Releasable hinge with spring biased pin moving mechanism

Claim 2

A separable hinge mechanism comprising: a first portion including a plurality of hinge knuckles spaced along a common axis, each such knuckle having an axial passageway therethrough; a second portion that is pivotable with respect to said first portion about said axis and that includes an integral plate-like member, and a plurality of hinge knuckles each of which is attached to said member; said hinge knuckles of said first and second portions together defining a plurality of axially spaced hinge stations; an axially elongated pin moving member that is laterally spaced from, extends parallel to, and is slidable along said axis; a plurality of hinge pins, one corresponding to each hinge station, each such pin being attached to the elongated member to slide therewith and into an out from the passageway in a corresponding knuckle on said first portion; mounting means for slidably mounting the elongated member on the plate-like member; said mounting means including a first spring abutment laterally spaced from the pins and attached to the elongated member, and a second spring abutment spaced from said first abutment in one direction along said axis; a spring located between said abutments and positioned to be compressed by sliding movement of the elongated member and said first abutment in said direction; and release means for sliding the elongated member in said direction against the force of the spring to slide the pins out of the passageways to in turn disconnect said first and second portions.

Claim 3

A mechanism as described in claim 1, in which, at each said hinge station, there are two knuckles attached to the plate-like member of the second portion and positioned to receive a knuckle of the first portion therebetween, each of said two knuckles has an axial opening, and said pin corresponding to said hinge station is dimensioned to extend into the opening in each of said two knuckles and through the passageway in the knuckle therebetween to hingedly connect said first and second portions, so that the pin is supported by said second portion on either side of the knuckle of the first portion.

Claim 4

A mechanism as described in claim 1, in which said first portion further includes an integral plate-like member to which each of the knuckles of the first portion is attached.

Claim 5

A mechanism as described in claim 1, in which the spring is dimensioned to be only partially compressed when the first and second portions are being disconnected, to prolong the life of the spring.

Claim 6

A mechanism as described in claim 1, in which the elongated member has a plurality of laterally extending projections, one corresponding to each said pin, each of said projections being attached to the corresponding pin to attach such pin to the elongated member; and at least one of said projections has an abutting surface adjacent to a knuckle of the second portion to provide a stop surface to limit movement of the elongated member and attached pins in a direction opposite to said one direction.

Claim 7

A mechanism as described in claim 5, in which said one of said projections has a second abutting surface opposite said abutting surface and adjacent to a fixed portion of the second portion to provide a stop surface to limit movement of the elongated member and attached pins in said one direction and to prevent overcompression of the spring.

Claim 8

A mechanism as described in claim 1: in which the elongated member has a plurality of laterally extending projections, one corresponding to each said pin, each of said projections being attached to the corresponding pin to attach such pin to the elongated member; the spring is positioned adjacent to one end of the elongated member; and the pin farthest from said one end has a knuckle engaging portion that extends axially from the corresponding projection, away from said one end, and through the passageway in the corresponding knuckle of the first portion, and a guide portion that extends axially from the corresponding projecton and toward said one end; and which further comprises guide means having an axial opening that receives the end of said guide portion of the pin opposite the corresponding projection to guide movement of the elongated member along said axis.

Claim 9

A mechanism as described in claim 7, in which at least one of said projections has an abutting surface adjacent to a knuckle of the second portion to provide a stop surface to limit movement of the elongated member and attached pins in a direction opposite to said one direction.

Claim 10

A mechanism as described in claim 8, in which, at each said hinge station, there are two knuckles attached to the plate-like member of the second portion and positioned to receive a knuckle of the first portion therebetween; each of said two knuckles has an axial opening; and the knuckle engaging portion of the corresponding pin is dimensioned to extend through the opening in one of said two knuckles, through the passageway in the knuckle therebetween, and into the opening in the other of said two knuckles to hingedly connect said first and second portions, so that the knuckle engaging portion of the pin is supported by said second portion on either side of the knuckle of the first portion.

Claim 11

A mechanism as described in claim 7, in which, at each said hinge station, there are two knuckles attached to the plate-like member of the second portion and positioned to receive a knuckle of the first portion therebetween; each of said two knuckles has an axial opening; and the knuckle engaging portion of the corresponding pin is dimensioned to extend through the opening in one of said two knuckles, through the passageway in the knuckle therebetween, and into the opening in the other of said two knuckles to hingedly connect said first and second portions, so that the knuckle engaging porton of the pin is supported by said second portion on either side of the knuckle of the first portion.

Claim 12

A separable hinge mechanism comprising: a first portion including a plurality of hinge knuckles spaced along a common axis, each such knuckle having an axial passageway therethrough; a second portion that is pivotable with respect to said first portion about said axis and that includes an integral plate-like member, and a plurality of hinge knuckles each of which is attached to said member; said hinge knuckles of said first and second portions together defining a plurality of axially spaced hinge stations; two axially spaced, axially elongated pin moving members that are each laterally spaced from, extend parallel to, and are slidable along said axis; a plurality of hinge pins, one corresponding to each hinge station, each such pin being attached to one of the elongated members to slide therewith and into and out from the passageway in a corresponding knuckle on said first portion; mounting means for slidably mounting the elongated members on the plate-like member; said mounting means including a plurality or spring abutment with a spring abutment corresponding to each elongated member, each said abutment being laterally spaced from the pins and attached to the corresponding elongated member; spring means located between said abutments and positioned to be compressed by relative sliding movement of the elongated members toward each other; and release members for sliding the elongated members toward each other against the force of the spring means to slide the pins out of the passageways to in turn disconnect said first and second portions.

