Have you heard of adjustable friction hinges? Like all hinges, they are used to create a mechanical joint that connects two objects, such as a door and an adjacent frame. They feature two leafs, each of which is installed on one of the objects. While other types of hinges use a similar design, however, only adjustable friction hinges support friction adjustments.
Overview of Adjustable Friction Hinges
Adjustable friction hinges are mechanical bearings that offer an adjustable friction levels. All hinges generate friction during use. After all, they are mechanical bearings with moving parts. When you pull open a door, for instance, the hinges’ leafs will move. This movement will generate friction that affects the ease of which the door is opened.
How Adjustable Friction Hinges Work
While most people are familiar with the mechanics of traditional hinges, many of them are unfamiliar with adjustable friction hinges. How do adjustable friction hinges work exactly?
There are different types of adjustable friction hinges. Some of them feature a friction brake. You can turn the friction brake to adjust the friction level.
Other adjustable friction hinges feature a dedicated screw or fastener that controls the friction level. You’ll still need to install them by driving other fasteners through the hinges and into the underlying objects. But these adjustable friction hinges feature a separate built-in screw or fastener. Turning this screw or fastener will adjust the friction level.
Benefits of Adjustable Friction Hinges
Adjustable friction hinges give you the freedom to control the friction level. The lower the friction level, the easier it will be to open the object on which they are installed. You can use adjustable friction hinges on doors, gates, machinery panels and other objects. By lowering the friction level, the object won’t require as much pulling force to open.
There are still reasons to use a high friction level, however. Doors on hinges, for instance, will stay open for a longer period if the hinges produce a lot of friction. Most doors close automatically. After pulling a door open and releasing it, the door will slowly close on its own. The hinges will essentially pull the door back to the frame.
If you’re carrying boxes through a door, you may want to use a high friction level. Doing so will keep the door open. Only adjustable friction hinges allow you to control the friction level. You can decrease the friction level to make the door easier to open, or you can increase the friction level to keep the door open for longer.