WO2020065354A1

WO2020065354A1 - An apparatus for aligning hinge recesses

Info

Publication number: WO2020065354A1
Application number: PCT/GB2019/052757
Authority: WO
Inventors: James RULE
Original assignee: Rule James
Priority date: 2018-09-28
Filing date: 2019-09-30
Publication date: 2020-04-02
Also published as: GB202106033D0; GB2593307A

Abstract

An apparatus for designating the position of and cutting a recess in a door or a door frame. The present invention relates to an apparatus for designating the position of and cutting a recess in a door or a door frame. The apparatus comprises an elongate member configured to be placed against a door or a door frame into which a recess is to be cut and at least one positioning element located at a longitudinal end of the elongate member and configured to correctly align the elongate member with a door or a door frame. The apparatus comprises at least one recess position designating guide comprising a housing which is moveable relative to the elongate member. One embodiment may have at least one aperture (10) extending through the at least one recess position designating guide, the at least one aperture configured to allow a cutting arrangement to pass through the at least one recess position designating guide and placed against a surface of a door or doorframe into which a recess is to be cut to cut a recess of predetermined size. Other embodiments may comprise a cutter arrangement comprising a housing which is moveable relative to the elongate member, the housing having at least one locating protrusion configured to be located in the at least one aperture in the elongate member. The cutter arrangement comprises a cutter which is configured to be placed against a surface of a door or a door frame into which a recess is to be cut to cut a recess of predetermined size when the elongate member is placed against a door or a door frame.

Description

An Apparatus for Aligning Hinge Recesses Technical Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to an apparatus for aligning hinge recesses in doors and door frames. The present invention also relates to an apparatus for aligning and cutting hinge recesses in doors and door frames.

Background of the Invention

It is known that for a door to be properly fitted in its door frame the positioning of components, such as hinges, locks, and latch face plates, must be properly aligned on both the door and the door frame. To improve the fit of a door within a door frame it is known to cut a recess into both components. This is commonly done using a chisel or a router, or a combination of both. To properly hang a door in a door frame, it is important that the correct shape is accurately removed from the door and door frame, as well as the correct depth of recess. However, it can be difficult for a craftsman to obtain the correct positioning, and thus alignment. Poor alignment in either the vertical or horizontal directions can lead to incorrect spacing between the top of a door and the head of a door frame or between a door and the door stop.

In most situations, doors and door frames which have their hinge recesses misaligned cannot be raised or lowered on the hinges because the incorrectly sized gaps are not acceptable from a health and safety point of view, i.e. for fire-doors, or from an aesthetic point of view. In either case, having to recut hinge recesses can be time- consuming, and costly if a door or door frame must be replaced.

Summary of the Invention

In accordance with some of the embodiments described herein, there is provided an apparatus for designating the position of and cutting a recess in a door or a door frame, the apparatus comprising an elongate member configured to be placed against a door or a door frame into which a recess is to be cut, at least one positioning element located at a longitudinal end of the elongate member and configured to correctly align the elongate member with a door or a door frame, at least one recess position designating guide comprising at least one aperture in the elongate member, a cutter arrangement comprising a housing which is moveable relative to the elongate member, the housing having at least one locating protrusion configured to be located in the at least one aperture in the elongate member, the cutter arrangement comprising a cutter which is configured to be placed against a surface of a door or a door frame into which a recess is to be cut to cut a recess of predetermined size when the elongate member is placed against a door or a door frame.

The housing of the cutter arrangement may comprise at least two protrusions which are spaced apart by a predetermined distance to define a locating pattern, and the elongate member may comprise a plurality of apertures, the plurality of apertures spaced apart by the predetermined distance such that they replicate the locating pattern at least once along the elongate member in a direction parallel to the longitudinal axis of the elongate member to cut a recess of a predetermined size.

The at least one aperture in the elongate member may comprise a slot which extends in a direction parallel to the longitudinal axis of the elongate member and is configured to allow the cutter arrangement to be slid along the slot in the direction parallel to the longitudinal axis of the elongate member to cut a recess of a predetermined size.

In accordance with another aspect of some of the embodiments of the invention described herein, there is provided an apparatus for designating the position of a recess in a door and a door frame, the apparatus comprising an elongate member configured to be placed against a door or a door frame into which a recess is to be cut, at least one positioning element located at a longitudinal end of the elongate member and configured to correctly align the elongate member with a door or a door frame, at least one recess position designating guide comprising a housing which is moveable relative to the elongate member, the moveable housing having at least one aperture (to) extending therethrough, the at least one aperture configured to allow a cutting arrangement to pass through the at least one recess position designating guide and placed against a surface of a door or doorframe into which a recess is to be cut to cut a recess of predetermined size.

The housing of the recess position designating guide may comprise a cut-out configured to receive an insert, and an insert configured to be removeably located in the cut-out, the insert comprising the at least on aperture extending therethrough, the at least one aperture configured to allow a cutting arrangement to pass through the at least one recess position designating guide and placed against a surface of a door or door frame into which a recess is to be cut to cut a recess of predetermined size.

The at least one aperture extending through the at least one recess position designating guide may comprise a plurality of apertures aligned adjacent to one another in the direction of the longitudinal axis of the elongate member, wherein each aperture is configured to allow a cutting arrangement to pass through the at least one recess position designating guide and placed against a surface of a door or door frame into which a recess is to be cut to cut a recess of predetermined size, and wherein adjacent apertures at least partially overlap one another.

The at least one aperture extending through the at least one recess position designating guide may comprise a slot which extends in a direction parallel to the longitudinal axis of the elongate member, the slot being configured to allow a cutting arrangement to pass through the recess position designating guide and placed against a surface of a door or door frame into which a recess is to be cut and to allow a cutting arrangement to be moved along the slot in the direction of the longitudinal axis of the elongate member to cut a recess of predetermined size. The at least one recess position designating guide may further comprise a cutter arrangement configured to be placed against a surface of a door or a door frame into which a recess is to be cut when the elongate member is placed against a door or door frame. The cutter arrangement may comprise a projection and a sidewall of the slot comprises a groove, the groove being configured to receive the projection of the cutter

arrangement to hold the cutter arrangement in the recess position designating guide.

The apparatus may further comprising an adjustable lateral guide configured to align the apparatus relative to an edge of a door or door frame into which a recess is to be cut to designate the position of a recess relative to the edge of a door or door frame.

The lateral guide may comprise a ridge extending from the elongate member in a direction parallel to the longitudinal axis of the elongate member, the ridge being configured to abut against an edge of a door or door frame to locate the recess position designating guide relative to the edge of a door or door frame. The lateral guide may comprise a free end of the elongate member located at a predetermined distance from the recess position designating guide and configured to be located against an edge of a door or a door stop of a door frame to locate the recess position designating guide relative to an edge of a door or a door stop.

The lateral guide may further comprise a lug having a predetermined width which is configured to be removeably attachable to the free end of the elongate member to adjust the distance of the recess position designating guide from an edge of a door or a door stop of a door frame.

The cutter arrangement may comprise an adjustable depth setting means configured to limit the distance that a cutter of the cutting arrangement can protrude from the housing in order to limit the depth of the recess to be cut into a door or a door frame.

The cutter arrangement maybe is configured to be driven by a hand-held power tool. The recess position designating guide may be removable from the elongate member.

According to another aspect of the invention, there is provided an insert for use with an apparatus for designating the position of a recess in a door or door frame, the insert being configured to be removably located in a cut-out of a recess position designating guide, the insert comprising at least one aperture extending therethrough, the at least one aperture configured to allow a cutting arrangement to pass through the at least one recess position designating guide and placed against a surface of a door or door frame into which a recess is to be cut to cut a recess of predetermined size.

