A hinge for wina-openable frames, particularly for doors, windows or the like The present invention relates to a hinge for wing-openable frames, particularly for doors, windows or the like, comprising : -at least two superimposed hinge parts, each having a bush part and a fixing flap for fixing it, respectively, to the fixed frame and to a movable leaf of the door or window frame, in which a first bush part has a generally cylindrical cavity and a second bush part has a cavity the cross-section of which is elongated in a transverse diametral direction which, in the installed condition, is parallel to a general plane of the door or window frame, and in which the wall of the cavity of the second bush part has a lateral hole aligned with the said diametral direction and by means of which the cavity communicates with the exterior of the second bush part, -a sleeve inserted in the cavity of the first bush part, -a pin extending through the sleeve and into the second bush part, and -screw adjustment means which extend transversely in the cavity of the second bush part and engage a threaded diametral hole of the pin to allow adjustment of the position of the pin in the said second diametral direction.

A hinge of this general type is known from EP-A-0 271 053.

In this known hinge, in the cavity of the second bush part there is located a prismatic insert in the form of a guide slidable in a direction transverse the cavity and which has a cylindrical hole traversed precisely by the pin. In the known hinge the transverse screw adjustment means are constituted by a single screw with a head which, in one embodiment, is engaged in a diametral threaded hole of the pin.

The prismatic insert is provided with at least one terminal flange interposed between the bush parts of two superimposed hinge parts to guarantee that the axis of the pin and the associated hole of the insert remain always parallel to the axis of the second bush part and the pin is displaced parallel to itself when its position is adjusted by means of the transverse screw.

In other words, the flange of the insert has the function of preventing the pin from rocking with respect to the second bush part.

The adjustment of the position of the pin to the right or the left in a plane parallel to the general plane of a door or window frame is very useful for allowing the movable leaf of the door or window frame to be positioned squarely with respect to the fixed frame.

For example, supposing that the leaf of a door is suspended by means of two or more hinges, the said adjustment of at least one of the hinges makes it possible to raise the side of the leaf opposite the hinge side to prevent the lower edge of the leaf scraping the floor if this latter is not in square with the upright or jamb of the fixed frame which carries the hinges. An adjustment of this type must inevitably involve a small displacement of the pins of the hinges from the vertical orientation perpendicular to the floor. This modification of the orientation must correspond to a slightly inclined disposition of the pins which the arrangement of document EP- A-0 271 053 appears to prevent in an unnatural manner.

What is important for the purposes of the smoothness of the opening and closure movements of a door or a window is that the pins of its hinges can rock, that is to say spontaneously adjust themselves with respect to the hinge parts, within limits allowed by inevitable manufacturing clearances between the pins themselves and the bushes of the hinge parts.

In the arrangement according to EP-A-0 271 053 the sleeve of the first bush part has concentric inner and outer cylindrical surfaces so that the pin inserted in the sleeve has no possibility of adjustment.

Installers know well that, because of the manufacturing and installation tolerances, a leaf of a door or a window very rarely fits perfectly with the fixed frame when the door or window is closed. This fit is all the more desirable when one of the parts of an external door or window is fitted with a seal which, when the door or window is closed must be compressed in an optimum manner to guarantee a seal against bad weather.

There is therefore the need to be able to adjust a hinge of the type described also in a direction perpendicular to the general plane of the door or window. Due to the presence of the cylindrical sleeve, which has the single function of a radial bearing, the hinge according to document EP-A-0 271 053 does not allow this type of adjustment, probably due to a prejudice which will be discussed further below.

The main object of the present invention is that of providing a hinge of the type described, which will be capable of being adjusted both parallel to and perpendicular to the general plane of a door or window frame, whilst allowing the natural adjustment of the pin in slightly inclined positions, that is misaligned with respect to the pin of another hinge.

According to the invention this object is achieved by means of a hinge of the type described, characterised in that: -the pin is housed in the cavity of the second bush part with a clearance such as to allow its movement at least in the said diametral direction, -the screw adjustment means include at least one threaded element and have a pair of opposite abutment ends adapted to abut as fulcra against respective diametrically opposite faces which delimit the cavity in correspondence with said lateral hole, these screw adjustment means having at least one formation engageable by means of a manipulating tool inserted from outside through the lateral hole of the second bush part, -the said sleeve has an eccentric cylindrical cavity into which the pin is fitted, this sleeve and the first bush part having mutually keying formations such as to allow a stable orientation of the sleeve to be achieved in more than one angular position about the axis of the cavity of the first bush part for the purpose of adjusting the position of the movable leaf with respect to the fixed frame in a direction normal to the general plane of the door or window frame.

