IES62156B2 - Panel door manufacture - Google Patents

Description

Panel Door Manufacture^ The invention relates to a method for manufacturing a wooden frame panel door.

There are various problems in manufacturing wooden frame panel doors in a cost effective manner. There are numerous steps required in the procedure, each of which must function efficiently separately and as part of the overall manufacturing method. There are problems, for example, in quickly and accurately assembling a frame, in applying a core to the frame, glueing the frame and particularly applying the front and back panels to the frame. Many handling procedures are involved and for cost effectiveness it is essential that these are optimised.

This invention therefore is directed towards providing an optimised method for manufacturing a wooden frame panel door.

Statements;, of Invention According to the invention there is provided a method for II* manufacturing a wooden frame panel door comprising the steps of : assembling a pair of side frame members and a pair of end frame members to form a rectangular frame; attaching adjacent frame members to each other; delivering the assembled frame to a glueing machine at which glue is applied to a first panel receiving face of the frame and simultaneously to a back panel receiving face of the frame; applying glue to front and back faces of a crushable core; placing the frame and core on an inside face of a front panel having inwardly extending projections; applying a back panel having inwardly extending projections to a back panel receiving face of the frame and core to form a door assembly; applying a pre-pressure to the assembly for at least four seconds to indent the core to engage the panel projections and loosely adhere the front and back panels to a front panel receiving faces of the frame and core and the back panel receiving faces of the frame and core respectively; stacking a plurality of door assemblies on a support; transferring the stack to a press; applying a pressure to the stack for a period of at least 25 minutes firmly adhere the front and back panels to the frame and core; removing the door assemblies from the press; and trimming the finished panel door thus formed.

In a particularly preferred embodiment, the invention glue is applied to the front and back faces of the core separately from the frame before inserting the core into the frame.

In a preferred arrangement, the front panel is placed on an assembly table, the front panel receiving face of the frame is applied to the inside face of the front panel, the core is inserted into the frame on the assembly table and the rear panel is applied to the rear panel receiving face of the frame and core on the assembly table.

In this case, preferably the door assembly is drawn from the assembly table between a pair of facing pre-press members, one of which is movable relative to the other to apply pre-pressure to the assembly. Ideally the door assembly is pre-pressed at a pressure of from 3 to 5 bars for a period of four to ten seconds.

In a particularly preferred arrangement, the frame with glue applied to the panel receiving faces is drawn from the glueing machine by a driven conveyor comprising at least two transversely spaced-apart longitudinally extending ropes which engage with and draw the frame from the glueing machine to an assembly table. Most preferably the ropes are retained in a moist condition for engaging the door frame by drawing the ropes through a water bath.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the frame members are assembled on a frame assembly table and adjacent frame members are attached by simultaneously inserting staples between the adjacent frame members.

In a particularly preferred embodiment of the invention, the door assemblies are stacked on a support provided with a scissors lift which is operated to lower the support to a working height as the assemblies are stacked on the support. Preferably, after stacking, the support with the „ & _ stack of door assemblies is delivered along a conveyor to the press for applying pressure to the stack.

Preferably, the glue is allowed to set for a period of at least twelve hours before trimming.

In a particularly preferred embodiment of the invention, the crushable core is of an expandable structural honeycomb of corrugated paperboard material which is expanded to substantially fill the frame.

In one embodiment of the invention, the frame includes lock receiving members which are attached to the side frame members .

In one embodiment of the invention, the method includes the steps of hanging the assembled door in a door jamb frame. Preferably in this case, the method includes the steps of applying a lockset to a door and jamb frame, and applying hinges to the door and jamb frame to hang the door on the jamb frame.

The invention also provides a wooden frame panel door, a hung door and jamb assembly whenever manufactured by the method of the invention.

Derailed Description The invention will be more clearly understood from the following description thereof given by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which sFig. 1 is a cross-sectional view of a wooden frame panel door manufactured by the method of the invention; Fig. 2 is a perspective view of a frame part of the door of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a perspective view of a frame with a crushable core in position; Figs. 4 and 5 are perspective views of the crushable core in different positions; Fig. 6 is a perspective view of a panel part of the door; Fig. 7 is a plan view illustrating pats of apparatus used in the method of the invention; Fig. 8 is a perspective view of further parts of apparatus used in the method of the invention; Fig. 9 is a perspective view of a stapling machine used in a method of the invention; Fig. 10 is a perspective view of a gluing machine used in the method of the invention; Fig. 11 is a perspective view of a transfer apparatus from the glueing machine; Fig. 12 is an end view of the transfer apparatus of Fig. 11; Fig. 13 is a side elevational view of apparatus used in the method of the invention; Figs. 14(a) to 14(c) are elevational views illustrating steps in the method of the invention; Fig. 15 is a perspective view of part of the apparatus of Fig. 13; and Fig. 16 is a perspective view of another part of the apparatus of Fig. 11.