Brief Description of the Drawings

So that the invention may be more fully understood, embodiments thereof will now be described by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 shows a perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of an apparatus of the present invention;

Fig. 2 shows a perspective view of a door and a door frame;

Fig· 3 shows a perspective view of the top of an exemplary embodiment of the apparatus in which a positioning element is in its first position; Fig. 4 shows a perspective view of the top if an exemplary embodiment of the apparatus in which the positioning element is in its second position;

Fig. 5 shows a perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of the apparatus with an adjustable lateral guide;

Fig. 6 shows a perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of the apparatus with a lateral fixing means in position in a door frame;

Fig. 7 shows a perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of the apparatus when removed from an elongate member, the apparatus having an alternative lateral fixing means;

Fig. 8 shows a perspective view of a section of an exemplary embodiment of the apparatus with an alternative securing means;

Fig. 9 shows an enlarged perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of a recess position designating guide of the apparatus together with a cutting arrangement;

Fig. to shows an exemplary hinge to be located in a recess cut using the recess position designating guide of Fig. 9;

Fig. 11 shows an enlarged perspective view of another exemplary embodiment of a recess position designating guide of the apparatus;

Fig. 12 shows an exemplary hinge to be located in a recess cut using the recess position designating guide of Fig. 11;

Fig. 13 shows an enlarged perspective view of an exemplary recess position designating guide comprises a depth setting means;

Fig. 14 shows an enlarged perspective cross-sectional view of an exemplary

embodiment of the recess position designating guide which comprises a cutting arrangement;

Fig. 15 shows an enlarged view of another exemplary embodiment of the apparatus of the present invention which uses a different recess position designating guide and cutter arrangement to those shown in Fig. 9 and Fig. 10;

Fig. 16 shows an enlarged view of another exemplary embodiment of the apparatus of the present invention which uses a different recess position designating guide and cutter arrangement to those shown in Fig. 9 and Fig. 10; and

Fig 17 shows an enlarged perspective view of the recess position designating guide and a lateral guide of the embodiment shown in Fig. 16.

Fig. 18 shows a perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of the apparatus of the present invention. Detailed Description of the Invention

Referring now to Fig. l, an apparatus l for accurately designating the position of a recess 2 in a door 3 or a door frame 4, shown in Fig. 2, in order to properly hang a door 3 in a door frame 4 is shown. The apparatus 1 comprises an elongate member 5 which is configured to be placed against a door 3 or door frame 4 into which a recess 2 is to be cut. The apparatus 1 further comprises at least one positioning element 6 which is located at a longitudinal end of the elongate member 5. The positioning element 6 is configured to correctly position/align the end of the elongate member 5 with a top or bottom edge of the door 3 or the top or bottom of the door frame 4.

The apparatus 1 further comprises a recess position designating guide 8 configured to determine the position on a door 3 or in a door frame 4 into which a recess 2 should be cut in a door 3 or door frame 4 in order to properly hang a door 3 and door frame 4 so that they are properly aligned. In the first embodiment, the recess position designating guide 8 comprises a housing 9 which is moveable relative to the elongate member 5.

The moveable housing 9 comprises at least one aperture 10 extending therethrough.

The at least one aperture 10 extends through the housing 9 of the recess position designating guide 8 in the direction of the depth dimension of the recess 2 to be cut.

The at least one aperture 10 is shaped to allow a cutting tool to pass through the recess position designating guide 8 to be placed against a surface of a door 3 or a door frame 4 into which the recess 2 is to be cut. The at least one aperture 10 in the recess position designating guide 8 allows a cutting tool to be used to cut a recess of a predetermined size to receive a hinge leaf. Referring briefly to Fig. 2, a door 3 and door frame 4 can be seen. The door frame 4 comprises a door lintel 4a into which a recess 2 is cut and a door stop 4b which extends from the door lintel 4a and is configured to be abutted by a door 3 when the door 3 is hung in the door frame 4 and closed. Referring back to Fig. 1, the elongate member 5 is a generally plate like member in the first embodiment. However, it will be understood that in alternative embodiments, the elongate member 5 is not limited to being“plate-like”. For example, the elongate member 5 may comprise one or more members that can be releasably connected so that the apparatus takes up less space when being stored. Alternatively, the plurality of members may be hingedly connected or of any shape. In the present embodiment, the elongate member 5 has a major dimension which is its length. The length of the elongate member 5 is substantially the same length as the door 3 against which it is to be placed to designate the position of a recess 2 in the door 3. In the present embodiment, the elongate member 5 is the same length as the door 3. However, in an alternative embodiment the elongate member 5 may be shorter than the length of the door 3. In yet further alternative embodiments, the length of the elongate member 5 maybe adjustable. The adjustable embodiments maybe used on doors 3 and door frames 4 of different heights (lengths) or purely for more compact storage, as mentioned above.

The elongate member 5 has two opposing longitudinal ends 11. Furthermore, the elongate member 5 also has opposing major surfaces 12 and opposing minor surfaces 13 which extend between the longitudinal ends 11 of the elongate member 5. The width of the major surfaces 12 of the elongate member 5 is greater then the depth of the minor surface 13 of the elongate member 5.

During use, when a craftsman is cutting a hinge recess 2 into a door 3, one of the minor surfaces 13 of the elongate member 5 is placed against the surface of the door 3 into which the recess 2 is to be cut. When a craftsman is cutting a hinge recess 2 into a door frame 4, one of the major surfaces 12 of the elongate member 5 is placed against the door lining of the door frame 4. In some scenarios, in which the door stop 4b is located too close to the edge of the door lintel 4a, one of the major surfaces 13 of the elongate member 5 is placed against the door stop 4b of the door frame 4 to correctly locate the elongate member 5, as will be discussed in more detail hereinafter.

As previously mentioned, the apparatus 1 has at least one positioning element 6. The positioning element 6 is located at one of the longitudinal ends 11 of the elongate member 5 and is moveable relative to the elongate member 5. The positioning element 6 maybe a plate-like element as illustrated in Fig. 3 and Fig. 4. The positioning member 6 has a longitudinal axis which extends perpendicularly to the longitudinal axis of the elongate member 5.

In the present embodiment, the elongate member 5 is the same length as the door 3 against which it is placed to aid in the accurately cutting of a hinge recess 2 into the door 3. Therefore, in the present embodiment, the positioning element 6 only needs to be rotatable. During use, when a craftsman is cutting a hinge recess 2 into a surface of a door 3, the positioning element 6 is rotated so that its longitudinal axis extends parallel to the plane of the major surfaces 12, as shown in Fig. 4. That is, the positioning element 6 extends beyond one of the minor surfaces 13 of the elongate member 5. Furthermore, during use, when a craftsman is cutting a hinge recess 2 into a surface of a door frame 4, the positioning element is rotated so that its longitudinal axis extends parallel to the plane of the minor surfaces 13, as shown in Fig. 3. That is, the positioning element 6 extends beyond one of the major surfaces 12 of the elongate member 5.

In the present embodiment, the positioning element 6 is configured to accurately align the rest of the apparatus 1 with a door 3 or a door frame 4. The positioning element 6 comprises an inner surface 14 which faces generally towards the elongate member 5 and an opposing outer surface 15 which faces away from the elongate member 5.

During use, when a craftsman is cutting a hinge recess 2 into a surface of a door 3, the positioning element 6 extends beyond one of the minor surfaces 13, as shown in Fig. 4, and the inner surface 14 of the positioning element 6 is positioned so that it abuts the top or bottom face of the door 3. In contrast, during use when a craftsman is cutting a hinge recess 2 into a surface of a door frame 4, the positioning element 6 extends beyond one of the major surfaces 12, as shown in Fig. 3, and the outer surface 15 of the positioning element 6 is positioned so that it abuts the underside of the door frame 4 or against the floor.