In a hinge according to the invention the position of the pin in the plane parallel to the general plane of the door or window frame can be adjusted by means of the said screw adjustment means which define, at the same time, fulcra which, by cooperating with the associated surfaces of the cavity of the second bush part, permit the pin to rock at least in a limited manner and to adopt the most natural angular position with respect to the associated hinge part and with respect to the other hinges.

A hinge according to the invention also includes an eccentric sleeve which is adjustable in particular in a direction perpendicular to the general plane of the door or window frame.

An arrangement of this general type is known from the document DE-A-2 160 519. This document relates to a hinge one part of which is provided with an eccentric sleeve for the adjustment of the position of the pin in directions both parallel and perpendicular to the general plane of the door or window frame.

The solution of this document is based on the establishment of the fact that an adjustment, by means of an eccentric sleeve, is necessary and sufficient to adjust, at most by a millimetre or two, the separation between the movable part and a fixed part of a frame, and consequently achieve compression of a seal if fitted, but is not sufficient to correct a positioning defect of a movable part in the plane parallel to the general plane of a door or window frame by an effective amount.

This latter type of adjustment can in fact require, for each hinge, a lateral displacement of the pin of several millimetres.

According to EP-A-0 467 122 there has already been proposed, a hinge having means for the adjustment of a hinge pin in the said two directions which comprises two eccentric sleeves inserted into one another, thanks to which it is possible to cancel out a defect in adjustment in one of the directions, caused by an adjustment in the other direction.

This arrangement does not completely resolve the problem due to the fact that it does not permit a sufficiently large adjustment of the lateral position of a pin in a plane parallel to the general plane of a door or window frame.

This displacement parallel to the general plane is of an order of magnitude greater than that of the displacement perpendicular to the general plane of the door or window frame and in effect compensation of the adjustment error in this direction by means of a second eccentric sleeve constitutes for practical purposes a false problem.

On the other hand the presence of one or two eccentric sleeves prevents the pin from being able to become inclined with respect to these sleeves.

From this constraint probably derives the prejudice by which, in a hinge according to EP-A-0 271 053, an eccentric sleeve can not be utilised with a pin inserted in a rockable manner in a contiguous bush part.

From experiments made by the applicant, the combination claimed is however anything but undesirable: in fact from EP- A-0 271 053, adjustment of a hinge can occur, thanks to the possibility of the pin rocking, without the generation of undesirable forces in the underlying or overlying hinge, and to the advantage of the smoothness of the opening and closure movements of the leaf of the door or window.

The invention has been developed in its application to relatively heavy doors, with metal section frames, but is not limited to this application.

Although in the appended drawings a two-part hinge has been illustrated, it is intended that the invention is applicable to hinges having more parts, for example with two parts intended for fixing to a fixed frame and enclosing an intermediate part intended for fixing to a movable leaf.

The object of the invention and its further characteristics and advantages will become better apparent from reading the following detailed description made with reference to the attached drawings, given purely by way of non limitative example and in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view of a two-part hinge according to the invention, Figures 2a and 2b represent exploded perspective views of the elements of the hinge of Figure 1 in a first embodiment of the invention showing, respectively, its upper part and its lower part; Figure 3 is a longitudinal section taken on the line III-III of Figure 1; Figures 4 and 5 are transverse sections taken on the lines respectively indicated IV and V in Figure 3; Figure 6 is an enlarged perspective view of a spring key member associated with the pin of the hinge; Figure 7 is a perspective view similar to that of Figure 2a relating to another embodiment of the invention; Figure 8 is a longitudinal section of the hinge of the other embodiment of the invention, again taken on the line indicated III-III in Figure 1; and Figure 9 is a view similar to that of Figure 8 during the adjustment of the hinge of the other embodiment, effected subsequent to its assembly.

With reference to Figure 1, a hinge comprises a lower part 10 and an upper part 12 superimposed on the part 10.

The lower part 10 comprises a first bush part 14 in one piece with a fixing flap 16 for fixing to an upright of a fixed frame such as a door or a window.

When installed the lower end of the bush part 14 is closed by a protective cap 17.

The upper part 12 in turn comprises, in one piece, a second bush part 18 and a fixing flap 20 for fixing to a corresponding upright of the movable leaf of the door or window frame.

When installed the upper end of the bush part 18 is likewise closed by a protective cap 21.

Referring now to Figures 2a to 5 which illustrate a first embodiment of the invention, a cylindrical pin 22 is fitted in the two bush parts 14 and 18.

