US3007559A

US3007559A - Adjustable metal doorframe and method for installing same

Info

Publication number: US3007559A
Application number: US832115A
Authority: US
Inventors: Goldberg Ralph
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1959-08-06
Filing date: 1959-08-06
Publication date: 1961-11-07
Anticipated expiration: 1978-11-07

Description

Nov. 7, 1961 R. GOLDBERG 3,007,559

ADJUSTABLE METAL DOORFRAME AND METHOD FOR INSTALLING SAME Filed Aug. 6, 1959 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 i v I INVENTOR.

RALPH GOLDBERG ATTORNEYS Nov. 7, 1961 R. G-OLDBERG 3,007,559

ADJUSTABLE METAL DOORFRAME AND METHOD FOR INSTALLING SAME Filed Aug. 6, 1959 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 l P 76 /8 INVENTOR.

52 z .24 Rm. PH 601.0 BIS/P6 1 BY H6 ATTORNEYS Nov. 7, 1961 I R. GOLDBERG ADJUSTABLE METAL DOORFRAME AND METHOD FOR INSTALLING SAME Filed Aug. 6, 1959 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR. 84L PH GOLDBERG flTTORNEYS United States Patent This invention relates to metal doorframes together with the improved methods for installing and adjusting same.

3,007,559 Patented Nov. 7, 1961 element on the strike-side of the door opening which function to maintain said jamb element in adjusted position. Finally, the method used to install the instant frame is considerably simplified, faster and produces a better aligned assembly than the methods used with ice - other frames.

One of the major problems encountered in the installa tion of both wooden and metal doorframes is the proper alignment thereof so that when the door is hung therein it will fit, swing and close properly. The rough door bucks and header to which the finished frame is attached are seldom installed true or properly spaced thus necessitating the use of several shims and perhaps even planing portions thereof: Also, it isnot at all uncommon to find that the 2 x 4s used to frame the rough door opening are warped or otherwise deformed which again requires that the carpenter go through the rather laborious and time-consuming procedure of correcting these deficiencies.

Proper alignment of metal doorframes sometimes involves'additional problems such as the insertion of the shims behind the customarily channel-shaped frame elements. In addition, adequate structural rigidity also becomes a problem especially if any appreciable space must be left between the frame elements and rough buck.

Several prior art attempts to simplify the job of installing metal door-frames have met with only limited acceptance by the building trades. One of the most successful, however, involves the use of adjustable lugs on the hidden surfaces of one or more of the frame elements. These lugs usually have screws operatively attached thereto and accessible on the exposed surfaces which, when actuated, function to engage the buck and either increase or decrease the spacing between it and the frame element.- Unfortunately, however, although the aforementioned assembly constitutes a considerable advance over the use of shims, it still possesses certain deficiencies which limit its utility for the purpose intended. Y

First of all, one of the most successful prior art structures of this type has both ends of the header mitted to receive the jamb elements for slidable movement relative thereto in the direction of their lengths and an adjustment lug of the type aforementioned positioned at the upper end of the jamb element that forms the strike-side of the frame. Such an assembly, of course, provides for no adjustment in the Width of the finished door opening if the jamb elements of the frame are fitted tightly into the mitred ends of the header. The only other alternative is to Widen the door opening to the desired width by opening a gap between the header and jamb element on the strike-side of the frame which is most unsightly and also materially reduces the structural rigidity of the frame.

It is, therefore, the principal object of the present invention to provide a novel and improved metal doorfirame.

A second objective of the invention of the class described is the provision of a faster and greatly simplified method for installing the frame.

Another object is to provide a metal doorframe assem bly that is adjustable to vary the width of the finished door opening irrespective of the Warped or otherwise deformed condition of the rough bucks, and yet, does not require the use of shims.

Still another object of the instant invention is the provision of a metal doorframe assembly that is structually rigid and contains no gaps at the corners formed by the jambs and header.

. An additional objective is toprovide a door casing that includes means on eachelement thereof adapted to maintain same in a fixed position following adjustment thereof.

