Hinge assembly
O Umted States Patent 1 1 1111 3,878,585  
 Morris Apr. 22, 1975 [54] HINGE ASSEMBLY 2.481.877 9/l949 Rhodes l6/l28 2.675.925 4/1954 Skar [751 Inventor: Ward Zmnsmle- 2.848.078 8/1958 Triggs l6/l28 [73] Assignee: Carrier Corporation, Syracuse. NY. [22] Fil d; O 24, 1973 Primary E.\&#39;an11&#39;r1erPaul R. Gilliam Assistun! E.\&#39;an1inerDoris L. Troutman [2|] Appl&#39; 409&#39;l2l Attorney, Agem, or Firm-J. Raymond Curtin; Donald F. Daley [52] US. Cl 16/128; 16/171 [51] Int. Cl E05d 9/00 [58] Field of Search 16/128, 135; 52/758 D, ABSTRACT 52/758 753 760 A hinge tab integrally formed with a cover for insertion through openings in a flat panel and capable of [56] References cued being bent to secure the hinge to the panel.  
 UNITED STATES PATENTS 1.441.599 l/l923 Platt l6/l28 4 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures HINGE ASSEMBLY BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates in general to hinge mechanisms and specifically to integral hinge mechanisms constructed as part of the hinged device and mating with an opening in the member to which the device is hinged.  
  In equipment using sheet metal panels. there are many applications wherein small covers or doors are required which are not normally opened or closed with any great frequency but which must be capable of being easily opened and closed when required. In devices of this type. the expense of manufacturing and the simplicity of installation and operation are critical. In addition. it is highly desirable if the hinge can be manufactured integrally with the door or cover and the door or cover can be mounted entirely by hand and locked in position.  
 SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION can be locked in position to pivotally secure a cover or door to a panel member.  
  These and other objects of this invention are obtained by means of an L-shaped tab offset and extending outward from one edge of a door or cover member and an L-shaped hole sized to receive the tab member in a panel to which a hinged member is to be secured. The tab member can be inserted in the hole and the leg of the L-shaped tab bent at 90 to lock the tab in the hole and prevent removal of the door or cover from the panel member. The cover or door can be rotated 90.  
 BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS For a better understanding of the invention as well as other objects and features thereof. reference is had to the following detailed description of the invention to be read in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein:  
  FIG. I is an isometric view of a housing with a hinged member shown in a closed position in solid lines and in an open position in dotted lines;  
  FIG. 2 is an isometric view of a portion of a cover panel showing a hinge tab;  
  FIG. 3 is an isometric view of a portion of a housing having a slot to receive a hinge member;  
  FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of an assembled hinge member in an open position; and  
  FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of the hinge member of the present invention in the closed position.  
 DESCRIPTION OF THE ILLUSTRATED EMBODIMENT FIG. 1 shows an isometric view of the present invention as mounted on a sheet metal cabinet I having a panel member 2. In applications using plates or panels it is frequently necessary to provide a cover secured to one panel and either removable or openable to provide access. Normally a cover of this type is secured to the panel by means of sheet metal screws or the like which must be removed before the cover is removed. Alternatively. hinge members can be secured to the panel and to the cover 4 which allow rotating movement of the cover relative to the panel. Use of fasteners is troublesome. time consuming and frequently inoperative due to wear from removal and reinsertion. The use of hinges is unnecessarily expensive as additional parts are required and additional mounting of the parts is also required. The type of construction of the present invention is inexpensive in that it is formed at the same time the cover 4 is formed and the panel 2 is formed and is usually mountable by hand and secured in position. Cover 4 is pivotable. thus functioning in the same manner as a hinge and has the advantages that it is easily mountable and removable if necessary and considerably less expensive than hinge members. In addition. it is self-supporting in the open position.  
