Abstract: An automobile trunk lid is mounted for swinging on the automobile body between closed and open positions with respect to the trunk compartment. Each hinge includes a slotted hinge arm attached to the underside of the lid and a slotted body bracket attached to the body adjacent one side of the trunk compartment. A follower on the hinge arm projects into and is adapted to travel along the slot in the body bracket while a follower on the body bracket projects into the slot in the hinge arm. As the lid is opened, the followers and slots coact to first elevate the forward portion of the lid away from the body and then to allow the lid to swing open about an instantaneously changing axis. A spring, a cam and a cable coact to apply a spring-assist to the lid during opening, the cam and cable acting to compensate for the spring rate of the spring as the lid moves and its center of gravity changes in space.

Abstract: A lid arrangement for a computer or the like. One side of the lid is movably connected to a casing and has a device for controlling movement of the lid with respect to the causing. The device comprises an ear portion protruding from the movably connected side of the lid, a cover member cooperating with the ear portion to define a hollow space therebetween, a shaft member longitudinally extending between the ear portion and cover member in the hollow space, and a torsion spring fitted to and surrounding the shaft. The torsion spring has a helical portion with first and second endmost turns. Each endmost turn has an arm extending from the shaft including a straight portion and a bending portion. The bending portion of each endmost turn each has a bent portion and a tip opposite the bent portion. When the lid moves towards the casing, the bending portions are compressed in opposing directions by the ear portion and cover member, thereby controlling the lid's motion with respect to the casing.

Abstract: A hinge for a cover of a cooking vat, comprising an axle (3) mounted on a bearing (4) secured to the vat and on which pivots the cover, as well as at least one compressible coil spring (5) whose one end (6) is secured to the cover (1) and whose other end (7) is connected to the vat (2). The spring (5) comprises a braking device which comprises a first and a second element (8 and 9) connected for relative rotation, respectively to the ends (6, 7) of the spring and comprising couping means having cam surfaces (12, 13) for axial driving and for braking adapted to compress the spring (5) so as to obtain a shock absorption at the end of the opening movement of the cover. The hinge is applicable particularly to the covers of electric deep fat fryers.

Abstract: A hinge system for a large or heavy cover member hinged to a container member. A container hinge plate is secured to a side wall of the container member and a cover hinge plate is secured to the side wall of the cover member and rotatably connected to the first hinge means at a hinge pivot means. A gas strut unitary with and pivotably mounted to the container and cover hinge plates raises and lowers the cover member to open and closed positions relative to the container member. The gas strut is pivotably attached to the container and cover hinge plates. A quick connect-disconnect plate removably connected to the cover hinge plate and rotatably connected to the hinge pivot is used to connect or disconnect the container hinge plate from the cover hinge plate and thus to connect or disconnect the cover member to or from the container member and thus connect or disconnect the container member to or from the cover member. The hinge system including the quick connect-disconnect plate can be mounted to a heavy door.

Abstract: A pump lever for a jack is disclosed which comprises a protrusion formed near a plunger of a fluid pump for the jack; a handle sleeve having a first end and a second end, the first end being adapted to receive a handle and the second end being pivotally joined at said protrusion by a first pin, and in addition, a certain position between the first and second ends of the handle sleeve being pivotally joined with the plunger by a second pin; and a torsion spring having a pair of counteraction portions and a loop portion shaped between said pair of counteraction portions, the loop portion being passed through and supported by the first pin, and the pair of counteraction portions being adapted to respectively make contact with the protrusion and the second pin so that the torsion spring will urge the handle sleeve to raise to its uppermost position when one frees the handle, the top end of which is received in the first end of the handle sleeve at a lowered position.

Abstract: This invention relates to the design and construction of hinge units for joining a case and its corresponding lid, which comprises: a pair of bend units with a receptacle body in between for keeping a spring integrally connected to a side wall of a case; a guide member slidably inserted in the hollow space of the receptacle body and supported by the spring; a joint plate having a through opening running transversely through the lower portion thereof to be joined with the bend units by means of an inserted pin; and a socket integrally connected to a side wall of a lid for receiving a portion of the joint plate therein.

Abstract: A hinge for a range door and the like having a frame bracket (18) adapted to be mounted to a range housing, a hinge arm (40) adapted to be mounted to a range door and pivotably mounted to the frame bracket (18) and a cam follower arm (16) pivotably mounted to the frame bracket (18). A cam follower element (76) on the cam arm (60) is biased by a tension spring (80) against a cam surface on a cam arm portion (46) of the hinge arm to counterbalance the weight of the range door. The cam surface has indentations (50, 52) which define equilibrium positions of the door for an ajar and fully open position. A tab stop (34) is struck out from the frame bracket (18) to stop the pivotable movement of the cam follower arm (60) as the hinge arm (40) reaches the fully open position (FIG. 5). The cam follower arm (60) has a number of indentations (64) for receiving one end (84) of the spring (80) to adjust the counter-balancing force on the oven door.