Further objects of the invention claimed herein are the provision of a. metal door casing that is inexpensive, lightweight, rugged, decorative in appearance and adaptable for use withnearly all styles and sizes of doors.

Other objectives will be in pant apparent and in part pointed out specifically hereinafter in connection with the description of the drawings that follows, and in which:

FIGURE 1 is a front elevation illustrating the metal doorframe of the present invention in longitudinal section and attached to the door bucks forming the door opening, certain portions of the bucks having been broken away and shown in sections;

- FIGURE 2 is a transverse section to an enlarged scale taken-along line 2-2 of FIGURE 1 showing the mannerin which the jamb element on the hinge-side of the frame is attached to the door bucks;

- FIGURE 3 is an. edge elevation to an enlarged scale illustrating the construction by which the upper end .of the hinge-side jamb element is attached to the wooden headerthat has been shown in section;

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged fragmentary front elevation showing the nailing tabs at the lower end of both jamb elements;

FIGURE. 5 is a URE 4;

FIGURE 6 is a section taken along line 6--6 of FIG- URE 1, but to an enlarged scale, showing the adjustment section taken along line 5-5 of FIG- screw located within the strike plate recess of the strike- Furthermore, the header has no adjustment lugs and is The instant metal doorirame assembly, on the other I hand, eliminates the aforementioned problems while providing for substantial adjustment in the width of the finished door opening. Secondly, adjustable lugs located adjacent the ends of the header are used to tighten this element of the frame down tightly against the mitred upper ends of the jamb elements thus producing a rigid structural assembly with no gaps at the corners. In addition, the frame of the present invention includes a co- 7 operating screw and adjustable lug assembly in the jamb side jamb element;

FIGURE 7 is a fragmentary section taken along line 77 of FIGURE 6;

FIGURE 8 is an enlarged longitudinal section illustrating the mitred corner joint between the jambs and header and one of the adjustment lugs mounted inside the header; and

FIGURE 9 is a transverse section taken along line 9-9 of FIGURE 8.

Referring now to the drawings, and in particular to FIGURE 1 thereof, it will be seen that the improved metal door frame or casing of the present invention, which has been indicated in a general way by numeral 10, comprises a hinge-side 'jam'b element 12, a strike-side jamb element 14 and a header 16 interconnecting the jambs. In accordance with conventional practice, the rough door opening is formed by 2 x 4 bucks 18 arranged in back-to-back relation along each side and a double 2 x 4 header 20 interconnecting the pairs of bucks at the upper ends thereof. Of course, an attempt 'is made to frame the rough door opening such that both finished jamb elements will be vertical and spaced apart the width of the door plus about an Ma inch gap along each edge when the door is hung therebetween. And fortunately, however, shrinkage and warping of the wooden framing along with a certain amount of error customarily experienced in installing the wooden framing, most of the time requires that certain adjustments be made in setting the finished frame. In fact, it is not at all uncommon to find that the rough frame is intentionally installed slightly oversize and shimmed to properly align the finished frame because of the considerable difficulty experienced in enlarging an opening that is too small.

Now, as will become more apparent in connection with the remaining figures of the drawing, each of the

elements

12, 14 and 16 of the finished frame is substantially channel-shaped and adapted to receive the wooden bucks and header of the rough door opening along with the wall panels 22 or other finished wall surface; however, the specific cross section of these elements is of no significance to the present invention and many other shapes and styles are equally adaptable for use with the adjustment features soon to be described. For a more complete understanding of the invention to which this patent relates, it would, perhaps, be helpful to outline briefly some of the more significant structural features of the frame elements' illustrated herein although they are to be found on nearly any metal doorframe. The basic cross section is shown most clearly in FIGURE and will be seen to comprise a web 24 having a more 'or less centrally located door stop rib 26 projecting into the door opening therefrom. The side margins of the web 24 having flanges 28 depending therefrom which extend in the opposite direction from the rib but define a channel with said web sized to receive the wooden frame elements and finished wall panels or underlayrnent therefor. The inturned rear margins 30 of the flanges return to the wall surface and rest tightly against same to hold the frame elements in place.

