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A hinge is a
mechanical bearing A bearing is a machine element that constrains relative motion to only the desired motion, and reduces friction between moving parts. The design of the bearing may, for example, provide for free linear movement of the moving part or for free ro ...
that connects two solid objects, typically allowing only a limited
angle of rotation In mathematics, the angle of rotation is a measurement of the amount, of namely angle, that a figure is rotated about a fixed point, often the center of a circle. A clockwise rotation is considered a negative rotation, so that, for instanc ...
between them. Two objects connected by an ideal hinge rotate relative to each other about a fixed
axis of rotation Rotation around a fixed axis is a special case of rotational motion. The fixed- axis hypothesis excludes the possibility of an axis changing its orientation and cannot describe such phenomena as wobbling or precession. According to Euler's r ...
: all other
translations Translation is the communication of the meaning of a source-language text by means of an equivalent target-language text. The English language draws a terminological distinction (which does not exist in every language) between ''transl ...
or rotations being prevented, and thus a hinge has one
degree of freedom Degrees of freedom (often abbreviated df or DOF) refers to the number of independent variables or parameters of a thermodynamic system. In various scientific fields, the word "freedom" is used to describe the limits to which physical movement or ...
. Hinges may be made of flexible material or of moving components. In
biology Biology is the scientific study of life. It is a natural science with a broad scope but has several unifying themes that tie it together as a single, coherent field. For instance, all organisms are made up of cells that process hereditary ...
, many
joint A joint or articulation (or articular surface) is the connection made between bones, ossicles, or other hard structures in the body which link an animal's skeletal system into a functional whole.Saladin, Ken. Anatomy & Physiology. 7th ed. McGraw- ...
s function as hinges, like the elbow joint.


History

Ancient remains of stone, marble, wood, and bronze hinges have been found. Some date back to at least Ancient Egypt. In
Ancient Rome In modern historiography, ancient Rome refers to Roman people, Roman civilisation from the founding of the city of Rome in the 8th century BC to the collapse of the Western Roman Empire in the 5th century AD. It encompasses the Roman Kingdom ...
, hinges were called cardō and gave name to the goddess
Cardea Cardea or Carda was the ancient Roman goddess of the hinge (Latin ''cardo, cardinis''), Roman doors being hung on pivot hinges. The Augustan poet Ovid conflates her with another archaic goddess named Carna, whose festival was celebrated on the ...
and the main street
Cardo A cardo (plural ''cardines'') was a north–south street in Ancient Roman cities and military camps as an integral component of city planning. The cardo maximus, or most often the ''cardo'', was the main or central north–south-oriented street. ...
. This name cardō lives on figuratively today as "the chief thing (on which something turns or depends)" in words such as ''
cardinal Cardinal or The Cardinal may refer to: Animals * Cardinal (bird) or Cardinalidae, a family of North and South American birds **'' Cardinalis'', genus of cardinal in the family Cardinalidae **'' Cardinalis cardinalis'', or northern cardinal, t ...
''. According to the OED, the English word hinge is related to '' hang''.