Abstract: A transversely mounted, single pneumatic spring, and dual bell crank and idler link assembly providing a compact counterbalance for hinged closures such as automobile trunk lids. In an automobile trunk installation, the assembly is installed with the spring in lateral disposition in the forward upper portion of the trunk, thus being effectively concealed. Alternative pneumatic spring enhancements, e.g., a multi-output force feature and a pressure decay compensation feature may be incorporated in the spring unit to enhance opening of the lid and to improve life expectancy of the pneumatic spring by minimizing and effectively negating pressure loss due to leakage of gas past the shaft seal. Excess spring cylinder length can provide space or volume zones used for the enhancement features.

Abstract: A spring assembly for counterbalancing a door includes a compression spring and tension members engaging opposite ends of the spring. The tension members can be connected in a conventional door mechanism, the assembly replacing ordinary tension springs of the mechanism. The tension members and the spring are maintained in axial alignment during compression of the spring, which can be preloaded as desired. The assembly is fail-safe in that the spring is completely enclosed and the spring, if broken, continues to provide support for the door.

Abstract: The improved assembly includes a jump seat with a raised back portion and a seat portion hinged thereto and spring raised automatic movement from a horizontal operative position to a raised stored position. The seat back portion holds such spring and is hinged to the vertical arm of an L-shaped wall bracket, which may contain a second spring so that when the seat portion is in the stored position, the seat can be controllably swung into a flat stored position against the wall bracket, which bracket is adapted to be secured to an airplane galley wall or the like. The horizontal portion of the bracket includes a raised post and recess with sloped walls easily releasably seating with and disengaging from the underside of the seat portion. The seat includes a fully adjustable safety belt array, having a pair of parallel vertical shoulder belts releasably separately hooked to a pair of transverse belts. The latter are each adjustable in length.

Abstract: A spring assembly for counterbalancing a door includes a compression spring and tension members engaging opposite ends of the spring. The tension members can be connected in a conventional horizontally pivoted door mechanism or a track-guided door mechanism, the assembly replacing ordinary tension springs of the pivoted mechanism. The tension members and the spring are maintained in axial alignment during compression of the spring, which can be preloaded as desired. Provision is made for an initial preload corresponding to a lowered position of the door, facilitating installation and adjustment of the spring assembly. The assembly is fail-safe in that the spring is completely enclosed and the spring, if broken, continues to provide support for the door. In the track-guided mechanism, the spring assembly is connected between an anchor and a driveshaft pulley by a cable that is wound onto the pulley.

Abstract: A torsion spring assembly for counterbalancing overhead doors which includes an elongated helical torsion spring with coils that are normally spaced apart (when the spring is untensioned), a shaft extending through the spring, and a pair of spring-mounting collars carried by the shaft and provided with slotted neck portions operatively connected to pre-formed hooks at the ends of the spring. One of the collars is fixed against both rotational and axial movement upon the shaft; the other is rotatably mounted upon the shaft; and at least one of the collars is removable from the shaft for field disassembly and reassembly of the parts. The method for constructing the assembly, either during manufacture or in the field, is also disclosed.

Abstract: A hinge-type lid mounting device has a main body to be attached to a case or the like, and the main body has at its one end a cam body pivotally mounted through a first pin. The other end of the main body defines a fixed spring seat, and a spring is interposed between the fixed spring seat and a movable spring seat adapted to abut the cam body. A lid supporting member is rotatably mounted on the cam body through a second pin perpendicular to the first pin. A lid is anchored at its one end to the lid supporting member through a lid anchoring member and a fixing screw.

Abstract: A coil spring, mounted within a cylinder and axially coincident with the pivot axis between a trailer and a ramp pivotally attached thereto, exerts a force angularly proportional to angular deviation of the ramp from its upright position to reduce the apparent weight of the ramp during manual repositioning of the ramp.

Abstract: A gas spring-assisted counterbalance system for a closure member, e.g., the rear door of a hatchback automobile, includes a mechanical spring connected in series with a gas spring. The system is arranged so that the gas spring reaches its fully retracted position before the door is fully closed, after which the door is closed against the force of the mechanical spring. Longitudinal vibrations or short movements of the system which otherwise would impart undesired short stroke cycles to the gas spring are absorbed by the mechanical spring, thereby enhancing the operating lifetime of the gas spring.