The positioning element 6 may have a thickness, the distance between the planes of the inner and outer surfaces 14, 15, which is equal to the desired gap between a top or bottom edge of a door 3 and the underside of a door frame 4 or the floor. Therefore, the positioning element 6 helps to align the tool correctly on a door 3 or door frame 4 so that the door 3 is hung correctly and the correct gaps between the top and bottom of the door 3 and the underside of the door frame 4 and floor can be achieved when the hinge recesses 2 are cut in the aligned designated positions as will be described hereinafter in more detail.

Preferably, the first position of the positioning element 6 in which the apparatus 1 is used to determine recess 2 positions in a door 3, as shown in Fig. 4, is perpendicular to the second position of the positioning element 6 in which the apparatus 1 is used to determine recess 2 positions in a door frame 4, as shown in Fig. 3. That is, the first a second positions are at 90 degrees to one another. The apparatus 1 of the present embodiment comprises two positioning elements 6; one extending from each longitudinal end 11 of the elongate member 5. However, it is envisaged in an alternative embodiment that only one longitudinal end 11 of the elongate member 5 may have a positioning element 6. The thickness of each of the positioning elements 6 may be the same. The thickness of each of the positioning elements may be determined by the type of door 3 that is being hung, for example, but not limited to, an external door or a fire door. In alternative embodiments, the thickness of each of the positioning elements 6 may be different. Furthermore, in alternative embodiments, especially embodiments in which the elongate member 5 is shorter than the door 3 or door frame 4 with which it is being used, or even in embodiments in which the elongate member 5 is adjustable, the at least one positioning element 6 maybe slideable relative to the elongate member 5 so that it can be moved in the longitudinal direction towards and away from the elongate member 5 to be placed against a door 3 or door frame 4. The position of the at least one positioning element 6 may be fixed by a fastening arrangement such as, for example, but not limited to, a clamp or a nut and screw. In some embodiments, the elongate member 5 maybe, at least in part, formed by a known tool, such as a 6 foot long spirit level.

The apparatus 1 may further comprise a lateral guide 7 configured to align the apparatus 1 with an edge of a door 3 or a door frame 4 into which a recess 2 is to be cut. More specifically, the lateral guide 7 is configured to align the at least one aperture 10 in the housing 9 of the recess position designating guide 8 relative to the edge of a door 3 or door frame 4 into which a recess is to be cut.

The lateral guide 7 of the present embodiment is defined by the distance between the at least one aperture 10 in the housing 9 of the recess position designating guide 8 and the major surface 12 of the elongate member 5 that is placed against a door stop 4b of a door frame 4. The spacing between the major surface 12 and the at least one aperture 10 is predetermined for the type of door being hung in order to cut a recess 2 into the door lintel 4a at the correct predetermined distance from the door stop 4b to prevent a door 3 sticking to the door frame 4 when closed. The lateral guide 7 may also comprises an enlarged portion 16 of the housing 9 of the recess position designating guide 8. The enlarged portion 16 of the recess position designating guide 8 is distal to the elongate member 5. The enlarged portion 16 of the housing 9 is larger than the rest of the housing 9 in a direction transverse to the longitudinal axis of the elongate member 5, i.e. the enlarged portion 16 is wider than the rest of the housing 9. Therefore, the housing 9 comprises a lip 17 extending longitudinally on two sides of the recess position designating guide 8. The lips 17 are on the same sides of the housing 9 as the openings to the at least one aperture 10.

In the event that a door stop 4b of a door frame 4 is incorrectly placed on a door lintel 4a, the lip 17 will engage with the edge of the door frame 4, or when used on a door 3 engage with the edge of a door 3, to correctly position the recess position designating guide 8 in the lateral direction. The distances between the lip 17 and the major surface 12 of the elongate member 5 that is placed against a door frame 4 and the at least one aperture 10 in the housing 9 are predetermined for the type of door being hung in order to cut a recess 2 into the door lintel 4a at the correct predetermined distance from the door stop 4b.

In some embodiments, such as the one shown in Fig. 5, the enlarged portion 16 of the housing 9 of the recess position designating guide 8 may be adjustable so as to account for poorly fitting architraves or paint build up on surfaces. The enlarged portion 16 may comprise two parts 16a, 16b which can be slideably moved in a direction parallel to the depth dimension of the recess 2 to be cut in a door 3 or door frame 4, that is parallel to the longitudinal axis of the at least one aperture 10 in the housing 9 or perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the elongate member 5. The position of the parts 16a, 16b of the enlarged portion 16 of the housing 9 may be fixed relative to the rest of the housing 9 by, for example, but not limited to, screws.

In another embodiment which is not illustrated in the drawings, the lateral guide 7 may be formed by at least one rotatable element (not shown) which extends from a face of the housing 9 of the recess position designating guide 8 on the opposite side of the at least one aperture 10 to the elongate member 5. The rotatable element may be rotated such that it can protrude beyond either side of the housing 9 in order to be placed against the edge of a door 3 or door stop 4 to correctly position the recess position designating guide 8 laterally relative to an edge of a door 3 or a door frame 4. In yet another embodiment which is not illustrated in the drawings, the lateral guide 7 may be formed by at least one hole (not shown) which extends through the housing 9 of the recess position designating guide 8 in the direction of the depth dimension of the recess 2 to be cut. That is, in the same direction as the axis of the at least one aperture to which is perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the elongate member 5. The at least one hole (not shown) may be configured to receive a peg (not shown) which has a head (not shown) having a larger cross-section than the hole in order to prevent one end of the peg entering the hole (not shown) and a shaft (not shown) which is configured to be longer than the hole (not shown) such that it protrudes from one side of the housing 9 in order to be placed against the edge of a door 3 or door stop 4 to correctly position the recess position designating guide 8 laterally relative to an edge of a door 3 or a door frame 4.

There may be more than one hole (not shown) and each hole may be at a different lateral distance from the at least one aperture 10 in the housing 9 in order to change the lateral distance at which the recess position designating guide 8 can be placed relative to the edge of a door 3 or door frame 4. This allows the apparatus 1 to be used with doors 3 and door frames 4 of different thicknesses.

Referring to Fig. 6 and Fig. 7, the apparatus 1 may further comprise a lateral fixing means 18 configured to fix the location of the apparatus 1 in the lateral direction relative to a door 3 or door frame 4 during use. In the present embodiment, the lateral fixing means 18 comprises a clamp section 19 and at least one rod 20 which is slideable relative to the housing 9 of the recess position designating guide 8. The at least one rod 20 extends from the clamp section 19. The housing 9 of the recess position designating guide 8 may comprise at least one hole 21 for receiving the at least one rod 20. The number and spacing of the at least one hole 21 is the same as the number and spacing of the at least one rod 20. As illustrated in the embodiment shown in Figs. 6 and 7, the apparatus 1 comprises two rods 20 and two holes 21 in the housing 9 of the recess position designating guide 8. The clamp section 19 is configured to locate on the front or rear face of a door 3 into which a recess 2 is to be cut or to locate over the opposite side of a door frame 4 into which a recess 2 is to be cut. The clamp section 19 may comprise a plate like member. The clamp section 19 may be shaped to avoid the cutter such that, in use, the lateral fixing means 18 is able to secure the housing 9 with the edge of the door 3 or door frame 4 into which a recess 2 is to be cut whilst aligning the at least one recess 10 with the edge to allow a cut to be made into the edge of the door 3 or door frame 4, as shown in Fig. 7. This is especially true in embodiments in which the recess position

designating guide 8 can be removed from the elongate member 5 and used separately as a handheld jig, as shown in Fig. 7. Such a jig may further comprise the lateral fixing means 18 as shown.

