GB2161195A

GB2161195A - Door assembly joint

Info

Publication number: GB2161195A
Application number: GB08429761A
Authority: GB
Inventors: James Alan Macey
Original assignee: BRITAL Ltd
Current assignee: BRITAL Ltd
Priority date: 1983-11-26
Filing date: 1984-11-26
Publication date: 1986-01-08
Also published as: GB8429761D0; GB8331628D0

Abstract

A joint is formed between a rail (12) and a stile (10) by means of two self-tapping bolts (22) screwed into longitudinal passages of the rail from the stile. The bolts extend freely through two spacing blocks (36, 40) which between them clamp an internal partitioning wall (34) of the stile, an end face (38) of the rail bearing against one of the blocks (36). <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Door assembly joint This invention is concerned with a door assembly joint suitable for a metal framed door in which the frame comprises interconnected stiles and rails of extruded section, the stiles at least being of a hollow form. Ordinarily such stiles and rails would comprise extruded aluminium section, which may be clad with extruded plastics section for the purposes of thermal insulation and/or decoration.

In known constructions of such metal framed doors a multiplicity of different components is usually needed for connection of a rail to a stile. The use of many different components is generally undesirable, tending to increase manufacturing cost, complexity in stocking the parts, and assembly time in forming a joint. Furthermore it can tend to increase the likelihood of the joint not being properly secure; in a hinged door, instability in the joint can of course result in sagging of the door from the hinge-bearing stile.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved door assembly joint which is strong and stable, and which employs few different components for ease of assembly and low cost generally.

The invention provides, in one of its aspects, a door assembly joint in which a door rail is secured to a hollow stile by means of at least one bolt acting from within the stile longitudinally of the rail, the or each bolt extending from the stile into the rail through a spacing member against which the rail bears when the bolt is tensioned to secure the rail to the stile, the spacing member comprising a length of extruded section through which the bolt extends longitudinally.

The or each bolt is preferablythreadedly engaged in a passage in extruded section of the rail to secure the rail to the stile. In that way the need for a separate nut can be obviated and the rail becomes supported all along the received threaded portion of the bolt. Most preferably the bolt is of the selftapping kind, in order that the rail passage need not be tapped in a separate operation before construction of the joint.

The arrangement of the joint may conveniently be such that said spacing member and a second spacing member clamp portions of the stile between them, under the action of the tensioned bolt or bolts. Preferably the second spacing member also comprises a length of extruded section, through which the bolt or bolts extend longitudinally. The two lengths can with advantage be of the same cross-section, though it may be required that the outer member be longer than the other, inner, member. By the use of extruded section of a suitable form, lengths of section can simply be parted off to provide spacing members, without any need for preparatory forming operations to provide clearance passages for the bolts.

In a preferred construction, the spacing members clamp edge portions of a wall of the stile facing the rail. The stile may comprise a length of extruded section of a generally box form, the two spacing members clamping edge portions of a side wall of the box. The form of the wall is preferably such that the bolt, or bolts, pass through a thinner central portion of the wall, and the wall comprises thicker edge portions which are clamped by the spacing members.

There now follows a detailed description, to be read with reference to the accompanying drawings, of a door assembly joint which illustrates the invention in its several aspects by way of example.

In the accompanying drawings: Figure 1 is a sectional view in elevation on the line I-I of Figures 2,3 and 4 of a door assembly joint between a vertical stile and a horizontal rail of the door; Figure 2 is a plan view of the joint; Figure 3 is an end view of the rail as seen from the stile; and Figure 4 is an end view, as seen looking from the stile towards the rail, of extruded section from which two spacing blocks are formed.

There is shown in Figures 1 and 2 of the drawings a door assembly joint which provides for a very strong joint employing a minimum of different components. The joint is between a vertical stile 10 and a horizontal rail 12 of the door.

As best seen in Figure 2, the stile 10 comprises a length of aluminium extruded hollow section 14 over one face of which is secured thermally- insulating plastics extruded section 16. The plastics section 16 is secured to the aluminium section 14 by a method according to our patent No. 2 081 789.

The construction of the rail 12 is shown in Figure 3. The rail 12 comprises a length of aluminium extruded hollow section 18 over one face of which is secured thermally-insulating plastics extruded section 20. Again the plastics cladding is secured to the aluminium section by a method in accordance with our patent No. 2 081 789.

