US3478478A

US3478478A - Snap-on plastic cover

Info

Publication number: US3478478A
Application number: US745244A
Authority: US
Inventors: Donald F Luebs
Original assignee: US Plywood Champion Papers Inc
Current assignee: US PLYWOOD Corp A CORP OF; US Plywood Champion Papers Inc; Siemens Dematic Postal Automation LP
Priority date: 1968-07-16
Filing date: 1968-07-16
Publication date: 1969-11-18
Anticipated expiration: 1986-11-18

Description

Nov. 18, 1969 D. F. LUEBS 3,473,473

SNAP-0N PLASTIC COVER Filed July 16. 1968 FIG. I.

u II

. INVENTOR DONALD F. LUEBS BY & E E z A ATTORNEY.

3,478,478 SNAP-N PLASTIC COVER Donald F. Luebs, Carmel, N.Y., assignor to US. Plywood- Champion Papers, Inc., a corporation of New York Filed July 16, 1968, Ser. No. 745,244 Int. Cl. E06b 1/32, 3/02 US. Cl. 52-309 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE An improved manufacture and system which comprises an elongated wooden base door or window glazing bead of a particular geometric configuration in combination with a snap-on plastic cover of a configuration adapted to mate with the wooden bead.

The present invention is concerned with an improved manufacture which, in essence, comprises a base wooden glazing bead adapted to be affixed to a supporting structure such as a standard door so as to aflix in place an element such as a glass panel or louver in the door. While doors are mentioned throughout for the purpose of description, it is to be understood that this term encompasses any opening in any structure including double-hung windows, picture windows, pasthrough openings, any opening with or without a closure which is designed to have a finished aesthetic appearance. Included are furniture and automobile doors and windows. In combination with the base bead, a plastic snap-on cover is provided which is designed so as to enable the erector to snap on the cover and thus produce a very pleasing appearance of the bead assembly in very short construction time. The base bead is of a particular, unique, geometrical configuration so that the lastic cover may be readily and securely positioned about the bead. Additionally, the color of the plastic United States Patent 0 cover molding may match, or be distinctive from, the

door surface or color of the rest of the door.

The manufacture of the present invention may be readily understood by reference to the drawings illustrating an embodiment of the same.

FIGURE 1 illustrates the base bead and snap-on cover in use positioning a glazing such as glass in a standard door.

FIGURE 2 is an end view of the base bead showing the configuration and illustrating one preferred set of dimensions. 7

FIGURE 3 is an end view of the flexible snap-on cover again setting forth preferred dimensions that may be used in combination with the dimensions specifically set forth in FIGURE 2.

FIGURE 4 is a frontal view of the entire door.

Referring specifically to FIGURE 1, glazing is shown positioned in door 20 secured by identical base beads 10 and 10' which are affixed to door 20 by fasteners 11 and 11'. Snap-on covers and 40' are shown positioned about base beads 10 and 10' which latter beads are suitably attached to door 20. (See also FIGURE 4.)

Referring to FIGURE 2, base bead element 10 comprises an elongated wood element. This base element has a first, or bottom, side 1 and a second, or back, side 2 which second side is perpendicular to the first side 1. The bead has a third or front side 3 and a fourth or top side 4. Top side 4 pitches upwardly from front side 3 to the back or rear side 2. Thus the height of top side 4 above bottom side 1 closest to second side 2 is greater than its ice height adjacent third side 3. Wood bead 10 may be made of any suitable lumber such as inexpensive pine and the like. Base side 1 of the bead is aflixed by suitable means adjacent the door and the back side 2 is adjacent the material, such as glass, which is secured thereby. The base bead 10 is further characterized by having a first elongated, rectangular indentation 5 which runs lengthwise and is intermediate back side 2 and top side 4. The bead is further characterized by having a second rectangular indentation between front side 3 and bottom side 1.

Referring specifically to FIGURE 3, plastic snap-on cover 40 is characterized by having a flat surface 41 adapted to be positioned along the top surface 4 of wood bed 10. Plastic cover 40 is further characterized by having an inwardly extending hook 42 projecting downwardly from surface 41 at one edge thereof, and a curved projection 43 extending downwardly and inwardly from the other side of surface 41. The respective dimensions are such that hook 42 will seat in first indentation 5 of bead 10 and the curved projection 43,015 40 will project around the front side 3 of head 10 and securely seat in the second indentation 6, while being held in intimate contact with the edge of the cutout in the door. The hook 42 by projecting inwardly insures intimate contact with glass 30 at the uppermost point.

As pointed out heretofore, the bead or base may be of any suitable material, such as plastic, metal, fiberboard, hardwood, etc., but is preferably an inexpensive wood, while the snap-on cover is a plastic cover and may be of any desirable color. The plastic may be of any suitable material but must be sufiiciently flexible to permit snap-on installation, while being sufliciently stiff to insure that it will remain securely in place.