As illustrated in the embodiment shown in Fig. 6, the clamp section 19 may further comprise a handle 22 which is configured to help a user position the clamp section 19 relative to the housing 9 of the recess position designating guide 8. In one embodiment, the handle 22 may also be rotatable from an unlocked position to a locked position to enable the lateral fixing means 18 to be fixed relative to the housing 9 of the recess position designating guide 8. In an alternative embodiment, as illustrate in Fig. 7, the housing 9 of the recess position designating guide 8 may further comprise at least one locking element 23 configured to fix at least one rod 20, and therefore the clamp section 19, relative to the housing 9. As shown in Fig. 7, there may be the same number of locking elements 23 as there are rods 20.

The lateral fixing means 18 is fixed relative to the housing 9 of the recess position designating guide 8 by a craftsman during use so that recesses 2 can be cut accurately into a door 3 or door frame 4 at the same distance from the edge of a door 3 or from a door stop 4 at various places along the length of the door 3 or door frame 4, as will be explained hereinafter in more detail.

Referring back to Fig. 1, the at least one recess position designating guide 8 is configured to be moveable relative to the elongate member 5 such that it can be positioned at any point over a pre-determined range along the longitudinal axis of the elongate member 5. This gives a craftsman more flexibility in the placement of the hinges on which a door 3 is hung whilst increasing the accuracy of alignment between the hinge recesses in the door 3 and door frame 4, as will be explained in more detail hereinafter.

In the present embodiment, the at least one recess position designating guide 8 is slideable relative to the elongate member 5. The elongate member 5 may comprise a groove (not shown) which extends parallel to the longitudinal axis of the elongate member 5. The at least one recess position designating guide 8 may comprise a projection (not shown) which is configured to be received in the groove in the elongate member 5 such that the recess position designating guide 8 can be slid along the groove between the longitudinal ends of the elongate member 5. For example, the projection maybe“T-shaped” such that it cannot be removed from the groove. In other examples, the projection maybe removable from the groove so that the recess position

designating guide 8 maybe used as a separate handheld jig. It will be understood that in an alternative embodiment, the groove (not shown) may be in the housing 9 of the recess position designating guide 8 and the projections (not shown) maybe on the elongate member 5. This maybe preferable in an embodiment in which the recess position designating guide 8 can be removed from the elongate member 5 and used separately as a handheld jig, as shown in Fig. 7.

The surface of the recess position designating guide 8 which is proximate to the elongate member 5 extends in a plane parallel but spaced to the plane in which the lip 17 extends and extends parallel to the major faces 12 of the elongate member 5. These planes are perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the recess 10 in the housing 9 of the recess position designating means 8. When the recess position designating guide 8 is removed from the elongate member 5, the surface of the housing 9 which was proximate to the elongate member 5 acts as a part of the lateral guide 7. That is, the surface of the housing 9 of the recess position designating guide 8 which was proximate to the elongate member 5 is spaced at a predetermined distance from the centre of the recess 10 so that the recess 10 is positioned correctly relative to a door stop 4b of a door frame 4. The surface of the housing 9 of the recess position designating guide 8 which was proximate to the elongate member 5 is configured to abut the door stop 4b so that the recess 2 to be cut can be correctly positioned, especially if the door stop 4b is incorrectly fitted. It can be seen from Fig. 5 that the elongate member 5 does not affect this distance when the recess position designating guide 8 is fitted to the elongate member 5 because elongate member 5 fits into the groove of the housing 9 of the recess position designating guide 8.

In some embodiments, a single groove may extend along substantially the entire length of the elongate member 5. In other embodiments, there may exist a plurality of grooves aligned longitudinally and extending parallel to the longitudinal axis of the elongate member 5. Each groove may receive at least one recess position designating guide 8.

The at least one recess position designating guide 8 may comprise a securing means 25 configured to fix the longitudinal position of the recess position designating guide 8 relative to the elongate member 5. The securing means 25 maybe, for example, but not limited to, screws 26 as illustrated in Fig. 1 or holes 27 extending through the housing 9 such that a bradawl 28 can be pushed into the door 3 or door frame 4 through the hole 27, as shown in Fig. 8, to prevent the housing 9 of the recess position designating guide

8 from moving relative to the elongate member 5 during use. The screws 26 may abut the major face 12 of the elongate member 5 to prevent movement of the recess position designating guide 8 relative to the elongate member 5, as shown in Figs. 1 and 5.

The screw or screws 26 may extend through the housing 9 such that they penetrate into the door 3 or door frame 4, in the same manner as a bradawl 28 or, more preferably, the screw or screws 26 may extend through the housing 9 such that they screw into or against the elongate member 5, as shown in Fig. 1. The latter arrangement of the at least one screw 26 is preferable as it does not leave indents in the door 3 or door frame 4 into which a recess 2 is to be cut. It will be understood that in one embodiment, a screw 26 may be used to fix the position of the at least one recess position designating guide 8 to the elongate member 5 and bradawls 28, or another screw, may be used to secure the apparatus 1 to the door 3 or door frame 4.

In an alternative embodiment, as shown in Fig. 18, the recess position designating guide 8 may further comprise a guide fixing means 29a configured to fix the recess position designating guide 8 directly to the door 3 or door frame 4 into which a recess 2 is to be cut. The guide fixing means 29a comprises holes extending through the housing

9 of the recess position designating guide 8 such that a fixing means (not shown) can be located through the holes and into the door 3 or door frame 4. The hole of the guide fixing means 29a may be threaded. Preferably, at least one of the holes of the guide fixing means 29a is angled towards the at least one aperture 10 in the housing 9.

Therefore, the hole created in the door 3 or door frame 4 is close to the area where the recess 2 is to be cut. This minimises blemishes on or damage to the rest of the door 3 or door frame 4. In some embodiments, the insert may comprise the guide fixing means 29a. The fixing means maybe, for example, but not limited to, screws or nails.

The hole of the guide fixing means 29a may have its outlet in a side wall 37a of the aperture 10 in the housing 9. Therefore, the fixing means may extend into the aperture. In this case, the fixing means may need to be removed to cut a part of the hole. At least one fixing guide means 29a may be found at either longitudinal end of the aperture(s) 10, as shown in Fig. 18. The guide fixing means 29a may further or alternatively comprise a hole which extends parallel to the longitudinal axis of the aperture(s) 10. An insert with an aperture 10 similar to the recess position designating guide 8 may be used after cutting a part of the recess 2, to fill in the cut recess 2 whilst providing a guide fixing means 29a to fix the recess position designating guide 8 in place in the recess 2 whilst the remainder of the recess is being cut.

In the first embodiment, as illustrated in Fig. 1 and in an enlarged view in Fig. 9, the housing 9 comprises a plurality of apertures 10 extending through the housing 9 in the direction of the depth dimension of the recess 2 be cut. Each of the plurality of apertures 10 is dimensioned such that a cutting arrangement 30, shown in Fig. 9, can be passed through the housing 9 and placed against a surface of a door 3 or a door frame 4 into which a recess 2 is to be cut. The cutting arrangement 30 can then be used to cut a recess 2 of a predetermined size based on the dimensions of one of the multiple apertures 10. In the present embodiment, the plurality of apertures 10 are aligned adjacent to one another in the direction of the longitudinal axis of the elongate member 5. That is, a line through the centre of each of the apertures 10 extends parallel to the longitudinal axis of the elongate member 5. Furthermore, each of the plurality of apertures 10 at least partially overlap the aperture or apertures 10 adjacent to it. Therefore, each recess 2 cut into the surface of a door 3 or door frame 4 partially overlaps an adjacent recess2 that is cut into the surface of a door 3 or door frame 4 to create a single recess 2.

