AU2009202413B2

AU2009202413B2 - Door Fitting Device

Info

Publication number: AU2009202413B2
Application number: AU2009202413A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Doug Djordjevic
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2008-06-20
Filing date: 2009-06-17
Publication date: 2012-11-01
Anticipated expiration: 2029-06-17
Also published as: AU2009202413A1

Abstract

A door fitting system for lifting a door to a selected height and level relative a door jamb; said system including a pair of door fitting devices; each of said devices including an elongate member provided at a lower end with a door lifting projection; each of said devices further including a moveable element adjustably located on said elongate element; said slider element supporting a prop element; said system further including a sliding surface element interposed between said pair of door lifting elements and a supporting surface. {B/ 4, /7 t 92

Description

P/001009 Regulation 3.10 AUSTRALIA Patents Act 1990 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION Invention Title: DOOR FITTING DEVICE The invention is described in the following statement, including the best method of performing it known to us: Our Ref: 092020 - 2 DOOR FITTING DEVICE The present invention relates to equipment for building fit-outs and, more particularly, to aid the installation of doors. 5 BACKGROUND Fitting a hinged door into a framed door opening is an awkward and time consuming process. The door needs to be lifted clear of the floor and with the correct clearance 10 between the top of the door and lintel, so that the position of the hinges can be established. Once the hinges have been fitted, usually to the door, the door must again be raised to that level and manoeuvred into position so that the hinges can be secured to the door jamb. 15 Typically the task is accomplished with improvised tools, such as a crow bar under the bottom of the door, or a chisel used as a wedge for example. Manipulating such improvised means while steadying an unsecured door makes the task difficult even, with a heavy door, dangerous. As 20 well, once a door has been secured by its hinges such make shift lifting devices tend to become jammed under the door making damage to some floors likely as they are worked free. It is an object of the present invention to address or 25 at least ameliorate some of the above disadvantages.

-3 Notes 1. The term "comprising" (and grammatical variations thereof) is used in this specification in the inclusive sense of "having" or "including", and not in the exclusive sense of "consisting only of". 2. The above discussion of the prior art in the Background of the invention, is not an admission that any information discussed therein is citable prior art or part of the common general knowledge of persons skilled in the art in any country. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF INVENTION Accordingly, in a first broad form of the invention, there is provided a door fitting system for lifting a door to a selected height and level relative a door jamb; said system including a pair of door fitting devices; each of said devices including an elongate member provided at a lower end with a door lifting projection having door lower edge-surface gripping teeth; each of said devices further including a moveable element adjustably located on said elongate element; said slider element supporting a prop element; said system further including a sliding surface element interposed between said pair of door lifting elements and a supporting surface. Preferably, said elongate element comprises a flat metal bar; said door lifting projection projecting from an inner surface of said metal bar substantially normal to said inner surface, -4 Preferably, said door lifting projections of said pair of door fitting devices are adapted for sliding between said sliding surface element and a lower edge surface of a door. Preferably, each said door lifting projection is integral with said flat metal bar; said door lifting projection forming a bent-up portion at said lower end of said flat metal bar. Preferably, length of each of said door lifting projections is such as to lift a door clear off said sliding surface element when said leading ends of said door lifting projections are in contact with said lower edge surface, and said flat metal bar of each said pair of door fitting devices is rotated