Hinge for passing electrical current

Claim 1

A load bearing hinge for mounting a a door in a door frame and for passing electrical current between the door and frame through a concealed and tamper-proof electrical wire comprising a pair of adjacent flat hinge leaves of substantially uniform thickness having front and rear exterior surfaces, openings in the leaves to secure them to the door and frame with their rear surfaces abutting the door and frame, at least two axially aligned and closely spaced hinge knuckles, one of said knuckles extending from each adjacent leaf edge, at least one hinge pin axially received in said knuckles to secure them in axial alignment while permitting relative pivotal movement about said aligned axes, means providing a recess within at least one of the knuckles, a concealed tunnel in each leaf generally parallel to the front and rear exterior surfaces thereof and extending through the knuckle associated with the leaf to said recess, an opening in the rear exterior surface of each hinge leaf communicating with the corresponding tunnel in the leaf, the openings in the rear exterior surfaces of the leaves being sufficiently spaced from their respective knuckles by said tunnels to permit the openings to be hidden from view by the door and door frame when the hinge is installed on the door and door frame, the hinge when installed giving the outward appearance of a conventional load bearing door hinge, a continuous and concealed passage from the rear exterior surface of one hinge leaf to the rear exterior surface of the other hinge leaf being formed by the two openings in the hinge leaves, the tunnels in the leaves and the recess, and at least one electrical wire threaded through the continuous passage for conducting electrical current through the hinge and concealed from view and protected from damage by the hinge leaf material and knuckle material when the hinge is mounted on the door and door frame.