WO2006048438A1

WO2006048438A1 - Device for positioning and fastening the posts of window and door frames relative to each other, and related method

Info

Publication number: WO2006048438A1
Application number: PCT/EP2005/055736
Authority: WO
Inventors: Giuseppe Altinier
Original assignee: R.G.R. Di Altinier G. E C. S.N.C.
Priority date: 2004-11-08
Filing date: 2005-11-03
Publication date: 2006-05-11
Also published as: ITPN20040080A1

Abstract

The present invention refers to a device for positioning and fastening the posts of a window or door frame relative to each other, which includes mechanical connecting and fastening means; the device comprises a first bracket-like member (2) provided with at least a first and a second arm (3, 4) that are so arranged as to form an angle , and a second bracket-like member (5) that is provided with at least a third and a fourth arm (6, 7) that are so arranged as to form an angle ; the angles and are supplementary to each other and depend on the orientation to be given to the posts (16, 19); the first and the second bracket-like member (2, 5) are associable with both each other and the posts (16, 19) with the aid of mechanical means (20, 21).

Description

DEVICE FOR POSITIONING AND FASTENING THE POSTS OF WINDOW AND DOOR FRAMES RELATIVE TO EACH OTHER,

AND RELATED METHOD

DESCRIPTION

The present invention refers to a device, and a related method, for positioning and fastening the posts of a window or door frame relative to each other, with particular reference to the frames of such external closing fixtures of buildings as windows and so-called French windows.

A method that is currently used in the external door and window frame manufacturing industry for positioning the frame posts relative to each other and fastening them together, which is generally known as "tenoning" throughout the industry, consists in providing a mortise-and-tenon profile for a groove-and-tongue joint of the end butts of the posts to be joined, while glue is then applied over the same butts to fix the joint. In this case, correct positioning at right angle or, anyway, at a suitable angle depending on the particular geometry of the final frame, is ensured by the profiling of the end butts of the posts, while fastening is provided by the same end butts being eventually glued together; upon them having been joined, the butts are subjected to a compressive force with the use of appropriate pressing machines, which are generally referred to as "clamps" in the art, so as to favour effective and reliable adhesion between the parts during gluing.

Another method - similar to the above-described one - consists in providing said butts with a "comb"-like profile, so as to ensure a greater groove-and-tongue fitting and gluing surface; the working procedure to be followed in this method, which is generally referred to as "minizinken" in the art, is basically the same as the one in the afore-described tenoning method, since the posts are first positioned relative to each other by fitting them together through a "comb"-like pattern of groove-and-tongue joints and then fixed together by gluing, under application of pressure by means of appropriate pressing equipment to favour effective, reliable and firm adhesion.

In both these methods, once that the posts are joined to each other to form the final frame, the need arises for additional touching-up or finishing work to be done on the joints, in view of removing possible glue dribbles or coupling imperfections in the wooden parts, and it is just at this point that the outside perimeter of the posts can be profiled into a proper shape, so as to enable the lock-up hardware to be installed and a correct coupling with the fixed frame to be achieved.

The above-described prior-art methods, however, have some major drawbacks that cause both window and door manufacturing at the factory and the work required to install such windows and doors at the building yard to turn out as particularly complex and cost-intensive.

A first such drawback that is encountered when using such prior-art methods lies in the fact that the operations required to position and fasten the posts relative to each other in order to form the final frame have to be carried out at the factory, i.e. by the same window and door manufacturer, since they require gluing processes to be applied that involve the so applied glue to be allowed to dry and set over a certain period of time, in view of ensuring due solidity and stableness when installed, as well as special equipment, such as the afore-mentioned clamps or pressing machines, to be used in view of increasing the grip and the tightness of the glued parts to each other, thereby ensuring also the correct positioning thereof. In addition, the gluing operation must then be followed by the afore-cited touching-up or finishing work and, finally, the so joined posts must be profiled to shape in view of obtaining a properly finished product. This practically means that the frame leaves the factory and reaches the building yard for due installation in a fully finished form, which again means considerable space requirements, and hence higher costs, as far as both transport and handling are concerned.