Referring to the drawings and initially to Figs. 1 to 6 thereof, there is illustrated a wooden frame panel door indicated generally by the reference numeral 1 which is manufactured by the method of the invention. The wooden frame panel door 1 comprises a generally rectangular frame 10 2 comprising a pair of side frame members 3,4 and end frame members 5,6. Adjacent frame members are attached to each other by means of staples 10. In this case, the frame 2 includes lock receiving members 11,12 attached to the side frame members 2,3 respectively by connectors 13.

A crushable core which in this case is formed by an expandable structural honeycomb 15 of corrugated paper board material is expanded from the folcedup position illustrated in Fig. 4 to the expanded position illustrated in Figs. 3 and 5 to substantially fill the free area 20 defined by the frame 2. A front panel 20 having inwardly extending projections 21 is adhesively bonded to the frame 2 and core 15. Similarly, a back panel 22 having inwardly extending projections 23 is also adhesively bonded to opposite faces of the frame 2 and core 15.

Referring to Figs. 7 and 8, the frame 2 is first assembled on a frame assembly table 30 having automatic stapling points 31 located at each corner of the frame. An assembled frame 2 is delivered along a roller conveyor 33 to a delivery conveyor 34 which delivers the frame to a 30 glueing machine 35 at which glue is applied to a front panel receiving face of the frame and simultaneously to a back panel receiving face of the frame. The crushable core 15 in the contracted position illustrated in Fig. 4 Λ - 7 is also fed through the glueing machine 35 to apply glue to front and back faces of the core. The glued core and frame are drawn from the glueing machine 35 by an outfeed transfer device 36.

A front panel 20 is positioned on a panel assembly table 37 adjacent the outfeed device 36 with the inside face of the panel extending upwardly (Fig. 14(a)). The frame 2 is then placed on the inside face of the front panel. This configuration is illustrated in Fig. 14(b). The core 15 is then expanded into the honeycomb configuration illustrated in Figs. 3 and 5 and inserted into the frame. An inside face of the back panel 22 is then applied to the back panel receiving glued face of the frame 2 and crushable core 15 to form a door assembly (Fig. 14(c)). The door assembly is then automatically drawn under the transfer device 36 to a pre-crush or pre-press 40 at which a crushing pressure is applied to the assembly for a period of at least four seconds to indent the core to engage the panel projections 21,23 into the core 15 and loosely adhere the front and back panels 20,22 to the front and back panel receiving faces of the frame of core respectively. After pre-crushing, the pre-crushing pressure is released and the door assembly is transferred onto a support 45 on which a plurality of the door assemblies are stacked. The stack of door assemblies is then transferred to a mobile roller conveyor bogey 50 which travels along rails 51 to deliver the stack of door assemblies to one of a number of presses 52. In the press 52 pressure is applied to the stack for a period of at least 25 minutes to firmly adhere the front and back panels 20,22 to the frame 2 and core 15. After pressing, the stack of door assemblies are removed from the press 52 and, using the bogey 50, are transferred to a setting station at which the assemblies are allowed to sit for a period of at least twelve hours to enable the adhesive to set. The finished panel doors thus formed are then trimmed to provide a door which may be packaged for example by shrink wrapping.

Referring particularly to Fig. 9, the frame assembly apparatus is illustrated, in more detail, and incorporates four separate ram operated stapling units 31 at each corner of the frame 2. When the frame elements are assembled, an operator operates a switch, for example by means of a foot pedal, which activates the rams of the automatic staplers 31 to simultaneously attach the frame members together. In this way consistent stapling is applied to all frames and because staples are applied simultaneously, there is no risk of any distortion at the joint between adjacent frame members.

Referring particularly to Fig. 10, the glueing machine includes a pair of lower and upper glue applying rollers 60,51 for simultaneously applying glue to both panel receiving faces of the frame 2 and the core 15. A door frame with adhesive applied is automatically drawn from the glueing machine 35 by the transfer device 36 which is illustrated in Figs. 11 and 12 and includes a pair of transversely spaced-apart longitudinally extending conveyor cords 62 which engage and withdraw the frame 2 from the glueing machine 35. To ensure positive engagement and traction between the conveyor cords 62 and the frame 2 with the adhesive applied, the cords are continuously moistened by passing them through a water trough 63. For ease of illustration the transfer cords 62 are not illustrated in Fig. 15.

