Machine For Assembling A Pre-hung Door Unit

Abstract

A machine for aligning and rigidly holding a plurality of lumber pieces selectively defining various size door jambs while a workman suitable secures these and other lumber pieces defining door frame structure one to the other and hingedly attaches a door thereto. The machine includes mechanically driven expandable frame structure for convenient adjustment thereof to facilitate assembling of various size pre-hung door units, pneumatic operable jamb-gripping structure for holding the jambs in an optimum arrangement while the workman secures the header thereto and subsequently completes the pre-hung door unit, and a pneumatic operable transverse bar jack for centrally supporting multiple doors having no door stop structure, e.g., bi-fold or double panel door units, in an optimum arrangement while the workman suitably secures these type doors to the door frame structure.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

This invention relates to machines used for aiding a workman in assembling a pre-hung door unit.

2. Description of the Prior Art

Prior to a few years ago, the technique of installing interior and exterior doors, principally in a residential dwelling, involved the employment of a highly skilled workman. This workman would suitably fabricate and install a door frame jamb into the stud framing of the wall and subsequently install the door stops, the door panel, including the hardware, and the trim or framing pieces. Several inventions were patented, expediting and improving upon the above-described system, e. g., the Hobbs U.S. Pat. No. 1,778,496; the Williams U.S. Pat. No. 2,748,493; the Buck U.S. Pat. No. 2,855,695; the Pattiani U.S. Pat. No. 3,065,550; and the Holland U.S. Pat. No. 3,102,345. Irrespective of these improvements, the spiraling cost of labor for highly skilled workmen provoked a new technique generally referred to as fabricating pre-hung door units. This technique involves mass production of door units in a factory or assembly line environment at a site removed from the intended residential construction site.

The pre-hung door unit assembly technique is well known and depends upon the utilization of numerous well known power driven tools and/or machines or the like. One such machine is used in the final assembling phases of the assembly line sequence for suitably holding pre-cut door jambs having one member of a door hinge and applicable door stops installed thereon. A pre-assembled door panel, i. e., having the other portion of the hinges and the door knobs, etc., installed thereon and being horizontally disposed, is placed between the jambs and rests against the applicable door stops. The workman places the hinge pins into the mated hinge members and puts the plunger in the door and locks the door down into the frame. While the frame and door are still in the machine, the workman installs the selected trim or framing material to the door jambs and header.

The Clary Corporation, Box 8266, Fort Worth, Tex., offers an assembly machine as above-described and appropriately identified as an "Assembly Machine." Additionally, the General Construction Automation, Inc., Box 8106, 5916 Tension, Fort Worth, Tex. 76112, offers a similar machine identified as a Model A-100 pneumatic door unit assembly machine. It is not known by the applicant whether either of the above machines is patented. However, the firms publish brochures which include photographs and technical data on these machines.

Machines known by the applicant for accomplishing the above-described final assembling phases are terribly expensive and complicated. Accordingly, these machines inherently have considerable objectionable idle time for performing maintenance operations thereon. Additionally, the small manufacturer simply cannot afford these expensive machines. As a result, he is forced to develop over-simplified jigs, etc., for accomplishing the above-described final phases of the assembling of pre-hung door units. Obviously, these jigs usually are cumbersome and the use thereof is more time-consuming than accomplishing the same task with the above-mentioned machine.

A further objection to the machines known by the applicant, e. g., the Clary Assembly Machine, is that a separate machine is required for assembling doors having a small width, an intermediate width, and the larger widths.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is directed towards overcoming the disadvantages and problems relative to previous machines for assembling a pre-hung door unit. The concept of the present invention is to provide an inexpensive, efficient machine which may be easily operated by an unskilled workman for accomplishing the final assembling of a pre-hung door unit. Further, the machine of the present invention includes adjustable structure so that the one machine can be used for the final assembling of pre-hung door units having a small width, an intermediate width, and/or a larger width, e. g., doors ranging from six inches wide up to and including eight feet wide. In other words, it is contemplated that the machine of the present invention will accomplish the identical functions with equal precision that heretofore required three machines. Additionally, the simplicity of the machine of the present invention should reduce the cost thereof sufficiently so that even the smaller manufacturer of pre-hung door units can readily afford the purchase price.

The machine includes mechanically driven expandable frame structure for convenient adjustment thereof to facilitate the final assembling phases of various size pre-hung door units, pneumatic operable jamb gripping structure for holding a pair of jambs in an optimum arrangement while a workman secures a header thereto and subsequently completes the pre-hung door unit, and a pneumatic operable transverse bar jack for centrally supporting multiple doors having no door stop structure, e. g., bi-fold or double panel door units, in an optimum arrangement while the workman suitably secures these type doors to the door frame structure. The machine of the present invention may be adjusted for assembling all standard size doors and additionally may be adjusted for assembling custom size doors. The transverse bar jack is recessed below the slidable structure so that it may be operable upwardly for contiguous engagement with the plurality of panels so as to align them in a single plane while a workman secures the doors into tracks and catches commonly found on bi-fold units and double door units.

