Quickly attachable and detachable hinge assembly

Abstract

A quickly attachable and detachable hinge assembly for hanging a swinging door on a cabinet includes a retainer insertable into a slot in the edge of the door and adapted to be clamped to the door by a bolt extending through an opening in the face of the door and threaded into the retainer. By loosening the bolt slightly, the retainer may be unclamped from the door to permit removal of the latter from the hinge assembly and the cabinet. Another version of the hinge assembly is quickly and easily attachable to the cabinet as well as the door.

I claim as my invention: .[.1. A hinge assembly for use in pivotally connecting first and second relatively swingable members with at least the second member having an edge portion defined in part by a first surface formed with an open-ended slot and by a generally perpendicular second surface having an opening communicating with said slot, said hinge assembly comprising first and second wings swingably connected together with the first wing being mountable on said first member and with the second wing having an opening and being positionable along one side of said second surface of said second member with such opening aligned with the opening in the second surface, a retainer insertable into said slot from said first surface for placement in the slot along the other side of said second surface and being restricted against turning within the slot, said retainer having a hole located to be aligned with the opening in said second surface and with the opening in said second wing, and a bolt sized to extend first through said opening in said second wing and then through said opening in said second surface and threaded into said hole in said retainer, said bolt being turnable in one direction to clamp said second wing to said second member and being turnable in the opposite direction to release said second wing from said second member thereby to permit removal 
     
        of at least part of the hinge assembly from the second member..]. 2. A hinge assembly for use in pivotally connecting first and second relatively swingable members with at least the second member having an edge portion defined in part by a .[.first.]. .Iadd.vertical edge .Iaddend.surface formed with an open-ended slot and by a .[.generally perpendicular second.]. .Iadd.flat vertical face .Iaddend.surface .Iadd.perpendicular to said edge surface and .Iaddend.having an opening communicating with said slot, said hinge assembly comprising first and second wings swingably connected together with the first wing being mountable on said first member and with the second wing having an opening and being positionable along one side of said .[.second.]. .Iadd.face .Iaddend.surface of said second member with such opening aligned with the opening in the .[.second.]. .Iadd.face .Iaddend.surface, a retainer insertable into said slot from said .[.first.]. .Iadd.edge .Iaddend.surface for placement in the slot along the other side of said .[.second.]. .Iadd.face .Iaddend. surface and being restricted against turning within the slot, and a threaded bolt sized to extend through said openings in said .[.second.]. .Iadd.face .Iaddend.surface and said second wing for interconnecting said second wing and said retainer and for clamping said second wing to said second member, said bolt being releasable to permit removal of said second 
     
     
        wing from said second member. 3. A hinge assembly for use in pivotally connecting first and second relatively swingable members with at least the second member having an edge portion defined in part by a first surface formed with a first open-ended slot and by a generally perpendicular second surface formed with a second slot communicating with said first slot and opening out of said first surface, said hinge assembly comprising first and second wings swingably connected together with the first wing being mountable on said first member and with the second wing having a hole and being positionable along one side of said second surface of said second member with such hole aligned with said second slot, a retainer insertable into said first slot from said first surface for placement in the first slot along the other side of said second surface and being restricted against turning within the first slot, said retainer having a hole located to be aligned with the second slot and with the hole in said second wing, a bolt extending first through said hole in said second wing and then through said second slot and threaded into said hole in said retainer, said bolt being insertable into said second slot from the open end thereof as an incident to insertion of said retainer into said first slot, said bolt being turnable in one direction to clamp said second wing and said retainer to said second member and being turnable in the opposite direction to release said second wing and said retainer from said second member thereby to permit removal of the hinge assembly from the second member, and means restricting withdrawal of said bolt from the hole in said second wing thereby to hold said bolt and said second wing together 
     
     
        as a unitary assembly. 4. A hinge assembly as defined in claim 3 further including means restricting withdrawal of said bolt from the hole in said retainer whereby said second wing, said bolt and said retainer are held 
     
     
        together as a unitary assembly. 5. In a hinge assembly, the combination of, first and second hinge wings formed with interfitting knuckles, a hinge pin extending through said knuckles and connecting said wings together for relative swinging, a retainer spaced from and generally facing said second wing, said retainer and said second wing being formed with aligned holes, a bolt extending through said hole in said second wing and threaded into said hole in said retainer, said bolt having a head and being turnable to vary the spacing between said second wing and said retainer, and means on said bolt adjacent the hole in said second wing and captivating the latter against said head to restrict the second wing from sliding relative to the bolt and thereby prevent the spacing between said second wing and said retainer from being changed except by turning the bolt. .[.6. A hinge assembly as defined in claim 5 further including means restricting withdrawal of said bolt from the hole in said retainer whereby said second wing, said bolt and said retainer are held together as a unitary assembly..]. .[.7. In a hinge assembly, the combination of, first and second hinge wings formed with interfitting knuckles, a hinge pin extending through said knuckles and connecting said wings together for relative swinging, a retainer spaced from and generally facing each wing, each wing and each adjacent retainer being formed with aligned holes, threaded bolts extending through the holes in said wings and threaded into the holes in said retainers, said bolts being individually turnable to vary the spacing between said wings and said retainers, and means restricting withdrawal of said bolts from the holes in the wings thereby to hold said bolts and said wings together as a unitary assembly..]. .[.8. A hinge assembly as defined in claim 7 further including means restricting withdrawal of said bolts from the holes in said retainers whereby said wings, said bolts and said retainers are held together as a unitary 
     
     
        assembly..]. 9. The combination of, first and second members and a hinge assembly for connecting said members together for relative swinging, said second member being substantially solid and nonmetallic and having an edge portion defined in part by a first surface formed with a slot and by a generally perpendicular second surface, said slot opening out of said first surface and being defined at least in part by opposed end walls and by two closely spaced opposing sidewalls, an opening formed in said second surface and extending through part of one of said sidewalls into communication with said slot, said hinge assembly comprising a first wing and a second retaining wing swingably connected together with the first wing being mounted on said first member and with the retaining wing being inserted into said slot from the open end thereof and being located in closely spaced relation with each of said sidewalls, a threaded bolt extending through said opening and attached at its inner end to said retaining wing, and means larger than said opening located at the outer end of said bolt and selectively engageable with said second surface to clamp said retaining wing against said one wall of said slot thereby to fasten said hinge assembly to said second member.Iadd., said slot being slightly larger than said retaining wing and the size of said opening being slightly larger than said bolt to allow limited floating of said second wing in said slot and permit adjustment of said hinge assembly on said second member.Iaddend.. .[.10. The combination defined in claim 9 in which said slot is slightly larger than said retaining wing and in which the size of said opening is slightly larger than said bolt to allow limited floating of said second wing in said slot and permit adjustment of 
     
     
        said hinge assembly on said second member..]. 11. The combination of, first and second members and a hinge assembly for connecting said members together for relative swinging, each of said members having an edge portion defined in part by a first surface formed with a slot and by a generally perpendicular second surface, each of said slots opening out of the first surface of its respective member and being defined in part by two closely spaced opposing sidewalls, an opening formed in the second surface of each member and extending through one of the sidewalls into communication with the slot in the respective member, said hinge assembly comprising first and second retaining wings swingably connected together, each of said wings being inserted into the slot in its respective member and being located in closely spaced relation with the sidewalls of such slot, threaded bolts extending through said openings and each attached at its inner end to the wing in the adjacent slot, and means larger than said openings located at the outer ends of bolts and selectively engageable with the second surfaces of the members to clamp said wings against the walls of said slots thereby to fasten said hinge assembly to said members.Iadd. , each of said slots being slightly larger than the associated retaining wing and the size of each of said openings being slightly larger than the associated bolt to allow limited floating of said retaining wings in said slots thereby to permit adjustment of said hinge assembly on said members.Iaddend.. .[.12. The combination defined in claim 11 in each slot is slightly larger than the associated retaining wing and in which the size of each opening is slightly larger than the associated bolt to allow limited floating of said retaining wings in said slots thereby to permit adjustment of said hinge assembly on said members..]. 
     
     
            The combination of, first and second members and a hinge assembly for connecting said members together for relative swinging, said second member having an edge portion defined in part by a first surface and by a generally perpendicular second surface, a first slot formed in said second member and opening out of said first surface, said first slot being defined in part by a sidewall, a second slot formed in said second surface and extending through part of said sidewall into communication with said first slot, said second slot having an open end opening out of said first surface, said hinge assembly comprising a first wing and a second retaining wing swingably connected together with said first wing being mounted on said first member, said retaining wing being formed with a threaded hole, a bolt threaded at its inner end into said hole for turning relative to said retaining wing, means restricting withdrawal of said bolt from said hole thereby to hold said bolt and said retaining wing together as a unitary assembly, said retaining wing being insertable into said first slot through the open end thereof and being positioned in the first slot, and said bolt being insertable into said second slot through the open end thereof as an incident to insertion of said retaining wing and being positioned in said second slot, and means at the outer end of said bolt selectively engageable with said second surface to cause clamping of said retaining wing against said wall of said first slot thereby to fasten 
     
     
        said hinge assembly to said second member. 14. The combination of, first and second members and a hinge assembly for connecting said members together for relative swinging, said second member having an edge portion defined in part by a first surface and by a generally perpendicular second surface, a first slot formed in said second member and opening out of said first surface, said first slot being of predetermined size and being defined in part by two end walls spaced apart a predetermined distance and by two opposed sidewalls, a second slot formed in said second surface and extending through part of one of said sidewalls into communication with said first slot, said second slot having an open end opening out of said first surface and being defined in part by edges extending substantially in the same direction as said end walls and spaced apart a distance less than the spacing between said end walls, said hinge assembly comprising first and second hinge wings formed with interfitting knuckles, a hinge pin extending through said knuckles and connecting said wings together for relative swinging, said first wing being attached to said first member, said second wing having a hole and being positioned along one side of said second surface of said second member with such hole aligned with said second slot, a retainer insertable into said first slot through the open end thereof and positioned in said first slot, said retainer being smaller in size than said first slot and being capable of floating through a limited range within said first slot, said retainer having a hole aligned with said second slot and with said hole in said second wing, a threaded bolt smaller than said second slot extending through said hole in said second wing and through said second slot and threaded into said hole in said retainer, said bolt being insertable into said second slot through the open end thereof as an incident to insertion of said retainer into said first slot and being smaller in size than said second slot so as to be capable of floating through a limited range within said second slot, said bolt being turnable in one direction to clamp said second wing to said second surface and to clamp said retainer to said one wall and being turnable to the opposite direction to release said second wing and said retainer thereby to permit removal of the hinge assembly from the second member, and means restricting withdrawal of said bolt from the hole in said second wing thereby to hold said bolt and said second wing together 
     
     
        as a unit when said hinge assembly is removed. .[.15.  The combination of, a cabinet having a frame member and having a door member, and a hinge assembly connecting said door member to said frame member for swinging between open and closed positions, said members each having a face surface and a generally perpendicular edge surface with the edge surfaces of the two members residing in generally parallel planes in the closed position of said door member, first slots formed in the edge surface of said door member and in the face surface of said frame member with each slot opening out of its respective surface, second slots formed in the face surface of said door member and in the edge surface of said frame member with each second slot communicating with the first slot in the respective member, the second slot in said door member having an open end opening out of the edge surface of the door member, and the second slot in the frame member having an open end opening out of the face surface of the frame member, said hinge assembly comprising frame and door wings formed with interfitting knuckles, a hinge pin extending through said knuckles and connecting said wings together for swinging of said door wing relative to said frame wing, said door wing being positioned alongside said face surface of said door member and having a hole aligned with the second slot in said door member, said frame wing being positioned alongside said edge surface of said frame member and having a hole aligned with the second slot in said frame member, door and frame retainers positioned in the first slots of the respective members with each retainer being insertable into its respective slot through the open end thereof, each retainer having a hole aligned with the second slot in the respective member and with the hole in the respective wing, and bolts extending through the holes in said wings and through said second slots and threaded into the holes in said retainers, said bolts being insertable into said second slots through the open ends thereof as an incident to insertion of said retainers into said first slots, and said bolts being turnable in one direction to clamp said wings and said retainers to the respective members and being turnable in the opposite direction to release the wings and the retainers from the members thereby to permit removal of the entire hinge 
     
     
        assembly from the members..]. 16. The combination of, first and second members and a hinge assembly for connecting said members together for relative swinging, said second member being substantially solid and nonmetallic and having an edge portion defined in part by a first surface formed with a slot and by a generally perpendicular second surface, said slot opening out of said first surface and being defined at least in part by opposed end walls and by two closely spaced opposing sidewalls, a circular hole formed in said second surface and extending through part of one said sidewalls into communication with said slot, said hinge assembly comprising first and second wings formed with interfitting knuckles, a hinge pin extending through said knuckles and connecting said wings together for relative swinging, said first wing being mounted on said first member and said second wing being positioned alongside said second surface of said second member and having an opening aligned with said hole, a retainer insertable into said slot from the open end thereof and being located in closely spaced relation with said sidewalls, said retainer having a hole aligned with said hole in said second surface and with said opening in said second wing, a threaded bolt extending through said opening in said second wing and through said hole in said second surface and threaded at its inner end into said hole in said retainer, said bolt having a head on its outer end and being turnable in one direction to clamp said head against said second wing thereby to clamp the latter against said second surface and turnable in the opposite direction to unclamp said head from said second wing, and said opening in said second wing being shaped to slip past the head of said bolt and permit removal of said second wing from said second member when said bolt is turned sufficiently to unclamp said head but remains threaded into said retainer.Iadd., said slot being slightly larger than said retainer and said circular hole in said second surface being slightly larger in diameter than said bolt to allow limited floating of said retainer in said slot and thereby permit adjustment of said hinge assembly on said second member.Iaddend.. .[.17. The combination as defined in claim 16 in which said slot is slightly larger than said retainer and in which said circular hole in said second surface is slightly larger in diameter than said bolt to allow limited floating of said retainer in said slot and thereby permit adjustment of said hinge assembly on said second member..]. .[.18. Hardware assembly for use in connecting first and second members with at least the second member having an edge portion defined in part by a first surface formed with an open-ended slot and by a generally perpendicular second surface having an opening communicating with said slot, said hardware assembly comprising first and second parts connected together with the first part being mountable on said first member and with the second part having an opening and being positionable along one side of said second surface of said second member with such opening aligned with the opening in the second surface, a retainer insertable into said slot from said first surface for placement in the slot along the other side of said second surface and being restricted against turning within the slot, said retainer having a hole located to be aligned with the opening in said second surface and with the opening in said second part, and a bolt sized to extend first through said opening in said second part and then through said opening in said second surface and threaded into said hole in said retainer, said bolt being turnable in one direction to clamp said second part to said second member and being turnable in the opposite direction to release said second part from said second member thereby to permit removal of at least part of the hardware assembly from the second member..]. 
     
     
        .[.     A hardware assembly comprising first and second interconnected plates, a retainer spaced from and generally facing each plate, each plate and each adjacent retainer being formed with aligned holes, threaded bolts extending through the holes in said plates and threaded into the holes in said retainers, said bolts being individually turnable to vary the spacing between said plates and said retainers, and means restricting withdrawal of said bolts from the holes in the plates thereby to hold said bolts and said plates together as a unitary assembly..]. .[.20. A hardware assembly as defined in claim 19 further including means restricting withdrawal of said bolts from the holes in said retainers whereby said plates, said 
     
     
        bolts and said retainers are held together as a unitary assembly..]. 21. A hinge assembly as defined in claim 2 further including coacting surfaces on said second wing and said retainer and engageable with one another to limit turning of said retainer when said bolt is turned and to maintain said retainer in a substantially fixed angular position relative to said 
     
     
        slot. 22. A hinge assembly as defined in claim 3 further including coacting surfaces on said second wing and said retainer and engageable with one another to limit turning of said retainer when said bolt is turned and to maintain said retainer in a substantially fixed angular 
     
     
        position relative to said first slot. 23. .[.Hardware assembly as defined in claim 18 further including.]. .Iadd.Hardware assembly for use in connecting first and second members with at least the second member having an edge portion defined in part by a first surface formed with an open-ended slot and by a generally perpendicular second surface having an opening communicating with said slot, said hardware assembly comprising first and second parts connected together with the first part being mountable on said first member and with the second part having an opening and being positionable along one side of said second surface of said second member with such opening aligned with the opening in the second surface, a retainer insertable into said slot from said first surface for placement in the slot along the other side of said second surface and being restricted against turning within the slot, said retainer having a hole located to be aligned with the opening in said second surface and with the opening in said second part, and a bolt sized to extend first through said opening in said second part and then through said opening in said second surface and threaded into said hole in said retainer, said bolt being turnable in one direction to clamp said second part to said second member and being turnable in the opposite direction to release said second part from said second member thereby to permit removal of at least part of the hardware assembly from the second member, and .Iaddend.means on said second part and said retainer to limit turning of said retainer when said bolt is turned and to maintain said retainer in a substantially 
     
     
        fixed angular position relative to said slot. 24. Hardware assembly as defined in claim 23 further including means on said bolt between said retainer and said second part and engageable with the latter to restrict endwise withdrawal movement of said bolt from said opening in said second part thereby to hold the latter and the bolt together as a unitary assembly and to keep the spacing between said second part and said retainer from being changed as a result of endwise movement of said bolt. .[.25. The combination of, first and second members and a hardware assembly for connecting said members together, said second member being substantially solid and nonmetallic and having an edge portion defined in part by a first surface formed with a slot and by a generally perpendicular second surface, said slot opening out of said first surface and being defined at least in part by opposed end walls and by two closely spaced opposing sidewalls, an opening formed in said second surface and extending through part of one of said sidewalls into communication with said slot, said hardware assembly comprising a first wing and a second retaining wing joined together with the first wing being mounted on said first member and with the retaining wing being inserted into said slot from the open end thereof and being located in closely spaced relation with each of said sidewalls, a threaded bolt attached at its inner end to said retaining wing and extending outwardly away from said opening, and means larger than said opening located at the outer end of said bolt and selectively engageable with said second surface to clamp said retaining wing against said one wall of said slot thereby to fasten said hardware 
     
     
        assembly to said second member..]. .[.26.  A hardware assembly comprising first and second members joined together and each having a plate, a retainer spaced from and generally facing each plate, each plate and each adjacent retainer being formed with aligned holes, threaded bolts extending through the holes in said plates and threaded into the holes in said retainers, said bolts being individually turnable to vary the spacing between said plates and said retainers, and coacting surfaces on said retainers and said members engageable with one another to limit turning of said retainers when said bolts are turned and to maintain said retainers in substantially fixed angular positions relative to said plates..]. .[.27. Hardware assembly as defined in claim 26 further including means on said bolts restricting endwise withdrawal of the latter from the holes in said plates thereby to prevent the spacing between said plates and said 
     
     
        retainers from being changed except by turning said bolts..]. 28. In a hinge assembly, the combination of, first and second hinge wings formed with interfitting knuckles, a hinge pin extending through said knuckles and connecting said wings together for relative swinging, a retainer spaced from and generally facing first wing, said first wing and said retainer being formed with aligned holes, a threaded bolt extending through the hole in said first wing and threaded into the hole in said retainer, said bolt being turnable to vary the spacing between said first wing and said retainer, and coacting surfaces on said first wing and said retainer engageable with one another to limit turning of said retainer when said bolt is turned and to hold said retainer in a substantially fixed angular position relative to said first wing. .[.29. A hardware assembly comprising first and second spaced members generally facing one another, first and second aligned holes extending through said first and second members, respectively, a threaded bolt extending non-threadably through said first hole and threaded into said second hole, said bolt having a head and being turnable to vary the spacing between said members, means integral with said bolt adjacent said first hole and captivating said first member against said head to restrict the first member from sliding relative to the bolt and thereby prevent the spacing between said members from being changed except by turning the bolt, and coacting surfaces on said members engageable with one another to limit relative turning of said members and to maintain said members in substantially fixed angular positions relative to one another..].