When I started working in the door and hardware industry (way back in the Olden Days also known as the 80’s), there were some hardware concepts that I really had a hard time understanding. I clearly remember struggling with coordinators, overhead stops, and wide throw hinges.
I received the photos below from Jeff Johnson of Integrated Access Systems, who saw this door at Le Mont-Saint-Michel in Normandy, France. Although today’s wide throw hinges don’t look like the ones on this door serving a VERY old restaurant, these photos are a great illustration of the purpose of wide throw hinges. In this case, the hinges are wide enough to allow the door to open 180 degrees, clearing the thickness of the stone wall. The same concept can be applied to more modern wide throw applications where the additional hinge width is needed to clear trim, wall-mounted handrails, or other projections (there’s more info on hinge types here).
Don’t forget to send me photos of the doors you see in your travels! And let me know if there are hardware concepts that you struggle with!
You need to login or register to bookmark/favorite this content.
Those are more like Hail Mary throw hinges. What a cool door install.
Not sure what the green sign is above the door, hope it isn’t an EXIT sign, as as this would not work as an exit in any way at all.
Wow! Very ingenious,
There must be a lot of bevel on the latch edges of that door.
You are absolutely right!
– Lori