The concept of the machine of the present invention is to square the door unit at the top portions thereof as opposed to the the portion. This obviates a common problem in known machines which align the bottom edges of the door jambs. Accordingly, when the jambs are not exactly equal in length, a frequent occurrence, the end product or door unit is rejected.

An important feature of the present machine is the manner provided for installing the header. The header stop is aligned to the side jamb stops when the header stop is installed. Further, the machine of the present invention does not require additional ancillary hardware, e. g., spacers or change-over devices when changing from interior to exterior or from exterior to interior units.

The machine is described and illustrated in a preferred embodiment which utilizes mechanical features in accomplishing the expansion movement. However, it is contemplated that modifications may be made therein which include structure obvious to those skilled in the art to power operate the mechanically driven structure, e. g., electric motors or pneumatic pressure, etc.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a plan view of the machine of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of the machine of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is an end elevational view of the machine of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary plan view of a portion of one end of the machine showing the pivotally connected sections in a folded position.

FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken as on the line V--V of FIG. 4.

FIG. 6 is a sectional view taken as on the line VI--VI of FIG. 4.

FIG. 7 is a sectional view taken as on the line VII--VII of FIG. 1.

FIG. 8 is an enlarged fragmentary plan view of the transverse bar jack assembly, having a portion broken away to better illustrate certain structure.

FIG. 9 is a sectional view taken as on the line IX--IX of FIG. 8.

FIG. 10 is a fragmentary elevational end view of the machine in a fully closed position.

FIG. 11 is an elevational end view of the machine in a fully open position.

FIG. 12 is a schematic showing the interconnecting relationship of the pneumatic operable structure of the machine.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

From FIGS. 1 and 7 of the drawings, it may be seen that the machine 11 of the present invention is used for aligning and rigidly holding various size door jambs 13 while a workman secures thereto a header 15, lumber pieces 17 defining trim or molding framing structure, and hingedly attaches to the hinge jamb 13 a door 19.

The machine 11 generally includes base structure 21, a frame assembly 23 supported by the base structure 21 and comprising first and second end assemblies 25, 27 joined at the respective ends thereof by a pair of side members 29, 31, a first pair of upwardly directed channel means 33, 35 fixedly attached to the side member 29 for receiving the left door jamb 13, a second pair of upwardly directed channel means 37, 39 fixedly attached to the side member 31 for receiving the right door jamb 13, and a plurality of holding devices 41, e. g., pneumatic cylinders or the like, being operable for selectively holding or immobilizing the left and right jambs 13 in a predetermined relationship one with the other while the workman secures the header 15 thereto and subsequently completes the pre-hung door unit, i. e., installs the trim pieces 17 and the door 19, etc.

It should be understood that the term "pre-hung door unit" is mundane to those skilled in the art. Accordingly, it is believed to be sufficient for the purposes herein to simply state that a pre-hung door unit is an assembly, usually fabricated in an assembly line environment, including the strike and hinge jambs 13 having door stops 43 fixedly attached thereto, the header 15 also having door stop structure 43 fixedly attached thereto, the door 19 being formed from a single panel or multiple panels, e. g., bi-fold panels and/or double door panels, all ancillary hardware, e. g., hinges, door knobs, etc., and the usual trim or molding pieces 17. Obviously, all of the above structure is not shown in the drawings, however, some of the above structure is selected and is shown so as to facilitate teaching particular structure and/or the operation of the machine 11.

The machine 11, being used to precision fit the components making up the pre-hung door unit, preferably is formed from steel or the like. The base structure 21 includes a horizontally disposed platelike circular lower member 45 preferably having a diameter substantially equal to the basic width of the machine 11, i. e., as best viewed in FIG. 1 of the drawings. In other words, the width of the machine 11 is adjustable and FIG. 1 illustrates one of an infinite number of positions or widths thereof, a feature yet to be fully disclosed. The base structure 21 also includes a vertically disposed platelike member 47 defining the upper portion thereof and best viewed in FIGS. 2 and 3 of the drawings. The member 47 is fixedly attached to the lower portion 45 in any well known manner, e. g., welding or the like. Obviously, it may be desirable to provide further reinforcement between the lower portion 45 and the platelike member 47, e. g., gusset plates (not shown) or the like positioned on either side of the member 47 being vertically disposed and fixedly attached to the lower portion 45 and the platelike member 47, as by welding or the like, obvious structure to those skilled in the art. The platelike member 47 preferably has a shape substantially as depicted in FIG. 2 so as to support the frame assembly 23 a predetermined distance above a supporting surface S for the machine.

The first end assembly 25 is substantially a mirror image of the second end assembly 27. Accordingly, for purposes of convenience and simplicity, the construction of the end assembly 25 as hereinafter disclosed is intended to encompass the construction of the end assembly 27. In this regard, identical component items will be character referenced by the same numeral and differentiated one from the other by letter suffixes a and b.

