Prefabricated Door And Frame Assembly

Abstract

A preformed door, preferably of metal, with a frame, of wood, fitted to it for side clearance, and with magnetic weather stripping of special design engaged in saw kerfs in the header bar and lock jamb, non-magnetic weather stripping at the hinge jamb, an adjustable threshold member, and a floating hinge connection allowing the door to be adjusted relative to a tilted lock jamb, as and when necessary.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Pre-cut and fitted door and frame assemblies are becoming increasingly popular with builders because of the labor saving advantages they offer.

Metal-clad doors with wooden frames are particularly appealing because the frames can be handled as they always have been and the metal-clad doors enable the use of magnetic weather stripping which helps to further simplify installation problems.

Good quality control during factory production has enabled most of the side clearance problems in these prefabrications to be eliminated. However, it has required quite close tolerance dimensioning, which is expensive and has increased the builders product cost. In this respect, there are certain improvements due in the use of magnetic weather stripping, and weather stripping in general, to cut costs to avoid the necessity for such close tolerance dimensioning in production.

Another problem area is that of threshold adjustment. Although there are known weathertight threshold assemblies for use with pre-cut and fitted door and frame assemblies, to close the free swinging space at the bottom of a door, most of them involve a trial-and-error adjustment that is very time consuming and frustrating.

One other problem of note is the difficulty that arises due to a tilted frame, at the lock jamb, because of a non-vertical wall. If the lock jamb of the door frame is tilted either into or out of the doorway, when it is being fastened to the wall, there will be gaps at either the top or bottom of the door which weather stripping may not be able to close. Although care in installation helps minimize this problem, there is need for some way to make compensations when this situation does occur.

SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT INVENTION

The present invention is directed to improvements in pre-cut and fitted door assemblies and particularly to those with metal-clad doors and magnetic weather stripping.

An overall combination involving a wooden door frame, a metal door, special weather stripping, a new threshold member and a floating hinge arrangement provides many advantages not heretofore attainable.

The wooden door frame is pre-cut and fitted with the weather stripping before receiving the door. Being of wood enables the frame to be erected and installed, on the job, with such shims as are needed, etc., just as has always been done. It also enables use of conveniently disposed saw kerfs to receive and hold the weather stripping while still enabling some adjustment thereof, if needed.

Specially designed weather stripping, both magnetic and non-magnetic enables having the most suitable for each intended purpose and, in turn, somewhat less critical tolerance dimensioning in factory production of the door and frame parts.

The threshold member, in combination with the weather stripping for the bottom of the door, assures a good tight weather seal and, more important, it is relatively easy to adjust and lock in place, without being taken apart and put back together each time.

The new hinge arrangement enables a door to be hung with relative ease and with every assurance that it will swing true, or as otherwise desired. By means of a floating plate located at the hinge position, the manufacture of the door, vertical as well as in and out, adjustments of a door are easily obtained.

These and other objects and advantages attained in the practice of this invention will be better appreciated in a reading of the detailed description of the illustrated embodiment, which follows hereinafter.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a front elevation of a left hand swinging door seen from the outside, and including all the features of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken through the top of the door and its frame, as in the plane of line 2--2 in the first drawing figure.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged and cross-sectional perspective view of the magnetic weather stripping used.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the threshold member and weather stripping on the bottom of the door, as seen in the plane of line 4--4 in the first drawing figure.

FIG. 5 is an enlarged and cross-sectional perspective view of the weather stripping and protective wiper used on the bottom of the door.

FIG. 6 is an enlarged cross-sectional view through both side figures of the door assembly, as seen in the plane of line 6--6 in the first drawing figure.

FIG. 7 is an enlarged and cross-sectional perspective view of the non-magnetic weather stripping used at the hinge side of the door.

FIG. 8 is an enlarged side plan view of the floating hinge plate in the door, as seen in the plane of line 8--8 in the first drawing figure, and looking in the direction of the arrows.

FIG. 9 is an enlarged perspective and partially exploded view of the hinge side of the frame, showing the adjustable hinge connection to an opened door.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE ILLUSTRATED EMBODIMENT

The door and frame assembly 10 includes a metal-clad door 12, a wooden frame 14 pre-cut and sized to fit about the door with a known amount of side clearance, weather stripping that is both magnetic and non-magnetic and which will be identified and described later, a threshold member 16 for under the door, and a floating hinge connection, also later identified, to hang the door on the frame.

The door 12 includes side and end rails 18 and 20 of channel section, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 6, with metal facing panels 22 and 24 to provide the front and back sides of the door. The side rails have an inset carver 26 to receive turned edges 28 of the facing panels, for a more finished appearance, and the door has a center section 30 of hard setting plastic foam inserted during the construction of the door or blown in afterwards.

