AU624007B2

AU624007B2 - Aperture frame

Info

Publication number: AU624007B2
Application number: AU58633/90A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Peter Francis Fuller; Ray John Rouw
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Rouw William Harm
Priority date: 1987-03-04
Filing date: 1990-07-04
Publication date: 1992-05-28
Anticipated expiration: 2008-03-04
Also published as: AU5863390A

Description

K -q~ rrrar 1 624007 COMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALIA The Patents Act 1952 Name of Applicants: RAY JOHN ROUW, -URG-NHRST-HT--OF4I-NN and ATHOL-MURRAYY-CHAPM-INA uJil.LLYS 92-nL-) o o 4 0*

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Address of Applicants: 35 Thoms Crescent, Mount Warren Park, Queensland 4207, Australia; R1 A 8-2--H-a-d-i--g-Bo-l-eva-rd-,-MuT-t-W-a-r-e, P k-7-Que-en--aPnd---4-2-- Au-s-t-ran1-i-a-; BEC. a-n--4-3--Sug-ar-ra--f S-treet, -W-ave -il -WI 'Hight Que-nsland 4012;-Austra-ia 4 rse-e-t-i-v ey '3atIPe;J-~ j, 'C Z.liQ~ Actual Inventors: PETER FRANCIS FULLER and RAY JOHN

ROUW

Address for Service: 0 0, CULLEN CO., Patent Trade Mark Attorneys, 240 Queen Street, Brisbane, Qld. 4000, Australia.

COMPLETE SPECIFICATION FOR THE INVENTION ENTITLED: "APERTURE FRAME" The following statement is a full description of the invention including the best method of performing it known to us: 2 THE PRESENT INVENTION relates to an aperture frame for a panel assembly and in particular, relates to an aperture frame for a panel assembly for access purposes such as closing a service aperture provided in a wall.

A typical prior art access panel assembly incorporating an aperture frame was marketed by B&R Products, a division of Bridges Corporation of Brisbane. This access panel assembly included an aperture frame which was mountable in a wall aperture having a closure panel hingedly attached thereto. This particular panel assembly also included clamp brackets and hinges all of which were mounted within the confines of the aperture frame and thus were 0 0 a o a hidden from external view when the closure panel was in a 0 a o closed position. When the closure panel was in a closed 0o'5o position it was substantially flush with the aperture frame o pa which was of a relatively narrow width. The closure panel could be formed from steel with an undercoated paint finish as was also the case with the aperture frame. In some cases 9o however the closure panel was provided with an external layer 0ooo or skin of plasterboard which was provided with a perforated panel frame to facilitate plaster rendering of the frame so 0 *44 that the closure panel could be painted after installation to accord with a surrounding wall surface. However, this particular panel assembly did not prove a commercial success because it was necessary to plaster not only the inner panel frame but also the outer aperture frame and the external 3 surface of the panel prior to painting of the assembly and this was found to be time consuming and inconvenient.

The panel frame was also provided for the express purpose of protecting the fragile peripheral edge of the plasterboard external skin of the closure panel and this feature as well as the use of the external skin of plasterboard also added materially to the cost of production of the panel assembly.

Reference may also be made to other conventional panel assemblies incorporating aperture frames and these are described in US Specification 4 237 663, Australian Specification 55870/86, European Specification EP 174172, UK Qo o Specification 2116601, UK Specification 2077806, US Specification 4 579 248, US Specification 4559410, US 0 0 .0015. Specification 4530443, US Specification 4204608, US o0 o Specification 4131172, US Specification 3733622, US oo o 000 Specification 3609774, US Specification 3 481 088, US Specification 3 359 695, German Specification DE 2756124, German Specification 2700210, US Specification 3935686, Australian Specification 12650/88, German Specification DE oo 3613164, German Specification DE 3517836, Australian 0 oo Specification 17576/83, Australian Specification 23080/84, ;Australian Specification 267430, Australian Specification oo 0000 580600, Australian Specification 580148 and Australian Specification 58361/86. However, none of these specifications are directed to the present inventive concept and for this reason are not believed to be relevant to the present invention.

Reference also may be made to perforated frame members described in RONDO catalogues published by Rondo Building Services Pty Ltd of Yatala, Queensland known as LONG LEG STOPPING ANGLES and STOPPING BEADS respectively. The LONG LEG STOPPING ANGLE is an L shaped frame member with a flange of the L being perforated.

The STOPPING BEAD is a U shaped frame member which is similar to the LONG LEG STOPPING ANGLE but which additionally incorporates a rear leg or flange.These frame members are utilised for attachment or support of building boards such as plasterboard sheeting to studs or uprights of a building frame. They also may be utilised around door jambs.