into a rotated position away from an outward facing surface of a said door. Preferably, each said moveable element is provided with locking means so as to secure said moveable element at a selected location along said flat metal bar. Preferably, said prop element comprises an elongate member pivotally supported on said moveable element; said prop element projecting from said moveable element at a selectable angle relative said inner surface of said flat metal bar. Preferably, said prop element is adjustably retained at said selectable angle by a detent mechanism arranged between said prop element and said moveable element. Preferably, said moveable element is locked into a position along said flat metal bar such that an outer end of said prop element is brought into contact with said outward facing -5 surface of said door; said prop element adjusted to be substantially normal to said outward facing surface. Preferably, said door is supported at a selected height when each of said prop elements of said pair of door fitting devices is substantially normal to, and in contact with, said outward facing surface; weight of said door maintaining said flat metal bars and said door lifting projections at said rotated position. Preferably, said sliding surface element comprises a thin sheet of smooth laminate; said laminate allowing movement of said pair of door fitting devices and a door supported on said pair of devices for lateral adjustment of said door relative said door jamb. In another broad form of the invention, there is provided a method of adjusting the level and position of a door relative to a door jamb; said method including the steps of; (a) Placing said door on a sliding surface element adjacent said door jamb, (b) inserting said door lifting projection of a pair door fitting devices of any one of claims 1 to 13 between said sliding surface element and a lower edge of door, (c) rotating said elongate members of each of said pair of door fitting devices away from an outward facing surface of said door so as to bring said door to a desired height relative said door jamb, -6 (d) adjusting said prop element of each of said door fitting devices to an angle relative said elongate member such that said prop elements -i- are substantially normal to said outward facing surface, (e) moving each said moveable prop element along said elongate member to bring an outer end of each said prop element into contact with said outward facing surface, (f) sliding said door supported on said pair of door fitting devices and said sliding surface element to a desired position relative said door jamb. Preferably, said pair of door fitting devices provide for lifting a door to a level position relative a said door jamb from a non-level floor; rotation of said elongate member of said door fitting device at a downhill location relative said floor being rotated further than said elongate member of an uphill door fitting device. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS Embodiments of the present invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings wherein: Figure 1 is a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of the door fitting device according to the invention, Figure 2 is an end view of the device of Figure 1, 5 supporting a door, Figure 3 is a front view of the door of Figure 2 supported by a pair of the door fitting devices of Figures 1 and 2. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 10 With reference to Figure 1, a preferred embodiment of a door fitting device 10 comprises of an elongate element 12 which is provided at a lower end 14 with a door lifting projection 16. In this instance, elongate member 12 comprises a flat metal bar and door lifting projection 16 15 is integral with the elongate element 12, forming a bent-up portion of the metal bar, generally normal to the elongate portion. Preferably the outer edge of door lifting projection 16 is provided with teeth 17 to provide grip on the underside edge of a door, as can be seen in Figure 2. 20 A moveable element 18 can be positioned at any desired location along the length of elongate element 12. Moveable element 18 may be a metal sleeve 20 for example which may be secured in that position by locking means 22. in the exemplar embodiment of Figure I the locking means 22 may 25 comprise a thumb screw 24 acting on the rearward surface 26 through a threaded boss 28 mounted to sleeve 20.

