Hinges - A History Of Innovation

You use them every day, time and time again, but youdoors.
likely don't appreciate the hinges that are at work inEventually, hinges became more commonplace. The
your home. Think about it, if you want to go outside, orkind of hinges we are used to became very popular in
come inside, you rely on hinges to open your door. Ifthe new world. In the American colonies hinges were
you want to make a meal, you are going to rely on aeverywhere. While some of the colonies were trying
number of hinges for the refrigerator, the oven and allto cut their ties to England, they still wanted to make
the cabinets in the pantry. How did we possibly getsure the hardware pieces, such as hinges, were able
along without hinges?to make it to the new world, to make their lives a little
They have been around for a while, but not forever.easier. Eventually, blacksmiths in the new world took up
Originally, it was a lot tougher to get in and out of thethis calling, making hinges for the masses.
house. In 6000 BC people rolled rocks or propped bigYou may only think of hinges in homes, but they were
hunks of wood and stone in front of the opening toa big part of the western exploration travels in the US.
their home as a 'door'. That made for a major workoutAs all those coaches and carriages started looking for
every time anyone wanted to go outside, or comenew opportunities, they needed a way to get out of
back in and 'shut the door'those coaches. Yes, they needed hinges. It is no
Around 1600 BC someone got the bright idea that theysurprise there were a number of shops setting up
could move things a little easier if they used somethingalong the cities in the exploration routes that offered
close to a hinge. There are ancient buildings that showhinges among the other items one would need to keep
there were sockets in a stone wall where largetheir coach in tip-top condition.
wooden doors were hung, making it easier to let yourSince then, the market for hinges has continued to
troops out, and close the doors and keep the enemyboom. Not only are they a simple piece of hardware
from coming inside.that can make previously hard tasks easy, but they
The idea of hinges started to spread, but only amongalso are able to be decorations. The designer market
those with money or status. For many centuries, thehas latched on to hinges and started to create them in
only hinges noted in history were those for sacreda number of ornate styles so they are not just a
buildings, then public spaces. In the Old Testament it isfunctional piece of hardware to help you open your
mentioned that King Solomon's Temple had hingedcabinets, but also an attractive addition to them.