I'm going to put these first lessons out in a'bite-sized' format so you can get started immediately. While you're fiddlingaround with Hinges 'n Things, I can be writing the next lesson inthe series.
First, get your T-Hinge (only). Leave everythingelse wherever it is. [Doug, you can take your stuff off the kitchen table ifyou need to ease the pressure!]
Notice that the hinge has three parts. From leftto right we have:
(1) The hinge mount;
(2) The hinge pin; and
(3) The hinge blade.
Now, holding the hinge at about chest level, grasp themount of the hinge with the thumb and four fingers of your left hand and theblade in your thumb and forefinger of your right. Got it? See, I told you thiswouldn't be hard!
Now lets learn how the hinge works. Hold the hinge withits pin mounted vertically (at a right angle) to a horizontal plane --let's use the floor or a table top as a guide! -- and using your right hand, rotatethe blade about its hinge. Back and forth and back and forth. Take theblade to its limit in both directions. Physically position the pin verticallyto a horizontal surface, e.g., a table top or desk, if that helps. The blade ismaking the same horizontal motion as that made by a swinging door,right?
Notice three things:
(1) The blade always moves in a perfect circle aroundits pin;
(2) The blade always rotates at right angles(perpendicular) to its pin; and therefore...
(3) The blade is always vertical to its Plane ofRotation.
Holding the mount stationary, move the blade in astraight line. Trick instruction! Can't happen, right? Bummer!
Now try to move the blade in any way other than at rightangles to its pin. Can't do that either, can you?
Now try to position the blade any way other than verticalto its plane of rotation. Sorry!
So, we now know how a hinge works when its pin ismounted vertical (perpendicular) to a horizontal plane (in our examplereference, the floor or a table top).
Now let's see how a hinge works when we mount its pinvertical (perpendicular) to a vertical plane (for example, a wall). Stillholding the mount and the blade as described, position the pin vertical to avertical plane. Physically put the pin vertical to the vertical physicalsurface of a wall if that helps.
Anyway, you now holding the hinge in such a way that itspin is no longer vertical to the horizontal plane (the floor) but is nowvertical (perpendicular) to a vertical plane (a wall).
Now rotate the blade about the pin. Back and forth andback and forth. It is the same vertical motion a child makes on a swingset, right?
Notice three things:
(1) The blade always moves in a perfect circle aroundits pin;
(2) The blade always rotates at right angles(perpendicular) to its pin; and therefore...
(3) The blade is always vertical to its plane ofrotation.
Holding the mount stationary, move the blade in astraight line. Trick instruction! Can't happen, right? Bummer!
Now try to move the blade in any way other than at rightangles to its pin. Can't do that either, can you?
Now try to position the blade any way other than verticalto its plane of rotation. Sorry!
Does any of this sound familiar!
So, we now know how a hinge works when its pin ismounted vertically to a vertical plane (in our example reference, a wall).
Now let's see how a hinge works when we mount its pinvertical (perpendicular) to an angled plane (for example, a pitched roof or aloading ramp, but it could be any plane between horizontal (the floor)and vertical (a wall). You see, there is only one horizontal plane, andthere is only one vertical plane. But...there are an infinite number ofangled planes! For purposes of our experiment, choose the angle you like thebest!
Still holding the mount and the blade as described,position the pin vertically to the angled plane of your choice. [Let the jurynote that Yoda is not a The Way angled hinge rotator.] Physically put the pin vertical tosome physical angled plane if that helps. For example, I just propped my thinyellow book The Golfing Machine up against my thick red dictionary.Looks like a yellow loading ramp and makes a very nice angled plane indeed. AndI just positioned the pin of my hinge vertical to the little yellow book and cansee clearly that the pin is vertical to an angled plane.
So, you now holding the hinge in such a way that itspin is no longer vertical to the horizontal plane (the floor) nor is itvertical to a vertical plane (a wall). Instead, the pin is vertical toan angled plane .
Now let's see how a hinge works when we mount its pinvertical (perpendicular) to an angled plane (for example, a pitched roof or ayellow book propped on a dictionary). Still holding the mount and the blade asdescribed, position the pin vertical to the angled plane. Physically put thepin vertical to an angled plane surface if that helps. You are now holding thehinge in such a way that its pin is no longer vertical to the horizontal plane(the floor) and no longer vertical to a vertical plane (a wall). The pin is nowvertical to an angled plane.
Now rotate the blade about the pin. Back and forth andback and forth. It is the same angled motion a paddle wheel wouldmake if it were tilted from its normal vertical position, right?
Notice three things:
(1) The blade always moves in a perfect circle aroundits pin;
(2) The blade always rotates at right angles(perpendicular) to its pin; and therefore...
(3) The blade is always vertical to its Plane ofRotation.
Holding the mount stationary, move the blade in astraight line. Trick instruction! Can't happen, right? Bummer!
Now try to move the blade in any way other than at rightangles to its pin. Can't do that either, can you?
Now try to position the blade any way other than verticalto its Plane of Rotation. Sorry!
Does any of this sound familiar!
So, now we know how a hinge works when:
(1) Its pin is mounted vertical (perpendicular) to ahorizontal plane (the floor or table top);
(2) Its pin is mounted vertical (perpendicular) to avertical plane (a wall); and
(3) Its pin is mounted vertical (perpendicular) to anangled plane (a pitched roof or ramp).
In other words, we have learned that "the bladeof a hinge is always vertical to its Plane of Rotation" (Glossary /Hinge), no matter which of the Three Planes of Motion that happens to be.
Linear Mode
