US3820298A

US3820298A - Manufacture of frames

Info

Publication number: US3820298A
Application number: US00268880A
Authority: US
Inventors: B Kirsch
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1972-07-03
Filing date: 1972-07-03
Publication date: 1974-06-28
Anticipated expiration: 1991-06-28

Abstract

A frame especially suitable for panes of glass is a hollow channel which is reinforced, either by a rib projecting from the channel web a distance less than half of the height of the channel walls or by a plurality of spaced transverse partitions connecting the sidewalls and forming cavities. Bores through the partitions provided an interior passage for a continuous reinforcing strip. Bores through the perimetrically inner sidewall receive clamps or setscrews adjustable from the cavity and engageable with the glass pane. A cover having resilient strips snap-engageable in the cavities closes the hollow channel. The frame may be made of straight channel sections connected at abutting mitered corners by a bent or curved hollow member spanning the corner joint. Hardened adhesive embeds the connecting member in the channel.

Description

United States Patent [191 Kirsch June 28, 1974 1 MANUFACTURE OF FRAMES [76] Inventor: Bernhard Kirsch, Biewere Str. 193,

55 Trier-Biewer, Germany [22] Filed: July 3, 1972 [21] Appl. No.: 268,880

[52] US. Cl 52/475, 52/494, 52/656, 52/758 H, 40/156 [51] Int. Cl. G09f l/l2 [58] Field of Search 52/656, 475, 476, 498, 52/501, 627, 731, 227; 40/156; 287/189.36 H

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 984,384 2/1911 McElaney et al 52/501 X 2,581,843 1/1952 Edwards 40/156 X 2,599,811 6/1952 Clerk 52/585 X 3,070,914 1/1963 Henderson et a1 40/156 3,189,136 6/1965 Stickney 287/l89.36 H 3,242,627 3/1966 3,253,847 5/1966 3,321,223 5/1967 3,491,485 1/1970 3,698,150 10/1972 FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 1,188,837 4/1970 Great Britain 52/475 Primary Eraminer-Henry C. Sutherland Assistant Etaminer-Carl D. Friedman Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Robert W. Beach; Ms. R. M. Van Winkle 1 ABSTRACT A frame especially suitable for panes of glass is a hollow channel which is reinforced, either by a rib projecting from the channel web a distance less than half of the height of the channel walls or by a plurality of spaced transverse partitions connecting the sidewalls and forming cavities. Bores through the partitions provided an interior passage for a continuous reinforcing strip. Bores through the perimetrically inner sidewall receive clamps or setscrews adjustable from the cavity and engageable with the glass pane. A cover having resilient strips snap-engageable in the cavities closes the hollow channel. The frame may be made of straight channel sections connected at abutting mitered corners by a bent or curved hollow member spanning the corner joint. Hardened adhesive embeds the connecting member in the channel.

2 Claims, 8 Drawing Figures PATENTESJUNZBISH SHEET 1 BF 3 1 MANUFACTURE OF FRAMES The present invention'relates to the manufacture of frames particularly formed from plastics material or metal, consisting of a main moulding and a strip for application thereto and removable therefrom.

It is known to manufacture frames which can be used for different purposes for example as picture frames, frames for furniture, windows, doors or the like from one piece or to build them up from individual sections, the latter preferably being interconnected at the corners of the frame. It is also known to make such frames of a hollow formation. The use of hollow members as closed frames or frame sections has the advantage that the frame is lighter and certain constructional parts which should not be visible externally can be arranged within the cavity.

As experience has shown, moreover, with one-piece continuous frames or one-piece frame sections, it is very difficult to insert constructional parts into the cavity, such as reinforcements or the like, since access into the cavity is only possible with great difficulty, if at all, even if the frame sections are relatively long.

It is, therefore, an object of the invention to provide a frame of the aforementioned type so that reinforcing members or operating parts can be mounted in simple manner in the interior of the frame.

The invention consists in a frame consisting of a main moulding having a substantially trough-shaped crosssection, the open mouth of said moulding being closed by a cover strip securable thereto and detachable therefrom. The said parts of the frame are advantageously made from metal or a plastic material.

Advantageously a central bar may be arranged in the moulding parallel to the trough walls, the height of which bar is less than half the height of said walls.

If desired, a plurality of partitions or intermediate bars may be arranged in the trough cavity in spaced relationship, connecting the sides of the trough walls. These partitions may be provided with perforations in the longitudinal direction of the walls and recesses transverse to the longitudinal direction up to the inside faces of the walls.

In another embodiment, a complete frame is made up of individual frame sections, a connecting member being inserted in the cavities of two angularly abutting sections so that it projects into the adjacent ends thereof, gaps between the inner wall of the frame sections and the connecting member being filled with a hardenable substance. In another embodiment, a continuous reinforcing'band made of metal, glass fibres or the like is positioned in the frame cavity.

According to yet a further embodiment, a clamping strip is arranged about the frame sections assembled into a complete frame which can form a unit, with the cover strip fonning a seal therefore.

