Glass hinge assembly

• US 5,079,798 A
• Filed: 08/13/1990
• Issued: 01/14/1992
• Est. Priority Date: 08/13/1990
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Anthony Burke, Richard Dawson
• Original Assignee: Anthony Burke, Richard Dawson
• Inventors: Dawson, Richard, Burke, Anthony
• Primary Examiner(s): Spruill, Robert L.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Cuda, Carmine
• Application Number:
  US07/565,839
• Time in Patent Office: 519 Days
• Field of Search: 16/252, 16/378, 16/379, 16/390, 16/281
• US Class Current: 16/252
• CPC Class Codes: E05D 11/1064 with a coil spring perpendicular to the pivot axis
• CPC Class Codes: E05D 5/0246 for attachment to glass panels
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2800/672 Glass
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2900/132 Doors

Abstract

The improved glass hinge assembly includes a first hinge component in the form of a glass clamp having a spaced pair of flat, parallel vertical walls interconnected by a connector block therebetween, the walls and connector block defining a peripheral glass-receiving space. The block is notched out in the rear so as to receive a pivot block connected to and projecting forwardly from the front end of a second hinge component of the assembly, which second component can be a glass clamp similar to the first glass clamp or a flat wall bracket disposed perpendicular to the pivot block. A hinge sub-assembly interconnects the two hinge components through the connector block of the first hinge component and the pivot block. That sub-assembly preferably includes a vertical cylindrical pin with a flattened area perpendicular to the main plane of the first hinge component, and a biasing spring and plastic bushing in the pivot block bearing against the flattened area to bias the first hinge component into a closed position parallel to the pivot block. The assembly is adapted to hold a pane of a glass door for hinged pivoting and for pivotably hinging together two adjacent panes of glass, as in a folding glass door.

Claims

1. An improved glass hinge assembly, said assembly comprising, in combination:

a) a first hinge component comprising a glass clamp having a pair of spaced parallel walls interconnected by a connector block therebetween, said walls and connector block collectively defining a peripheral glass-receiving space, said block being notched out at the rear end thereof to provide a space for receiving a pivot block;

b) a second hinge component comprising a support member bearing a pivot block projecting from the front end thereof into said notched out space;

c) hinge means secured through said two blocks, thereby hingedly interconnecting said two hinge components; and

d) wherein said second hinge component includes a second glass clamp having a second pair of spaced parallel walls interconnected by a second connector block, said second pair of walls and second connector block collectively defining a second peripheral glass-receiving space.

2. The improved glass hinge assembly of claim 1 wherein said second glass clamp in the closed position is in the same main plane as said first glass clamp and wherein both said clamps and said pivot block are generally flat and vertically extending.

3. The improved glass hinge assembly of claim 2 wherein said hinge means comprises a vertical cylindrical pin through said pivot block and said first connector block, wherein said pin has a flattened area perpendicular to the main plane of said clamps, and wherein a spring in said pivot block bears against such flattened area and biases said clamps into said closed position.

4. An improved glass hinge assembly, said assembly comprising, in combination:

a) a first hinge component comprising a glass clamp having a pair of spaced parallel walls interconnected by a connector block therebetween, said walls and connector block collectively defining a peripheral glass-receiving space, said block being notched out at the rear end thereof to provide a space for receiving a pivot block;

b) a second hinge component comprising a support member bearing a pivot block projecting from the front end thereof into said notched out space;

c) hinge means secured through said two blocks, thereby hingedly interconnecting said two hinge components;

d) wherein said hinge means comprises a pin extending through both said blocks;

e) wherein said pin is generally cylindrical but has a flattened central area, and

f) wherein spring means in said pivot block bear against said flattened area to bias said two hinge components into a closed position.

5. The improved glass hinge assembly of claim 4 wherein a plastic bushing is disposed between said spring and flattened area, wherein said flattened area is perpendicular to the main plane of said pivot block and first hinge component.

6. The improved glass hinge assembly of claim 5 wherein said pin is vertical and wherein said first hinge component and blocks are generally flat and vertically extending.

7. The improved glass hinge assembly of claim 4 wherein said second hinge component includes a rear wall bracket disposed generally perpendicular to said glass clamp.

8. The improved glass hinge assembly of claim 7 wherein said clamp is vertically oriented and generally flat and wherein said glass hinge means comprises a vertical cylindrical pin through said two blocks, said pin having a flattened area perpendicular to the vertical plane of said clamp and pivot block, and wherein a spring in said pivot block bears against said flattened area and biases said clamp into a closed position.