Door hinges

; Barrel hinge: A barrel hinge consists of a sectional barrel (the knuckle) secured by a pivot. A ''barrel'' is simply a hollow
cylinder A cylinder (from ) has traditionally been a three-dimensional solid, one of the most basic of curvilinear geometric shapes. In elementary geometry, it is considered a prism with a circle as its base. A cylinder may also be defined as an ...
. The vast majority of hinges operate on the barrel principle. ; Butt hinge / Mortise hinge: Any hinge which is designed to be set into a door frame and/ or door is considered to be a butt hinge or a mortise hinge. A hinge can also be made as a half-mortise, in which case only one half of the hinge is mortised and the other is not. Most mortise hinges are also barrel hinges by virtue of how they pivot (i.e., a pair of leaves secured to each other by knuckles through which runs a pin). ; Butterfly/ Parliament (UK) hinge: These are a decorative variety of barrel hinge with leaves somewhat resembling the wings of a butterfly ; Case hinges: Case hinges are similar to a butt hinge however usually more of a decorative nature most commonly used in suitcases, briefcases, and the like. ;
Concealed hinge A concealed hinge drilling jig is a type of support jig, designed for drilling 3 cm holes to fit concealed hinges into modern wardrobe doors. As many of the complementary tools used in woodworking, it uses an electric hand-drill for its oper ...
: These are used for furniture doors (with or without self-closing feature, and with or without damping systems). They are made of two parts: One part is the hinge cup and the arm, the other part is the mounting plate. Also called "cup hinge", or "Euro hinge", as they were developed in Europe and use metric installation standards. Most such concealed hinges offer the advantage of full ''in situ'' adjustability for standoff distance from the cabinet face as well as pitch and roll by means of two screws on each hinge. ; Continuous/ Piano hinge: This variety of barrel hinge runs the entire length of a door, panel, box., etc. Continuous hinges are manufactured with or without holes. ; Flag hinge: these consist of a single leaf attached (in the male variety) to a pin. When used, the pin is inserted into the other (female) portion of the hinge. This allows the objects to be easily removed (for example, a removable door). They are manufactured in right-hand and left-hand configurations. ;H hinge: These barrel hinges are shaped like an H and used on flush-mounted doors. Small H hinges () tend to be used for cabinets hinges, while larger hinges () are for passage doors or closet doors. ; HL hinge: These were common for passage doors, room doors, and closet doors in the 17th, 18th, and even 19th centuries. On taller doors, H hinges were occasionally used in the middle along with the HL hinges. ; Pivot hinge: This hinge pivots in openings in the floor and the top of the door frame. Also referred to as a double-acting floor hinge. This type is found in ancient dry stone buildings and rarely in old wooden buildings. These are also called haar-hung doors. They are a low-cost alternative for use with lightweight doors. ; Self-closing hinge: This is a spring-loaded hinge with a speed control function. The same as ''spring hinge'', usually use ''spring'' to provide force to close the door and provide a mechanical or hydraulic damper to control door close speed. That can prevent door slamming problem while auto closes a door. ;Spring hinge: This is a spring-loaded hinge made to provide assistance in the closing or the opening of the hinge leaves. A ''spring'' is a component of a hinge, that applies force to secure a hinge closed or keep a hinge opened. ; Swing Clear hinge: Swing Clear Door Hinges (aka Offset Door Hinges) are perfect for residential and commercial doors, as they allow doors to swing completely clear of openings. Swing Clear Hinges can easily comply with Fair Housing Act (FHA) code by providing a minimu
ADA 32” clearance
clearance when using a 34” door slab. ;Living hinge: This hinge takes advantage of the flexibility of plastic to create a join between two objects without any knuckles or pins. They are molded as a single piece, never become rusted, do not squeak, and have several other advantages over other hinges, but the plastic makes them more susceptible to breakage. Other types include: *Coach hinge *Counterflap hinge *Cranked hinge or storm-proof hinge *Double action non-spring *Double action spring hinge *Flush hinge *Friction hinge *Lift-off hinge *Pinge: A hinge with a quick release pin. *Rising butt hinge *Security hinge *Tee hinge


Building access

Since at least
medieval In the history of Europe, the Middle Ages or medieval period lasted approximately from the late 5th to the late 15th centuries, similar to the post-classical period of global history. It began with the fall of the Western Roman Empire a ...
times there have been hinges to
draw bridge A drawbridge or draw-bridge is a type of moveable bridge typically at the entrance to a castle or tower surrounded by a moat. In some forms of English, including American English, the word ''drawbridge'' commonly refers to all types of moveable ...
s for defensive purposes for fortified buildings. Hinges are used in contemporary
architecture Architecture is the art and technique of designing and building, as distinguished from the skills associated with construction. It is both the process and the product of sketching, conceiving, planning, designing, and constructing buildings ...
where building settlement can be expected over the life of the building. For example, the Dakin Building in
Brisbane Brisbane ( ) is the capital and most populous city of the Australian state of Queensland, and the third-most populous city in Australia and Oceania, with a population of approximately 2.6 million. Brisbane lies at the centre of the South ...
,
California California is a state in the Western United States, located along the Pacific Coast. With nearly 39.2million residents across a total area of approximately , it is the most populous U.S. state and the 3rd largest by area. It is also the m ...
, was designed with its entrance ramp on a large hinge to allow settlement of the building built on piles over
bay mud Bay mud consists of thick deposits of soft, unconsolidated silty clay, which is saturated with water; these soil layers are situated at the bottom of certain estuaries, which are normally in temperate regions that have experienced cyclical glac ...
. This device was effective until October 2006, when it was replaced due to damage and excessive ramp slope.