The end assembly 25 includes at least a pair of tongue and groove interlocking members 49a, 51a, as best viewed in FIGS. 1 and 2 of the drawings. The members 49a, 51a, preferably being formed from machine steel or the like, respectively are conveniently provided with tongue and groove portions along the lengths thereof. In other words, the member 49a is provided with a male protrusion 53a defining the tongue which is slidably received in a groove 55a provided in the member 51a.

The end assembly 25 also includes a frame support member 57a preferably having a shape substantially as depicted in FIGS. 2 and 3 of the drawings, i. e., having a triangular-shaped platelike structure. The apex of the member 57a, being directed downwardly, preferably is provided with a slot 59a for receiving the outermost portion of the platelike member 47 and is fixedly attached thereto in any well known manner as by welding or the like. From FIG. 2 of the drawings, it may be seen that the member 57a is fixedly attached at the one end of the member 47 and the member 57b is fixedly attached at the opposite end thereof. The support member 57a carries the member 51a, i. e., the lower surface of the member 51a contiguously engages the uppermost edges of the member 57a and is fixedly attached thereto in any well known manner, as by welding or the like.

From FIG. 1 of the drawings, it may be seen that one of the ends of the respective members 51a, 51b supports the side member 29, i. e., the lowermost surface of the member 29 adjacent the ends thereof is fixedly attached to the members 51a, 51b in any well known manner as by welding or the like. In other words, the side member 29 and the members 51a, 51b are immobilized by being fixedly attached to the base structure 21, i. e., through the frame support members 57a, 57b.

Further, it may be seen that one of the ends of the respective members 49a, 49b supports the other side member 31, i. e., the lowermost surface of the member 31 adjacent the outermost ends thereof is fixedly attached to the members 49a, 49b. In other words, the side member 31 and the adjoining members 49a, 49b are free to slidably extend guidably and constrainingly outward from the respective members 51a, 51b for selectively adjusting the spaced apart distance between the side members 29, 31 when assembling a variety of different widths pre-hung door units ranging from small to intermediate sizes, e. g., from 6 inches to 60 inches or the like.

The end assembly 25 additionally includes a third interlocking member 61a as best viewed in FIGS. 1, 4, and 11. The member 61a is pivotally attached to the member 49a and has a folded position as depicted in FIGS. 1 and 4 and an extended position phantomized in FIG. 4 and character-referenced by the numeral 61 having the letter suffix a'.

In other words, the end of the member 49a opposite the end supporting the side member 31 includes an enlarged circular portion 63a. The portion 63a includes a pair of flanges 65a, 67a, as best viewed in FIG. 5 of the drawings. It should be observed that the spaced apart distance between the flanges 65a, 67a is substantially equal to the width of the groove 55a provided in the member 51a, for reasons yet to be disclosed.

One end of the member 61a includes an enlarged circular portion 69a as best viewed in FIGS. 4 and 5 of the drawings. The portion 69a has a thickness considerably less than the main body portion of the member 61a. In fact, the thickness of the portion 69a preferably is substantially equal to the thickness of the tongue 53aof the member 49a and is close fittingly received between the flanges 65a, 67a. The member 61a includes an elongated protruding tongue portion 71a extending along the length thereof. One end of the tongue 71a defines the outer perimeter of the circular portion 69a of the member 61a as best viewed in FIGS. 4, 5 and 6 of the drawings.

The flanges 65a, 67a and the circular portion 69a are provided with concentric apertures for receiving a pivot bolt 73a, the pivot bolt 73a being secured by the nut 75a. In other words, when the third interlocking members 61a, 61b are in their extended positions, the tongues 71a, 71b slidably interlock with the grooves 55a, 55b of the members 51a, 51b, thus enabling the side members 29, 31 to be selectively positioned at a greater spaced apart distance (FIG. 11) when assembling large width pre-hung door units, e. g., over 60 inches and including units up to 96 inches in width. The portions 63a, 69a are provided with a typical co-acting detent 77a for locking the member 61a in the folded position and in the extended position. It will be understood that, if desired, a typical locking pin may be utilized in place of detent 77a without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention.

The pneumatic cylinders 41, as herein disclosed, are single-acting pistons spring biased to a normal position. However, the cylinders 41 may optionally be double-acting or be substituted by other operable means, e. g., electrical solenoids or the like. The cylinders 41 are fixedly attached to the side members 29, 31 in a manner as best illustrated in FIG. 7 of the drawings. In other words, a bracket 79, formed from steel or the like and having an L-shaped cross section, is fixedly attached to the appropriate side member 29, 31 in any well known manner, as by welding or the like. The upwardly directed flange portion of the bracket 79 preferably is positioned so as to have a spaced apart distance between the appropriate channels 33, 35, 37, 39 and is provided with an aperture 81 for receiving an attachment sleeve 83.

