Learn more about Hinges

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Hinge Definition:

An item consisting of two leaves fastened together by means of a pin(s) and knuckles, forming a flexible joint. It is used to connect a movable object such as a door, lid, or the like, and an adjoining member which may be movable or stationary and upon which the movable object turns or swings.



A hinge (with its plural being hinges) is defined as a device of the mechanical sort that has as its purpose the bringing together of two solid objects but there is more to hinges than just swinging.



There are more than 24 different types of hinges to allow for sweeping motion of one part in relation to another. Hinge design permits swinging of doors, panels, lids, suitcase halves, some briefcases, laptop computers and even some cell phones. Many hinges are made of various metals, fewer are made with engineered plastics and centuries ago people made hinges with wood and leather.



Many hinges allow motion through a limited arc but a few designs permit motion through nearly 360 degrees. Successfully selecting hinges requires some forethought. For instance, no one wants their car door to start to tilt because of metal fatigue. Should that occur, the door wouldn’t shut properly and thus safely. For this reason, it’s crucial to consider the total downward forces that will stress the pivot pin and its loop or barrel. Clearly, dense hardened metals will serve better than soft metals.



As with many technologies, not all hinges rely on a pivot pin and loop or barrel to provide swinging motion through an arc. The living hinge, often made of polypropylene or polyethylene, is one complete unit and the polymer’s natural flexibility allows for the two plates to swing in relation to each other. Similarly, leather hinges, often used hundreds of years ago, relied on this material’s ability to bend without breaking.



In addition to assuring there’s enough pivot pin and loop or barrel contact surface area to stand up to the load placed on the hinge, it’s crucial for the plates to be sufficiently secured by screws, bolts, nails or adhesive to the door and doorframe, lid, clamshell halves or other structural members. Insufficiently secured plates pull out, leaving a nonfunctional hinge.



Hinge safety deserves some mention. Those who design products with hinges do well to recall that small children with little fingers can suffer severe pain and harm if their hands or fingers become caught while closing the product. Also, children and some frail elderly people will become discouraged if the amount of force required to open some doors, panels or lids is too great. For this reason and to ensure long hinge life, many hinges require routine lubrication. In some cases, accessory springs and shock absorbers or struts may help users safely and easily use hinges.



Some of the many types of hinges:

Butler tray

Butterfly

Butt/mortise

Card table

Coach

Concealed

Continuous

Counter flap

Cranked

Double-action spring

Drop leaf

Finial tip

Floating

Flush

Friction

H

HL

Lift-off

Living

Pivot

Rising Butt

Security

Self-closing

Soss

Strap

Tee



Some of these also have alternate names. For instance, the butterfly hinge may be known as the Parliament hinge in the U.K. Similarly, the continuous hinge may be known as the piano hinge in some areas.



Once together the hinge makes it possible for there to be movement and rotation between the two objects. Hinges come in a variety of different shapes and sizes and most are reversible. What this means is that the hinges can be used regardless of which end is chosen to mount them in an upright position. However there are hinges that are especially made for doors that are either right hand or left hand. In this particular instance when shopping for the appropriate set of hinges, you must make sure to buy the proper kind.



There are many varieties of hinges that are available for purchase for different places throughout the home. Each one has its one specific use. Four of the most commonly used are known as the "butt hinges." The butt hinges consist of four kinds- the common butt hinges, the simple butt hinges, the loose joint butt hinges and the rising butt hinges.



The common butt hinges are most often used in putting up regular sized doors in houses. These hinges can be found in two varieties, the loose or rigid pin type. The pin can be taken out of the loose pin hinge but not from the rigid one. The simple butt hinge consists of a pin that does not move. Both right and/or left-handed doors can be put on using this kind of hinge. Using this kind of hinge makes it possible to take a door off without having to take the time and energy to unscrew any of the hinges.



The third type of hinge is the loose joint butt hinge. This hinge is especially simple to use as it makes the process of removing a door relatively stress free. All that is required is to lift the door to a high enough level that it allows the hinge to steer clear of the pin on the opposite side. If a door may have to be taken off repeatedly, this is the kind of hinge that can do the job best. The fourth and final type of butt hinge, referred to as the rising butt hinge, is a very unique kind of hinge. If the location the door is being placed in has any sort of flooring or thick, raised carpeting that could cause problems with the movement of the door, this hinge will correct the problem. The rising butt hinge is designed (as its name implies) to allow the door to rise as is necessary to not scrap or tear at the flooring when the door is opened.



There are many other kinds of hinges available for whatever your individual need is. Just to name a few, there are flush hinges, ball bearing hinges, spring-loaded hinges, pivot hinges and ornamental hinges.