The door frame 14 includes a header bar or rail 32 and side rails 34, 36, which serve as the lock and hinge jambs, respectively. A shoulder stop 38 is formed on the header bar, and like stops 40 and 42 are formed on the side rails, to provide a stop for the door within the frame. Suitable finish molding 44 is provided about the edges of the frame, although shown in only a few of the drawing figures, and is normally though not necessarily provided on at least one side of the frame as a stop in locating the door and frame assembly in a receptive opening in a wall.

Saw kerfs 46, 48, and 50 are provided at the base of each of the door stop shoulders on the frame members 32, 34, and 36, respectively, for the weather stripping, which is of both the magnetic and non-magnetic types.

The magnetic weather stripping 52 is used in the header bar and down the lock jamb. As best seen in FIG. 3, it is an extension of vinyl plastic or other suitable material with a barbed leg 54 that serves to anchor it in the saw kerfs 46, 48. A base flange 56 extends at a right angle and has a bellows shape 58 provided thereover. The magnetic strip 60 is enclosed in a sheath 62 attached to the bellows part and is thereby afforded relative freedom of lateral movement for the earliest and most effective sealing engagement with a door edge placed in close proximity thereto.

The base flange 56 of the magnetic weather stripping is not fastened to the shoulder edge it rests against and so it may be shimmed out to set the weather stripping further out, if ever necessary. However, usually the advantage here is mostly in being able to lift up the edge of the base flange when painting for a more neat and finished appearance and to avoid any paint sealing interference as regards flexibility and freedom of movement intended.

The ends of the bellows part 58 are best left open to avoid any air lock which might hold the door off from its latch plate. However, where corner seals become important as on outside doors, the bellows may be nipped at two or three places for the necessary air bleed, without adversely affecting its other functions.

Referring now to FIGS. 6 and 7, the non-magnetic weather stripping 64 is shown as also having a barbed flange, identified as 66, for anchoring engagement in the saw kerf 50 of the door frame's hinge rail 36. It also includes a base section 68 that lies on the stop shoulder, and can be lifted for painting, but which is relatively square in shape, and has a center opening 70.

A closed tubular section 72 is provided on the base 68, in the hinge corner, and a sealing flap 74 extends from the outer edge of the weather stripping into relatively overlapping engagement with the tubular part. The door is set in the frame for sealing engagement with just the tubular part and the sealing flap, as shown in FIG. 6. Any adjustment at the hinge, as later described, has relatively little effect on the weather strip engagement since it is so close to the hinge positions and because the non-magnetic weather stripping is designed to provide a seal within the full range of adjustment possible.

At the bottom of the door, where good sealing is often difficult, the bellows part 58 of the magnetic weather stripping and the tubular part 72 of the non-magnetic weather stripping may have short lengths of a styrofoam material inserted in them to provide a compression type seal that extends below the door edge.

The weather stripping on the bottom of the door is shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, and is identified as 76. It includes tubular sections 78 and 80 near each side edge and a wiper blade 82 at the center. Inturned flanges 84 and 86 on its back side are received and held under offset shoulder flanges 88 and 90 on a retaining strip 92 tack-welded to the bottom rail of the door.

The threshold member 16, under the door, is intended to cooperate with the weather stripping 76, in the manner shown best in FIG. 4.

It includes two extended parts 94 and 96 cooperatively disposed together. The larger part 94 is formed to provide a sill 98 with a run-off incline and a plywood insert 100 to strengthen it. An upturned channel section 102 at its other end receives the downwardly extending flanges of the other threshold part 96, which is also channel shaped.

Suitable screw bosses 104 and 106 are provided to fasten the ends of the threshold part 94 to the frame rails which, while not specifically shown, can be appreciated by reference to FIG. 9.

A center rib 108 in the upturned channel section 102, of the fixed threshold part, is provided with suitable holes at spaced intervals for adjustment screws 110 and lock screws 112, both with self-tapping threads, to relatively locate and fix the position of the threshold part 96 thereover. The adjustment screws 110 have an oversized flange 114 that raises the channel part 96 as they are elevated; which is obtained by means of a tool slot in their upper ends that is through a receptive opening in the adjustable part.

The adjustable part of the threshold assembly is fixed in its adjusted position by having the heads of the lock screws 112 oversized and cone-seated for the holes they extend through. To raise or lower the threshold channel, the lock screws are loosened and the adjustment screws are turned up or down, as the case may be. The channel will raise automatically but pressure should be used to be sure the channel assumes a desired lower position. Thereafter, the lock screws are tightened to keep the channel in its newly adjuster position.