In order that the invention may be more clearly understood, reference will now be made to the accompanying drawings showing some preferred embodiments thereof by way of example, and in which:

FIG. I shows a frame section having a central bar extending parallel to the trough side walls,

FIG. 2 shows a plan view of a closed frame,

FIG. 3 shows a frame section of the frame according to FIG. 2 in perspective view with the cover strip removed,

FIG. 4 shows a closed frame in plan view having a continuous clamping strip and seal,

FIG. 5 shows a longitudinal section through a glazed frame,

FIG. 6 shows a plan view of a comer connection for a frame,

FIG. 7 shows another embodiment of a corner connection, also in plan view, and

FIG. 8 shows a perspective view of a further embodiment of comer connection.

According to the embodiment of FIG. 1 a moulding 1 forming the perimetric member of the frame is preferably of channel shape having sidewalls 3 on each side of the channel web and includes, a central bar or rib 9 is from the web of the moulding 1 parallel to the walls 3. The height of bar is less than half the height of the walls. The arrangement of such a central bar considerably contributes to the stability and rigidity of the frame. As will also be apparent from FIG. 1 the interconnecting portion between each wall 3 and central bar 9 may be rounded. Also the wall 3, as well as the central bar 9, may taper upwardly. Moreover, the outer edge between web or base of the main moulding and at least one side wall 3 may be bevelled as shown at 14.

FIG. 2 shows a main frame moulding with the cover strip removed, the frame consisting either of a unitary closed perimetrical member or made up from individual sections.

A conventional continuous glass holding rebate 15 is provided, on the inside of the frame, which prevents a pane of glass insertedinto the frame from dropping out.

The main moulding 1 has inner cavities 16 which are separated from one another by partitions or walls 17. These cavities areopen on the side opposite the frame web, which web carries the glass holding rebate. The size of the cavities and the spacing from cavity to cavity and thus the thickness of the partitions or walls 17 can be selected as desired for adaptation to particular requirements.

In the embodiment of FIG. 2, there is provided a cavity 18 which extends around the corners 19 of the frame so that an angular corner reinforcement 20 may be inserted thereinto from above.

Brackets 21 or the like are secured to the partitions which brackets project inwardly from the frame and are at a distance from the glass holding rebate 15. One side or end of the brackets 21 may be held to the frame by means of screws or the like. To this end, a blind groove having one end 22 opening through the perimetrically inner sidewall of the frame can be provided in the appropriate partitions to receive the brackets and their fastening means. In so doing, a good hold is given to the bracket. The brackets consist advantageously of strong resilient material such as steel bars or the like. The brackets thus hold the pane of glass positioned against the glass holding rebates if the cavities 16 are not closed.

In order to be able to hold panes of glass of difierent thickness in the frame, bores 23 opening through the perimetrically inner wall of the frame can be provided in the partitions 17, in which pegs 24, shown in phantom in FIG. 3, can be inserted which carry out the same function as the brackets 21.

The wall portion between the cavities 16 and the frame opening is advantageously perforated so that an adjusting setscrew 25 may project into the inside area of the frame and can be rotated against the side edge of the window pane in order thus to align the latter with the frame edge..The heads of the adjusting screws are in the cavity 16 and are, therefore, not visible externally.

As shown in FIG. 3, the frame may be covered with a cover strip 2 which has gripping members 26 on the underside which project into the cavities 16 and form a press fit with the cavity walls. Advantageously, the partitions 17, also as shown in F IG. 3, have bores 27 extending through them to receive fittings or the like in the longitudinal direction of the arm of the frame.

As is'shown in FIGS. 6 to 8 a connecting member 34 may be located in the cavity between two angularly

abutting sections

31 and 32, said member projecting into the adjacent ends of the two frame sections; as shown in the HO. 6, the member 34 may be designed as a right angle piece or, according to FIG. 7, as an easily bent curved member. This connecting member 34 has external protuberances 35 or indentations 36. it may be made hollow. Advantageously, it consists of metal, plastics or another reinforcing material. The

. connecting member, however, does not need to have a shape which corresponds to the angular shape of the abutting hollow frame sections, as shown in FIG. 7.

The gap remaining between the connecting member and the inner wall of the hollow frame sections advantageously is filled with a hardening substance 37 in which the connecting element is embedded. Advantageously, projections 38 or the like are also provided on the inner wall of the hollow frame sections so as to fix the filler substance 37 in the cavity.

According to FIG. 8, the connecting member 34 has a trough-shaped cross-section and is connected by additional screws 39 to the

frame sections

31 and 32. A metal or glass fibre strip running round the frame may be used for protection against any forces that may arise having a tendency to cause the frame to fall apart.

The invention enables easy and rapid manufacture of frames to any size and any number of frames with exactly same shape and size from individual sections. The maintenance of the angles and length of sides is achieved advantageously by applying the frame sections to a template before assembly. The connecting member may be positioned at random in the comers since they are held by the sealing substance. Advantageously, a template is used in which the positions of the angles or stops are adjustable.