The first bush part 14 has a generally cylindrical cavity 24 and the second bush part 18 has a cavity 26 with a section which is elongated in a diametral transverse direction.

The arrangement is such that when the upper part 12 is fixed to the associated upright by means of its flap 20, the diametral transverse direction of the elongate section of the cavity 26 is parallel to a general plane of the door or window frame for reasons which will become clearer below.

In the cavity 24 of the first bush part 14 is fitted a sleeve 28 of a self-lubricating plastics material and low coefficient of friction, such as a polyacetal material.

The sleeve 28 has an eccentric cylindrical cavity 30 in which the lower part of the pin 22 is fitted.

The eccentricity of the cavity 30 with respect to the peripheral surface of the sleeve 28 can be, for example, 1 mm. The eccentric configuration of the sleeve 14 has the purpose of permitting an adjustment of the position of the movable leaf of the door or window frame with respect to the fixed frame in a direction normal to the general plane of the door or window frame itself.

To permit a stable adjustment of this position the first bush part 14 has (Figures 2b, 3 and 4) a set of three internal longitudinal grooves 32 and the sleeve 28 has a corresponding key formation 34.

Referring to Figure 4, it is supposed that the key 34 has been inserted upon assembly in the central groove of the three grooves 32. If the installer determines that in these conditions the movable leaf is displaced too far from the fixed frame, he can modify the orientation of the sleeve 28 in the direction of the arrow F1 so as to displace the pin 22 and the upper part 12 correspondingly in the direction of the arrow Gl, then locate the key 34 in the notch 32 situated uppermost in Figure 4.

If, on the other hand, the installer establishes that the movable leaf is too close to the fixed frame he causes the sleeve 28 to rotate in the direction of the arrow F2, thus displacing the pin 22 and the upper part 12 in the direction of the arrow G2 and inserts the key 34 in the groove 32 situated lowermost in Figure 4.

The desired displacements of the pin 22 and the upper part 12 in the direction of the arrows G2 also corresponds, because of the eccentricity of the sleeve 28, to displacement in the plane parallel to the general plane of the door or window frame, but this displacement is entirely negligible and can in any event be absorbed or cancelled by the adjustment system associated with the upper part 12, of which more will be said below.

To facilitate the adjusting movement by means of the sleeve 28 this latter (Figures 2b and 3) has a bottom wall 36 with a hexagonal seat 38 for receiving a corresponding hexagonal key.

In order to effect adjustment, the installer inserts the key in the seat 38 with the movable leaf slightly raised with respect to the fixed frame, raises the sleeve 28 in such a way as to disengage the key 34 from the groove 32 in which it is located, and then causes the sleeve 28 to rotate until the key 34 is brought into alignment with another groove 32, after which the sleeve 28 is lowered.

The sleeve 28 is provided at its end opposite the bottom wall 36 with a peripheral flange 40 acting as a thrust bearing between the two bush parts 14 and 18.

In the usual way, one or more spacer washers 42 can be fitted between the flange 40 and the bush part 18 of the upper hinge part 12.

As illustrated in Figures 2b and 3, the outer surface of the sleeve 28 has cavities 44 of semicircular extent, separated by ribs 46, for the purpose of lightening the sleeve itself and of making the thicknesses more uniform. Referring to Figures 2a, 3 and 5, at about half the height of the second bush part 18 is located a transverse screw element 48. The screw element 48 is a threaded grub screw without head the ends of which abut in the manner of fulcra against respective diametrically opposite faces 50 of the cavity 26.

Preferably, as shown, the cavity 26 is delimited by diametrically opposite grooves 52 the faces 50 of which are the bottom surfaces.

The threaded grub screw 48 extends through a threaded diametral hole 54 in the pin 22.

In the wall of the second bush part 18 there is formed, at the height of the grub screw 48, a lateral hole 56 which opens on the side of the fixing flap 20.

The threaded grub screw 48 has an axial through hole 58 of hexagonal section which is substantially aligned with the lateral hole 56.

The hexagonal hole 58 is intended to receive an hexagonal key such as an allen key for the purpose of turning it in such a way as to displace the upper part of the pin 22 to the right or left in the direction of the double arrow F3 of Figures 3 and 5.

The axis of the grub screw 48 is arranged so that it is parallel to the general plane of the door or window frame, such that an adjustment in the direction of the double arrow F3 allows the upper part 12 to displace to the right or left to position the fixed frame and the movable leaf squarely with respect to one another.

The amount of adjustment in the direction of the arrow F3 can be of 1-2 mm and is in any event such as to absorb any displacements in this direction caused by the adjustment achieved by the sleeve 28.