Referring particularly to Figs. 13 and 15, the door assembly is drawn from the assembly table 37 between a pair of facing crushing members 70,71 the upper one of which 70 is movable relative to the lower member 71 by rams 75 to apply the crushing pressure to the assembly to indent the core to engage the panel projections and loosely adhere the front and back panels 20,22 to the frame 2 and core 15.

Referring particularly to Fig. IS, the support 45 for receiving the pre-pressed door assemblies is mounted on a scissors lift 81 adjacent to the pre-crushing press 40. Pre-pressed door assemblies are placed on a support 45 and a stack of door assemblies are then placed one on top of another on the support 45, the scissors lift 81 being retracted as further assemblies are added to the stack to present the next position for a door assembly in the stack at approximately the same level as that of the outfeed from th® pre-press 40. The stack of door assemblies on the supports 45 are transferred to the bogey 50 and delivered to the appropriate press 52 as illustrated in Fig. 8.

A wooden frame panel door manufactured according to the invention may be automatically hung on a door jamb frame. In this case, the method includes the steps of applying a lockset to the door and jamb frame and applying hinges to the door and jamb frame to hang the door on the jamb frame.

The invention provides an optimised method for manufacturing a wooden frame panel door in a highly cost efficient manner.

The invention is not limited to the embodiments hereinbefore described which may be varied in both construction and detail.

Claims (5)

1. A method for manufacturing a wooden frame panel door comprising the steps of : assembling a pair of side frame members and a pair of end frame members to form a rectangular frame; attaching adjacent frame members to each other; delivering the assembled frame to a glueing machine at which glue is applied to a first panel receiving face of the frame and simultaneously to a back panel receiving face ox the frame; applying glue to front and back faces of a crushable core; placing the frame and core on an inside face of a front panel having inwardly extending projections; applying a back panel having inwardly extending projections to a back panel receiving face of the frame and core to form a door assembly; applying a pre-pressure to the assembly for at least four seconds to indent the core to engage the panel projections and loosely adhere the front and back panels to a front panel receiving faces of the frame and core and the back panel receiving faces of the frame and core respectively; stacking a plurality of door assemblies on a support; transferring the stack to a press; applying a pressure to the stack for a period of at least 25 minutes to firmly adhere the front and back panels to the frame and core; removing the door assemblies from the press; and trimming the finished panel door thus formed.

2. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein glue is applied to the front and back faces of the core separately from the frame before inserting the core into the frame, preferably the front panel is placed on an assembly table, the front panel receiving face of the frame is applied to the inside face of the front panel, the core is inserted into the frame on the assembly table and the rear panel is applied to the rear panel receiving face of the frame and core on the assembly table, preferably the door assembly is drawn from the assembly table between a pair of facing pre-press members, one of which is movable relative to the other to apply pre-pressure to the assembly, preferably the door assembly is prepressed at a pressure of from 3 to 5 bars for a period of four to ten seconds,

3. A method as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the frame with glue applied to the panel receiving faces is drawn from the glueing machine by a driven conveyor comprising at least two transversely spaced-apart longitudinally extending ropes which engage with and draw the frame from the glueing machine to an assembly table, preferably the ropes are retained in a moist condition for engaging the door frame by drawing the ropes through a water bath, preferably the frame members are assembled on a frame assembly table and adjacent frame members are attached by simultaneously inserting staples between the adjacent frame members, preferably the door assemblies are stacked on a support provided with a scissors lift which is operated to lower the support to a working height as the assemblies are stacked on the support, preferably after stacking, the support with the stack of door assemblies is delivered along a conveyor to the press for applying pressure to the stack, preferably after pressing, the glue is allowed to set for a period of at least twelve hours before trimming, preferably the crushable core is of an expandable structural honeycomb of corrugated paperboard material which is expanded to substantially fill the frame, preferably the receiving members which are frame members. frame includes attached to the lock side 4. A. method as claimed in any preceding claim including the steps of hanging the assembled door in a door jamb frame, preferably the method includes the steps of applying a lockset to a door and jamb frame, and applying hinges to the door and jamb frame to hang the door on the jamb frame.

4.

5. A wooden frame panel door or a hanging door and jamb assembly whenever manufactured by a method as claimed in any preceding claim.