IE990813A1 - A Frame - Google Patents

Abstract

A frame (50) is formed for receiving a door or a windo and comprises a number of vertical support struts (1) and an inter-engaging horizontal lintel (8), wherein each strut (1) and lintel (8) comprises a roll formed metal channel section. The struts (1) and lintel (8) engage about a mitre joint (54) with the struts (1) having tongues (16) and tabs (9) and the lintel (8) providing receiving apertures (14,17). The support struts (1) include a number of slots (12) for receiving hinges (11) and have a number of pre-punched frangible portions for housing lock keepers and can be used in conjunction with double or single brick walls (18) or studded walls. The frame is for use in the building industry to overcome the non-adaptability of existing frames and the difficulty associated with locating locks or hinges at the appropriate locations. <Figure 1>

Description

A FRAME The present invention relates to a frame and more particularly to a frame for use in the building industry.

A variety of building frames are known and are most commonly used for mounting doors or windows in wall openings. These frames are normally assembled off-site in materials such as wood, metal or PVC and transported to their final destination in a van or truck.

While known frames are highly suited to standard installations where variations in door size and thickness do not exist they are not readily modified to non-standard requirements. For example if for some reason the door opening left by a builder is fractionally too large a great deal of plaster is required to bridge the gap between the wall and the frame. Another problem arises when mounting the frames in situations where there are variations in wall thickness. Modifications to standard frame sizes often prove difficult and time-consuming even for skilled craftsmen. While such modifications may be economically feasible for large-scale applications such as a housing development they are of little use in bespoke applications. In addition to the obvious non-adaptability of existing frames, locating locks or hinges at the appropriate locations on the frame is often problematic. Additionally the cost of transportation frequently contributes a disproportionately large element of the total cost. ί ) j ) o u rn The object of the present invention is to provide a frame, which will overcome or alleviate ! the aforementioned problems. c: τρ c.: rz κ TJ AJ L· τj o 35 0) X 32j o j Accordingly, there is provided a frame for receiving a door or a window comprising a ' plurality of vertical support struts and an inter-engaging horizontal lintel, each strut and ; lintel comprising a roll formed metal channel section including a door stop defined by a | raised section intermediate the front and rear faces of the channel section.

In one arrangement, the strut and lintel are formed for inter-engagement about a mitre joint -to. ensure a secure engagement.

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-I.lis Ideally, the support strut incorporates locating means about the mitred end to ensure that the lintel is accurately and securely connected to the support strut within the opening.

Preferably, the support struts have a number of locating tongues extending upwardly from their mitred ends for inter-engagement with the lintel.

Ideally, the support struts have_a plurality of tabs, the tabs being attachable to the mitred end of the support struts and having upwardly extending tongues for engagement with the horizontal lintel.

Preferably, the lintel defines a number of tab receiving apertures and a number of tongue receiving apertures for engagement with the locating means of the support struts.

Ideally, the support struts include a number of slots for receiving hinges.

In one arrangement, the frame is vertically mounted and fixed at floor level before the walls are erected thereby allowing builders to use the frame as a level for subsequent walls.

Preferably, the frame is fixed at floor level of the building by tabs which are permanently attachable to the floor.

Ideally, the tabs are fastened onto the base of the vertical struts and are fixed to the floor using masonry nails or screws or some such fixing means.

Preferably, the members are welded at the joints. This improves the rigidity and strength of the frame.

Preferably, the members are of substantially similar cross section thereby allowing them to 30 be cut from a single length of material. In this way the frame may be easily modified onsite to meet specific requirements. As the number of component parts is reduced a stock of material may be easily stored and transportation requires only the movement of single lengths of members.

Ideally, the frame comprises a number of members, each member being provided by a roll formed metal section beneficially reducing production times and cost.

Each member i.e. support strut, lintel and spreader bar is primed after being formed. The metal remains warm after being worked and the heat of the member supplements the drying process of applied primers.