One end of the attachment sleeve 83 is fixedly attached to the cylinder 41 in any well known manner, as by welding or the like, and carries a threaded portion substantially the length thereof for receiving an attachment nut 85. Fixedly attached to the piston of the cylinder 41 is a typical actuating rod 87 which is free to slide within the attachment sleeve 83. A plurality of plate-like members 89 partially defining one of the flanges of the respective channels 33, 35, 37, 39, and being detached therefrom, are provided with a threaded aperture 91. The outermost end of the actuating rod 87 carries a threaded portion and is received in the aperture 91. The respective actuating rods 97, being spring-biased to a normal position, maintain the plate-like members 89 in alignment with the outermost flange portions of the channels 33, 35, 37, 39, as best viewed in FIG. 1 of the drawings, i. e., when the cylinder 41 is void of air pressure. Conversely, the respective actuating rods 87 carry the plate-like portions 89 inwardly, or to the left as viewed in FIG. 7, when the cylinder 41 is suitably connected with an adequate source of air pressure. The plate-like portion 89 (FIG. 7) is character-referenced by the numeral 89' to designate the position thereof by the aforementioned displacement.

The door jambs 13, being received in the channels 33, 35; 37, 39, are rigidly held between stationary flange members 92 of the channels and the appropriate plate-like members 89' to enable a workman to secure the header 15 thereto and subsequently complete the pre-hung door unit.

It should be observed from FIG. 7 of the drawings that the lower surface of the jamb 13 does not rest on the bottom of the channel 37. In other words, the upper surface of the stationary flange members 92 of the channels 33, 35, 37, 39 serve as a resting surface for the door stops 43 to better align the jambs 13.

In this regard, the preferred method of placing the jambs 13 in the channels 33, 35; 37, 39 is to align a dado portion 93 of the jambs 13 flush with the outermost edges of the channels 33, 37 as best viewed in FIG. 1 of the drawings. It should be obvious to those skilled in the art that the typical dado portion 93 comprises a channel recessed into the face of the jambs 13 for receiving the respective ends of the header 15. Obviously, the optimum arrangement of the jamb 13 and the header 15 is that the jambs 13 be precisely parallel one with the other and that the header 15 be perpendicular with the jambs 13.

In order to assure optimum alignment of the jambs 13 and the header 15, an extension of the longitudinal axis of the channel 33 passes through the longitudinal axis of the channel 35. Additionally, an extension of the longitudinal axis of the channel 37 passes through the longitudinal axis of the channel 39. Further, the longitudinal axes of the channels 33, 35 are precisely parallel with the longitudinal axes of the channels 37, 39. Further yet, a vertical plane passing adjacent the outermost edges of the channels 33, 37 or 35, 39 is precisely perpendicular to the longitudinal axes of the channels 33, 37; 35, 39.

Accordingly, placing the header 15 into the dado portions 93 of the jambs 13 assures an optimum arrangement thereof. Therefore, it should be understood that the door stops 43 fixedly attached to the jambs 13 terminate a predetermined distance away from the dado portion 93 so that the outermost ends of the door stop 43 fixedly attached to the header 15 may rest on the uppermost surface of the stationary flanges 92 of the channels 33, 37. This will assure that the door stops 43 fixedly attached to the jambs 13 and the door stop 43 fixedly attached to the header 15 are precisely aligned one with the other, i. e., the edges thereof being flush one with the other. The lower ends of the jambs 13 extend outwardly from the channels 35, 39 a distance corresponding to the height of the pre-hung door unit. In other words, the machine 11 is not limited to assembling only standard height doors but may be used for assembling doors of any reasonable height.

The machine 11 includes a retractable leg 95 for supporting the outwardly extended end members 49a, 49b and the side member 31 when the machine 11 is used for assembling the previously mentioned intermediate or large size pre-hung door units. The retractable leg 95 has a retracted position as depicted in FIG. 2 and an extended position as depicted in FIG. 11 of the drawings. The one end of the leg 95 is pivotally attached to the side member 13 by a pivot pin 97 and the length of the leg 95 is predetermined so that when the leg 95 is in the extended position, the lower end thereof engages the supporting surface S for the machine 11 so that the two side members 29, 31 are an equal distance above the surface S as shown in FIG. 11.

The leg 95 optionally includes a caster assembly 99 which is arranged so that the rotating axis thereof is parallel with the longitudinal axis of the side member 31 and is rotatably attached to the lower end of the leg 95 in any well known convenient manner, e. g., typical supporting structure for the caster being welded to the leg 95. The leg 95 and the side member 31 are provided with a typical co-acting ball and detent assembly 101. The ball and detent assembly 101, being substantially identical to the ball and detent assembly 77 previously described, are positioned adjacent the pivot pin 97 substantially as depicted in FIG. 2 of the drawings, i. e., so the leg 95 may be manually rotated about the pin 97 and be selectively locked in the extended position or the retracted position.