The perforated flange is rendered after attachment to the building board to achieve a uniform finish with the remainder of the building board.

In regard to the LONG LEG STOPPING ANGLE the building board is inserted into a U shaped space defined by the LONG LEG STOPPING ANGLE and an adjacent frame member so that the building board is supported by frame members on an external surface as well as an interior surface. T h e STOPPING BEAD may be used to attach a building board to a wall stud wherein an outer edge portion of the building board is l.ocated within the channel of the U shaped frame member so that the building board is supported on an external surface as well as an internal surface.

Reference may also be made to patent specification

,A

A 6" 4a 45027/85 which describes the use of a U shaped perimeter member which corresponds to the STOPPING BEAD described above.

The perimeter member is welded to an aperture frame which is located within an opening or aperture in a wall frame. The U shaped perimeter member is described in patent specification 45027/85 as capable of accepting or retaining wall or ceiling sheeting which corresponds to the building board described above. In the method of installation however because of the use of a rear leg or flange the aperture frame of patent specification 45027/85 could only be installed during installation of the building board. It was therefore not possible to install the aperture frame of patent specification 45027/85 to a wall structure after attachment of the building board to the wall frame members such as the wall studs.

It is thus an object of the present invention to provide an aperture frame for a panel assembly which overcomes or ameliorates the abovementioned disadvantages.

provided an aper ure frame for an access panel assembly which is mountable in mounting aperture in an existing or preformed wall, said aperture frame being provided with a single substantially c tinuous and substantially planar flange not including an outwardly extending ancillary structure adapted to be in b ring contact with a surround portion of the wall adjacent e mounting aperture, said flange having a plurality of sub antially closely spaced apertures whereby said aperture frame my be installed in said mounting aperture with said flange being ubstantially flush with said surround portion.

STho aboveo aprture frame f the invent*o ni- also-- 11 4b In accordance with the invention there is therefore provided an aperture frame for an access panel assembly which is mountable in a mounting aperture in an existing or preformed wall, said aperture frame being provided with a single substantially continuous flange not including any outwardly extending ancillary structure wherein said substantially continuous flange is adapted to be in bearing contact with a surround portion of the wall adjacent the mounting aperture, said flange having a plurality of S substantially closely spaced apertures occupying at least a :000 major proportion of the surface area of the flange whereby oa said aperture frame may be installed in said mounting aperture o000 S with said flange being substantially flush with said surround S portion whereafter said flange and said surround portion may be rendered with plaster or other settable material to obtain 0 a uniform appearance.

SThe above aperture frame of the invention may also support a closure panel of any suitable type and preferably a closure panel formed from wood or other material that does not require rendering with a settable material such as plaster.

In a preferred form the closure panel may be formed from chipboard and does not have a panel frame as described above.

The provision of the aperture frame of the invention therefore provides substantial advantages over the prior art when used with a closure panel as described above because plastering of the closure panel is not necessary and during installation the aperture frame of the invention may be mounted in the mounting aperture of the wall and the plasterer who is plastering the surround surface of the wall may then plaster the substantially continuous flange with the apertures substantially facilitating the plastering process. After plastering the closure panel may then be painted by a painting contractor who is painting a building incorporating the wall.

Thus, the painstaking and laborious process as described in the prior art is substantially avoided especially in relation to the aperture frame of patent specification 45027/85 which could only be installed during installation of the building board.

As used herein, the term "wall" includes within its scope all the architectural boundaries of a building structure including vertical or side walls, floors or base walls and ceilings or top walls.

The aperture frame may comprise a plurality of frame members all mitred or attached to each other in any suitable fashion. Alternatively, the aperture frame may comprise an integral structure. Suitably, each frame member is tubular or incorporates a longitudinal channel. When of tubular shape each frame member may incorporate a rectangular, square or polygonal cross section. Preferably the aperture frame has a uniform cross sectional shape and is dimensioned so as to receive a standard size closure panel.

The aperture frame may be provided with a support means to support the closure panel. The support means may comprise hinges. The closure panel may also be retained in the closed position by provision of a latch means.

The substantially continuous flange may comprise a number of flange segments to accommodate corners or arcuate portions of the aperture and the aperture frame. For

I

example, in a rectangular aperture frame, as is preferred, four flange segments may be provided, each exclusively extending the full length of a side of the aperture frame.

Preferably, adjacent flange segments meet only at the corner of the aperture frame. Alternatively, there may be a mitre joint between adjacent flange segments.

