GB2153888A

GB2153888A - Door leaf construction

Info

Publication number: GB2153888A
Application number: GB08403389A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Stephen George Lingwood; Henry John Humphries
Original assignee: HIGH QUALITY JOINERY Ltd
Current assignee: HIGH QUALITY JOINERY Ltd
Priority date: 1984-02-09
Filing date: 1984-02-09
Publication date: 1985-08-29
Also published as: GB2153888B; GB8403389D0

Abstract

The sub-frame of an aluminium thermal break residential door leaf is provided with an inner hardwood frame-work receiving a number of wooden and, optionally, one or more glass panels. The aluminium sub-frame is provided with a matching simulation wood finish.

Description

SPECIFICATION Door leaf construction This invention relates to a door leaf construction and to doors including a leaf constructed according to the present invention.

Ready made external doors for incorporation into buildings, for example offices, houses and flats are well known. A common type of such a door is known as a residential door and has a fixed frame formed of extruded aluminium sections and a similarly formed sub-frame hinged thereto and glazed with one or two thermal break glass panels, the panels in the latter case being separated by an intermediate rail which may often incorporate a letter box. This type of residential door affords significant advantages: it is robust, made to small tolerances, maintenancefree, and not subject to distortion; moreover the outer and sub-frames can conveniently be provided with such features as draught excluders and thermal breaks. However it does lack the attractiveness of a traditional wooden frame-and-panel door.

The aim of the present invention is to provide a door leaf construction which combines the advantages of the above-described known type of door with the attractiveness of the traditional wooden door.

According to the present invention there is provided a door leaf construction comprising a rigid frame, usually of metal and a panel assembly received therein and formed at least partly of wood. The panel assembly may take any desired form and normally resembles a traditional wooden door having a wooden frame receiving a number of small wooden panels; however sone panels may be of other materials, for example glass.

Preferably the rigid frame is provided with a simulation wood finish to match the wood forming the panel.

Although the invention may be carried out in a variety of ways one particular embodiment thereof will now be described, by way of example.

A standard aluminium thermal break residential door kit supplied by Warmshield Ltd of Stalybridge and comprising components for an outer frame and sub-frame is made up to the required dimensions but with the omission of the normal mid-rail. A hardwood panel assembly is also constructed, the framework of which if formed of lengths of hardwood 1 Ocm wide and 2cm thick with grooved side faces. It will be appreciated that this thickness is the same as that of the thermal break glass panels normally used to glaze the above aluminium door.The framework comprises a surround consisting of top and bottom rails and a pair of stiles, a mid-rail receiving a letter box and two intermediate stiles extending from the mid-rail to the top rail and to the bottom rail, thus essentially sub-dividing both the upper and lower portions of the door leaf into three panel-receiving apertures. However, the central lower aperture is bridged by two short rails yet further sub-dividing it.

As the same section of hardwood having grooved side faces is used for all the frame work each aperture is automatically provided with a peripheral groove for receiving the marginal edge portions of a panel which may be of wood, plain or fancy glass according to desire.

After assembly of the door leaf, the wood of the panel assembly is treated with a polyurethane varnish and the exposed surfaces of the aluminium frame and sub-frame finished to match the wood. Alternatively the aluminium surfaces may be previously provided with a simulation wood finish and the wood of the panel assembly chosen and finished to match.

A door construction according to the present invention affords the following advantages: 1) The rigid factory made frame and subframe ensure that the door leaf is a good fit initially in the frame.

2) The sub-frame absorbs or resists any subsequent distortion of the wooden panel assembly so that there is no danger, as with the conventional all wood door, that subsequent distortion of the wood will lead to sticking or gaps which allow the passage of draughts, with the consequent need to trim the door or pad the frame.

3) The rigidity of the sub-frame allows the use of thinner timber than in a conventional door so that the cost of a door according to the invention is equivalent to that of a conventional door.

4) As the outer faces of the panel assembly are hidden by the sub-frame double-grooved timber of identical section may be used for constructing the entire framework of the panel assembly.

5) The panel assembly may be removed for repair, repainting or revarnishing, or replacement by a panel assembly of the same or different design.

6) The construction of the panel assembly allows for infinite variation in the size, number and arrangement of the panels within the peripheral frame according to the customer's choice.

1. A door leaf construction comprising a rigid frame and a panel assembly received therein and formed at least partly of wood.