The hinge-side frame element differs from that just described insofar as basic cross section is concerned only reason of the inclusion of hinge-recesses or mortised portions 32 adapted to receive the hinge butts 34 as best seen in FIGURES 1 and 2. The strike-side frame element, on the other hand, has no hinge recesses but, as shown in FIGURES 1, 6 and 7 is provided with a strikeplate recess 36 located intermediate the ends thereof. Header 16 follows the aforementioned cross section throughout its entire length as can be seen in FIGURES 1 and 3.

Now, to proceed with the description of the novel aspects of the metal doorframe of the present invention along with the method of installing same, reference will be made to FIGURES l, 2, 3 and 8 wherein it will be seen that the header 16 is first slipped in place over wooden elements 20 with the adjusting lugs 38 located adjacent opposite ends thereof in the retracted position indicated by full lines. The inturned margins 30 to the flanges 28 on header 16 frictionally engage the Wooden header and hold the former in place. Secondly, blocks 40 are nailed to the face of the wooden buck 18 on the hinge-side of the door opening in position behind the hinge-recesses 32 of hinge-side frame element 12. These blocks, of course, receive the screws 42 that are used to fasten the hinge butts 34 in place. Next, the hinge-side frame element 12 is slipped into place over the blocks 40 and wooden bucks 18; whereupon, it is leveled, aligned and permanently fastened in place by toenailing the upper end thereof to the wooden header 20 (FIGURE 3) through nail holes 44 provided in the forwardly extendin'g tab-like edges 46 depending from the inside margins of inturned portions 30, and through nailing brackets 48 located at the lower end thereof which are identical to those in FIGURES 4 and 5 on the bottom of the strike- Side fra e e ement 14.- Note in this o n ct n that the upper ends of the

jamb elements

12 and 14 are cut-out or mitred, as shown in FIGURES 3 and 8, to receive the header; therefore, with the header lugs 38 retracted, there is no problem in slipping either jamb element in place. The prior art alignable metal doorframes, on the other hand, mitered the ends of the header to receive the jamb element which is much less versatile in that it only allows the height of the door to be adjusted which is of little or no practical significance.

Once the hinge-side jamb element 12 has been aligned and set as aforemention, one leaf of the hinge butts 34 can be mounted on the frame or, if desired, this can be deferred until such time as the strike-side jamb element has been placed in temporary position. At any rate, whenever these hinge leaves are installed, they are merely placed in the recesses 32 provided in jamb element 12 and screwed into the wooden bucks 18 through blocks 40.

Following installation of hinge-side jamb element 12, the strike side jamb element 14 is slipped in place over the wooden bucks, adjusted and fastened thereto in a manner that can best be described in connection with FIGURES 1, 4-7 and 9. Here again, the mitred upper end of the strike-side frame element easily slips over the header with the lugs thereof retracted.

When the strike-side jamb element is slipped over the wooden bucks, adjusting lug 50 located intermediate the ends thereof is preferably in fully retracted position as shown in FIGURE 1. Then, the door is hung on the hinge-side jamb element in the customary manner and approximately a one-eighth inch shim is inserted between the door-receiving face 52 on the flange 24 of the strikeside jamb element and the mating edge of the door. Thereafter, the strike-side jamb element is backed off the wooden bucks until it engages the shim; whereupon, it is nailed in place top and bottom through the holes 44 and brackets 48 provided for this purpose. The final steps in adjusting the strike-side jamb element are to extend adjustment lug 50 until it engages the wooden buck, which, of course, prevents the central portion of said element from bowing away from the adjacent edge of the door and increasing the gap therebetween, and to turn screw 54 located inside the strike plate recess into the wooden buck to eliminate any possibility that the door would bind in the frame as would be the case if the central section of the strike-side jamb element pulled away from the wooden bucks. Also, the aforementioned lug 52 and screw 54 cooperate to enable the medial portion of the strike-side jamb element to be intentionally bowed in or out to conform with irregularities in the mating edge of the door should this be required.