Another drawback connected to said prior-art methods lies in the use of a gluing process to fix the joined parts to each other. Gluing is in fact a process that unavoidably leaves glue dribbles and trickles around the joints on the joined parts and, anyway, requires the use of materials that tend to soil to a considerable extent both the operators assigned to this work and the tools and equipment used in the process, which therefore need continuous and thorough cleaning and maintenance if they have to retain full efficiency. This of course implies a slow-down in the door and window manufacturing process itself, i.e. a longer overall door and window manufacturing time, resulting in a further increase in overall costs. It must on the other hand be duly considered that this process also involves the use of substances that may quite often be toxic, and hence dangerous, as well as gluing materials that are subject to deterioration and/or alteration with time, particularly if and when left exposed to atmospheric or external ambient conditions, as this normally occurs in the case being considered here.

A further drawback that is usually encountered when applying the above-cited prior-art methods lies in the fact that profiling the posts to shape and painting are operations that must and can first be carried out on fully assembled and finished frames; owing in particular to the overall dimensions of and, hence, the volume taken up by these finished and assembled frames, painting requires the use of related process equipment of a considerable size, which of course adds to the difficulties encountered in handling the same frames, as already mentioned hereinbefore.

It therefore is a main object of the present invention to do away with these typical drawbacks and disadvantages of prior-art methods by providing a device, and a related method, for positioning, joining and fixing relative to each other the posts that make up the frame of a door or window.

Within the above general object, a purpose of the present invention is to provide a device, and a related method, by means of which positioning and fixing the posts relative to each other can not only be carried out at the factory, i.e. by the door and window manufacturer, but also directly at the building yard, i.e. at the site of installation.

A further purpose of the present invention is to provide a device, and a related method, by means of which the posts can be positioned relative to each other and fixed with each other without any use of glues and/ or special equipment, while ensuring at the same time a greater extent of both reliability and stability in time, even in the presence of external ambient or weather-related factors, of the so obtained relative positioning and fixing of the posts.

Another purpose of the present invention is to provide a device, and a related method, for positioning window and door posts relative to each other and fix the same to each other, by means of which the overall door and window manufacturing cycle, including painting and profiling into shape of the posts is effectively simplified along with the related handling and transport to the site of installation, thereby reducing the related costs.

Another by no means less important purpose of the present invention is to provide a device, and a related method, which can be implemented at fully competitive costs with the use of readily and widely available tools and means.

According to the present invention, these aims, along with further ones that will be apparent in the following description, are reached in a device for positioning and fixing door and window posts relative to each other incorporating the characteristics and features as recited in the appended claim 1, and a related method for positioning and fixing door and window posts relative to each other incorporating the characteristics and features as recited in the appended claim 10.

The subsequent claims define further features and advantages of the device and method according to the present invention, which will anyway be more readily understood from the description of a particular, although not sole embodiment that is given below by way of non-limiting example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

- Figure 1 is a front elevational view of a device for positioning and fixing door and window posts relative to each other according to the present invention;

- Figure 2 is an overall plan view of the posts of a window, or door, as positioned relative to each other and fixed by means of a device according to the present invention;

- Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view of the same assembly as illustrated in Figure 2, as viewed along the section plane A-A;

- Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view of the same assembly as illustrated in Figure 2, as viewed along the section plane B-B.

With reference to the Figures listed above, the reference numeral 1 has been used there to generally indicate a device for positioning and fixing door and window posts relative to each other according to the present invention, which comprises a first bracket-like member 2 provided with at least a first arm 3 and a second arm 4 arranged at a pre-defined angle α relative to each other; in the particular embodiment illustrated in the above-listed Figures, the angle α formed by the arms 3 and 4 is a 90°- angle in order to allow the posts of a door or window frame having a square or rectangular shape to be joined at right angle to each other. It is however fully apparent that this angle may vary in view of correctly positioning the framed posts in accordance with the actual final shape to be taken by the frame, as this shall be better explained further on. The device 1 further comprises a second bracket-like member 5 provided with at least a third arm 6 and a fourth arm 7 arranged at a pre-defined angle β relative to each other; even the value of this angle will be dictated by the actual orientation to be given to the posts; however, it is linked to, i.e. depends on the angle α, since it is supplementary to the latter, in the sense that, when added together, these angles α and β form substantially an angle of 180°.

The first bracket-like member 2 is provided with a first through-bore 8 in the first arm 3 thereof, as well as a second through-bore 9 in the second arm 4 thereof. Similarly, the second bracket-like arm 5 is provided with a third through-bore 11 in the third arm 6 thereof, as well as a fourth through-bore 12 in the fourth arm 7 thereof.

