hinge
   HOME

TheInfoList



OR:

A hinge is a mechanical bearing that connects two solid objects, typically allowing only a limited angle of rotation between them. Two objects connected by an ideal hinge rotate relative to each other about a fixed
axis of rotation Rotation or rotational/rotary motion is the circular movement of an object around a central line, known as an ''axis of rotation''. A plane figure can rotate in either a clockwise or counterclockwise sense around a perpendicular axis intersect ...
, with all other translations or rotations prevented; thus a hinge has one degree of freedom. Hinges may be made of flexible material or moving components. In
biology Biology is the scientific study of life and living organisms. It is a broad natural science that encompasses a wide range of fields and unifying principles that explain the structure, function, growth, History of life, origin, evolution, and ...
, 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, such as the elbow joint.


History

Ancient remains of stone, marble, wood, and bronze hinges have been found. Some date back to at least
Ancient Egypt Ancient Egypt () was a cradle of civilization concentrated along the lower reaches of the Nile River in Northeast Africa. It emerged from prehistoric Egypt around 3150BC (according to conventional Egyptian chronology), when Upper and Lower E ...
, although it is nearly impossible to pinpoint exactly where and when the first hinges were used. In
Ancient Rome In modern historiography, ancient Rome is the Roman people, Roman civilisation from the founding of Rome, founding of the Italian city of Rome in the 8th century BC to the Fall of the Western Roman Empire, collapse of the Western Roman Em ...
, hinges were called cardō and gave name to the goddess Cardea and the main street
Cardo A ''cardo'' (: ''cardines'') was a north–south street in Ancient Rome, ancient Roman cities and military castra, camps as an integral component of Urban planning, city planning. The ''cardo maximus'', or most often the ''cardo'', was the main ...
. 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 most commonly refers to * Cardinalidae, a family of North and South American birds **''Cardinalis'', genus of three species in the family Cardinalidae ***Northern cardinal, ''Cardinalis cardinalis'', the common cardinal of ...
''. According to the
Oxford English Dictionary The ''Oxford English Dictionary'' (''OED'') is the principal historical dictionary of the English language, published by Oxford University Press (OUP), a University of Oxford publishing house. The dictionary, which published its first editio ...
, 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. The vast majority of hinges operate on the barrel principle. ; Butt hinge / Mortise hinge: Any hinge designed to be set into a door frame and/or door is considered a butt hinge or mortise hinge. A hinge can also be made as a half-mortise, where only one half is mortised and the other is not. Most mortise hinges are also barrel hinges because 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: A decorative variety of barrel hinge with leaves somewhat resembling the wings of a butterfly. ; Case hinge: Similar to butt hinges, but usually more decorative; most commonly used in suitcases, briefcases, and the like. ; Concealed hinge: Used for furniture doors (with or without a self-closing features and/or damping systems), they consist of two parts: (1.) the ''cup'' and ''arm'', and (2.) the mounting plate. They are also called "cup hinges", or "Euro hinges", as they were developed in Europe and use metric installation standards. Most 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. They are manufactured with or without holes. ; Flag hinge: A simple two-part hinge, where a single leaf, attached to a pin, is inserted into a leaf with a hole. This allows the hinged objects to be easily removed (such as removable doors). They are made in right- and left-hand configurations. ;H hinge: These H-shaped barrel hinges are used on flush-mounted doors. Small H hinges () tend to be used for cabinets, while larger ones () are for passage doors and closet doors. ; HL hinge: Commonly used for passage doors, room doors, and closet doors in the 17th, 18th, and the 19th centuries. On taller doors, H hinges were occasionally used between them. ; Pivot hinge: This hinge pivots in openings in the floor and the top of the door frame. Also referred to as double-acting floor hinges, they are found in ancient dry stone buildings and, rarely, in old wooden buildings. They are a low-cost alternative for use with lightweight doors. Doors with these hinges may be called haar-hung 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: A spring-loaded hinge that provides assistance in closing or opening the hinge leaves. An inner spring applies force to keep the hinge closed or opened. ;Swing Clear hinge: Also called ''offset door hinges'', they are ideal for residential and commercial doors, they allow doors to swing completely clear of their openings. They can easily comply with Fair Housing Act (FHA) code by providing a minimu
ADA 32” clearance
when using a 34” door slab. ;Living hinge: A hinge of flexible plastic that creates a join between two objects without any knuckles or pins. Molded as a single piece, they never rust or squeak, and have several other advantages over other hinges, but are more susceptible to breakage. Other types of hinges include: *Coach *Counter Flap *Cranked or storm-proof *Double action non-spring *Double action spring *Flush *Friction *Lift-off *Pinge (with a quick-release pin) *Rising butt *Security *Tee