The last step in setting the frame is shown in FIG- URES 1, 3 and 8-, and comprises merely lowering the header element 16 into the mitred upper ends of the jamb elements by extending the adjustment lugs 38 on opposite ends thereof. When the lugs 38 are extended until they engage the wooden header 20 and force the metal header element 16 tightly against the upper ends of the jamb elements, the entire metal frame assembly is held tightly and securely in place against movement in any direction due to the interlocking connection between the elements thereof at the corners which is most evident from an examination of FIGURE 3.

Now, reference will be made to FIGURES 8 and 9 for a detailed description of adjusting

lugs

38 and 50 which are identical. Strap brackets 56 are welded or .otherwise attached in position to extend laterally across opposite ends of the header element 16 and approximately the center of strike-side jamb element 14. Each of these brackets is preferably provided with an offset portion 58 extending into the door-stop ribs 26 which, at this point, is countersunk as at 60 to receive the head of screw 62 The shank of screw 62 adjacent the head thereof is provided with an annular groove or section of reduced m t r 64 d pt d to fit in o a no ch 6 provided in the edge of the offset portion 58 of bracket 56. The foot 68 is of the adjustment lugs 38 and 50, in the particular form shown, is generally M-shaped and has the middle section thereof threadedly attached to the shank of screw 62. Thus, by turning screw 62 in one direction the foot is extended thereon into engagement with the wooden framing and, when rotated in the opposite direction, is retracted.

Finally, the strike-plate recess 36 shown in FIGURES 6 and 7 is of conventional design except for the inclusion of an opening 70 in the bottom thereof adapted to receive and substantially hide screw 54 which is preferably reinforced by a washer 72. Otherwise, the strike-plate recess is formed by a generally cup-shaped element 74 having flanges 76 thereon that overlie a mortised portion '78 on the door-receiving face of the strike-side jamb element and a coverplate 80 therefor.

Having thus described the several useful and novel features of the metal doorframe of the present invention along with the improved method of installing same, it will be apparent that the many worthwhile objectives for which it was designed have been achieved. I realize, however, that while only a single specific embodiment of the invention has been illustrated and described in connection with the accompanying drawings, that certain changes and modifications therein may well occur to those skilled in the art within the broad teaching hereof; hence, it is my intention that the scope of protection afforded hereby shall be limited only insofar as said limitations are expressly set forth in the appended claims that follow.

What is claimed is:

1. An adjustable metal doorframe comprising, a header element, a strike-side jamb element and a hinge-side jamb element each having a substantially identical generally channel-shaped cross section which includes a web with a pair of flanges depending from the opposite side margins thereof in position to lap the wooden frame elements forming a door opening, the upper ends of the jamb elements being mortised to receive and receive the ends of the header by selective adjustable movement thereof in the direction of the length of said jamb ele-v ments when positioned within a door opening, and means located on the inside of the webs of the header element and strike-side jamb element for adjusting same relative to one another and relative to the hinge-side jamb element, said means including extendable lugs mounted adjacent each end of the header and intermediate the ends of the strike-side jamb element for relative movement toward and away from the webs thereof, said extendable lugs of the header being adapted to move the header into engagement with the jarnbs and hold same in assembled relation wherein the means for adjusting the strikeside jamb element relative to the header and hinge-side jamb element includes a screw passing through the Web adjacent the extendable lug carried thereby, said screw being of a length adapted to enter a wooden frame element upon which the hinge-side jamb element is mounted and hold the extendable lug in engagement therewith.

2. The adjustable metal doorframe as set forth in claim 1 in which, the strike-side jamb element includes a strike plate positioned intermediate the ends thereof having a cup-like depression extending into the channel and adapted to receive the door latch, and in which the screw passing through the web is located in the bottom of the cup-like depression in the strike plate.

Zahner et al. Nov. 16, 1926 Evans May 27, 1958