Imagine a castle without gates. Seems pointless, right? Imagine jail doors. They aren’t just bars or slabs of metal. They are the guardians of some of society’s most important facilities. What makes these heavyweights move smoothly and stay in place when necessary? Here’s the unsung heroine: the hinge, continue reading?
Imagine that you’re building an entire house out of cards. One tiny mistake can bring it toppling down. Jail doors hinges are similar to that important card at the bottom. They are essential to security. Without them, it would fall apart faster than “open sesame.” These hinges are designed to carry incredible weight, while remaining as silent as a sneaky ninja.
Often, steel is the material of preference. But not just any kind of steel–it has to be high-grade material that is resistant to rusting and corrosion. It’s designed to be durable and resistant to wear.
Let’s talk about strength. This is the strength we are talking about. Imagine an athlete holding a large elephant on his shoulder and sipping tea in the other. Hinges are needed to support heavy doors, which can weigh up to several hundred lbs. Yet they must open gracefully under pressure.
Durability, however, is a completely different story. You’ve probably heard your grandpa complaining about the quality of things. These hinges would make him proud! These hinges are able to endure thousands of cycles without squeaking, breaking sweat or even gaining a pulse.
There’s more to it than just brute force. Engineers use physics as chess to align these hinges perfectly, so that doors will swing smoothly over time without sagging like an old mattress. Even a slight misalignment may spell disaster. If a door doesn’t close correctly, it could as well be an open invitation to troublemakers.
The goal of security is to keep unwanted visitors out. Imagine trying to break in to Fort Knox with just a toothpick. This is what it would be like to tamper these hinges. The hinges have features such as non-removable screws or hidden fasteners, which make it hard for someone who thinks he’s got Houdini skills.
Have you seen movies in which someone escapes from a jail through a vent? Spoiler Alert: Real-life prison designers have considered this stuff! The hinges have been designed with every possible escape scenario in mind, including teleportation.
Bob is a good friend of mine who works in maintenance at a correctional institution (I won’t change his name because he takes pride in himself). He once said that maintaining these bad guys is like marriage – you have to pay constant attention but not get too involved until something sounds louder than usual.
Conclusion… Oh no! Are we skipping conclusions? Remember the next time you pass one silently swinging on its post. It may seem ordinary, but it packs more punch that meets the eye.