Preferably, the members are sprayed using a warm paint. Warm paint dries much quicker than cold paint, therefore people can handle the members much sooner after the paint has been applied. This greatly reduces the overall process time and therefore reduces the costs involved.

In one arrangement, the doorstop incorporates one or more buffers to reduce noise and prevent damage to a door or window mounted in the frame.

The members are conveniently formed from zinc annealed metal.

Additionally, the frame is adaptable for location within a stud wall. Where appropriate metal members are treated to prevent rust or corrosion. Conveniently the frame can be provided with a door already installed.

Ideally, the frame is mounted onto the stud wall using a spring-loaded clip.

Preferably, architraves can be attached to the frame using self-tapping screws.

In use, a frame can be assembled by mounting a lintel onto upwardly extending locating tongues and tabs of two support struts through the corresponding apertures of the lintel, flattening the protruding tongues and tabs to form a mechanical joint and welding the flattened protrusions to the top surface of the lintel in order to permanently secure the joint.

In use, a frame can be installed by fixing tabs to the base of the vertical struts of a preassembled frame, mounting the frame vertically in the allocated doorway space, fixing the tabs to the floor using a fixing means and building the wall around the frame, using the frame as a level for the wall.

The invention will be more clearly understood from the following description of some embodiments thereof given by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure la is a perspective view of a support strut; Figure lb is a perspective view of a lintel; Figure 2a is a perspective view of an accompanying support strut; Figure 2b is a perspective view of temporary spreader bars; Figure 2c is a perspective view of a butt hinge; Figure 3 is a perspective view of a mitre assembly; Figure 4a is a plan sectional view of a single brick wall and the support strut of Figure 1; Figure 4b is a plan sectional view of a double brick wall and a side member; Figure 5a is a plan view of a striker plate; Figure 5b is a side view of the striker plate; Figure 5c is a plan view of a mitre join tag; Figure 5d is a plan view of a lock pocket; Figures 6a to 6c are plan views of various support struts; and Figure 7 is a plan view of another support strut forming part of the frame in accordance with the invention.

Referring to the drawings and initially to Figure la there is shown a vertical roll formed metal channel section support stmt indicated generally by the reference numeral 1, forming part of a frame 50 in accordance with the invention.

The support strut 1 has a doorstop 2 against which a door (not shown) rests when in the closed position. The doorstop 2 is provided by a raised section 51 intermediate the front face and the back face of the channel section of the support stmt 1. The doorstop 2 further defines two holes 3 each hole 3 being formed to receive a mbber buffer 4. The buffers 4 reduce the noise when closing the door and also prevent damage to the door.

The support stmt 1 also defines a lock recess aperture 52 for receiving a lock pocket 5 and a striker plate 6. The lock pocket 5 and the striker plate 6 are mounted on the support stmt 1 using self-taping screws 7. It will be appreciated that punching out a weakened portion of the support 1 may provide the aperture 52. Thus in certain applications a number of weakened portions may be provided and the aperture 52 be created at an appropriate location.

The support stmt 1 also has a locating means 53 for positioning a substantially horizontal lintel 8 provided in this case by two locating tongues 16 extending upwardly from the support stmt 1 and two spot welded tags 9, the tags 9 each having an upwardly extending interengagement tab 15 (See Figure 3).

Referring now to figures 2a to 2c there is illustrated an accompanying support strut to the support strut 1 indicated generally by the numeral 10. The support strut 10 defines hinge slots 12 for receiving butt hinges 1 lwhich are spot welded in position.

Figure 2b shows two temporary spreader bars 13 required during installation to separate the supports 1 and 10. The support 10 also has two spot welded tags 9 for locating the lintel 8. Each of the tags 9 has an upwardly extending inter-engagement tab 15.

Referring now in particular to figure 3 there is shown a mitre joint 54 having a lintel 8 and 10 support struts 1 and 10, the lintel 8 defines two support receiving apertures 14 and two tongue-receiving holes 17.