The machine 11 includes rack and pinion gear structure for mechanically extending the machine 11 from one position to another, i. e., changing the spaced apart distance between the side members 29, 31 as previously disclosed. More specifically, the bottom surfaces of the slidable members 49a, 49b respectively include structure defining rack gears 103a, 103b. Additionally, the bottom surfaces of the slidable members 61a, 61b respectively includes structure defining rack gears 105a, 105b. The rack gear 105a is a continuation of the rack gear 103a when the member 61a is placed in the extended position. Additionally, the rack gear 105b is a continuation of the rack gear 103b when the member 61b is placed in the extended position. Stated another way, the arrangement of the teeth for the rack gears 103a, 105a; 103b, 105b is such that when the respective members 61a, 61b are in the extended position, the pattern of the gear teeth adjacent the junctions thereof is identical to and/or a continuation of the pattern for the remaining portions thereof.

From FIGS. 1, 2, and 3 of the drawings, it may be seen that the machine 11 includes a pair of shafts 107, 109 which extend between the frame support members 57a, 57b. One of the respective ends of each of the shafts 107, 109 is journaled to the frame support member 57b and the other end of each of the shafts 107, 109 protrudes through suitably aligned apertures in the member 57a and is suitably journaled thereto so that portions thereof extend outwardly from the frame support member 57a as best viewed in FIG. 1. The shaft 107 has fixedly attached thereto and adjacent the ends thereof inboard of the members 57a, 57b a pair of pinion gears 111, 113 (FIG. 1). The shaft 107 and the gears 111, 113 are suitably arranged so that the respective gears 111, 113 meshingly engage the rack gears 103a, 105a; 103b, 105b.

The shaft 109 has fixedly attached thereto adjacent the outer ends thereof and inboard of the members 57a, 57b a pair of pinion gears 115, 117 (FIGS. 1 and 2). The shaft 109 and the pinion gears 115, 117 are suitably aligned so that the gears 115, 117 meshingly engage the respective rack gears 103a, 105a; 103b, 105b.

The outer end of the shaft 109 carries a sprocket 119, i. e., the sprocket 119 being fixedly attached to the shaft 109 in any well known manner, e. g., welding or the like. A second sprocket 121 is fixedly attached, as by welding or the like, to the shaft 107 substantially intermediate the protruding portion thereof as viewed in FIG. 1 of the drawings. An endless chain 123 engages the sprockets 119, 121 in a typical manner so that rotation of the shaft 107 causes the shaft 109 to rotate in unison therewith.

Rotation of the shaft 107 as herein disclosed is conveniently accomplished manually by a crank 125. The crank 125 may optionally be formed integrally with the shaft 107 or may be fixedly attached thereto adjacent the end thereof as by welding or the like. However, it is contemplated that rotation of the shaft 107 may optionally be accomplished by providing a prime mover (not shown), e. g., an electric motor or the like. Incorporation of an electric motor for the above purpose is considered to be a mundane task obvious to those skilled in the art. In this regard, it is anticipated that the aforementioned prime mover could optionally include programming structure so that the workman need only to push an appropriate button or place a selector switch to a predetermined position and the side member 31 would move out to a predetermined position for a particular size door, i. e., numerous other positions of the programming structure would be incorporated for other size doors.

The machine 11 as herein disclosed includes a stop pin 127 as best viewed in FIGS. 1, 3, 4 and 6 of the drawings. The member 51a is provided with a suitably aligned aperture 129 for receiving the stop pin 127. Additionally, the members 49a, 61a are provided with a plurality of suitably aligned apertures 131 so that when one of the apertures 131 is in alignment with the aperture 129, the stop pin 127 may be manually thrusted inwardly so that the inner end thereof is received in the aperture 131, as best viewed in FIG. 6 of the drawings. The stop pin 127 rigidly locks the slidable members 49a, or 61a, to the member 51a at predetermined positions corresponding to a variety of different size pre-hung door units having different widths.

In this regard, it should be understood that the machine 11 may be used in assembling customized doors. In this instance, it is conceivable that neither the member 49a nor the member 61a happens to have an aperture 131 which will align with the aperture 129. This is irrelevant since the primary purpose for the stop pin 127 is for expediency in quickly positioning the side members 29, 31 to a variety of predetermined spaced apart distances.

From the preceding, it should be apparent that the machine 11 may be adjusted so that the parallel spaced apart distance between the side members 29, 31 ranges from an extremely small distance to a rather great distance, e. g., from approximately 6 inches up to 96 inches or the like. The spaced apart distance between the side members 29,31 is accomplished by rotation of the crank 125. More specifically, rotation of the crank 125 causes the shafts 107, 109 to rotate in unison as previously disclosed. Additionally, the pinion gears 111, 113, 115, 117 also rotate and in turn meshingly engage either the rack gear 103 or 105, causing the side member 31 to move to and fro in a manner previously disclosed.

It should be understood that the members 61a, 61b are best moved from the folded position to the extended or from the extended position to the folded position when the respective circular portions of the members 49a, 49b, 61a, 61b are intermediate the pinion gears 111, 115; 113, 117. Further, when the machine 11 is adjusted toward its most narrow position substantially as depicted in FIG. 10 of the drawings, the members 49a, 49b leave the respective spur gears 115, 117 and remain engaged with the respective spur gears 111, 113. Further yet, when the machine 11 is adjusted to its outermost limits substantially as depicted in FIG. 11 of the drawings, the extended members 61a, 61b may become disengaged from the respective pinion gears 111, 113 but still meshingly engage the pinion gears 115, 117. Obviously, the retractable leg 95 should manually be moved to its retracted position prior to the machine 11 approaching the more narrow positions as depicted in FIG. 3 of the drawings.

