US3166164A

US3166164A - Door frame and brace therefor

Info

Publication number: US3166164A
Application number: US254165A
Authority: US
Inventors: Daniels Walter
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1963-01-28
Filing date: 1963-01-28
Publication date: 1965-01-19
Anticipated expiration: 1982-01-19

Description

Jan. 19, 1965 w. DANIELS DOOR FRAME AND BRACE THEREFOR Filed Jan. 28, 1963 United States Patent M 3,166,164 DOOR AND BRACE THEREFOR Walter Daniels, 7610 N. Eastlake Terrace, Chicago, Ill.

Filed Jan. 28, 1963, Ser. No. 254,165

3 Claims. (Cl. 189-46) This invention relates to rigidifying means and, more particularly, to a rigidifying device for use with a metal door frame.

Commonly today metal door frames are fabricated in a shop and then transported to the construction site for installation in a building. Often the frames are twisted in shipment or are bent due to rough handling at the construction site. Another problem with existing door frames is that they tend to twist and warp outof-plumb as masonry is set in place adjacent to the door frame. Such damage to the door frame results in an improper fit between the door and the door frame when the door is installed in the door frame.

An object of the present'invention is to overcome the disadvantages of prior constructions by providing a door frame with a rigidifying device for preventing the door frame from twisting or warping during transport and handling prior to installation at thejob site.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a door frame with a rigidifying device for preventing twisting, warping or other movement of the door frame out-of-plumb during the operation of setting masonry adjacent to the door frame.

A further object of this invention is to provide a door frame with a rigidifying device to insure that the door frame will be of a size and shape to fit the door intended for the opening in the frame with precision.

The specific details of the invention and their mode of functioning will be made manifest and particularly pointed out in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, wherein: 1

FIGURE 1 is an elevation view illustrating a door frame and a rigidifying device secured in position with respect to the door frame for bracing the door frame against twisting;

FIGURE 2 is a detail view illustrating the connection of a corner of the rigidifying device to the door frame; and 6 FIGURE 3 is a cross-sectional view taken generally along the line 33 of FIGURE 1 v Referring now to FIGURE" 1, there is illustrated the construction of the door frame and rigidifying device of the present invention. At the construction site, the generally rectangular door frame 10 is adapted to be suitably supported in the desired position. The masonry wall 12 surrounds and is adapted to abut the door frame 10 on the three sides thereof. The'bottom of the frame 10 abuts the floor.

The door frame is preferably constructed of pressed steel members integrally connected and comprises

sides

14, 15, a top member 16 and bottom member or frame separator 17. The sides and top are made from channel-like pieces of steel and are suitably connected at the corners, as by welding. The bottom 17 is preferably a generally planar member suitably connected to the lower ends of the

sides

14 and 15, as forexample, by welding. The door stop or flange 20 extends inwardly from the sides and top of the door frame 14 and is integrally formed therewith.

Means are provided for preventing the twisting, warping or movement out-of-plumb of the door frame during the operation of setting masonry adjacent to the frame 10. The rigidifying device or brace 22 of the present invention is adapted to be readily positioned in the door frame and is detachably connected thereto. The rigidify- 3,166,164 Patented Jan. 19, I965 ing device 22 preferably comprises a generally planar elongated member which includes a pair of sides 23 and 24 intersecting at a right angle with one another. The sides 23 and 24 of the member 22, which sides are preferably planar and at right angles to the front and rear faces of member 22, engage the door frame substantially along the entire length of the sides 23 and 24. A presently preferred relatively inexpensive material from which the member 22 is made is plywood, though it will be apparent that other materials, as for example, plastic can be utilized.

As the rigidfying device is preferably made from wood to minimize cost, it is desirable to provide the corners of the rigidifying device with metal end guards or brackets to'promote the wearability and thus the life of the rigidifying deivce. Metal end guards 26 are affixed to v the planar member 22 adjacent opposed corners 27 and Considering now FIGURE), there is illustrated on an enlarged scale the details or a connection of a corner of the rigidifying device 22-to the door frame 14. .Suitable fastening means, as for example, rivets :30 'arelpro: videdto connect the end guards-2616 the'corners 27, 28, respectively, of the rigidifying-device'or. brace 22. Fas tening means or screw 29 extends through a guide hole in the end guard and corner of the brace 22 and engages the door stop 20 to secure a corner of the brace 22 to the door frame 10.

In FIGURE 3, there is illustrated a detail view, on an enlarged scale, of the connection of the corner 27 of brace 22 to the side 14 of the metal frame 10, such view being taken generally along line 3-3 of FIGURE 1. Extending throughthe end guard 26 and the corner 28 of the rigidifying device is a guide hole 32, which is predrilled at an angle through the end guard and corner. The guide hole accommodates the screw 29 and directs the screw through the brace 22 at an angle into theopening 31 provided in the door stop 20 of the metal frame 10.