However, it will be understood that in an alternative embodiment the shape, size, and alignment of the apertures 10 may vary to match type of hinge to be used. In the embodiment illustrated in Fig. 9, the housing 9 comprises three overlapping aperture 10. However, it will be understood that in an alternative embodiment the number of apertures 10 may differ. The apertures 10 shown are circular in cross-section although it is envisaged that the cross-section of the apertures 10 may be alternative shapes. Preferably each of the at least one apertures 10 is the same shape and size. The resulting recess 2 cut into a surface of a door 3 or door frame 4 is shaped to receive a hinge 28a, shown in Fig. 10. As illustrated the hinge 28a has a“butterfly-like” shape.

However, in an alternative embodiment, such as the embodiment shown in Fig. 11, the at least one aperture 10 in the housing 9 of the recess position designating guide 8 is formed by a single slot 29. The slot 29 extends in a direction which is parallel to the longitudinal axis of the elongate member 5. The slot 29 is configured to allow a cutting arrangement to pass through the recess position designating guide 8 and placed against a surface of a door 3 or door frame 4 into which a recess 2 is to be cut. The slot 29 is further configured to allow the cutting arrangement 30, shown in Fig. 9, to be moved along the slot 29 in a direction parallel to the longitudinal axis of the elongate member 5 to cut a recess 2 of a predetermined size. The resulting recess 2 cut into a surface of a door 3 or a door frame 4 is shaped to receive a hinge 28b which has a hinge leaf that is shaped like a rounded rectangle, i.e. rounded ends, as shown in Fig. 12.

It will be understood that in the case where a craftsman uses a cutting arrangement 30 which is narrower than the size of the aperture 10 or slot 29, then the cutter

arrangement may also be moved transversely between the side walls of the aperture 10 or slot 29 in order to fully cut out the material from the designated position of the recess 2 so that the recess 2 is the same shape as the apertures 10 or slot 29. In an alternative embodiment of the invention, the recess position designating guide 8 may comprise the housing 9 which has a cut-out (not shown) formed and which extends therethrough in a direction parallel to the depth dimension of the recess 2 to be cut in a door 3 or door frame 4. The cut-out may be generally rectangular and cover an area slightly larger than that covered by the apertures 10 of the embodiment shown in the drawings, although other shaped cut-outs may be used. In such an embodiment, the apparatus 1 may further comprise an insert (not shown). The insert is configured to be the same size and shape so that it can be inserted and held within the cut-out. That is, the insert is removable and interchangeable. The insert comprises the at least one aperture 10. Advantageously, different inserts with different arrangements of apertures 10 can be used with the apparatus 1 to provided different shaped hinge recesses 2 in a door 3 or door frame 4 which increases the versatility of the apparatus 1.

The apparatus 1 of the present embodiment shown in Fig. 9 is configured to be used with a separate cutting arrangement 30. The cutting arrangement 30 maybe driven by a power tool (not shown), such as a handheld chucked drill. The cutting arrangement 30 is used by a craftsman to cut the recess(es) 2 into a door 3 or door frame 4 by placing an end of the tool comprising a cutter 31 through each aperture 10 in the housing 9 of the recess position designating guide 8 and into contact with the surface of a door 3 or door frame 4 into which the recess 2 is to be cut. The cutter 31 is configured to cut a recess 2 into a door 3 or door frame 4. The recess 2 cut by the cutter 31 has a larger cross-sectional area than a standard 3 inch or 76 mm hinge leaf. This is due, in part, to the length of the recess 2 that can be cut by the apparatus 1. The arrangement of the aperture(s) 10 in the recess position designating guide 8 and the slideable function of the guide 8 relative to the elongate member 5 allow for longer recesses 2 to be cut and therefore a longer hinge leaf can be used. Preferably, the cutter 31 has a diameter of between 15 mm and 40 mm. More preferably, the cutter 31 has a diameter of between 32 mm and 35 mm. The cutting arrangement 30 may further comprise a cutter housing 32. The cutting housing 32 is configured to limit the movement of the cutter 31 within the at least one aperture 10 in the housing 9 of the recess position designating guide 8. For example, preferably, the cutter housing 32 maybe substantially the same shape and size as the at least one aperture 10 so that the cutting arrangement 30 may only be moved within the aperture 10 in the housing 9 in the direction of the depth dimension of the recess 2 to be cut. This is true for the embodiment shown in Fig. 9. In an embodiment such as that shown in Fig. 11, the cutter housing 32 allows movement in the depth dimension of the recess 2 and in the direction parallel to the longitudinal axis of the elongate member 5. As mentioned above, in the case where the cutting arrangement 30 is narrower than the aperture 10 or slot 29 the cutter arrangement 30 may also be moved transversely to the longitudinal direction within the limits of the aperture 10 or slot 29.

It will be understood that the apparatus 1 described above, and the alternative embodiments, may be designed so that either minor face 13 of the elongate member 5 may be placed against a door 3 or door frame 4 into which a recess 2 is to be cut. That is, the apparatus 1 may comprise a line of symmetry which extends in a plane through the longitudinal axis and splits the elongate member 5 and recess position designating guide 8 in half. That is, the apparatus 1 is configured such that either minor face 13 of the elongate member 5 can be placed against or proximate to the door 3 or door frame 4 and the cutter arrangement 30 can be located through the recess position designating guide 8 through either end of the apertures 10 in order to perform the cut into a door 3 or door frame 4. Therefore, the line of symmetry of the apparatus 1 extends in a plane through the longitudinal axis of the elongate member 5 and perpendicular to the axis that extends through the centre of an aperture 10 in the direction of the depth of a recess 2 to be cut. As shown more clearly in Fig. 13, the apparatus 1 may further comprise an adjustable depth setting means 35 configured to limit the distance which the cutter 31 of the cutting arrangement 30 can protrude from the housing 9 of the recess position designating guide 8 in order to limit the depth of the recess 2 which is to be cut into a surface of a door 3 or a door frame 4.

In the present embodiment, shown in Figs. 9, 11, and 13, the depth setting means 35 may be formed by a shoulder 36 located within the at least one aperture 10 of the housing 9 and a shoulder 37 formed on the cutter housing 32. The shoulder 37 formed on the cutter housing 32 has a larger width, or more specifically in this case diameter, than the shoulder 36 in the at least one aperture 10 so that the cutting arrangement 30, and therefore cutter 31, cannot be pushed further into a door 3 or door frame 4 into which a recess 2 is to be cut. In an alternative embodiment, the cutter housing 32 may be larger than the at least one aperture 10 so that only the cutter 31 can be placed through the at least one aperture 10. Furthermore, the depth setting means 35 maybe adjustable so that the depth of the recess 2 cut into a surface of a door 3 or a door frame 4 can be varied. One way of achieving this is to vary the distance between the cutter 31 and the bottom of the cutter housing 32. The depth setting means 35 may comprise a sleeve (not shown) coupled to the cutter 31 which restricts the movement of the cutter 31 to thereby set a limit to the extent to which the cutter 31 is able to protrude from the housing 9 of the recess position designating guide 8. In an alternative embodiment to the one shown in Fig. 13, the cutting arrangement 30 maybe held within the recess position designating guide 8. That is, the recess position designating guide 8 may comprise the cutting arrangement 30. Referring now to Fig.

14, such an embodiment can be seen. In Fig. 14, sidewalls 37a of the at least one aperture 10 in the housing 9 of the recess position designating guide 8 comprise a groove 38. The groove 38 extends around the sidewalls 37a which form the peripheral surface defining the slot 29 formed by the at least one aperture 10. The groove 38 extends in a plane parallel to the longitudinal axis of the elongate member 5.

Furthermore, the cutter housing 32 comprises a projection 39 which is configured to locate in the groove 38 so that the cutting arrangement 30 cannot be removed from the recess position designating guide 8. In this embodiment the depth setting means 35 may comprise a sleeve (not shown) coupled to the cutter 31 which restricts the movement of the cutter 31.

In one alternative embodiment, the depth setting means 35 may comprise a set distance between the cutter 31 and the cutter housing 32 may be a set distance.