In the embodiment according to FIG. 4, the individual sections of the main moulding l are held together by a continuous clamping strip 40 which secures the individual shaped sections in their composite perimetric relationship so that such sections do not have to be held together rigidly by elaborate connecting means and methods, such as welding or glueing. At the same time, the clamping strip enables a pane of glass to be positioned in the frame. According to this embodiment, furthermore, the cover strip for the moulding is designed as a seal 41 forming a unit with the clamping strip 40. For example, the outer layer of the clamping strip may consist of a known per se sealing material, such as rubber, resilient plastics or the like.

in this embodiment also, intermediate bars 17 are provided which interconnect the sidewalls of the moulding 1, in this case the walls extending in the plane of the frame, the free ends defining the mouth of the trough thus pointing away from the glass pane and the cover strips designed. as a seal are being mounted around the outer edge of the moulding.

Thisarrangement is again shown in FIG. 5 in section. As will also be seen in this drawing, the inner edge of the frame next adjacent the pane of glass has orifices or holes 42 which receive the glass holding members 43 which may be secured in the moulding 1. These glass holding members may take the form of leaf springs, one end of which extends inwardly beyond the frame and is arranged parallel to the glass holding strips 44 on the frame. A pane of glass 45 is anchored rigidly in the moulding l with the aid of these resilient holding members. On the other hand, rapid exchange of the pane of glass is also possible.

Frames according to the invention may be used for many purposes, particularly for holding a pane of glass such as, for example, in picture frames, window frames or door frames. It may, however, also be used for window or doors as a shutter or sash frame with suitable profiling of the moulding.

Although reference is herein made to the fact that the main part of the frame is a moulding, it should be understood that this term includes extrusion where the shape of the parts so admits. For example, in these embodiments where the frame sides are built up from sections, those sections could be made by extrusion where no transverse bars or like impedimenta to the extrusion process exist. Where such transverse members are required, they may, of course, be affixed, eg by adhesives, after the extrusions have been made. Similarly, flat cover strips 2 may be extruded, with or without longitudinal members 26.

What I claim is:

l. A frame for a substantially planar sheet comprising a hollow perimetric channel having parallel perimetrical sidewalls, a web connecting said sidewalls, and an open side opposite said web, removable cover means engageable to close said channel open side, a plurality of spaced, transverse partitions connecting said sidewalls, each partition including a bore therethrough extending lengthwise of said channel sidewalls, a blind groove on the side of the partition opposite the channel web extending transversely of the lengths of the channel sidewalls through the perimetrically inner sidewall, sheet edge backing means receivable in said groove, said perimetric channel member including a plurality of channel sections, adjacent sections having complemental abutting ends, perimetrically continuous reinforcing band means extending through said hollow perimetric channel member and embracing the perimetrically inner sidewall for securing said channel sections in composite perimetric relationship, two of said channel sections having adjacent complemental ends in angular abutment, such two channel sections each having partition means connecting the channel sidewalls and spaced from said angularly abutting ends for defining a cavity between said partition means, a connecting member receivable in said cavity and spanning the abutting ends of said angularly abutting channel sections, and hardened liquid adhesive interposed between said connecting member, said channel web and said channel sidewalls.

2. A frame for a substantially planar sheet comprising a hollow perimetric channel having parallel perimetrical sidewalls, a web connecting said sidewalls, and an open side opposite said web, removable cover means engageable to close said channel open side, a plurality of spaced, transverse partitions connecting said sidewalls, each partition including a bore therethrough extending lengthwise of said channel sidewalls, a blind groove on the side of the partition opposite the channel web extending transversely of the lengths of the channel sidewalls through the perimetrically inner sidewall, sheet edge backing means receivable in said groove, said perimetric channel member including a plurality of channel sections, adjacent sections having complemental abutting ends, continuous strip means embracing the perimetrically outer edge of the composite perimetric channel member for securing said channel sections in composite perimetric relationship, two of said channel sections having adjacent complemental ends in angular abutment, such two channel sections each having partition means connecting the channel sidewalls and spaced from said angularly abutting ends for defining a cavity between said partition means, a connecting member receivable in said cavity and spanning the abutting ends of said angularly abutting channel sections, and hardened liquid adhesive interposed between said connecting member, said channel web and said channel sidewalls.

Claims

1. A frame for a substantially planar sheet comprising a hollow perimetric channel having parallel perimetrical sidewalls, a web connecting said sidewalls, and an open side opposite said web, removable cover means engageable to close said channel open side, a plurality of spaced, transverse partitions connecting said sidewalls, each partition including a bore therethrough extending lengthwise of said channel sidewalls, a blind groove on the side of the partition opposite the channel web extending transversely of the lengths of the channel sidewalls through the perimetrically inner sidewall, sheet edge backing means receivable in said groove, said perimetric channel member including a plurality of channel sections, adjacent sections having complemental abutting ends, perimetrically continuous reinforcing band means extending through said hollow perimetric channel member and embracing the perimetrically inner sidewall for securing said channel sections in composite perimetric relationship, two of said channel sections having adjacent complemental ends in angular abutment, such two channel sections each having partition means connecting the channel sidewalls and spaced from said angularly abutting ends for defining a cavity between said partition means, a connecting member receivable in said cavity and spanning the abutting ends of said angularly abutting channel sections, and hardened liquid adhesive interposed between said connecting member, said channel web and said channel sidewalls.