The flexible plastic cover is designed to snap firmly over the visible surface of the wood bead thus presenting a finished, aesthetic surface and, at the same time, completely concealing the fasteners, such as nails, used to anchor the wood beads. It is to be noted that the design of the plastic cover at the round edge in conjunction with the void left behind at this point by the wood beads, permits the cover to act as a spring uncoiling element as it is snapped in place. This results in a clamping action which firmly attaches the cover to the base bead. In actual application a stock length of the cover is snapped over a stock length of bead. The assembly is miter-cut in a normal manner to fit the opening being glazed. The cover is removed from each precut assembly and the glass installed with the wood beads by nailing in the normal manner. The plastic covers are then snapped over their wood counterparts to complete the installation. Reglazing or replacing broken glass is accomplished in a normal manner by prying oif the bead assembly and then replacing as in the above sequence.

It is to be noted that no special treatment is required at the corners. If miter-cuts are smooth and accurate as they normally are, a simple butting results in a tight, clean appearance at the corner. It also is to be noted that the plastic cover is designed to protrude slightly beyond the face plane of the door. This affords protection from edge peeling and tearing of film finishes. It also permits the system to be used without modification with the several thicknesses of glass normally used, since there is no Specific reference point to control the extent of protrusion.

One preferred method of installation is as follows: The curved projection 43 of the plastic cover 40 is inserted into groove 6 of the wood bead 10 which has been previously fastened in place on the door 20'. The plastic cover is then rotated forward until hook 42 rests against top surface 4 of the wood bead, after which hand pressure is applied to the plastic cover in a forward and downward rolling motion until hook 42 snaps into engagement with groove 5. Hook 42 tapers toward the end which facilitates engagement. Also, as previously noted, by having hook inclined inwardly to a slight degree, intimate contact with the glazing is attained at the up ermost point. It is also to be noted that most of the clearances provided on the plastic cover where it encloses the wood bead, are some what undersize as compared with the Wood bead itself. This results in holding the cover in tension over the wood bead and thus insures firm attachment. Furthermore, the lower position of curved end 43 of the cover is designed to project slightly below bottom surface 1 of the wood bead so as to be held in intimate contact with the edge of the cut-out in the door.

Obviously my cover may be applied to room moldings, such as, base, ceiling, cap, Wainscot, stool, casing, batten, mullion, and corner moldings.

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows:

1. Assembly adapted to secure a first element to a second element which consists of a base bead of a predetermined length, said base bead characterized by having; a base side securely affixed to said second element by means of fasteners; a rear side adapted to be positioned along said first element; a front side; a top side; a first indentation extending along said predetermined length between said rear side and said top side; a second indentation extending along said predetermined length between said base side and said front side, in combination with a plastic element having said predetermined length, said plastic element having at one edge thereof a downwardly and inwardly extending projection seated in said first indentation, and having at the other edge thereof a curved downwardly extending projection seated in said second indentation.

2. Assembly as defined by claim 1 wherein said first element is glass and said second element is a door.

3. Assembly as defined by claim 1 wherein said top side projects upwardly from said front side to said rear side.

4. Assembly as defined by claim 1 wherein said indentations are rectangular indentations.

5. A structure comprising in combination a first element having secured thereto a second element said second element being secured to said first element by means of a base bead of a predetermined length characterized by having; a base side securely aflixed to said first element by means of fasteners; a rear side adapted to be positioned along said second element; a front side; a top .4 side; a first indentation extending along said predetermined length and positioned between said rear side and said top side; a second indentation extending along said predetermined length and positioned between said base side and said front side; and a snap-0n plastic cover having said predetermined length and having at one edge thereof a downwardly and inwardly extending projection seated in said first indentation and having at the other edge thereof a curved, downwardly extending projection seated in said second indentation.

6. Assembly as defined by claim 5 wherein said first element comprises a door and wherein said second element comprises a glazed element.

7. A structure as defined by claim 6 wherein said curved projection overextends the face plane of said door.

8. Assembly as defined by claim 5 wherein said indentations comprise rectangular indentations:

9. A structure as set forth in claim 7 wherein the ends of said projections of said snapon plastic cover are bent toward each other, the end of one projection extending at approximately a angle to the body of said cover, and the other projection curved to form substantially a semicircular arc of over and the thickness of said cover throughout its entire length and width is in the range of .0312".

10. A structure as set forth in claim 9 wherein the first named projection is approximately 7 long, and the second named projection has a diameter of approximately %2".

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,153,350 9/1915 Smith 52-498 X 1,576,411 3/1926 Creamer 52-716 1,815,696 7/1931 Ball 52-211 2,042,246 5/1936 Bailey 52-455 X 2,837,784 6/1958 Jannette 52-400 2,851,742 9/1958 Johnston 52-211 3,082,490 3/1963 Loucks 52-624 X 3,130,455 4/1964 Borlenghi 52-211 X FOREIGN PATENTS 943,963 12/1963 Great Britain.

ALFRED C. PERHAM, Primary Examiner US. Cl. X.R.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No. 3,478,478 November 18, 1969 Donald F Luebs It is certified that error appears in the above identified patent and that said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

In the heading to the printed specification, lines 3 and 4, "assignor to U. S. Plywood-Champion Papers, Inc., should read assignor to U. S. Plywood-Champion Papers Inc.

Signed and sealed this 14th day of April 1970.

(SEAL) Attest:

Edward M. Fletcher, Jr. E. J

Attesting Officer Commissioner of Patents