A particular feature of the machine 11 concerns the prevailing problem when assembling pre-hung door units of the larger size widths which usually include multiple doors or bi-fold units. These type door units usually are void of the door stop 43. Accordingly, a particular problem heretofore prevailed in attempting to hold the doors in the proper position while the workman installed the doors, e. g., onto tracks, catches, or the like. In obviating this problem, the machine 11 includes a transverse bar jack device 133. The bar jack device 133 includes a sectionalized plate-like assembly 135 fixedly attached to an actuating rod 137 of a typical pneumatic cylinder 139 as best viewed in FIGS. 2, 8 and 9 of the drawings.

The cylinder 139 optionally may be a double-acting piston type, however, I prefer to use a single-acting piston spring biased to a normal position, as shown in FIG. 2 of the drawings, i. e., the plate-like assembly 135 being urged downwardly by the spring biased actuating rod 137. When the cylinder 139 is suitably connected to an adequate air pressure, the actuating rod 137 is moved upwardly and the plate-like assembly 135 is displaced upwardly to a position character-referenced by the numeral 135'. In this position, the upper surfaces of the plate-like assembly 135 contiguously engage the lower surfaces of the multiple door panels and support them in a single plane a predetermined distance above the lower portion 45 of the base structure 21 while a workman secures the panels to the jambs in the manner previously described.

It should be understood that the height of the plate-like assembly 135' is adjustable in any well known manner, e. g., a clamping device 140 enabling the cylinder 139 to be fixedly attached to the plate-like member 47 at various heights or providing a series of interchangeable actuating rods 137 having different lengths for different pre-hung door units.

When the machine 11 is extended toward the position depicted in FIG. 11, the cylinder 139 is off-center. Accordingly, the sectionalized plate-like assembly 135 is extended to a position which will assure optimum alignment of the multiple door panels regardless of the size of the pre-hung door unit. The plate-like assembly 135 includes a laterally stationary member 141 and a pair of slidably attached members 143, 145. The member 141 is provided with a threaded aperture 147 for receiving the threaded actuating rod 137. The member 141 additionally is provided with an elongated female dovetail portion 149 extending along the length thereof. Coextending with the dovetail portion 149 is a straight sided groove 151. The member 143 is provided with a female dovetail portion 149' and a groove 151' identical to the female dovetail 149 and the groove 151 for the member 141 just described.

The member 143 includes a male dovetail portion 153 extending along the length thereof. The male dovetail portion 153 is complementally received in a close-fitting relationship into the female dovetail portion 149 so that the member 143 may slidably extend outwardly from the member 141. The member 145 includes a male dovetail portion 153' identical to the male dovetail portion 153 just described. The male dovetail portion 153' is complementally received within the female dovetail portion 149' so that the member 145 may freely slide outwardly from the member 143.

The member 143 includes a nib 155 fixedly attached to the dovetail portion 153 adjacent the one end thereof substantially as viewed in FIG. 8 of the drawings. The member 145 includes a nib 155' identical to the nib 155 and positioned adjacent the one end of the member 145 substantially as illustrated in FIG. 8. The upper surfaces 157, 157', 157" of the respective members 141, 143, 145 preferably are flush one with the other substantially as illustrated in FIG. 9 of the drawings.

From the above disclosure, it should be apparent that the transverse bar jack device 133 is not only operable upwardly and downwardly but the sectionalized plate-like assembly 135 may be extended laterally to span the variable distance between the side members 29, 31 when the machine 11 is used in the assembling of larger size pre-hung door units. In other words, the member 143 may be moved outwardly from the member 141 and/or the member 145 may be moved outwardly from the member 143 as desired. Regardless of the positions of the members 143, 145, the upper surfaces 157, 157', 157" will always be flush one with the other so as to present a planar surface for contiguously engaging and aligning the multiple panels in a single plane a predetermined distance above the base structure 21 while a workman secures them to the door jambs or frame structure.

