limits, whereas with other constructions providing spheroidal-shaped depressions for recep- 50 tion of the ball h6ad, it was obviously important to have the ball head and socket parts made accurately to fit one another. Slight "run out" in the production of the ball heads with the present construotion is practically unnoticeable by reason 55
[2]2 2,200,317 of the self-centering. Two hinges of the kind described will be provided 6n each door In vertically spaced relation, it being obvious that the two points thus fixed by the balls and sockets are sufficient to determine the hinging axis of the door and provide for smooth and uniform operation tlii-oughout the range of opening movement. Hin@es of the present construction will not bind iior develop play and give rise to door rattling 10 like the old style pintle hinges. Figs. 3 and 4 show a variation of the construction of Figs. I and 2, In which the ball head 30b has the two halves 771 thereof perforated, as at 90, for the passage of a bolt 91 diametrically 15 tlieretbi-ough, the bolt being entered through holes in the Iugs 61d and 66d on the plates 62d and 67d, respectively. Obvously with such aconstruction there is increased strength as a result of the bolting together of the two halves of the 20 socket, and of course the holes 90 may be provided large enough in relation to the diameter of the shank of the bolt 91 to allow ample angularity of universal movement of the ball head relative to the socket. It is understood, of course, 25 that the plates 62d and 67d may be bolted or otherwise suitably secured to the wall of the body pillar. The two parts 75' and 76' of the gooseneck member 28b are ribbed longitudinally at 84 similarly as in the previous construction, and are 30 riv@ted together as at 85. If desired, an oil hole may be provided in the lug 6 Id next to th-e bolt head, as at 88',- to furnish lubricant to the balland-socket joint, and, if desired, absorbent wick material may be provided inside the ball head 35 30b to retain lubricant. The advantages and operation of this construction are similar to what is obtained with the construction of Figs. 1 and 2. Mgs. 5 and 6 show a hinge construction having the reverse arrangement of the ball and socket 40 members with relation to the 1,,)bdy and pillar from that disclosed in Figs. 1 and 2. Here the ball head 30c is formed by the semi-sph-erical ends of plates 62e and 67e bolted as at 4 If to the body pillar 25f, while the'@ooseneck member 28c 45 is formed similarly as the gooseneck members 28a and 28b except that the outer ends 74' of the two halves 75c and 76c are recessed and provide seats 57 therein for the ball head 30c. An oil hole 88a in the upper h-alf of the socket formed on the outer end of the gooseneck member 28c permits supplying lubricant to the ball and socket joint, and an oil hole 87a may be provided in the upper half of the ball bead 30c and absorbent wick material 86a may be provided insicle the ball head to provide for similar lubrication as with the hinge of Mgs. 1 and 2. An additional oil hole may be provided in the lower half of the ball head, as at 89a, if desired. It is obvious that substantially the same advantages are obtained 60 with this construction as with the construction of Mgs. I and 2. It is believed the foregoing description conveys a goodunderstanding of the obiects and advantages of our invention. The appended claims 65 are drawn with a view to covering all legitimate modifications and adaptations. We
