Mounting plate for hinges or the like

A mounting plate for furniture hinges, said mounting plate being of the type adapted to be secured to a first furniture element and adapted to support a hinge arm which is hingedly connected to a second furniture element, said mounting plate comprising:

• a plate member;
• at least one rigid expansion member integrally and immovably fixed to said plate member and extending therefrom, said expansion member having a first axial end adjacent said plate member and a second axial end spaced therefrom;
• a dowel member formed of a deformable material and having an axial opening, said expansion member extending into said axial opening, with said dowel member surrounding said expansion member, said dowel member having a first axial end and a second axial end respectively adjacent said first and second axial ends of said expansion member;
• said dowel member having an exterior having outwardly extending ribs adapted to be anchored in a wall of a bore in a first furniture element when said dowel member and expansion member are inserted therein;
• said expansion member being mounted within said dowel member for limited axial movement relative thereto, such that when an external force is applied to said plate member to move said plate member away from the first furniture element, said expansion member will move axially of said dowel member, in a direction from said second end thereof to said first end thereof, by a limited extent;
• said dowel member having opposite interior surfaces converging from said second end to said first end of said dowel member;
• said expansion member having opposite exterior surfaces, complementary to said interior surfaces, converging from said second end to said first end of said expansion member;
• and
• said interior surfaces and said exterior surfaces being dimensioned such that upon axial movement of said expansion member with respect to said dowel member, said exterior surfaces of said expansion member will bear against said interior surfaces of said dowel member, thereby deforming said dowel member and forcing said ribs further against the wall of the bore in the first furniture element.