The rail 12 is secured to the stile 10 by means of two self-tapping bolts 22 and 24 (Figures 1 and 2) which are screwed from the interior of the stile 10 into the ends of bolt-receiving passages in the form of channels 26 and 28 (Figure 3) of the aluminium section 18 of the rail 12.

As seen in Figure 2, the aluminium section 14 of the stile 10 is of a generally box form but comprises two parallel limbs 30 and 32 which project from opposite edges of a side wall 34 of the box towards the rail 12. The side wall 34 so provides an internal partitioning wall of the stile. An inner one 32 of the limbs is slightly shorter than the outer one 30 to allow for overlapping by the plastics section 16 mounted thereon. To support the rail 12 against the wall 34 of the stile box, preventing the rail from bearing against adjacent end faces of the outer limb 30 and the plastics section 16, a first (outer) spacing member in the form of a block 36 is mounted between the limbs 30 and 32 to act between an end face 38 of the rail 12 and the side walls 34.A second (inner) spacing member in the form of a block 40 is mounted within the stile box to act between the other side of the side wall 34 and heads 42 and 44 of the two bolts 22 and 24. The two bolts extend from the stile into the rail through the two spacing blocks.

The blocks 36 and 40 are provided by short lengths of a single form of aluminium extruded section shown in cross-section in Figure 4. The section is of a generally I-beam form, though with the web 46 of the section offset from the central plane to allow opposed channels 48 and 50 to be provided in the central plane by the top and bottom cross-pieces 52 and 54. The channels provide longitudinally-extending clearance grooves for the bolts 22 and 24, and are suitably spaced apart for alignment with the channels 26 and 28 of the rail.

Each of the blocks so provided is arranged to bear only against thicker edge portions 56 and 58 of the sidewall 34 of the stile box.

Clearance holes are provided in a thinner central portion of the side wall 34 for the bolts 22 and 24.

Bolt access holes 60 and 62 are provided in the wall of the stile box opposite the side wall 34. On tensioning the bolts 22 and 24, threadedly engaged in the channels 26 and 28 of the rail 12, the rail 12 becomes pulled against the outer block 36 and so secured to the side wall 34 of the box of the stile 10, the two spacing blocks 36 and 40 clamping the wall 34 between them as the assembly becomes compressed between the rail 12 and the heads 42 and 44 of the bolts.

In an alternative arrangement the inner spacing block 40 might be replaced by some form of apertured bearing plate. However, to do that would be to lose the advantage of the two blocks being taken from common extruded stock which provides through-passages for the bolts 22 and 24 without the need for any preparatory punching or drilling.

Furthermore, by use of the blocks 36 and 40 of extruded section, spacing members are so provided which are strong against bending, so contributing to the stability of the joint.

Claims

1. A door assembly joint in which a door rail is secured to a hollow stile by means of at least one bolt acting from within the stile longitudinally of the rail, the or each bolt extending from the stile into the rail through a spacing member against which the rail bears when the bolt is tensioned to secure the rail to the stile, the spacing member comprising a length of extruded section through which the bolt extends longitudinally.

2. A joint according to claim 1 in which the or each bolt is threadedly engaged in a passage in extruded section of the rail to secure the rail to the stile.

3. A joint according to claim 2 in which the or each bolt is a self-tapping bolt.

4. A joint according to any one of claims 1,2 and 3 in which said spacing member and a second spacing member clamp portions of the stile between them.

5. A joint according to claim 4 in which the second spacing member also comprises a length of extruded section through which the bolt extends longitudinally.

6. A joint according to claim 5 in which the two lengths of extruded section are of the same crosssection.

7. A joint according to either of claims 5 and 6 in which the two lengths of extruded section are of a generally I-beam form.

8. A joint according to any one of claims 4 to 7 in ,which the spacing members clamp edge portions of a wall of the stile facing the rail.

9. A joint according to claim Bin which the stile comprises a length of extruded section of a generally box form, the two spacing members clamping edge portions of a side wall of the box.

10. A joint according to either of claims 8 and 9 in which the spacing members clamp thicker edge portions of the wall.

11. A door assembly joint constructed and arranged substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.