Hinge having tamper-proof hinge pin

Abstract

 A hinge assembly for mounting a door (2) to a door frame or other support is provided in which the hinge pin (5) may be installed after the door and frame have been separately finished off, without disturbing the surface finish and yet in tamper proof manner. The hinge pin (5) passes only part way through one outer flange (4) or journal and has a fastener (13) of smaller diameter extending, generally co-axially, the rest of the way through the flange or journal. The fastener (13) is secured in position in tamper proof manner by swaging a ferrule (14) permanently onto the fastener which has retaining formations on its outer surface.

Description

[0001] THIS INVENTION relates to a hinge having a tamper-proof hinge pin assembly and, more particularly, to a hinge and hinge pin assembly of the tamper-proof type in which the hinge pin can be installed after mounting of the two hinge components to their respective parts, for example a door and a door frame, after the latter have received a surface finish.

[0002] Such hinge and hinge pin assemblies are particularly useful in the mounting of doors of transport or shipping containers in a manner rendering them tamper-proof, whilst allowing the door and container to be finished off separately prior to installation of the hinge pin.

[0003] In many applications, and, in particular, but not exclusively, in respect of transport or shipping containers, it is desirable that hinges be tamper-proof so that the doors cannot be removed, together with their seals or locks in position, by unauthorised persons in an effort to gain access to the contents of the container and simply by removal of the hinge pins followed by subsequent replacement thereof.

[0004] Most commonly, in order to avoid this, the hinge pin is simply welded in position to a hinge base which forms one of the hinge parts. However, this welding disturbs the finish, in particular the paint finish of the container and possibly also the door, with undesirable consequences. Also, in some applications, in particular in the case of containers having side opening doors, it is not possible to effectively finish off the paint work after the door has been fitted.

[0005] It is the object of this invention to provide a method and means whereby a hinge pin can be installed after finishing off of a door and frame assembly to which it is to be attached whilst yet providing an effectively tamper-proof hinge pin arrangement.

[0006] In accordance with one aspect of this invention there is provided a hinge assembly comprising a base forming one part of the hinge and having a pair of spaced supporting flanges receiving between them the second hinge part, and a hinge pin supported by the two flanges and passing through the second hinge part, the hinge being characterised in that the hinge pin passes through one flange of the base and only partly through the other flange, the hinge pin being held firmly in engagement with a shoulder formed in said other flange by a fastener extending from the hinge pin to the outside of said other flange, the fastener having external retaining formations and having swaged thereon a ferrule holding the fastener, and thus the hinge pin, in the hinge in tamper-proof manner.

[0007] Further features of the invention provide for the fastener to have a screw threaded spigot either integral with the hinge pin or to be secured in a blind screw threaded hole formed axially in the one end of the hinge pin; for the retaining formations to be a series of circumferentially extending grooves or ridges; for the said second part of the hinge to be mounted to the hinge pin through a sleeve; and, for the fastener to be of the swaged tension type more fully described below.

[0008] It is to be understood that, in this specification, a swaged tension fastener is to be interpreted as meaning a fastener which is pulled into tension, and has a ferrule swaged into position in a zone thereof generally having circumferential grooves, the fastener being adapted to snap at a position outside of the ferrule when a predetermined tension is reached. Such fasteners have been sold and are known under the trade name "HUCK".

[0009] The invention also provides transport containers fitted with doors by way of hinge assemblies as defined above.

[0010] In order that the invention may be more fully understood one embodiment thereof will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0011] In the drawings:-

FIG. 1

is an elevation of a transport container door having hinges fitted along both sides so that a second door can be hingedly attached thereto;

FIG. 2

is a cross-section taken through one form of hinge according to this invention,

FIG. 3

is a sectional elevation taken along line III to III in Figure 2; and,

FIG. 4

is an elevation of a hinge pin prior to installation thereof; and,

FIG. 5

is an illustration of a transport container fitted with doors as illustrated in Figure 1.

[0012] In the embodiment of the invention illustrated, the hinges, generally indicated by numeral 1, are particularly adapted for mounting a door 2 to a transport container and, in turn, for mounting a second door (not shown) to the first door in the case where the container is a side opening container.

[0013] As shown most clearly in Figures 2 and 3, each hinge has a base 3 forming the first part of the hinge, the base 3 being in the form of a casting and having two spaced flanges 4 for supporting a hinge pin 5. The hinge pin 5 passes through a journal 6 at one end of a second hinge part 7 adapted for securing to a door. A self-lubricating plastics bush 8 can be provided between the journal and hinge pin 5.