Large structures

Hinges appear in large structures such as elevated freeway and railroad viaducts. These are included to reduce or eliminate the transfer of bending stresses between structural components, typically in an effort to reduce sensitivity to
earthquakes An earthquake (also known as a quake, tremor or temblor) is the shaking of the surface of the Earth resulting from a sudden release of energy in the Earth's lithosphere that creates seismic waves. Earthquakes can range in intensity, fro ...
. The primary reason for using a hinge, rather than a simpler device such as a slide, is to prevent the separation of adjacent components. When no bending stresses are transmitted across the hinge it is called a ''zero moment hinge''.


Spacecraft

People have developed a variety of self-actuating, self-locking hinge designs for spacecraft deployable structures such as
solar array A photovoltaic system, also PV system or solar power system, is an electric power system designed to supply usable solar power by means of photovoltaics. It consists of an arrangement of several components, including solar panels to absorb and ...
panels, synthetic aperture radar antennas, booms, radiators, etc.


Hinge terminology


Components

;Pin: The rod that holds the ''leaves'' together, inside the ''knuckle''. Also known as a
pintle A pintle is a pin or bolt, usually inserted into a gudgeon, which is used as part of a pivot or hinge. Other applications include pintle and lunette ring for towing, and pintle pins securing casters in furniture. Use Pintle/gudgeon sets have ma ...
. ;Knuckle: The hollow—typically circular—portion creating the joint of the hinge through which the ''pin'' is set. The ''knuckles'' of either ''leaf'' typically alternate and interlock with the ''pin'' passing through all of them. (aka. loop, joint, node or curl) ;Leaf: The portions (typically two) that extend laterally from the ''knuckle'' and typically revolve around the ''pin''.


Characteristics

; End play: Axial movement between the ''leaves'' along the axis of the ''pin''. This motion allows the leaves to rotate without binding and is determined by the typical distance between ''knuckles'' (knuckle gap) when both edges of the ''leaves'' are aligned. ; Gauge: Thickness of the ''leaves''. ;Hinge width: Length from the outer edge of one ''leaf'' to the outer edge of the other ''leaf'', perpendicularly across the ''pin'' (aka open width). ; Hinge length: The length of the ''leaves'' parallel to the pin. ; Knuckle length: The typical length of an individual ''knuckle'' parallel to the pin. ; Leaf width: Length from the center of the ''pin'' to the outer edge of the ''leaf''. ; Pitch: Distance from the end of a knuckle to the same edge of its adjacent knuckle on the same leaf ;
Door Stop A doorstop (also door stopper, door stop or door wedge) is an object or device used to hold a door open or closed, or to prevent a door from opening too widely. The same word is used to refer to a thin slat built inside a door frame to prevent a ...
: A colloquialism referring to loose angular movement of the leaves relative to the pin.


