US3141204A

US3141204A - Door frame construction

Info

Publication number: US3141204A
Application number: US150727A
Authority: US
Inventors: James D Wheeler
Original assignee: Brasco Manufacturing Co
Current assignee: Brasco Manufacturing Co
Priority date: 1961-11-07
Filing date: 1961-11-07
Publication date: 1964-07-21
Anticipated expiration: 1981-07-21

Description

2 Sheets-Sheet l July 21, 1964 J. D. WHEELER DOOR FRAME CONSTRUCTION Filed Nov. 7, 1961 July 21, 1964 J. D. WHEELER DooR FRAME CONSTRUCTION 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Nov. 7, 1961 United States Patent O 3,141,204 DOR FRAME CONSTRUCTION James D. Wheeler, Birmingham, Ala., assignor to Brasco Manufacturing Company, Harvey, Ill., a corporation of Delaware Filed Nov. 7, 1961, Ser. No. 150,727 2 Claims. (Cl. Ztl- 11) My invention relates to door frame construction and has particular reference to a door frame in which the side frame members have transversely movable pressure plates yieldingly mounted therein whereby when an object, such as the hand of an operator, is caught between the edge of the door and the side frames as the door is closing and pressure is imposed on the face plate, it is moved inward without damage to the hand of such person caught between the edges of the door and the side frame.

Another and further object of my invention is the provision of door frame construction adapted particularly for glass doors which usually have the hinge pintles in the ends thereof spaced from the side edge of the door at the hinge side so that when the door is opened the edge of the door moves away from the door frame at each side of the door, leaving an opening at the hinged side of the door which may vary from an inch or so up to six inches in width and which upon closing is apt to close upon the hand or the ingers of a person attempting to pass through the door as he places his hand upon the door to open or close it. Glass doors are very heavy and because of the usual location of the pintles a tremendous amount of leverage exists at the hinge side of the door resulting in a crushing force being produced upon an object caught between the door frame and the edge of the door on the hinged side with the result that if a human hand is caught in this location, it is likely to be crushed against the door frame, particularly if the hand is one of a child, and thereby easily broken or injured.

Another and .further object of my invention is the provision of a door frame construction in which, not only are the pressure plates yieldingly mounted in the side frames of a door, but said plates are so constructed that a yieldable shield member is placed thereover for additional protection and which provides a further measure of safety should a hand be caught between the edge of the door and the door frame at either side thereof in the closing operation thereof, which should also act as a weather strip` between the edge of the door and the door frame.

Another and further object of my invention is the provision of a door frame having resiliently mounted pressure face plates therein which are engaged by the door when in closed position in such manner that a tight opening is formed at the sides of the door and at the same time the pressure plates are yieldingly mounted so that if an object such as a hand or the like is caught at either edge of the door, the pressure plate at this point yields so that only comparatively light pressure is exerted upon the hand, which is not heavy enough to result in serious injury to the hand of the person passing through the door.

Another and further object of my invention is the provision of a door frame having movable spring or elastic supported pressure plates therein whereby injury to the hands or any part of the body caught therein is prevented, and while my invention is designed primarily to prevent injury caused by the door on the hinge side catching a hand or inger between the edge of the door and the frame because the pressure force is much greater at this side of the door than it is at the opposite side, I prefer to provide a pressure plate on the latch side of the door also so injury is prevented ICC on either side of the door. The pressure plate could be provided only on the hinged side of the door because leverage developed on the hinged side of the door as it is being closed is very much greater than on the opposite side of the door, particularly if the pressure is applied to the closing of the door by either mechanical or manual means, as the pintles become the fulcrurn points of the leverage and are usually spaced a short distance from the frame on the hinge side so that ysuiicient high pressure is developed to severely injure the hand of an adult and would be much more severe if the hand of a child were involved.

These and other objects of my invention will be more readily and better understood by reference to the accompanying sheet of drawings and in which- FIG. 1 is an elevational view of a door frame embodying my invention with the usual glass door mounted therein;

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the preferred form of my invention through one of the door side frames on line 2 2 of FIG. l, showing the door in closed position, and showing snubber gussets mounted in the door frame;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged vertical fragmentary sectional View on lines 3 3 of FIG. 2 showing the door in closed position;

FIG. 4 is a view similar to FIG. 2 showing the door in closed position with an object inserted between the edge of the door and the face of one of the side members of a door frame;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a spring which is mounted in the side frame member to normally bias a pressure plate outward, which is mounted in the door frame member.

FIG. 6 is a cross sectional view through the door frame of a modified form of the combination showing the door in normally closed position with weather stripping thereon; and

FIG. 7 is a view similar to FIG. 6 showing an object between the edge of the door and the pressure plate.