In adjusting in the direction of the double arrow F3 the ends of the grub screw 48, abutting against the faces 50, behave as fulcra.

To ensure the correct orientation of the hexagonal hole 58 with respect to the lateral hole 56, the upper part of the pin 22 is provided with diametrically opposite keying members 60 which are engaged in the grooves 52 and prevent relative rotation of the pin 22 and the bush part 18.

Preferably, as shown, each keying member 60 is in the form of a resilient strip, for example of shaped plastics material in the form of a leaf spring.

Referring to Figure 6, each leaf spring 60 has an intermediate section 62 with a central hole 64 having a diameter slightly less than the diameter of the grub screw 48 in such a way that when the grub screw 48 is screwed in this hole is forcibly threaded so as to create a resistance to the further rotation of the grub screw 48 for the purpose of preventing the adjustment obtained by screwing the grub screw 48 by a given amount from being altered accidentally.

The intermediate section 62 is flanked by two square tabs 66.

The threaded grub screw 48 is screwed into the hole 64 and retains the leaf spring 60 with its two tabs 66 abutting against the pin 22.

Preferably, auxiliary axial locking means are provided for the grub screw 48, which consist, for example, of an auxiliary threaded grub screw 63 which engages in a threaded cylindrical hole 65 formed axially in the pin 22 in such a way as to open into the threaded hole 54. The auxiliary grub screw 63, which therefore extends perpendicularly of the threaded grub screw 48, is able to lock the grub screw 48, by radial interference, in its axial position reached following an adjustment, thereby guaranteeing that small vibrations caused by manipulation of the door or window can not displace it from this position.

Conveniently, a pad 67 of deformable material such as a plastics material can be interposed between the auxiliary grub screw 63 and the side of the grub screw 48 in order not to damage the threads of the grub screw 48.

The leaf spring 60 further includes two opposite claws 68 of inclined form which constitute half-springs resiliently engaged on one side by the pin 22 and on the other by the bottom surface 50 of the respective groove 52.

In this way a sprung lateral rocking of the pin 22 about the fulcra constituted by the ends of the threaded grub screw 48 is permitted. The leaf springs 60 also have a clearance compensation function which avoids annoying rattling of the ends of the grub screw 48 against the bottom surfaces 50 both when the hinge is packaged for sale and when it is installed.

Preferably, a plug 70 is associated with the hinge (Figures 2a, 3 and 8) which, once adjustment of the grub screw 48 has been effected, can be inserted into the lateral hole 56 and into the hexagonal hole 58 to prevent relative sliding of the pin 22 and the second bush part 18 when the hinge is installed.

An alternative embodiment of the hinge according to the invention, and in particular of its upper part 12, will now be described with reference to Figures 7 to 9, in which the same reference numerals have been utilised to indicate the same or similar parts as those of the embodiment described above.

This embodiment also has a cylindrical pin 22 fitted in the two bush parts 14 and 18, which pin engages in particular the cylindrical cavity 24 of the first part 14, this part entirely corresponding to that already described in relation to the first embodiment, as well as the cavity 26 of the second bush part 18, which cavity has a section elongated in a transverse diametral direction.

The threaded diametral hole 54 of the pin 22 is in this case engaged by a counterposed pair of threaded grub screws 49 and 51, disposed coaxially in such a way that the head ends of these grub screws, which project from the pin 22, can abut in the manner of fulcra, against respective diametrically opposite faces 50 of the cavity 26, preferably constituted by the bottom surfaces of opposite grooves 52 formed in the cavity 26, so as to allow a limited angular rocking of the pin 22 in the cavity 26.

The grub screws 49 and 51 both have an associated axial hole 59,61 of at least partly hexagonal section for engagement by a manipulating tool T in the form of an Allen key (Figure 9) insertable through the hole 56 of the second bush part 12.

The common axis of the grub screws 49 and 51 is disposed in such a way as to be parallel to the general plane of the door or window frame so that an adjustment in the direction of the double arrow F3 allows displacement of the upper part 12 to the right or left to adjust the movable leaf to be square with respect to the fixed frame.

Preferably, each hole 59,61 of the grub screws 49 and 51 includes a first axial portion in which the associated hexagonal formation is formed, and another contiguous axial portion which defines an axial cavity 59a, 61a radially wider than the portion of hexagonal section. The axial cavities 59a and 61a of the two grub screws 49 and 51 are intended to be disposed adjacent one another, in the installed condition, in such a way that the hexagonal formations 59,61 are axially separated so as to facilitate engagement of the single grub screw 49 on the side nearest the hole 56 during the course of adjustment of the position of the pin 22 as will become clarified hereinbelow.