The assembly 135 includes a plate-like stop member 159 fixedly attached at the one end of the member 141 in any well known manner such as screws or the like. The member 159 extends outwardly from the member 141 substantially as illustrated in FIG. 8 so that the members 143, 145 are limited in their travel when manually returned from their respective extended positions. Additionally, the assembly 135 includes a plate-like stop member 163 fixedly attached at the opposite end of the member 141 in any well known manner as by screws 165 or the like. The member 163 has a predetermined length sufficient to overlap the groove 151 and is short of reaching the female dovetail 149. The nib 155 engages the stop member 163 when the member 143 is extended outwardly from the member 141 a predetermined distance, i. e., depending upon the fixed positioning of the nib 155. Further, the assembly 135 includes a plate-like stop member 167 fixedly attached to the one end of the member 143 substantially as illustrated in FIG. 8 in any well known manner as by screws 169 or the like. The stop member 167 has sufficient length to overlap the groove 151' in like manner as described for the member 163. The nib 155' engages the stop member 167 when the member 145 is extended outwardly from the member 143 a predetermined distance, i. e., depending upon the fixed positioning of the nib 155'. It should be obvious to those skilled in the art that the stop members 163, 167 assure that regardless of the positions of the members 143, 145 there will always remain sufficient engagement of the adjacent dovetail interlocking portions to assure that the upper surfaces 157, 157', 157" constantly form a single plane for purposes previously described.

Since the side member 29 is stationary with respect to the base structure 21, the conduits leading to the cylinders 41 attached thereto may obviously be rigid and fixedly attached to the member 29 and the base structure 21 in any convenient manner. However, the conduits attached to the cylinders 41 attached to the side member 31 have a flexible conduit 177 (FIG. 12) extending from the side member 31 to the base structure 21. In this regard, I prefer that the machine 11 include a typical automatic take-up reel 171. The reel 171, being spring biased, automatically reels in the flexible conduit 177 and yieldably pays out the flexible conduit 177 therefrom, structure obvious to those skilled in the art.

The reel 171 preferably is installed in a manner substantially as illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2 of the drawings. In other words, the plane of the reel is perpendicular to the plane of the plate-like member 47 so that the flexible conduit 177 may be paid out toward the side member 29 when the machine is adjusted for the extremely small size pre-hung door units, i. e., like that shown in FIG. 10 wherein the channel 39 attached to the side member 31 is positioned at a location between the vertically disposed plate-like member 47 and the side member 29.

Conversely, the flexible conduit 177 may be yieldably paid out from the reel 171 in an opposite direction when the machine 11 is adjusted for assembling the intermediate and/or larger size pre-hung door units, as shown in FIG. 11, wherein the reel 171 is intermediate the channel 39 attached to the side member 31 and the channel 35 attached to the side member 29.

The reel 171 is conveniently fitted to the member 47 in a manner obvious to those skilled in the art, e. g., an axle 173 is secured to the member 47 and a slip coupling 175 (FIG. 12) communicating with a source of air pressure (not shown) permits rotation of the reel 171 while communicating the air pressure source with the flexible conduit 177.

From FIG. 12 of the drawings, it may be seen that the machine 11 includes a typical two-position valve assembly 179 for actuating the cylinders 41 and a two-position valve assembly 181 for actuating the cylinder 139. A conduit 183, communicating with a source of air pressure (not shown) delivers air pressure to the valves 179, 181, i. e., the conduit 183 terminates at a junction of a pair of conduits 185, 187. The conduit 185 extends from the conduit 183 to the valve 179 and the conduit 187 extends from the conduit 183 to the valve 181.

Manipulating the valve 179 toward the left, as viewed in FIG. 12, allows passage of the air upwardly through the valve 179 to a conduit 189 which terminates at a junction of a pair of conduits 191, 193. The conduit 191 extends from the conduit 189 to a junction of a pair of conduits 195, 197 and the conduit 193 extends from the conduit 189 to the slip coupling 175. The conduit 195 extends from the conduit 191 and terminates at one of the cylinders 41, e. g., the cylinder 41 attached to the side member 29 adjacent the channel 33. The conduit 197 extends from the conduit 199 and terminates at one of the cylinders 41, e. g., the cylinder 41 attached to the side member 29 adjacent the channel 35.

The flexible conduit 177 extending from the reel 171 terminates at a junction of a pair of rigid conduits 199, 201. The conduit 199 extends from the conduit 177 and terminates at one of the cylinders 41, e.g., the cylinder 41 attached to the side member 31 adjacent the channel 37. The conduit 201 extends from the conduit 177 and terminates at one of the cylinders 41, e. g., the cylinder 41 attached to the side member 31 adjacent the channel 39.

The cylinders 41 are spring biased to the normal position, i. e., the pistons and actuating rods attached thereto being retracted as shown in FIG. 12 of the drawings. Moving the valve 179 to the left as viewed in Fig. 12 delivers adequate air pressure to the cylinders 41 so that the pistons thereof move outwardly, i. e., extending the actuating rods thereof. Correlating this action with FIG. 1 and 7 of the drawings, the plate-like portions 89 are carried inwardly to the position depicted in FIG. 7 by the numeral 89' effectively narrowing the width of the respective channels 33, 35 37, 39 so as to clampingly engage the jambs 13 in a manner previously disclosed. Conversely, moving the valve 179 to the right as viewed in FIG. 12 allows the air pressure within the cylinders 41 and the ancillary conduits to bleed backwardly through the valve 179 through an exhaust conduit 203, thus permitting the pistons of the cylinders 41 to return to the normal position as previously described.