Abstract: A torsion bar assembly such as may be used to provide a counterbalancing force active on a part movable with respect to a second part is mounted on one of those parts by a structure which permits the torsion spring unit to be readily moved into position, with its operative parts in desired rotational position relative to one another as well as to the parts with which they are to be used. The mounting structure is provided with a recess with inwardly projecting teeth and the torsion unit has externally projecting teeth which can be engaged with the internally projecting teeth. A part is designed to be a part of the assembly, hold the parts of the assembly in desired rotational relationship, and ensure that the assembly is mounted in proper rotational position.

Abstract: A compact, spring actuated, counterbalance system (10) for relatively large, inwardly opening aircraft bulk cargo doors (11) and similar closures of the type adapted to be pivoted about a horizontal hinge axis (12) oriented along the upper edge of the door (11) which is of the type commonly shifted through angles on the order of about 50.degree. between fully closed and fully opened positions and employing: (i) an overhead conventional type compression spring assembly (15) including a housing (20), a spring actuator (21) movable axially through the housing (20), and an axially compressible spring assembly (19.sub.a -19.sub.d) bottomed at one end on the housing (20) and at its opposite end on the spring actuator (21); (ii) a bell crank assembly (16) having a bell crank (24) pivotally mounted on the overhead aircraft structural frame (18) and having a pair of angularly related crank arms (24.sub.a, 24.sub.

Abstract: A hinge assembly for a vehicle deck lid is disclosed. The hinge assembly includes a stationary hinge member, a hinge strap secured to the deck lid and pivotally connected to the stationary hinge member, a lever pivotally supported by the hinge member at a location spaced from the pivotal connection of the hinge strap, a torsion rod for biasing the lever into engagement with a roller rotatably carried by the hinge strap, the lever having a cam surface and the torsion rod having a bias such that it causes the deck lid to be automatically raised at a controlled rate upon the deck lid being opened.

Abstract: The present invention provides a chimney flue cap for a fireplace which can easily be installed on the top of new or existing chimney flues. The cap comprises a generally planar sheet of metal designed to fit over the opening in the top of the flue. The cap is mounted to the flue by a hinge means formed from two plates. The first plate is mounted on the cap with a portion extending past an edge thereof. The extending portion is divided into three parts, the outer two of which are bent downward to form a portion of the hinge. The center flange is bent upward and is connected to a spring which urges the cap towards the open position. A second plate is mounted on the side of the flue and has three outwardly projecting tabs. Two tabs are connected to the downwardly depending flanges to form the hinge and the third tab serves as an anchor for the spring which opens the cap.

Abstract: In a record player comprising a housing and a hinged dust cover, a hinge device is formed by a hinge wall and an abutment which are integral with the housing and spaced from each other. An end portion of a first limb of a hinge coil spring acts against the abutment to urge turns of the hinge spring against the hinge wall. A second limb of the hinge spring projects through a slot in the housing and is coupled directly to the dust cover.

Abstract: A document feeder is mounted for pivotal movement about a side edge portion of a copier/duplicator between a first position over an exposure station or platen of the copier/duplicator and a second position away from the exposure station so that individual documents sheets, books or the like can be manually placed directly on the exposure station for copying. As the feeder moves from its first position to its second position the feeder first pivots about one axis and then, subsequently, about a second axis offset further from the platen than the first axis. Thus the feeder is stepped away from the edge of the copier exposure station to provide a relatively large area that is available for receiving a book or large document on the exposure station for copying. A counterbalancing arrangement is provided for balancing the weight of the feeder as it moves between its two positions.

Abstract: A hinge mechanism for a door which includes a support within the door opening and away from the door jamb. In the closed position of the door, parts of the mechanism including a hinge member are located between the support and the jamb. A door is pivotally mounted on the hinge member at its distal end. As the door moves from the closed to an intermediate position the pivotal mounting of the door on the hinge member follows an arcuate path outwardly and away from the door jamb. When the mechanism reaches the intermediate position the door can be swung on its pivotal connection with the hinge member to a fully open position.

Abstract: A compact, spring operated, two-way counterbalance system is disclosed for the hinge assembly of an inwardly/outwardly moveable plug-type aircraft passenger door of the type adapted to pivot about an inwardly canted hinge axis whereby a first convolute clock-type spring member is wound during the final stages of downward door-closing movement to provide an outward biasing force for assisting on-board flight attendants in opening the door during that portion of door movement when it must move in an upward direction; and, a second convolute clock-type spring member is provided which is wound during the latter stages of door opening movement when the door is moving in a downward direction, with the second convolute spring member thus providing a biasing force for assisting the on-board flight attendant in pulling the door upwardly and away from the fuselage during upslope door-closing movement.