A first bush 14, as advantageously threaded inside, is capable of being inserted in an appropriate accommodation 15 provided in a post 16, which is arranged vertically in the illustration appearing in Figure 3, whereas a second bush 17, which is also advantageously threaded inside, is capable of being inserted in an appropriate accommodation 18 provided in a post 19, which is arranged horizontally in the illustration appearing in Figure 3 and will be referred to as transverse or cross-piece hereinafter. The method for positioning and fixing door and window posts relative to each other according to the present invention is as follows: the first and second bracket-like members 2 and 5 are joined to each other in correspondence to the first arm 3 and the fourth arm 7 thereof, respectively, in such a manner as to enable the first and fourth through- bores 8, 12 to mate, i.e. fit axially together, while the second and third through-bores 9, 11 come into mutual alignment axially. Once that the two bracket-like members 2, 5 are positioned in this manner, the post 16 is joined thereto, in which there will have been preliminarily inserted the first bush 14 in the proper accommodation 15 that shall be axially aligned with the first and fourth through-bores 8, 12. With the aid of first mechanical fastening means, as preferably constituted by a pair of screws 20 that can be screwed in from both opposite sides of the bush 14, the first and fourth arm 3, 7 and the first bush 14 are then fastened with each other and to the post 16. Subsequently, the cross-piece 19, in which there will preliminarily have been inserted the second bush 17 in the respective accommodation 18, is brought close to the post 16 in a direction that is defined by the inclinations of the angles α and β of the respective second and third arms 4, 6, in such a manner as to ensure that the bush 17 comes into axial alignment with the second and third through-bores 9, 11. The cross-piece 19 is then fastened in the position that is so defined by the arms 4 and 6 with the aid of second mechanical fastening means, which are preferably constituted by a pair of screws 21 that can be screwed in from both opposite sides of the bush 17, and which also connect and fasten the second and third arms 4, 6 with each other.

In view of ensuring a greater stability of the so obtained assembly, there may be advantageously provided - in the first and third arms 3, 6 - respective through-bores 10, 13 adapted to receive further screws 22, 23 adapted to fasten the first arm 3 to the post 16 and the third arm 6 to the cross-piece 19, respectively.

Fully apparent from the above description is therefore the ability of the device for positioning and fixing door and window posts relative to each other according to the present invention to effectively reach the aims and advantages cited afore. What the present invention in fact provides is a device, and a related method, that enables positioning and fastening of the posts relative to and with each other to be carried out and completed in a most accurate and reliable manner (wherein the term "posts", as used here, shall be understood to also include the cross-pieces or transverses as defined hereinbefore) not only at the factory, i.e. by the door and window manufacturer, but also directly at the building yard, i.e. at the site of installation. In fact, the device according to the present invention enables the posts to be positioned relative to each other and fastened together without any use of glues and/ or special equipment that is to be found only at a factory site.

In addition, the connection of the posts with each other based on the sole use of mechanical means ensures a far greater long-term reliability and stability of the positioning and fastening thereof, in particular in those cases in which the window or door frames are intended for use on the outside of the buildings, so that they are subject to severe ambient, i.e. weather-related conditions, such as temperature variations, exposure to sun radiations, humidity an d bad weather conditions in general. It should be noticed that the maximum screw-in depth of the screws 20 is determined by the bush 14 itself, against which the heads of the same screws 20 come to abut, so that they do not exert any pressing action directly against the wood of the posts themselves. In this way, any possible decrease in volume suffered by the wood exposed to outside ambient and weather factors can be made up for, so as to ensure the correct positioning of the posts relative to each other in the long run; the extent of such decrease in volume, which takes mainly place in the transverse direction of the posts, amounts to approx. 0.5 to 0.6% of the original transverse dimensions of the same posts.

An additional advantage deriving from the device according to the present invention, consisting in the possibility for the posts of a window or door frame to be assembled directly at the site of installation, lies in the possibility for all steps of the manufacturing process, including painting and profiling to shape, to be carried out individually on each post. This possibility enables the whole door and window manufacturing cycle to be simplified to a considerable extent, while creating the conditions for a greater manufacturing flexibility and boosting the manufacturing capacity, thereby leading to a considerable cost-cutting effect. It is furthermore possible for the posts to be handled and transported to the site of installation individually, i.e. in a disassembled state, thereby considerably reducing the related space requirements and, as a result, further reducing the final cost of the door or window assembly.

Another advantage of the device according to the present invention lies in the possibility for door and window assemblies to be packaged and sold in the form of assembly kits including the posts, the mechanical fastening means and the related positioning and fastening devices.

It shall be appreciated that the device according to the present invention may be subject - along with the related method - to a number of modifications and may be embodied in a number of different manners without departing from the scope of the present invention.