Furthermore, in such an embodiment, the diameter of the cutter 31 maybe smaller than the cutter housing 32. Therefore, the depth of the recess 2 is limited by the end of the cutter housing 32 proximate to the cutter 31 touching the surface of the door 3 or door frame 4.

Referring now to Fig. 15, a perspective view of a second embodiment of the apparatus 40 for accurately designating the position of a recess 2 in a door 3 or door frame 3 is shown. The apparatus 40 shown in Fig. 15 is generally the same as the embodiments of the apparatus 1 described above and so a detailed description will be omitted herein. Furthermore, features and components of the apparatus 40 that are the same as the features and components of the apparatus 1 will retain the same terminology and reference numerals.

The apparatus 40 is generally the same as the apparatus 1 described above except for a few key features; namely the lateral guide 7 differs from that of the first embodiment of the apparatus 1 that is shown in Figs. 6 and 7, and the recess position designating guide 8 and how it attaches to the elongate member 5 differs from that of the first

embodiment of the apparatus 1 shown in Figs. 9 and 11. Referring to Fig. 15, the apparatus 40 for accurately designating the position of a recess 2 in a door 3 or door frame 4 in order to properly hang a door 3 in a door frame 4 comprises an elongate member 5 configured to be placed against a door 3 or door frame 4 into which a recess 2 is to be cut, and at least one positioning element 6, which is not shown in Fig. 15 for clarity, located at a longitudinal end 11 of the elongate member 5.

The elongate member 5 of the apparatus 40 further comprises at least one recess position designating guide 41 having at least one aperture 42 in the elongate member 5. The apparatus 40 further comprises cutter arrangement 43 comprising a housing 44 which is moveable relative to the elongate member 5. The housing 44 has at least one locating protrusion 45 which is configured to be located in the at least one aperture 42 in the elongate member 5. The cutter arrangement 43 further comprises a cutter 46 configured to be placed against a surface of a door 3 or door frame 4 into which a recess 2 is to be cut when the cutter arrangement 43 is located in the at least one recess position designating guide 41 to cut a recess of a predetermined size when the elongate member 5 is placed against a door 3 or door frame 4. The cutter 46 of the cutting arrangement 43 is configured to be driven by a handheld power tool, as will be explained in more detail hereinafter.

In the second embodiment of the present invention, the elongate member 5 of the apparatus 40 comprises at least one enlarged section 48. The at least one enlarged section 48 of the elongate member 5 is created by increasing the dimension of the major surfaces 12 of the elongate member 5 which is perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the elongate member 5 when compared to the embodiment shown in Fig. 1. It will be understood that in alternative embodiments, the enlarged section 48 may extend the length of the elongate member 5.

The elongate member 5 may further comprise at least one ridge 47 which extends in a direction parallel to the longitudinal axis of the elongate member 5. The at least one ridge 47 forms a part of the lateral guide 7. The at least one ridge 47 extends from the major face 12 of the elongate member 5 which is configured to be placed against the surface of a door 3 into which a recess 2 is to be cut. In the event, that the door stop 4b is incorrectly positioned on the door lintel 4a or has not yet been attached, the at least one ridge 47 may abut the edge of the door frame 4 before the free end 50 of the enlarged section 48 abuts the door stop 4b in order to correctly position the recess position designating guide 8 in the lateral direction relative to the door lintel 4b in which the recess 2 will be cut.

In the present embodiment, there is a plurality of ridges 47 which are all parallel and aligned along the same axis. Although not illustrated, each major face 12 of the elongate member 5 may comprise at least one ridge 47. Preferably, each ridge 47 only extends by approximately 4 mm from the major face 12 of the elongate member 5 so that it does not interfere with an ill fitted architrave, although it may extend by between 1 mm and 5 mm. However, it will be understood that in an alternative embodiment, there may be only one continuous ridge 47 or the ridge 47 may be omitted altogether. Each of the ridges 47 are located at the same distance in the widthwise direction from one of the minor surfaces 13 of the elongate member 5, as will be described in more detail hereinafter. Although the ridge 47 illustrated in the drawings is shown to be generally cuboidal in shape, it will be understood that the ridge 47 maybe any other shape.

Each ridge 47 maybe adjustable. That is, each ridge 47 maybe moveable in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the elongate member 5 such that each ridge 47 can be moved towards or away from the free end 50 of the enlarged section 49 of the elongate member 5. Therefore, the distance between the ridge 47 and the free end 50 maybe adjusted for doors and door frames of different sizes. The position of the ridge 47 between the opposing minor faces 13 of the elongate member 5 may be adjusted by, for example, but not limited to, being slid along grooves (not shown) in the elongate member 5 and may be held in position by for example, but not limited to, screws in a similar manner to that explained above.

The at least one enlarged section 48 of the elongate member 5 forms part of the lateral guide 7 of the apparatus 40. Essentially, the at least one enlarged section 48 is formed by a protrusion 49 that extends from the main body of the elongate member 5. The protrusion 49 of the at least one enlarged section 48 comprises a free end 50. The free end 50 of the protrusion 49 is configured to be placed against a door stop 4b of a door frame 4 when cutting a recess 2 into a door frame 4. The free end 50 is part of one of the minor surfaces 13 and is the point furthest from the opposite minor surface 13. The distance from the free end 50 to the opposite minor surface 13 on the opposing side of the elongate member 5 defines the maximum width of the elongate member 5.

In the present embodiment, the width dimension of the major surface 12 of the elongate member 5, the dimension perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the elongate member 5 in the plane of the major surface 12, is at its maximum in the vicinity of each of the at least one recess position designating guides 41. That is, the maximum width of the major surfaces 12 of the elongate member 5 is the point or points at which the at least one enlarged section 48 is located, i.e. the distance between the free end 50 of the projection 49 of the enlarged section 48 and the opposite minor surface 13 of the elongate member 5.

The widthwise distance, i.e. the horizontal distance, between the at least one ridge 47 and the free end 50 of the at least one enlarged section 48 is predetermined in order to space the recess position designating guide 8, used to determine the position into which the hinge recess 2 is cut, correctly from the door stop 4b so that binding of the door 3 to the door stop 4b is avoided, when the door 3 is hung on the door frame 4.

The distance between the ridge 47 and the free end 50 of the enlarged section 48 is predetermined so that it is not possible for a craftsman to laterally position the apparatus 40 too close to the door stop 4b. Preferably, the distance between the edge of the ridge 47 proximate the free end 50 and the free end 50 is 37.5 mm, as shown in Fig. 16. Such a predetermined distance ensures that there is a 2.5 mm space maintained between a door 3 and a door stop 4 when fitting a 35 mm door 3 to a door frame 4. The edge of the ridge 47 can be aligned with the edge of the door 3 or door frame 4 and allows the recess 2 to be cut into the edge of the door 3 or door frame 4 so that it is an open recess, as described above.

The lateral guide 7 of the present embodiment may also be adjustable. As illustrated in Fig. 16, the lateral guide 7 of the apparatus 40 may further comprise at least one lug 51 configured to adjust the lateral position of the elongate member 5 with respect to a door 3 or door frame 4 into which a recess 2 is to be cut. The at least one lug 51 comprises a main body 52 having a free end 53 configured to space the free end 50 from the door stop 4b and at least one protrusion 54 which is configured to removeably locate in at least one hole 55 in the free end 50 of the projection 49. Preferably, there are two protrusions 54 and two holes 55, as shown.