Manipulating the valve 181 allows passage of the air through valve 181 to a conduit 203. The other end of the conduit 203 terminates at the cylinder 139. The piston and actuating rod for the cylinder 139 are spring biased downwardly, i. e., the actuating rod is retracted as shown in FIG. 2 of the drawings. When the valve 181 is moved toward the left, the air pressure displaces the piston and actuating rod for the cylinder 139 upwardly, i. e., the actuating rod 137 thereof moves the assembly 135 upwardly to the position depicted by the numeral 135' in FIG. 2. Moving the valve to the right, as viewed in FIG. 12, allows the air pressure within the cylinder 139 to bleed through the conduit 203 and an exhaust conduit 205, allowing the spring to return or retract the actuating rod 137 to the normal position.

Although the invention has been described and illustrated with respect to a preferred embodiment thereof, it is not to be so limited since changes and modifications may be made therein which are within the full intended scope of the invention.

Claims

I claim:

1. A machine for aligning and rigidly holding a plurality of lumber pieces selectively defining various size door jambs while a workman suitably secures these and other lumber pieces defining door frame structure one to the other and hingedly attaches a door thereto, said machine comprising base means, frame means, said frame means being supported by said base means and including first and second end assembly means joined at the respective ends thereof by a pair of side members; said end assembly means including length adjustable means for selectively adjusting the respective lengths thereof to infinite positions, when in one of said infinite positions the spaced apart distance between said side members is less than the spaced apart distance between said end assembly means, when in another of said infinite positions different from said one position the spaced apart distance between said side members is greater than the spaced apart distance between said end assembly means; a first pair of upwardly directed channel means fixedly attached to one of said side members for receiving the left door jamb, a second pair of upwardly directed channel means fixedly attached to the other of said side members for receiving the right door jamb, and holding means for rigidly holding said left and right jambs while a workman secures the header thereto and subsequently completes the pre-hung door unit.

2. The machine of claim 1 in which said length adjustable means for selectively adjusting the lengths of said end assembly means of said frame means respectively includes first and second tongue and groove interlocking members, said first members having fixedly attached at one of the respective ends thereof one of said side members, said first members being immobilized and fixedly attached to said base means, said second members having fixedly attached at one of the respective ends thereof the other one of said side members, and said second members being free to slidably extend guidably and constrainingly outward from said first members for selectively adjusting the spaced apart distance between said first and second side members when assembling a variety of different width pre-hung door units ranging from small to intermediate sizes.

3. The machine of claim 2 in which each of said end assembly means additionally includes a third interlocking member, said third members having a folded position and an extended position, and pivot means for respectively pivotally attaching said third members to said second members, when said third members are in said extended position said third members defining extentions of said second members for interlocking engagement with said first members thus enabling said side members to be selectively positioned at a greater spaced apart distance when assembling large width pre-hung door units.

4. The machine of claim 1 in which is included retractable leg means for supporting said outwardly extended end members and said other side member of said frame means when assembling intermediate and large size pre-hung door units, said retractable leg means having a retracted position and an extended position, and pivot means pivotally attaching the one end of said leg means to said other one of said side members of said frame means, when in said extended position the lower end of said leg means engaging the supporting surface for the machine.

5. The machine of claim 4 in which said leg means includes caster means, said caster means being rotatably attached at the lower end of said leg means for runningly engaging the supporting surface for the machine as said other one of said side members of said frame means is moved to and fro and said leg means being in said extended position.

6. The machine of claim 1 in which said holding means comprises a source of air pressure, a plurality of pneumatically operated cylinder means, movable plate-like means fixedly attached to said cylinder means and defining a portion of said channel means, and valve means interposed between said air pressure source and said plurality of cylinder means, manipulation of said valve means effectively narrows the width of said channel means thus clampingly holding said jambs received therein.

7. The machine of claim 1 in which is included means for driving said length adjustable means of said end members of said frame means.

8. The machine of claim 7 in which said driving means includes crank means, shaft means, said shaft means being interposed between said first and second end assemblies and rotatably attached thereto, at least a pair of pinion gear means fixedly attached to said shaft means adjacent the ends thereof, rack gear means defining the lower surfaces of said second and third slidable sections of said end members of said frame means, said rack gear means meshingly engaging said pinion gear means, and said crank means being fixedly attached to said shaft means so that manual rotation of said crank means causes said pinion gear means to rotate thus slidably moving to and fro said second and third members of said end assemblies of said frame means.

9. The machine of claim 1 in which is included selectively operable transverse bar jack means for centrally supporting a plurality of horizontally disposed adjacent panels defining the door in a single plane a predetermined distance above said base means while a workman secures the door to the door frame structure.

10. The machine of claim 9 in which said transverse bar jack means comprises a source of air pressure, pneumatically operated cylinder means, movable plate-like means horizontally disposed and fixedly attached to said cylinder means, and valve means interposed between said air pressure source and said cylinder means, manipulation of said valve means moves said plate-like means upwardly for contiguous engagement with and alignment of said panels in a single plane a predetermined distance above said base means while a workman secures them to the door frame structure.