2. A construction as claimed in Claim 1, in which the frame is of metal.

3. A construction as claimed in Claim 1, 2 or 3, in which the panel assembly includes a wooden framework.

4. A construction as claimed in any preceding claim, in which the framework is

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. SPECIFICATION Door leaf construction This invention relates to a door leaf construction and to doors including a leaf constructed according to the present invention. Ready made external doors for incorporation into buildings, for example offices, houses and flats are well known. A common type of such a door is known as a residential door and has a fixed frame formed of extruded aluminium sections and a similarly formed sub-frame hinged thereto and glazed with one or two thermal break glass panels, the panels in the latter case being separated by an intermediate rail which may often incorporate a letter box. This type of residential door affords significant advantages: it is robust, made to small tolerances, maintenancefree, and not subject to distortion; moreover the outer and sub-frames can conveniently be provided with such features as draught excluders and thermal breaks. However it does lack the attractiveness of a traditional wooden frame-and-panel door. The aim of the present invention is to provide a door leaf construction which combines the advantages of the above-described known type of door with the attractiveness of the traditional wooden door. According to the present invention there is provided a door leaf construction comprising a rigid frame, usually of metal and a panel assembly received therein and formed at least partly of wood. The panel assembly may take any desired form and normally resembles a traditional wooden door having a wooden frame receiving a number of small wooden panels; however sone panels may be of other materials, for example glass. Preferably the rigid frame is provided with a simulation wood finish to match the wood forming the panel. Although the invention may be carried out in a variety of ways one particular embodiment thereof will now be described, by way of example. A standard aluminium thermal break residential door kit supplied by Warmshield Ltd of Stalybridge and comprising components for an outer frame and sub-frame is made up to the required dimensions but with the omission of the normal mid-rail. A hardwood panel assembly is also constructed, the framework of which if formed of lengths of hardwood 1 Ocm wide and 2cm thick with grooved side faces. It will be appreciated that this thickness is the same as that of the thermal break glass panels normally used to glaze the above aluminium door.The framework comprises a surround consisting of top and bottom rails and a pair of stiles, a mid-rail receiving a letter box and two intermediate stiles extending from the mid-rail to the top rail and to the bottom rail, thus essentially sub-dividing both the upper and lower portions of the door leaf into three panel-receiving apertures. However, the central lower aperture is bridged by two short rails yet further sub-dividing it. As the same section of hardwood having grooved side faces is used for all the frame work each aperture is automatically provided with a peripheral groove for receiving the marginal edge portions of a panel which may be of wood, plain or fancy glass according to desire. After assembly of the door leaf, the wood of the panel assembly is treated with a polyurethane varnish and the exposed surfaces of the aluminium frame and sub-frame finished to match the wood. Alternatively the aluminium surfaces may be previously provided with a simulation wood finish and the wood of the panel assembly chosen and finished to match. A door construction according to the present invention affords the following advantages: 1) The rigid factory made frame and subframe ensure that the door leaf is a good fit initially in the frame. 2) The sub-frame absorbs or resists any subsequent distortion of the wooden panel assembly so that there is no danger, as with the conventional all wood door, that subsequent distortion of the wood will lead to sticking or gaps which allow the passage of draughts, with the consequent need to trim the door or pad the frame. 3) The rigidity of the sub-frame allows the use of thinner timber than in a conventional door so that the cost of a door according to the invention is equivalent to that of a conventional door. 4) As the outer faces of the panel assembly are hidden by the sub-frame double-grooved timber of identical section may be used for constructing the entire framework of the panel assembly. 5) The panel assembly may be removed for repair, repainting or revarnishing, or replacement by a panel assembly of the same or different design. 6) The construction of the panel assembly allows for infinite variation in the size, number and arrangement of the panels within the peripheral frame according to the customer's choice. CLAIMS

2. A construction as claimed in Claim 1, in which the frame is of metal.

4. A construction as claimed in any preceding claim, in which the framework is formed of lengths of timber having grooved side faces.

5. A construction as claimed in any preceding claim, in which the panel assembly includes a number of wooden panels.

6. A construction as claimed in any preceding claim, in which the panel assembly includes at least one glass panel.

7. A construction as claimed in any preceding claim, in which the rigid frame is provided with a simulation wood finish matching the wood of the panel assembly.

8. A door leaf construction, substantially as herein described with reference to the exemplified embodiment of the invention.

9. A door including a leaf having a construction as claimed in any one of Claims 1 to 8.

10. The features as herein disclosed, or their equivalents, in any patentably novel selection.