In the present embodiment, the width dimension of the body 52 of the lug 51, the dimension perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the elongate member 5, is 9 mm. Therefore, when attached to the elongate member 5, the distance between the ridge 47 and the free end 53 of the lug 51 is 46.5 mm. Thus, the apparatus 40 can also be used to hang a 44mm thick door 3 in a door frame 4 whilst maintaining the 2.5 mm gap between a door 3 and door stop 4b when the door 3 is closed. Alternatively, the width of the at least one lug 51 may be of any other predetermined distance, as required, to provide for a predetermined gap between the door and door frame to prevent sticking. Preferably, the number of lugs 51 provided are equal to the number of free ends 50 of the enlarged sections 48 present in the apparatus 40. As an example, the apparatus 40 may be provided in a kit with at least two lugs 51 of each body width, i.e. two 37.5 mm lugs, and two 46.5 mm lugs. Although the lugs 51 illustrated in the drawings are shown to be generally cuboidal in shape, it will be understood that the ridge 47 maybe any other shape. It will be understood that in some embodiments the lugs 51 are omitted and the at least one protrusion 49 of the elongate member 5 extends by a distance from the ridge which is 2.5 mm greater than the thickness of the door 3 that a recess 2 is to be cut into.

In the present embodiment, there are two enlarged sections 48 positioned

longitudinally at either end of one of the recess position designating guide 41. By using enlarged areas 48 of the elongate member 5 as a part of the lateral guide 7, the weight of the apparatus 40 can be reduced. It will be appreciated that an enlarged section 48 may be located at either end of each recess position designating guide 8. A plurality of enlarged sections 48 spaced longitudinally along the elongate member 5 allows the apparatus 40 to be properly aligned such that the longitudinal axis of a recess 2 is aligned with the longitudinal axis of a door 3 or door lintel 4a. However, in an alternative embodiment, there may be one enlarged section 48 which extends over a great enough range of the longitudinal axis of the elongate member 5 such that when the free end 50 is aligned with the edge of a door 3 or is placed against a door stop 4b of a door frame 4, the longitudinal axis of a recess 2 is aligned with the longitudinal axis of a door 3 or door lintel 4a. Furthermore, the present embodiment of the apparatus 40 comprises a recess 56 in the elongate member 5. The recess 56 extends through the entire thickness of the elongate member 5. That is, the recess 56 extends through the elongate member 5 in the direction of the depth dimension of the recess to be cut, i.e. between the opposing major surfaces 12. The recess 56 is configured to allow the cutter 46 of the cutting arrangement 43 to pass through the elongate member 5 to be placed against a surface of a door 3 or a door frame 4 into which the recess 2 is to be cut.

In the present embodiment, the recess 56 is an open ended recess. That is, the recess 56 extends from an inner region 57 of the elongate member 5 to one of the minor surfaces 13 of the elongate member 5. As illustrated in Fig. 15, the recess 56 is located proximate the recess position designating guide 41, which will be described in more detail hereinafter. In the present embodiment, the recess 56 is longitudinally located between longitudinally opposing ends of the at least one enlarged section 48. That is, the open ended recess 56 extends over a shorter longitudinal distance than the enlarged section 48 of the elongate member 5 in which it is located such that the recess 56 splits the at least one enlarged section 48 into two parts 48a, 48b, each part 48a, 48b having a free end 50a, 50b.

The elongate member 5 comprises an edge 58 of the recess 56 which extends between the free ends 50a, 50b of the parts 48a, 48b of the enlarged section 48. The edge 58 is configured such that the elongate member 5 avoids the cutter 46 of the cutting arrangement 43 during use when the cutting arrangement 43 is coupled to the recess position designating guide 41. As illustrated in Fig. 15, the edge 58 of the recess 56 is generally‘C’ shaped. The edge 58 comprises widthwise extending sections 59a, 59b extending from the free ends 50a, 50b towards the inner region 57 of the elongate member 5 which are joined by a generally longitudinally extending section 60. The distance between the free ends 50a, 50b and the longitudinally extending section 60 of the edge 58 of the recess 56 in the elongate member 5 is less than the distance between the free edge 50a, 50b and the ridge 47 of the lateral guide 7.

In one embodiment, the adjustable ridge 47 maybe formed similarly to the lugs 51, described above. For example, the adjustable ridge 47 may comprise a main body with protruding legs configured to be located in holes in the major surface 12 of the elongate member 5. The holes maybe positioned at different distances from the free end 50 so that the position of the ridge 47 can be adjusted relative to the free end 50. The distance of the ridge 47 from the free end 50 will be dependent on the holes into which the lug- like ridge 47 is placed.

As previously mentioned, the housing 44 of the cutter arrangement 43 comprises at least one protrusion 45. In the present embodiment, as shown in Fig. 15, the housing 44 of the cutter arrangement 43 comprises at least two protrusions 45a, 45b which are spaced apart by a predetermined distance. The spacing between the at least two protrusions 45a, 45b defines a locating pattern. That is, the spacing between the at least two protrusions 45 determines the position in which the cutter arrangement 43 can be positioned relative to the recess position designating guide 41 of the elongate member 5, as will be described in more detail hereinafter.

In the present embodiment, the recess position designating guide 41 of elongate member 5 comprises a plurality of apertures 42, as previously mentioned. The plurality of apertures 42 may extend through the thickness of the elongate member 5. The plurality of apertures 42 are located in the inner region 57 of the elongate member 5 proximate to the longitudinally extending section 60 of the edge 58 of the recess 56.

The apertures 42 are aligned and form a line of apertures 42 which extends parallel to the longitudinal axis of the elongate member 5. The plurality of apertures 42 comprises at least one pair of apertures 42 which are spaced apart by a predetermined distance which is equal to the predetermined distance between the protrusions 45 on the housing 44 of the cutter arrangement 43. One pair of apertures 42 is configured to receive the protrusions 45 of the housing 44 of the cutter arrangement 43. The length of the protrusions 45 is less than the depth of the apertures 42 so that the housing 44 of the cutting arrangement 44 can be located against the elongate member 5 in order for the depth setting means to be correctly adjusted and so that the protrusions 45 do not protrude from the elongate member 5 so that the elongate member 5 can be laid flat against a door 3 or door frame 4 into which the recess 2 is to be cut. The recess position designating guide 41 may comprises a plurality of pairs of apertures 42 so that the cutter arrangement 43 can be positioned in multiple positions relative to the elongate member 5.

Therefore, the size of the recess 2 to be cut into a door 3 or door frame 4 is determined by the positioning of the apertures 42 and the number of positions used by a craftsman. The plurality of pairs of apertures 42 enables a recess 2 to be cut into a door 3 or a door frame 4 that can receive a hinge leaf such as the one shown in Fig. 10. It will be understood that one of the apertures 42 of the recess position designating guide 41 may be a part of more than one pair of apertures. In one embodiment, the cutting arrangement 43 may be modified so that the cutter can be moved in a direction parallel to the longitudinal axis of the elongate member 5 such that the protrusions 45 only need to be located in one set of apertures 42. This means that a craftsman does not have to move the housing 44 of the cutter arrangement to cut the recess 2. Referring now to Figs. 16 and 17, an alternative embodiment of the apparatus 40 is shown in which is generally the same as the previous embodiment as described above except that the recess position designating guide 41 comprises a slot 62. The slot 62 is also illustrated in Fig. 17. The slot 62 is located in the inner region 57 of the elongate member 5 proximate to the longitudinally extending section 60 of the edge 58 of the recess 56 and extends in a direction parallel to the longitudinal axis of the elongate member 5. The slot 62 may extend through the thickness of the elongate member 5. In the present embodiment, the cutter arrangement 43 may comprise only a single protrusion 45 extending from the housing 44 which is configured to be located in the slot 62. The protrusion 45 maybe extended or elongated so that the cutter arrangement 43 cannot rotate when the single protrusion 45 is located in the slot 62. The

arrangement shown in Fig. 17 enables a user to slide the cutter arrangement relative to the elongate member 5. This means that a craftsman does not have to remove the cutter arrangement 43 from the recess position designating guide 41 and reposition it to cut a full recess 2 into a door 3 or door frame 4. The apparatus 40 of the present embodiment allows a craftsman to cut a recess 2 into a door 3 or door frame 4 that is configured to receive a hinge leaf such as the one shown in Fig. 12.