[0014] As provided by this invention, the hinge pin passes through a hole 9 in the one flange 4 and extends into a hole 10 in the other flange which has a step reduction in diameter to form a shoulder 12 within the flange. A fastener 13 extending co-axially from this end of the hinge pin extends out of the flange and is secured in position by a swaged ferrule 14 located on the outside of the flange.

[0015] In this embodiment of the invention the fastener is made as a separate part from the hinge pin and has screw threaded spigot 15 at one end extending into a complimentarily through screw threaded blind hole co-axially orientated in the end of the hinge pin. The remainder 16 of the length of the fastener has circumferentially extending grooves in its outer surface so that the grooves can be firmly engaged by the ferrule 14 when it is swaged onto the fastener.

[0016] For use, the base can be welded or otherwise secured to a door frame or surround in the correct location and the container and door frame or the like can be finished off as required with the first part of the hinge in its operative position.

[0017] Similarly the second hinge part 7 can be secured by welding or in any other way to the door of the container and the door can then be finished off as may be required by painting, coating or the like.

[0018] When it is desired to assemble the hinge in order to mount the door to the container, the second hinge parts, with the bushes already in situ, are located in their respective positions between the flanges of the respective base parts of the hinge.

[0019] A hinge pin is then introduced through the one flange so that it extends through the journal of the second hinge part and the fastener extends out of the other flange through the reduced diameter portion of the hole 11. The end of the hinge pin abuts against the shoulder 12.

[0020] Preferably the fastener 13 is of the type illustrated in Figure 4 wherein the zone 16 having the circumferential grooves therein is joined, through a zone 17 of weakening, with a free end portion 18 adapted to be engaged by a gripping device of a swaging tool. Such an arrangement is similar to that of the swaged tension bolts widely sold under the trade name "HUCK".

[0021] The swaging tool is engaged with the end portion 18 and the swaging die located opposite a loose ferrule located over the zone 16 having the circumferential grooves. Tension is then applied to the fastener by means of the tool and, simultaneously, the swaging die swages the ferrule 14 firmly onto the shank 16 of the fastener. Tension is continuously applied until the shank severs at the zone 17 of weakening in known manner.

[0022] In the manner described above, the hinge pin is firmly secured in position and cannot be removed, at least in a manner which will not be detected. This renders the hinge substantially tamper-proof and yet extremely easily assembled after the door and door frame or surround associated with the two parts have been separately finished off with the parts already secured thereto.

[0023] It will be understood that numerous variations may be made to the embodiment of the invention described above with departing from the scope hereof. In particular, the hinge pin and fastener could be made integral thereby avoiding any remote chance that the screw threaded part of the fastener extending into the hinge pin could become unscrewed from the hinge pin. Alternatively, the fastener could be locked permanently to the hinge pin in any sort of way for example, by passing a pin transversely through the hinge pin and fastener towards the end of the hinge pin.

Claims

1. A hinge assembly comprising a base 3 forming one part of the hinge and having a pair of spaced supporting flanges 4 receiving between them the second hinge part 7, and a hinge pin 5 supported by the two flanges and passing through the second hinge part, the hinge being characterised in that the hinge pin passes through one flange of the base and only partly through the other flange, the hinge pin being held firmly in engagement with a shoulder 12 formed in said other flange by a fastener extending from the hinge pin to the outside of said other flange, the fastener having external retaining formations 16 and having swaged thereon a ferrule 14 holding the fastener, and thus the hinge pin, in the hinge, in tamper-proof manner.

2. A hinge assembly as claimed in claim 1 in which the fastener is co-axial with the hinge pin.

3. A hinge assembly as claimed in either of claims 1 or 2 in which the fastener is integral with the hinge pin.

4. A hinge assembly as claimed in either of claims 1 or 2 in which the fastener has a screw threaded spigot 15 secured in a blind screw threaded hole formed in the appropriate end of the hinge pin.

5. A hinge assembly as claimed in any one of the preceding claims in which said retaining formations in the fastener and a series of circumferentially extending grooves or ridge.

6. A hinge assembly as claimed in any one of the preceding claims in which the said second part of the hinge is mounted to the hinge pin through a sleeve 8 of self-lubricating material.

7. A door 2 and frame assembly in which the door is mounted to a frame assembly by means of a plurality of hinge assemblies 1 as claimed in any one of the preceding claims.

8. A transport container fitted with one or more doors mounted by means of hinge assemblies as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 6.

Drawing