So, for instance, the first and/ or the second bracket-like member 2, 5 may each comprise an additional arm extending in a direction moving away from the second arm 4 and/or the fourth arm 7, respectively, so that the first and/ or the second bracket-like member 2, 5 are able to take a substantially T-shaped configuration to the purpose of increasing the positioning and fastening accuracy and stability of the posts.

To facilitate manufacturing and improve convenience in the use of the device, it is possible for the first bracket-like member 2 to be made as a single, unitary piece with the related bush 14; these two parts may be produced either integrally with each other by machining or similar mechanical processing, or separately from each other to be then joined together by welding or similar joining techniques.

It will finally be appreciated that the materials used to manufacture the various parts forming the inventive device, as well as the shapes and the sizing thereof, may each time be selected so as to more appropriately meet the particular requirements or suit the particular application.

Claims

1. Device for positioning the posts of a window or door frame relative to each other and fastening them to each other, which includes mechanical means to connect and fasten said posts, characterized in that it comprises a first bracket-like member (2) provided with at least a first and a second arm (3, 4) and a second bracket-like member (5) that is provided with at least a third and a fourth arm (6, 7), said first and second arms (3, 4) and said third and fourth arms (6, 7) being so arranged as to form an angle α and an angle β, respectively, wherein said angles α and β are supplementary to each other and depend on the orientation to be given to said posts (16, 19), said first and second bracket-like members (2, 5) being associable with both each other and said posts (16, 19) with the aid of said mechanical means (20, 21).

2. Device according to claim 1, wherein said first bracket-like member (2) is provided with a first through-bore (8) in said first arm (3) thereof, as well as a second through-bore (9) in said second arm (4) thereof.

3. Device according to claim 1, wherein said second bracket-like arm (5) is provided with a third through-bore (11) in said third arm (6) thereof, as well as a fourth through-bore (12) in said fourth arm (7) thereof.

4. Device according to claims 2 and 3, wherein said first and second bracket-like members (2, 5) are joined to each other in correspondence to said first arm and said fourth arm (3, 7) thereof, respectively, in such a manner as to enable said first and fourth through-bores (8, 12) to mate, i.e. fit axially together, and said second and third through-bores (9, 11) to come into mutual alignment axially.

5. Device according to any of the preceding claims or combination thereof, wherein a first bush (14) is capable of being inserted in an

1 appropriate accommodation (15) provided in a post (16).

6. Device according to claim 5, wherein the positioning of said post (16) is defined by said first arm (3), said post (16) being fastened to said first and fourth arms (3, 7) with the aid of first mechanical connecting and fastening means (20) adapted to engage said first bush (14) that is axially aligned with said first and fourth through-bores (8, 12).

7. Device according to any of the preceding claims or combination thereof, wherein a second bush (17) is capable of being inserted in an appropriate accommodation (18) provided in a transverse post or cross- piece (19).

8. Device according to claim 7, wherein the positioning of said transverse post (19) is defined by said second and third arms (4, 6), said transverse post (19) being fastened to said second and third arms (4, 6) with the aid of second mechanical connecting and fastening means (21) adapted to engage said second bush (17) that is axially aligned with said second and third through-bores (9, 11).

9. Device according to any of the preceding claims or combination thereof, wherein said first bracket-like member (2) is made as a single, unitary piece with said first bush (14).

10. Method for positioning the posts of a window or door frame relative to each other and fastening them to each other with the use of a device according to any of the preceding claims or combination thereof, characterized in that it comprises following steps: a) joining said first and second bracket-like members (2, 5) to each other in correspondence to said first arm and said fourth arm (3, 7) thereof, respectively, so as to enable said first and fourth through-bores (8, 12) to mate, i.e. fit axially together, and said second and third through- bores (9, 11) to come into mutual alignment axially;

2 b) joining and positioning said post (16), in which there has been preliminarily inserted said first bush (14), on to said first arm (3) so that said first bush (14) is axially aligned with said first and fourth through- bores (8, 12); c) fastening said first and fourth arms (3, 7) and said first bush (14) to both each other and said post (16) with the aid of first mechanical connecting and fastening means (20); d) joining and positioning said transverse post (19), in which there has been preliminarily inserted said second bush (17), on to said second and third arms (4, 6) so that said second bush (17) is axially aligned with said second and third through-bores (9, 11); e) fastening said transverse post (19) to said second and third arms (4, 6) with the aid of second mechanical connecting and fastening means (21).