The head ends of the grub screws 49 and 51 which, as mentioned above, project radially from the pin 22 and engage the grooves 52, constitute diametral key members of the pin 22 for the purpose of preventing its rotation with respect to the bush part 18, thereby guaranteeing the correct orientation of the hexagonal holes 59 and 61 with respect to the lateral hole 56.

If the head ends of the grub screws 49 and 51 engage wider grooves 52 than their diameter, which can for example occur if the bush parts 18 of the upper parts 12 are all made to a single size so as to be usable equally well with the first or second embodiment of the present invention, it can be preferable to utilise grub screws 49 and 51 having enlarged heads, which, whilst still allowing a sufficient possibility of rocking of the pin 22 within the cavity 26, will allow the diametral key function described above to be guaranteed.

To adjust the position of the upper part 12 to the right or left to square up the movable leaf with respect to the fixed frame in the direction of the double arrow F3, the bush part 18 is engaged on the pin 22 with the two grub screws 49 and 51 already engaged in threaded hole 54 and disposed close to one another in such a way that a clearance is present between the heads of the screws and the corresponding bottom surfaces of the grooves 52.

Having reached the alignment position between the hole 56 and the hexagonal formations 59 and 61, possibly obtainable by adjusting the axial distance between the bush parts 14 and 18 with the use of spacer elements, an Allen key T can be inserted through the hole 56. The key T is initially inserted only so as to engage the formation 59 of the grub screw 49 adjacent the hole 56 (the position of the key T illustrated in solid outline in Figure 9). It is manipulated in this position to rotate the grub screw 49 in such a way as to separate it from the grub screw 51 until the heads of the grub screws 49 and 51 are brought into contact against the respective bottom surfaces of the grooves 52.

The key T is then pushed in the direction indicated by the double arrow F4 to bring its operating end into contact against the bottom of the groove 52 opposite the hole 56 (the position of the key T illustrated in broken outline). In this way there is certainty that the key T simultaneously engages the formations 59 and 61 of the grub screws 49 and 51. By rotating the key T in this position it is possible to adjust the position of the pin 22 in the direction of the double arrow F3 across the cavity 26.

Having reached the desired adjustment of the position of the pin 22 the key T is removed, still in the direction of the arrow F4, in such a way as again to engage only the formation 59 of the grub screw 49, bringing the key T into the position illustrated in solid outline. In this position the key T is rotated to separate the grub screw 49 from the grub screw 51 until slightly forcing the heads of the two screws against the bottom surfaces of the grooves 52. In this way the grub screws 49 and 51 are locked so as to form a locking device of the nut-counternut type which serves to prevent loosening of the screws.

A further preferred characteristic of the invention will now be described which is common to both the embodiments described above. As illustrated in Figures 2a, 2b, 3 and 7 the flap 16 of the lower hinge part 10 and the flap 20 of the upper hinge part 12 have holes, respectively 72,74, for the passage of headed fixing screws to fix them to respective associated parts of the door or window.

Moreover, Figures 1,2a, 2, b, 4,5 and 7 illustrate shaped solid covers 76,78 associated with respective hinge parts 10, 12.

Once the hinge parts 10,12 have been fixed to respective frames, the installer fits the covers 76,78 over the respective flaps 16,20 so as to cover the heads of the screws inserted in the holes 72,74.

For fixing each cover 76,78 to the respective hinge part 10, 12, each hinge part has a smooth through hole 80,82 and each cover 76,78 has a respective threaded hole 84,86 (Figures 4 and 5).

Each through hole 82,84 extends obliquely in the associated hinge part 10,12 from a face which is accessible only when the leaf of the door or window is wing-open.

The fixing of each cover 76,78 to the associated hinge part 10,12 is achieved by means of a respective screw 88,90 inserted in the associated through hole 80,82 and screwed into the respective threaded hole 84,86.

Each screw 88,90 has an internal hexagonal head 92,94 (or other shaped end for manipulation) which, as can be observed in Figures 4 and 5, is completely concealed within the hinge when the door or window frame is closed.

This arrangement constitutes a security against breaking-in since, when the door or window is closed, an ill-intentioned person cannot gain access to the fixing screws 88,90 by which the hinge parts are secured to the frames of the door or window, thanks to the presence to the covers 76,78.

Thus, also the cover 78 of the upper hinge part 12 masks the lateral aperture 56 and does not allow extraction of the plug 70, which extraction would permit the upper hinge part 12 to be extracted from the pin.