It will be appreciated that the elongate member 5 of the second embodiment shown in Figs. 15 to 17 maybe used in conjunction with the recess position designating guide 8 of the first embodiment of the invention shown in Figs. 1, 3 to 9, 11, and 13. That is, the elongate member 5 of the second invention can be provided with a projection to engage a groove in the recess position designation guide 8 so that the recess position designation guide 8 can be slideably moveable along the elongate member 5 and its lateral guide 7 and ridge 47.

It will be understood that, it is preferable that there is more than one recess designating guide located along the elongate member 5. This allows for a number of recesses 2 to be cut into a door 3 or door frame 4 without having to move a recess designating guide. Therefore, the position of multiple recesses 2 can be designated and accurately aligned on the corresponding door 3 or door frame 4 because none of the recess designating guides need to be moved when taking the apparatus 1 off of a door 3 or door frame 4 and positioning the apparatus 1 in a door frame 4 or on a door 3. An advantage of each of the embodiments shown in Figs. 1, 3 to 9, 11, 13, and 15 to 17, is that they can be used for designating and cutting recesses 2 in a door 3 or a door frame 4 from both faces. Thus, it can be ensured that the recessed on a door and door frame 4 line up when hanging the door 3 in the door frame 4. In general, the apparatus 1, 40 are symmetrical such that either side of the apparatus 1, 40 can be used.

Claims

1. An apparatus (1) for designating the position of a recess (2) in a door (3) and a door frame (4), the apparatus comprising:

an elongate member (5) configured to be placed against a door or a door frame into which a recess is to be cut;

at least one positioning element (6) located at a longitudinal end (11) of the elongate member and configured to correctly align the elongate member with a door or a door frame;

at least one recess position designating guide (8) comprising a housing (9) which is moveable relative to the elongate member, the moveable housing having at least one aperture (10) extending therethrough, the at least one aperture configured to allow a cutting arrangement (43) to pass through the at least one recess position designating guide and placed against a surface of a door or doorframe into which a recess is to be cut to cut a recess of predetermined size.

2. The apparatus according to the claim 1, wherein the housing of the recess position designating guide comprises a cut-out configured to receive an insert, and an insert configured to be removably located in the cut-out, the insert comprising the at least one aperture (10) extending therethrough, the at least one aperture configured to allow a cutting arrangement (43) to pass through the at least one recess position designating guide and placed against a surface of a door or door frame into which a recess is to be cut to cut a recess of predetermined size.

3. The apparatus (1) according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the at least one aperture (10) extending through the at least one recess position designating guide (8) comprises a plurality of apertures (10) aligned adjacent to one another in the direction of the longitudinal axis of the elongate member (5), wherein each aperture is configured to allow a cutting arrangement (43) to pass through the at least one recess position designating guide and placed against a surface of a door (3) or door frame (4) into which a recess (2) is to be cut to cut a recess of predetermined size, and wherein adjacent apertures at least partially overlap one another.

4. The apparatus (1) according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the at least one aperture (10) extending through the at least one recess position designating guide (8) comprises a slot (29) which extends in a direction parallel to the longitudinal axis of the elongate member (5), the slot being configured to allow a cutting arrangement (43) to pass through the recess position designating guide and placed against a surface of a door (3) or door frame (4) into which a recess (2) is to be cut and to allow a cutting arrangement to be moved along the slot in the direction of the longitudinal axis of the elongate member to cut a recess of predetermined size.

5. The apparatus (1) according to claim 4, wherein the at least one recess position designating guide (8) further comprises a cutter arrangement (43) configured to be placed against a surface of a door (3) or a door frame (4) into which a recess (2) is to be cut when the elongate member (5) is placed against a door or door frame.

6. The apparatus (1) according to claim 5, wherein the cutter arrangement (43) comprises a projection (39) and a sidewall (37a) of the slot (29) comprises a groove (38), the groove being configured to receive the projection of the cutter arrangement to hold the cutter arrangement in the recess position designating guide (8).

7. An apparatus (40) for designating the position of and cutting a recess (2) in a door (3) or a door frame (4), the apparatus comprising:

at least one recess position designating guide (41) comprising at least one aperture (42) in the elongate member;

a cutter arrangement (43) comprising a housing (44) which is moveable relative to the elongate member, the housing having at least one locating protrusion (45) configured to be located in the at least one aperture in the elongate member;

the cutter arrangement comprising a cutter (46) which is configured to be placed against a surface of a door or a door frame into which a recess is to be cut to cut a recess of predetermined size when the elongate member is placed against a door or a door frame.

8. The apparatus (40) according to claim 7, wherein the housing (44) of the cutter arrangement (43) comprises at least two protrusions (45) which are spaced apart by a predetermined distance to define a locating pattern, and wherein the elongate member (5) comprises a plurality of apertures (42), the plurality of apertures spaced apart by the predetermined distance such that they replicate the locating pattern at least once along the elongate member in a direction parallel to the longitudinal axis of the elongate member to cut a recess (2) of a predetermined size.

9. The apparatus (40) according to claim 7, wherein the at least one aperture (42) in the elongate member (5) comprises a slot (62) which extends in a direction parallel to the longitudinal axis of the elongate member and is configured to allow the cutter arrangement (43) to be slid along the slot in the direction parallel to the longitudinal axis of the elongate member to cut a recess (2) of a predetermined size.

10. The apparatus (1, 40) according to any one of the preceding claims, further comprising an adjustable lateral guide (7), configured to align the apparatus relative to an edge of a door (3) or door frame (4) into which a recess (2) is to be cut to designate the position of a recess relative to the edge of a door or door frame.

11. The apparatus (40) according to claim 10 when dependent on claim 7 to claim 9, wherein the lateral guide (7) comprises a ridge (47) extending from the elongate member (5) in a direction parallel to the longitudinal axis of the elongate member, the ridge being configured to abut against an edge of a door (3) or door frame (4) to locate the recess position designating guide (41) relative to the edge of a door or door frame.

12. The apparatus (40) according to claim 10 or claim 11 when dependent on claim 7 to claim 9, wherein the lateral guide (7) comprises a free end (50) of the elongate member (sojlocated at a predetermined distance from the recess position designating guide (41) and configured to be located against an edge of a door (3) or a door stop (4b) of a door frame (4) to locate the recess position designating guide relative to an edge of a door or a door stop.

13. The apparatus (40) according to claim 12, wherein the lateral guide (7) further comprises a lug (51) having a predetermined width which is configured to be removeably attachable to the free end (50) of the elongate member (5) to adjust the distance of the recess position designating guide (41) from an edge of a door (3) or a door stop (4b) of a door frame (4).

14. The apparatus (1, 40) according to any one of claim 5 to claim 9, wherein the cutter arrangement (43) comprises an adjustable depth setting means (35) configured to limit the distance that a cutter (44) of the cutting arrangement (43) can protrude from the housing (9, 44) in order to limit the depth of the recess (2) to be cut into a door (3) or a door frame (4).

15. The apparatus (1, 40) according to claim 14, wherein the cutter arrangement (43) is configured to be driven by a hand-held power tool.

16. The apparatus (1) according to claim 1 to claim 6 or any one of claims 10 to 15 when dependent on claim 4, wherein the recess position designating guide is removable from the elongate member.

17. An insert for use with an apparatus for designating the position of a recess in a door or a door frame, the insert being configured to be removably located in a cut-out of a recess position designating guide, the insert comprising at least one aperture (10) extending therethrough, the at least one aperture configured to allow a cutting arrangement (43) to pass through the at least one recess position designating guide and placed against a surface of a door or doorframe into which a recess is to be cut to cut a recess of predetermined size.