Building access

Since at least
medieval In the history of Europe, the Middle Ages or medieval period lasted approximately from the 5th to the late 15th centuries, similarly to the post-classical period of World history (field), global history. It began with the fall of the West ...
times, there have been hinges to draw bridges 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 construction, constructi ...
where building settlement can be expected over the life of the building. For example, the Dakin Building in
Brisbane Brisbane ( ; ) is the List of Australian capital cities, capital and largest city of the States and territories of Australia, state of Queensland and the list of cities in Australia by population, third-most populous city in Australia, with a ...
,
California California () is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States that lies on the West Coast of the United States, Pacific Coast. It borders Oregon to the north, Nevada and Arizona to the east, and shares Mexico–United States border, an ...
, 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 estuary, estuaries, which are normally in temperate regions that have experienced cyclic ...
. 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, to reduce or eliminate the transfer of bending stresses between structural components, typically in an effort to reduce sensitivity to earthquakes. 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

A variety of self-actuating, self-locking hinges have been developed for spacecraft deployable structures such as solar array panels, synthetic aperture radar antennas, booms, radiators, etc.


Terminology


Components

;Pin: The rod that holds the ''leaves'' together, inside the ''knuckle''. Also known as a pintle. ;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 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. ;Card table hinge: Mortised into edge of antique or reproduction card tables and allow the top to fold onto itself. ; Carpentier joint: A hinge consisting of several thin metal strips of curved cross section. ; Drop-leaf table hinge: Mounted under the surface of a table with leaves that drop down. They are most commonly used with rule joints. ; Hinged expansion joint: an expansion joint with hinges that allow the unit to bend in a single plane ;Hinged
handcuffs Handcuffs are Physical restraint, restraint devices designed to secure an individual's wrists in proximity to each other. They comprise two parts, linked together by a Link chain, chain, a hinge, or rigid bar. Each cuff has a rotating arm whi ...
: 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. ;Hinge region: portion of antibody structure between the fragment antigen-binding region and the fragment crystallizable region ; Living hinge: a hinge consisting of material that flexes ;Piano hinge: (or coffin hinge) a long hinge, originally used for
piano A piano is a keyboard instrument that produces sound when its keys are depressed, activating an Action (music), action mechanism where hammers strike String (music), strings. Modern pianos have a row of 88 black and white keys, tuned to a c ...
lids, but now used in many other applications where a long hinge is needed.


Gallery

File:HingesOldA.jpg, Old construction of hinges in the dry stone wall near Bignasco. 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 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 t ...
s File:Hinge 03.jpg, A piano hinge. File:Continuoushinge.jpg, A continuous hinge. file:Waterson_K51SW.jpg , Swing Clear Hinge File:Sydney Harbour Bridge hinge.jpg, Hinge on the Sydney Harbour Bridge. It was used during construction of the bridge and now accommodates thermal expansion and contraction of the bridge


See also

* Hinge bender, a tool for adjusting hinges * * * * *
Hinge joint A hinge joint (ginglymus or ginglymoid) is a bone joint where 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 o ...
, 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)