Other types

; Butler tray hinge: Folds to 90 degrees and also snaps flat. They are for tables that have a tray top for serving. ;
Carpentier joint A carpentier joint is a hinge consisting of several thin metal strips of curved cross section Cross section may refer to: * Cross section (geometry) ** Cross-sectional views in architecture & engineering 3D *Cross section (geology) * Cross secti ...
: A hinge consisting of several thin metal strips of curved cross section. ;Card table hinge: Mortised into edge of antique or reproduction card tables and allow the top to fold onto itself. ;
Drop-leaf table A drop-leaf table is a table that has a fixed section in the center and a hinged section (leaf) on either side that can be folded down (dropped). If the leaf is supported by a bracket when folded up, the table is simply a drop-leaf table; if th ...
hinge: Mounted under the surface of a table with leaves that drop down. They are most commonly used with rule joints. ;Hinged
handcuffs Handcuffs are restraint devices designed to secure an individual's wrists in proximity to each other. They comprise two parts, linked together by a chain, a hinge, or rigid bar. Each cuff has a rotating arm which engages with a ratchet tha ...
: a restraint device designed to secure an individual's wrists in proximity to each other consisting of two cuffs linked with a double or triple hinge. Hinged handcuffs cuffs tend to restrict movement more than chain-linked handcuffs, and they can be used to generate more leverage to force a suspect's hands behind the back, or to apply pain against the wrist, forcing the subject to comply and stop resisting. ;Piano hinge: (or coffin hinge) a long hinge, originally used for
piano The piano is a stringed keyboard instrument in which the strings are struck by wooden hammers that are coated with a softer material (modern hammers are covered with dense wool felt; some early pianos used leather). It is played using a keyboa ...
lids, but now used in many other applications where a long hinge is needed. ;
Living hinge A living hinge or integral hinge is a thin flexible hinge (flexure bearing) made from the same material as the two rigid pieces it connects. It is typically thinned or cut to allow the rigid pieces to bend along the line of the hinge. The mi ...
: a hinge consisting of material that flexes ; Hinged expansion joint: an expansion joint with hinges that allow the unit to bend in a single plane


Gallery

File:HingesOldA.jpg, Old construction of hinges in the dry stone wall near
Bignasco Bignasco is a village in the district of Vallemaggia, in the canton of Ticino, Switzerland, consolidated into the adjacent municipality of Cevio. Geography Bignasco is a village situated at the confluence of the river Maggia and the Bavona in t ...
. File:HingesOldB.jpg, Ancient pivot hinges, found in the dry stone buildings. File:Hingebifold.JPG, A flushed door hinge. File:Hinge2P2.jpg, A barrel hinge made of wrought iron. File:Hinge2P3.jpg, A barrel hinge made of bronze strap. File:Hinge3P.jpg, Increasing the number of loops to 3 allows the butt hinge axis to be fixed from both ends. File:Topfscharnier.jpg, Door in furniture with spring to lock door both fully shut and fully open positions. It hides completely behind the door and has adjustment for fine alignment. Allows the door to open even when against a wall. File:Hinge 01.jpg, Rusty hinges on a building exterior. File:Drzwi biegun 0211.jpg, This door hinges on the stile and is called a haar-hung door. File:Mint box polypropylene lid.JPG, A living hinge on the lid of a
Tic Tac Tic Tac (stylized as "tic tac") is a brand of small, hard mint manufactured by the Italian company Ferrero. They were first produced in 1969 and are now available in a variety of flavours in over 100 countries. Tic Tacs are usually sold in sma ...
box. File:Hinged Handcuffs 1.jpg, Hinged
handcuff Handcuffs are restraint devices designed to secure an individual's wrists in proximity to each other. They comprise two parts, linked together by a chain, a hinge, or rigid bar. Each cuff has a rotating arm which engages with a ratchet that ...
s File:Hinge 03.jpg, A piano hinge. File:Continuoushinge.jpg, A continuous hinge. file:Waterson_K51SW.jpg , Swing Clear Hinge


See also

* Hinge bender, a tool for adjusting hinges * * * * *
Hinge joint A hinge joint (ginglymus or ginglymoid) is a bone joint in which the articular surfaces are molded to each other in such a manner as to permit motion only in one plane. According to one classification system they are said to be uniaxial (having ...
, a skeletal bone joint functioning like a hinge


References


External links


Hinge Terminology
��Hingecraft; graphics visualizing many terms
Guden Hinges and Industrial Hardware: Glossary
{{Authority control Hardware (mechanical) Door furniture Linkages (mechanical)