Further details of the threshold assembly are in my copending application Ser. No. 183,665 which disclosure is made a part hereof by reference.

FIGS. 8 and 9 show details of the hinge connection which enables relative adjustment of the door 12 in its frame 14.

A standard type hinge 116 is used, with hinge leafs 118 and 120 for attachment, respectively, to door and frame parts, as commonly known. Within the door is a hinge plate 122 fastened by rivets 124 so that it has lateral freedom of movement. A floating connection is obtained by oversized holes 125 for the rivet pins 124 so that side and up and down movement is possible.

The hinge plate includes threaded screw holes for the hinge leaf fasteners 126 and the door edge has oversized holes 128. This enables the door to be moved relative to the hinge plate, if and as needed. By loosening the hinge leaf fasteners slightly after the door and frame is erected, the door may be adjusted at top or bottom, in or out, to compensate for any frame twist which occurs. The edge frame of the door is frictionally held between the hinge leaf and hinge plate which the door is adjusted and is fixed therebetween when the hinge leaf fasteners are finally tightened down.

The weight of the door is of negligible effect applied, as it is, so close to the culcrum afforded by the hinge. Moreover, three hinges, as are normally employed, provide a most adequate frictional facing to hold the most massive of doors.

FACTORY PRODUCTION

The metal-clad doors 12 are prefabricated by building up their peripheral frame, attaching a metal facing to one side, adding the center core material and then attaching a metal facing to the other side. Relatively close tolerances are maintained by the factory fixturing used and the usual range of door heights and widths is easily attained.

The door frame 14 is built-up separate from the door 12 it will later receive, but with a certain size door in mind. The side rails and header bar of each frame are pre-cut to provide door stops, rather than having separate stops added and in the course thereof, the saw kerfs are provided for the weather stripping.

Magnetic weather stripping 52 is installed on the overhead and lock jamb rails of the frame and non-magnetic weather stripping is used on the hinge side.

The hinge leafs that attach to the door and to the frame are added, as each is built up, and when they are finally brought together the hinge pin is all that is needed to complete the assembly for packaging and shipment.

The threshold member 16 may or may not be installed on the frame during factory production. Since it is usually preferred to add it after the door and its frame are up, it may be provided separately, but it will always be to size and at a mid-point adjustment as to height.

INSTALLATION

The door and frame, together, are centered in the rough opening intended to receive them. The hinge jamb 36 is plumbed before it is nailed in place. If the wall of the opening is not plumb, shims are added behind the face molding on the frame. And, all hinge points are backed with solid wood blocks and nailed after the face molding is tacked in place, on the hinge side.

The use of solid wood blocks between the jamb and rough opening, behind the hinges, assures a good solid anchoring of the frame at the hinge side. By using a couple of long wood screws 130 in each hinge leaf fastened to the frame, it also enables an anchoring of the hinge through the frame to the wall.

After the door is hung on the frame, the lock jamb 34 is shimmed to fit the door evenly from top to bottom and is then nailed in place. Solid wood blocks are used behind the lock jamb, just as they are behind the hinge jamb. No level is needed since the lock jamb is preferably adjusted so that its weather stripping, which is magnetic, has good even contact with the edge of the door.

If, for any reason the door and frame do not hang true, at the lock jamb, after the frame is fastened in the wall opening, the door can be shifted by loosening the screws 126 that fasten the hinge leaf to the door just enough to move the door into position. Afterwards, they are re-tightened to fix the door in its adjusted and better fitting position.

The adjustable part 96 of the threshold member 16 should be set so that the weather stripping 76 on the bottom of the door sweeps evenly across it. If it is too low, the lock screws 112 should be loosened so that the adjustment screws 110 can be turned up to raise the inverted channel section. Then the lock screws should be retightened. If it is too high, the reverse with the adjustment screws turned down and the inverted channel pushed down when the lock screws are reset.

Claims

I claim:

1. A hinging arrangement for pivotally securing and supporting the vertical edge surface of a swingable door member to the vertically extending side frame member of a related door frame assembly, comprising a clamping plate secured to and carried internally of one of said members, said clamping plate being relatively elongated and connected to a vertically extending wall portion of said one of said members by a plurality of retainers extending through said wall portion, a plurality of first clearance apertures formed through said wall portion for the respective reception therethrough of said retainers, said plurality of first clearance apertures being of a size and configuration substantially larger than the cross-sectional size and configuration of said retainers thereby permitting freedom of translational movement of said retainers in any of 360.degree. of direction within said apertures along with a corresponding movement of said clamping plate, a plurality of second clearance apertures formed through said wall portion of said one of said members, said plurality of second clearance apertures being vertically spaced from each other along said wall portion and collectively located generally between said plurality of first clearance apertures, a plurality of internally threaded apertures carried by said clamping plate, said plurality of threaded apertures being of a cross-sectional size substantially smaller than the size of said plurality of second clearance apertures, said plurality of threaded apertures being so located as to be respectively accessible through said plurality of second clearance apertures, a hinge member separate from both of said members and having first and second hinge plates pivotally secured to each other, for relative pivotal rotation about a pivotal axis, a plurality of first fastener means for securing said first hinge plate to the other of said members, and a plurality of second threaded fastener means for passing through a plurality of receiving apertures formed in said second hinge plate and passing through said plurality of second clearance apertures and respectively threadably engaging said plurality of threaded apertures, said plurality of second threaded fastener means comprising the only means for operatively connecting said second hinge plate to said clamping plate, said clamping plate said threaded fastener means and said retainers being capable of relative translational movement within said first and second clearance apertures whenever said threaded fastener means are partially tightened thereby enabling the selective angular positioning of said one member relative to said pivotal axis, and said clamping plate and said second hinge plate disposed on opposite sides of said vertically extending wall portion being effective to frictionally engage and fixedly secure said wall portion and said one of said members in a selected position whenever said threaded fastener means are fully tightened against said second hinge plate thereby drawing said second hinge plate and said clamping plate toward each other and against opposite sides of said wall portion.

2. A door frame assembly including a hinging arrangement for pivotally securing and supporting the vertical edge surface of a swingable door member to the vertically extending side frame member of a related door frame assembly, comprising a clamping plate secured to and carried internally of one of said members, said clamping plate being relatively elongated and connected to a vertically extending wall portion of said one of said members by a plurality of retainers extending through said wall portion, a plurality of first clearance apertures formed through said wall portion for the respective reception therethrough of said retainers, said plurality of first clearance apertures being of a size and configuration substantially larger than the cross-sectional size and configuration of said retainers thereby permitting freedom of translational movement of said retainers in any of 360.degree. of direction within said apertures along with a corresponding movement of said clamping plate, a plurality of second clearance apertures formed through said wall portion of said one of said members, said plurality of second clearance apertures being vertically spaced from each other along said wall portion and collectively located generally between said plurality of first clearance apertures, a plurality of internally threaded apertures carried by said clamping plate, said plurality of threaded apertures being of a cross-sectional size substantially smaller than the size of said plurality of second clearance apertures, said plurality of threaded apertures being so located as to be respectively accessible through said plurality of second clearance apertures, a hinge member separate from both of said members and having first and second hinge plates pivotally secured to each other, for relative pivotal rotation about a pivotal axis, a plurality of first fastener means for securing said first hinge plate to the other of said members, and a plurality of second threaded fastener means for passing through a plurality of receiving apertures formed in said second hinge plate and passing through said plurality of second clearance apertures and respectively threadably engaging said plurality of threaded apertures, said plurality of second threaded fastener means comprising the only means for operatively connecting said second hinge plate to said clamping plate, said clamping plate said threaded fastener means and said retainers being capable of relative translational movement within said first and second clearance apertures whenever said threaded fastener means are partially tightened thereby enabling the selective angular positioning of said one member relative to said pivotal axis, and said clamping plate and said second hinge disposed on opposite sides of said vertically extending wall portion being effective to frictionally engage and fixedly secure said wall portion and said one of said members in a selected position whenever said threaded fastener means are fully tightened against said second hinge plate thereby drawing said second hinge plate and said clamping plate toward each other and against opposite sides of said wall portion, wherein said one of said members comprises said swingable door member, wherein said other of said members comprises said side frame member, and wherein said plurality of second clearance apertures are not only spaced from each other but also in staggered relationship to each other.

3. The door frame assembly of claim 2, wherein said door member comprises an outer metal covering, and wherein said vertically extending wall portion comprises a portion of said metal covering.

4. The door frame assembly of claim 3, including magnetic sealing means secured thereto and effective for magnetically engaging a generally peripheral portion of said metal covering to affect a seal as between said member and said door frame assembly, said magnetic sealing means comprising a door-contacting portion including magnetic means carried thereby, an anchoring portion secured in and carried by said door frame assembly, and an elastomeric bellows connecting portion interconnecting said anchoring portion to said door-contacting portion, said elastomeric bellows connecting portion being effective to undergo resilient deformation in order to enable said door-contacting portion to achieve full face contact with said outer metal covering even when a portion of said metal covering has been moved further away from said anchoring portion by virtue of selective angular positioning of said door member with respect to said pivotal axis.