Claim 13

A separable hinge mechanism comprising: a first portion including a plurality of hinge knuckles spaced along a common axis, each such knuckle having an axial passageway therethrough; a second portion that is pivotable with respect to said first portion about said axis and that includes an integral plate-like member, and a plurality of hinge knuckles each of which is attached to said member; said hinge knuckles of said first and second portions together defining a plurality of axially spaced hinge stations; two axially spaced, axially elongated pin moving members that are each laterally spaced from, extend parallel to, and are slidable along said axis; a plurality of hinge pins, one corresponding to each hinge station, each such pin being attached to one of the elongated members to slide therewith and into and out from the passageway in a corresponding knuckle on said first portion; mounting means for slidably mounting the elongated members on the plate-like member; said mounting means including a plurality or spring abutment with a spring abutment corresponding to each elongated member, each said abutment being laterally spaced from the pins and attached to the corresponding elongated member; spring means located between said abutments and positioned to be compressed by relative sliding movement of the elongated members toward each other; and release members for sliding the elongated members toward each other against the force of the spring means to slide the pins out of the passageways to in turn disconnect said first and second portions.

Claim 14

A mechanism as described in claim 11, in which there are a plurality of pins attached to each elongated member.

Claim 15

A mechanism as described in claim 12, in which there is an equal number of pins attached to each said elongated member.

Claim 16

A mechanism as described in claim 11, in which the mounting means comprises a mounting lug attached to an axially center portion of the plate-like member, said lug carrying the spring abutment attachment to each of said elongated members.

Claim 17

A mechanism as described in claim 14, in which the mounting lug includes two axially spaced ears positioned between and axially aligned with said abutments; and the spring means comprises two springs, one positioned between each said abutment and an adjacent ear.

Claim 18

A mechanism as described in claim 14, in which the release means comprises two adjacent finger tabs, one attached to each elongated member, said tabs being shaped and positioned to be squeezed toward each other by the thumb and index finger of an operator's hand.

Claim 19

A mechanism as described in claim 16, in which the tabs are aligned with the elongated members to minimize offset loads on the pins and maximize smooth functioning of the mechanism.

Claim 20

A mechanism as described in claim 13, in which the release means comprises two adjacent finger tabs, one attached to each elongated member, said tabs being shaped and positioned to be squeezed toward each other by the thumb and index finger of an operator's hand.

Claim 21

A mechanism as described in claim 18, in which the tabs are aligned with the elongated members to minimize offset loads on the pins and maximize smooth functioning of the mechanism.

Claim 22

A mechanism as described in claim 11, in which the release means comprises two adjacent finger tabs, one attached to each elongated member, said tabs being shaped and positioned to be squeezed toward each other by the thumb and index finger of an operator's hand.

Claim 23

A mechanism as described in claim 20, in which the plate-like member has an access opening therein to provide access to said tabs.

Claim 24

A mechanism as described in claim 20, in which the tabs are aligned with the elongated members to minimize offset loads on the pins and maximize smooth functioning of the mechanism.

Claim 25

A mechanism as described in claim 11, in which, at each said hinge station, there are two knuckles attached to the plate-like member of the second portion and positioned to receive a knuckle of the first portion therebetween, each of said two knuckles has an axial opening, and the corresponding pin is dimensioned to extend into the opening in each of said two knuckles and through the passageway in the knuckle therebetween to hingedly connect said first and second portions, so that the pin is supported by said second portion on either side of the knuckle of the first portion.

Claim 26

A mechanism as described in claim 11, in which the first portion further includes an integral plate-like member to which each of the knuckles of the first portion is attached.

Claim 27

A mechanism as described in claim 11, in which each spring is dimensioned to be only partially compressed when the first and second portions are being disconnected, to prolong the life of the springs.

Claim 28

A mechanism as described in claim 11, in which each elongated member has a plurality of laterally extending projections, one corresponding to each pin attached thereto, each of said projections being attached to the corresponding pin to attach such pin to the elongated member; and at least one of said projections on each elongated member has an abutting surface adjacent to a knuckle of the second portion to provide a stop surface to limit movement of the elongated member and attached pins in a direction away from the other elongated member.

Claim 29

A mechanism as described in claim 26, in which said one of said projections has a second abutting surface opposite said abutting surface and adjacent to a fixed portion of the second portion to provide a stop surface to limit movement of the attached elongated member and pins toward the other elongated member and to prevent overcompression of the spring means.

Claim 30

A mechanism as described in claim 11: in which each elongated member has a plurality of laterally extending projections, one corresponding to each pin attached thereto, each of said projections being attached to the corresponding pin to attach such pin to the elongated member; the spring means is positioned adjacent to one end of each elongated member; and the pin attached to each elongated member farthest from said one end of the attached elongated member has a knuckle engaging portion that extends axially from the corresponding projection, away from said one end, and through the passageway in the corresponding knuckle of the first portion, and a quide portion that extends axially from the corresponding projection and toward said one end; and which further comprises guide means corresponding to each such guide portion, each guide means having an axial opening that receives the end of the corresponding guide portion opposite the corresponding projection to guide movement of the attached elongated member along said axis.

Claim 31

A mechanism as described in claim 28, in which at least one of said projections on each elongated member has an abutting surface adjacent to a knuckle of the second portion to provide a stop surface to limit movement of the elongated member and attached pins in a direction away from the other elongated member.

Claim 32

A mechanism as described in claim 11, in which there is an equal number of pins attached to each said elongated member.