In use the support strut 1 is fixed to a side of the door or window opening. The mitred end 54 of the lintel 8 is then moved into proximity to the support strut 1. The lintel 8 is located in position by engaging the apertures 14 and the two tongue receiving holes 17 of the lintel 8 with the corresponding formations namely the tabs 15 and the tongues 16 respectively of the support strut 1.

Referring now to figures 4a and 4b the support strut 1 or 10 is attached to a brick wall 18 using a brick tie 19. As shown in the figures the frame 50 can be mounted to either a single or double wall. In order to give the frame extra strength a user can fill a doorframe cavity 20 defined by the support 1,10 with cement and a plaster render 21 forms a Vjunction 22 with the support 1, 10.

Referring to figures 5a to 5d, the striker plate 6 is shown in detail. The plate 6 is manufactured from 1mm stainless steel and defines a centre hole 23 to receive a latch (not shown) and two countersunk holes 24 for receiving two self-tapping screws 7. The striker plate 6 has an angled lip 25 to facilitate operation of the latch. The lock pocket 5 has a lock housing 26 and has two countersunk holes for receiving self-tapping screws 7. Figure 5c shows the tag 9 in detail.

Figures 6a to 6c illustrate alternative embodiments of the support strut 1 in accordance with the current invention. All three are symmetrical about a centre line, and have a general Csection configuration.

In each embodiment a C-section central web 27 defines a doorstop 2 symmetrical about the centre line. An outside face 29, of flanges 30 the doorstop 2 provide the stopping surface for the door.

Referring to figure 6b the C-section has two slots 31 to house hinges.

It will of course be understood that the invention is not limited to the specific details described above and that various modifications and alterations are possible without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

Claims (15)

1. A frame for receiving a door or a window comprising a plurality of vertical support struts and an inter-engaging horizontal lintel, each strut and lintel comprising a roll formed metal channel section including a door stop defined by a raised section intermediate the front and rear faces of the channel section.

2. A frame as claimed in claim 1, wherein the strut and lintel are formed for interengagement about a mitre joint.

3. A frame as claimed in any of the preceding claims, wherein the support struts have a locating means about the mitred end.

4. A frame as claimed in claim 3, wherein the support struts have a number of locating tongues extending upwardly from their mitred ends for inter-engagement with the lintel.

5. A frame as claimed in claim 3, wherein the support struts have a plurality of tabs, the tabs being attachable to the mitred end of the support struts and having upwardly extending tongues for engagement with the horizontal lintel.

6. A frame as claimed in claim 1 and claim 2, wherein the lintel defines a number of tab receiving apertures and a number of tongue receiving apertures for engagement with the locating means of the support struts.

7. A frame as claimed in any of the preceding claims wherein the support struts include a number of slots for receiving hinges.

8. A frame as claimed in any preceding claims, wherein the support struts have a number of pre-punched frangible portions for housing lock keepers.

9. A frame as claimed in claim 1 wherein the struts are formed for engagement with bricks by means of ties.

10. A frame as claimed in claim 1 wherein the struts are formed for engagement with a stud 5 wall.

11. A frame as claimed in claim 10 wherein the struts are engaged with the stud wall by means of spring loaded clips. 10 12. A method of assembling a frame for a door or a window comprising the steps of:mounting a lintel onto upwardly extending locating tongues and tabs of two support struts through the corresponding apertures of the lintel;

12. 15 flattening the protruding tongues and tabs to form a mechanical joint; and welding the flattened protrusions to the top surface of the lintel in order to permanently secure the joint.

13. 20 13. A method of installing a frame as claimed in claim 5 comprising the steps of:fixing tabs to the base of the vertical struts of a pre-assembled frame; mounting the frame vertically in the allocated doorway space; fixing the tabs to the floor using a fixing means; and building the wall around the frame, using the frame as a level for the wall. 30

14. A frame for receiving a door or a window substantially as herein described with reference to and as shown in the accompanying drawings.

15. A method as claimed in claim 12 or claim 13 substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawing.