Method and apparatus for manufacturing hinges

Abstract

The instant invention is a method and apparatus for assembling two hinge leaves. The apparatus includes an assembly for feeding a predetermined length of a wire pintle into a shear assembly. The shear assembly cuts the wire pintle to a specified length and locates the wire in a channel. Substantially simultaneously with the shearing of the wire, a punch and die assembly adjacent the shear assembly locates the two leaves of the hinge such that the barrels of the hinge are aligned. Once in position, a linear actuator drives the sheared length of wire pintle into the aligned hinge barrels to couple the two hinge leaves together. Once the pintle has been inserted, staking pins within the punch and die assembly impact select ones of the hinge barrels to keep the pintle in place. Also, disclosed is a novel method of manufacturing the two hinge leaves.

Description

[0001] This application is related to provisional patent application serial No. 60 / 284,752, filed on Apr. 18, 2001, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.[0002] 1. Field of the Invention[0003] This invention relates generally to a method and apparatus for assembling components, and more particularly to a method and apparatus for manufacturing and assembling hinges.[0004] 2. Description of the Related Art[0005] Traditionally, hinges were made individually. Each leaf of the hinge was either hand-cut or stamped from a metal black and each of the individual hinge knuckles were rounded over a pre-positioned pintle by hammer or one or more press operations. Later, with mass production, the hinge leaves were stamped from a metal blank in a series of punch and die presses. Numerous such methods contemplated placing a pintle along the tabs which were progressively rounded around the pintle. To expedite the process, others formed used a continuous forming process where tw...

AI Technical Summary

Problems solved by technology

The problem most often associated with the continuous forming method is that subsequent steps formed on the hinge leaves often had an impact on other dimensions of the hinge.

Such deformation results in the hinge not swinging smoothly.

This shearing method of the entire hinge assembly also introduces similar contortions and deformations in the assembly, also resulting in poor operation.

Moreover, the continuous operations are problematic when an operation problem occurs, or tools are changed.

Moreover, there is substantial waste in time and material associated with such breakdowns or changes.

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