As seen in FIGURE 3, side 14 of doorframe 10 is'of a generally channel-like configuration and door stop 20 is formed integrally therewith. Side 15 and top 16 are of similar construction to side 14. The brace 22 is adapted to be inserted in position such that the back surface thereof engages the door stop 20 as indicated generally at 33 and a side 23 thereof engages against the inwardly facing surface of the side 14. It is intended that the brace 22 engage at least two adjacent corners of the door frame and further that the brace 22 engage the door frame substantially along the length of the sides 23 and 24 thereof. In this manner, the door frame is braced so as to prevent its twisting, warping or otherwise becoming out-of-plumb during the operation of setting masonry adjacent to the frame.

By the present invention, there has been provided a relatively inexpensive rigidifying device for insuring the building trade that the door frame will be of a size and shape to fit the door intended for the opening. After the masonry is set in place about the door frame, the screws 29 may be removed and the rigidifying device can be disassembled from the door frame. The door can then be installed in the door frame with certainty that the opening will be of the size and shape intended. It is apparent that the rigidifying device may be affixed to the door frame after assembly of the door frame so as to prevent twisting of the door frame during transport and at the job site prior to installation.

The above disclosure has been given by way'of illus-' tration and elucidation, and not by way of limitation,

3 and it is desiredto protect all embodiments of the herein disclosed inventive concept within the scope of the appended lclaims. a

.Iclaim: p p 1. In, a'rectangularddor frame installation. of the'type including a rectangular metal door frame having peripheral side's and an inwardly extending door stop on at least two s'ide's thereofand presenting stop surfaces lying in aplane transverse to the peripheral sides, a rigidifying device for bracin'g said'doorframe 'to prevent said door frame from twisting ou t-of-plumb during the operation of setting masonry adjacent therietmsaid rigidifying device comprising a generally planar elongated member adapted to lie in the plane of the door, said elongated member engaging the said stop surfaces of said door stop and providing a pair of edges intersecting at right angles and defining a first corner which engages a corner of the door frame, said edges engaging peripheral sides of the door frame substantially along the length of said edges, said edges terminating in'second and third corners, respectively, at least one of said corners engaging a corner adjacent the first corner of the door frame, and fastening means for detachably connecting said rigidifying device in position in said door frame.

2. A rigidifying device as in clai'm 1, including a pair of metal end guards affixed to said'elongated member adjacent said second and third corners, each-of said metal end guards having at least one guide hole defined therein, and guide holes defined in saidvcorners of said elongated member in alignment with said guide holes "in said end guards, said guide holes in'said end guards and in said elongated member cooperating to guide said fastening means into said door frame.

.3. In a rectangular door frame installation of the type including a rectangular metal door frame having peripheral sides and an inwardly extending door stop at the sides and top thereof saidsdoor stop presenting stop surfaces lying in a plane transverse to the peripheral sides of the a door frame, rigidifying means for bracing said door frame to prevent same from twisting or Warping out-ofplumb, said rigidif ying' means comprising a generally planar elongated member having a pair of edges intersecting at right angles and defining a first corner which engages a corner of the door frame, saidedges engaging sides of the doonframe substantially along the length of said edges, said edges-terminating in'second and third corners, respectively, at least one of said corners engaging a' corner of the door frame adjacent the first corner,

- of the door frame, said second and third corners each having guide holes defined therein and fastening means Referenc'es'Cited in the fileof this patent FOREIGN PATENTS 243,4q4 Switzerland May 15,1947 128,696 Australia Aug. 10, 1948 932,159 Germany Aug. 25, 1955

Claims

1. IN A RECTANGULAR DOOR FRAME INSTALLATION OF THE TYPE INCLUDING A RECTANGULAR METAL DOOR FRAME HAVING PERIPHERAL SIDES AND AN INWARDLY EXTENDING DOOR STOP ON AT LEAST TWO SIDES THEREOF AND PRESENTING STOP SURFACES LYING IN A PLANE TRANSVERSE TO THE PERIPHERAL SIDES, A RIGIDFYING DEVICE FOR BRACING SAID DOOR FRAME TO PREVENT SAID DOOR FRAME FROM TWISTING OUT-OF-PLUMB DURING THE OPERATION OF SETTING MASONRY ADJACENT THERETO, SAID RIGIDIFYING DEVICE COMPRISING A GENERALLY PLANAR ELONGATED MEMBER ADAPTED TO LIE IN THE PLANE OF THE DOOR, SAID ELONGATED MEMBER ENGAGING THE SAID STOP SURFACES OF SAID DOOR STOP AND PROVIDING A PAIR OF EDGES INTERSECTING AT RIGHT ANGLES AND DEFINING A FIRST CORNER WHICH ENGAGES A CORNER OF THE DOOR FRAME, SAID EDGES ENGAGING PERIPHERAL SIDES OF THE