Mounted to the front of moveable element 18, is a prop element 30. Prop element 30 may comprise a short length of tubing 32 for example, and is pivotally mounted at its inner end 34 to a boss 36. The pivoting arrangement of prop 5 element 30 is such that it is releasably maintained at any desired angle relative the inward facing surface 38 of elongate element 12, For example, inner end 34 of prop element 30 may be provided with a toothed arcuate sector engaging a spring loaded detent. The outer end of prop 10 element 30 is preferably provided with an elastomeric protective cap 38. Turning now to Figures 2 and 3, a pair of door fitting devices 10A and 10B has been applied to lift a door 40 clear of a supporting surface 42 (only iA of which is 15 visible in Figure 2). To protect the supporting surface 42 such as a timber or tiled floor, and to facilitate lateral movement of door 40 relative a door jamb (not shown) over carpet for example, a thin smooth sliding surface element 44 is firstly slid under the underside edge surface 46 of 20 door 40. Sliding surface element 44 may be a strip of plastic laminate for example. To mark out the hinge positions on the door relative to the hinge positions on a door jamb 50, the door may first be loosely inserted into the door frame and spacers 25 (not shown) placed on top of the door.

- 9 After insertion of the door lifting projection 16 between the sliding surface element 44 and the underside edge surface 46, the elongate member 12 of the device is rotated away from the outward facing front surface 48 of 5 door 40, so that the door is levered upwards and forced up against the underside of the door frame lintel. The angle of the prop element 30 is then adjusted until it is substantially normal to the surface 48 of door 40, and the moveable element slid to the position along 10 elongate member 12 until the outer end of the prop element is in contact with the door. It will be understood that the weight of the door acting on the outer end 14 of the door lifting projection 16 and the geometry of the device are such that - the door is then self supporting, freeing a 15 user's hands to mark out the hinge positions. As can be seen in Figure 3, a pair of door fitting devices 10A and 10B also provide for situations where the floor or is not level. In this case the "down-hill" device 10B is simply rotated somewhat further than the "up-hill" 20 device 10A to bring the door 40 to the required level. Once the hinges 52 locations have been prepared, the door 40 is positioned with the hinge edge adjacent to the hinge jamb 50 and the fitting devices re-applied. With the fitting devices 10A and 10B resting on the sliding surface 25 element 44, the door is readily nudged into alignment with the door jamb The door 40 may then be easily raised to the 10 level where the hinge 52 positions of door 40 and jamb 50 are coincident and the door hinges 52 secured. The above describes only some embodiments of the 5 present invention and modifications, obvious to those skilled in the art, can be made thereto without departing from the scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A door fitting system for lifting a door to a selected height and level relative a door jamb; said system including a pair of door fitting devices; each of said devices including an elongate member provided at a lower end with a door lifting projection having door lower edge-surface gripping teeth; each of said devices further including a moveable element adjustably located on said elongate element; said slider element supporting a prop element; said system further including a sliding surface element interposed between said pair of door lifting elements and a supporting surface.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein said elongate element comprises a flat metal bar; said door lifting projection projecting from an inner surface of said metal bar substantially normal to said inner surface.

3. The system of claim 1 or 2 wherein said door lifting projections of said pair of door fitting devices are adapted for sliding between said sliding surface element and a lower edge surface of a door.

4 . The system of any one of claims 1 to 3 wherein each said door lifting projection is integral with said flat metal bar; said door lifting projection forming a bent up portion at said lower end of said flat metal bar. -12

5. The system of claim 3 or 4 wherein length of each of said door lifting projections is such as to lift a door clear off said sliding surface element when said leading ends of said door lifting projections are in contact with said lower edge surface, and said flat metal bar of each said pair of door fitting devices is rotated into a rotated position away from an outward facing surface of a said door.

6. The system of any one of claims 2 to 5 wherein each said moveable element is provided with locking means so as to secure said moveable element at a selected location along said flat metal bar.

7. The system of any one of claims 2 to 6 wherein said prop element comprises an elongate member pivotally supported on said moveable element; said prop element projecting from said moveable element at a selectable angle relative said inner surface of said flat metal bar.

8. The system of any one of claims 1 to 7 wherein said prop element is adjustably retained at said selectable angle by a detent mechanism arranged between said prop element and said moveable element.

9, The system of any one of claims 5 to 8 wherein said moveable element is locked into a position along said flat metal bar such that an outer end of said prop element is brought into contact with said outward -13 facing surface of said door; said prop element adjusted to be substantially normal to said outward facing surface.

10. The system of any one of claims 5 to 9 wherein said door is supported at a selected height when each of said prop elements of said pair of door fitting devices is substantially normal to, and in contact with, said outward facing surface; weight of said door maintaining said flat metal bars and said door 1-ifting projections at said rotated position.

11. The system of any one of claims 1 to 10 wherein said sliding surface element comprises a thin sheet of smooth laminate; said laminate allowing movement of said pair of door fitting devices and a door supported on said pair of devices for lateral adjustment of said door relative said door jamb.

12. A method of adjusting the level and position of a door relative to a door jamb; said method including the steps of; (a) Placing said door on a sliding surface element adjacent said door jamb, (b) inserting said door lifting projection of a pair door fitting devices of any one of claims 1 to 13 between said sliding surface element and a lower edge of door, -14 (c) rotating said elongate members of each of said pair of door fitting devices away from an outward facing surface of said door so as to bring said door to a desired height relative said door jamb, (d) adjusting said prop element of each of said door fitting devices to an angle relative said elongate member such that said prop elements 4r& are substantially normal to said outward facing surface, (e) moving each said moveable prop element along said elongate member to bring an outer end of each said prop element into contact with said outward facing surface, (f) sliding said door supported on said pair of door fitting devices and said sliding surface element to a desired position relative said door jamb.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein said pair of door fitting devices provide for lifting a door to a level position relative a said door jamb from a non-level floor; rotation of said elongate member of said door fitting device at a downhill location relative said floor being rotated further than said elongate member of an uphill door fitting device.

14. A door lifting system as herein described and with particular reference to figures 2 and 3 of the drawings.