The flange may comprise a mesh which is suitable for concealment by plaster rendering or it may be formed from perforated sheet metal.

The invention will be further described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

060 Figure 1 is a cross-section through a typical 0 0 00 access panel assembly which includes an aperture frame in 0 accordance with the present invention illustrating the o04,5 opening and closing action of the closure panel.

0 0 Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view of the panel 00 0 assembly of Figure 1 in its closed position.

Figure 3 is a perspective view of the panel oo04 assembly of Figure 1 in a partially open position and after 00,, rendering of the substantially continuous flange by plaster.

Figure 4 is a perspective view of the panel assembly of Figure 1 prior to installation.

In the drawings an aperture is provided in a plasterboard wall 1, the aperture being defined by wall studs 2. The aperture has inserted therein an aperture frame 3 located at the correct depth in the aperture by the provision of a substantially continuous flange comprising flange 4 which flange segments are adapted to be concealed by plaster rendering. Attached to an inner surface of the aperture frame 3 are stand-off hinges 5 closable by an over centre mechanism as illustrated. Affixed to the outer end of the hinges 5 is one side of a closure panel 6 and water impervious layer or metal backing sheet 7.

On the side of the aperture frame opposite to that mounting the hinges 5 there is provided a latching means comprising a latch body 9 attached to the frame 3 adapted to co-operate with a latch tongue 10 affixed to the closure panel 6.

In the illustrated embodiment, the aperture frame 3 is fixed to the wall studs 2 with the perforated flange segments 4 flush with the surface of the wall 1. The perforated flange segments 4 are then concealed by plaster rendering. The external surface of the closure panel 6 does not require plaster rendering and may be painted simultaneously with the wall surround or even prior to installation in some cases.

The advantages of the present invention includes the feature that once the panel assembly is installed, the substantially continuous flange of the aperture frame is rendered with plaster and subsequently the wall and panel 6 may be painted to substantially conceal the panel assembly.

The only evidence of the existence of the panel assembly is ft

I

8 4

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0 00 a q 0 44 a4 4444« the fine gap between the aperture frame 3 and the closure panel 6. A panel assembly therefore including the aperture frame of the invention is therefore less aesthetically obtrusive than the prior art panels.

Another advantage of an access panel assembly incorporating the aperture frame of the invention is that the installed and rendered panel assembly may have the same surface characteristics and paint adherence properties as the surrounding wall surface. This permits the use of one type of paint for the whole wall.

Also, the flange segments 4 are fairly extensive in width as illustrated incorporating three longitudinal rows of 04 apertures 8 and thus this enables the aperture frame of the invention to readily merge with the wall surround in far more ,115 effective manner than a relatively thin non-apertured 44 aperture frame.

It will also be appreciated from the foregoing that apertures 8 also function as attachment apertures for fixing of the aperture frame 3 to a wall. It will also be noted :20 from the drawings that flange 4 is substantially flush with wall 1 and this facilitates the obtaining of a uniform appearance in regard to the external surface of wall 1 and panel 6. The perforations also provide very good adhesion for cement plaster or all other suitable material that may be applied to wall 1.

444 4 f1 04 4 44D 44 44 4444

L

Claims

2. An aperture frame as claimed in Claim i wherein the substantially continuous flange is meshed.
3. An aperture frame as claimed in Claim 1 wherein the substantially continuous flange is formed from perforated metal sheet.
4. An aperture frame as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the flange includes three longitudinal rows of apertures. An aperture frame as claimed 'in any preceding claim wherein the substantially continuous flange is provided with a plurality of flange segments.
6. An aperture frame as claimed in any preceding claim I _I i incorporating a hinge means for pivotal attachment of a closure panel.
7. An aperture frame as claimed in any preceding claim incorporating a latch means for closure of a closure panel.
8. An aperture frame substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.
9. A method of installation of an aperture frame to a mounting aperture in an existing or preformed wall, the aperture frame being provided with a single substantially continuous flange not including any outwardly extending S ancillary structure and said flange having a plurality of said method including the steps of: i) mounting the aperture frame in said mounting aperture wherein said flange is in bearing contact and is substantially flush with a surround surface of the wall adjacent the mounting aperture; and (ii) applying plaster or other settable material to the surround surface and the flange to provide a substantially uniform appearance. DATED this eleventh day of February 1992. RAY JOHN ROUW and WILLIAM HARM ROUW By Their Patent Attorneys CULLEN CO (4: RAY JOHN ROUW and WILLIAM HARM ROUW