  FIG. 2 shows a portion of cover panel 4 having an L- shaped tab 6 formed as part of the cover at one edge thereof and extending outwardly. In FIG. 3 a portion of panel 2 is shown with an opening 8 cut in the panel of a size sufficient to accommodate the tab 6. The opening 8 may be L-shaped or rectangular and is mounted at the edge of an offset portion 10 of the panel 2. The offset 10 is equal to one thickness of the panel 2. The edge of the cover 4 containing the tab 6 is offset two thicknesses of the cover 4 of panel 2 and the tab 6 extends outward from the offset portion. The invention requires an offset at the edge of cover 4 of only one thickness of the cover; however. an offset of two thicknesses provides a better appearance when the cover is closed. The surface of cover 4 and panel 2 appears flush when two thicknesses are used.  
  To provide stability and prevent twisting or binding. there are usually two tabs 6 mounted on each cover. however any number of tabs may be used in the same manner that any number of hinges on a cover or door may be used. When the cover 4 is to be mounted on the panel 2, the tab 6 is inserted through its corresponding opening 8 in the panel 2. When the cover is mounted flush to the panel 2, the leg or unsupported extension 12 of the tab 6 is bent at an angle of With the leg 12 bent at 90 to the tab 6, the tab will no longer pass through the opening 8 and the cover 4 is effectively locked in position on the panel 2. As stated above any number of tabs 6 may be used and a corresponding number of openings 8 in the panel are required. Each of the legs 12 on the tabs 6 are bent at 90 to lock the cover into position. Legs 12 are usually of sufficient length and the thickness of the material is such that bending of the leg 12 can be accomplished by hand by the person installing the cover or at the very most with the use of a simple tool such as pliers to complete the mounting process.  
 &#39; FIGS. 4 and 5 show the cover 4 mounted on the panel 2 in an open and closed position respectively. The offset 10 in the panel 2 and the offset portion of the cover 4 allow the cover to be rotated a full 90 with the surface of the panel 2 and the inside surface of the cover 4 essentially in the same plane. The cover may be opened and closed without bending or removing any parts. The cover is locked to the panel 2 since the leg 12 essentially prevents the tab 6 from being removed from the openings 8. The cover 4 is held in a closed position by any latch. thumbscrews or. as shown herein. by a pair of sheet metal screws 14 on the side opposite the hinge mechanism. In addition. if necessary for repair or replacement purposes. the cover 4 may be removed from the panel 2 by straightening the leg 12 by hand or with a simple tool and removing the tab 6 from the openings 8. No special equipment. tools or parts are required.  
  While the invention has been described in the illustrated embodiment it is recognized that other variations and changes may be made therein without departing from the invention as set forth in the claims.  
 I claim:  
  1. An integrally formed hinge for use in pivotally fastening a cover to a flat surface panel including a generally rectangular opening in the flat surfaced panel.  
 a tab offset from one edge of the cover and extending outward from the edge of the cover in the same general direction as the surface of the cover through the opening in the panel.  
 the offset tab having one side undercut with the undercut portion of the tab bent at an angle to the remainder of the tab to thereby prevent the tab from being withdrawn through the opening.  
  2. The hinge of claim I wherein the portion of the flat surface having the opening therein is offset from the surface of the panel by at least one thickness of the panel.  
 3. The hinge of claim 2 wherein the offset of the tab LII on the cover is equal to at least one thickness of the cover.  
 4. A cover for use with openings in a flat panel including an offset portion of the panel adjacent the opening to be covered. said offset being at least equal to the thickness of the panel,  
 at least one generally rectangular hole in the offset portion of the panel.  
 a cover plate sized to cover the opening in the flat panel and having an offset portion at one edge and L-shaped tabs extending outwardly from the offset portion.  
 the L-shaped tabs being equal in number to the holes in the offset portion of the panel and positioned to match with the holes when the cover is over the opening in the panel the offset of the edge of the cover being at least equal to one thickness of the cover and the legs of the L- shaped tabs being bendable to approximately 90 cover the opening in the panel.