Referring now specifically to the drawings and in which like reference characters refer to like parts throughout, a door frame indicated as a whole as 10 is shown and which comprises a pair of

side frames

11 and 12, a header 13, a threshhold 14, and a glass door 15 mounted therein, the door 15 having a handle 16 mounted thereon. The door 15 is mounted upon an upper hinge pintle 17 extending into the header 13 and upon a lower hinge pintle 1-8 also extending in the door 15 and into the threshhold 14 at the bottom of the door frame. The pintles 17 and 18, as will be noted, are set inward from the edge of the door a slight distance so that as the door is opened, the hinge side of the door moves away from the frame member 12 leaving a space between the door and the said side frame member 12. There is no well defined practice as to how far inward these hinge pintles may be placed, but in all cases there is a sufficiently wide space between the door frame member 12 and the edge of the door 15 to receive the hand of a person inserted therein either unintentionally or accidentally.

The

side frames

11 and 12 usually extend the full length of the door frame as shown with cross sections of individual members constituting my improved frame shown in FIGS. 2 and 4 and also FIGS. 5 and 6 of the drawings with a fragmentary somewhat enlarged vertical section shown in FIG. 3. Each

side frame

11 and 12 preferably consists of two channel sections integrally formed together as a unit, the inner section being of less depth and less width than is the outer section and is faced in the same direction and fitted within the outer section with

webs

25 and 28 connecting the two channel sections together and having reversely faced channel sections, specifically designated herein as pressure plates fitted therein described in detail hereinafter. Each

side member

11 and 12 is preferably made of inner and outer channel sections integrally formed as a unit, usually of extruded metal, and facing in the same direction, the outer section having a web portion 19,

flanges

20 and 21 formed therewith on each of its sides, with the inner channel section having a web portion 22, and ange

portions

23 and 24 at each side of the web portion 22, with a web portion 2S being provided which connects the outer edge of the flange 21 of the outer channel section with the outer edge of the flange 24 of the inner channel section and has a retainer channel 26 in the front face thereof and a rib 27 on the inner edge thereof for purposes hereinafter described. A web 28 connects the edge of the flange 2t) of the outer channel section with the edge of the ange 23 of the inner channel section and has a channel retainer 29 in the outer face thereof and a rib 30 formed on the inner edge thereof for purposes hereinafter described.

A transversely movable channel section or pressure plate designated as a whole as 31 is provided which spans the space between the Iianges 23 and 24 on the inner channel section, and is confined within the inner channel mem* ber, but is mounted for transverse movement therein. The pressure plate 31 is integrally formed with

face sections

32 and 33 thereon and has

narrow anges

34 and 35 at the outer edges of the

face sections

32 and 33, which

flanges

34 and 35 have outwardly extending

ribs

36 and 37 on their outer sides which engage the

ribs

27 and 30 on the

webs

25 and 28, thereby forming limit stops to the outward movement of the pressure plate 31. The pressure plate 31 has a saddle portion 38 centrally thereof connecting the

face sections

32 and 33, the said saddle section 38 having a central fiat section 39, depending

angular sections

40 and 41, curved

portions

42 and 43 which merge into reversely extending

sections

44 and 45 and which connect with the inner sides of the face sections 32 and 33 a slight distance from their inner edges whereby two angularly disposed channels are formed in the pres* sure plate 31 between the sections 41B, 44 and the inner edge of the section 32 and the

sections

41, 45 and the inner edge of the section 33 within which the

outer edges

46 and 47 of a curved cushion member 48 made of an elastic plastic material such as vinyl or rubber is mounted and which extends throughout the length of each of the

side frame members

11 and 12, against which each edge of the door engages in its closed position.

A plurality of springs indicated as a whole as 49 is employed which normally bias the face plate 31 to its outer position in the inner channel section as shown in FIG. 2 and consists of a flat blade portion 50 having an angularly disposed free end 51 which rests upon the surface of a raised portion 55 of the web 22 of the inner channel section. The blade 50 has

spring side portions

53 and 54 which are in the form of spring clips and are contoured to fit around the

saddle portions

41, 43 and 45 and also 40, 42 and 44 and clamp the blade portion 5t) of the spring to the saddle portion of the pressure plate 31, with the angular disposed end 51 resting upon the raised portion 55 of the web 22 of the inner channel section with the spring blade 50 being under compression at all times so the face plate 31 is biased outward in the door frame, but may be compressed until it is almost flat if an object such as 56 becomes caught between the edge of the door 15 and the cushion member 48. Elastic pads of rubber or vinyl material may be substituted for the springs if desired and would produce the same results as the springs.

Vinyl or elastic

composition snubber strips

57, 57 having

base portions

58, 58 thereon are fitted into the

channels

26 and 29 respectively, in the

webs

25 and 28, and have elliptical shaped

snubber portions

59, 59 thereon with

base portions

60, 60 integrally formed therewith, which

base portions

60, 60 have

flat surfaces

61, 61 in engagement with the faces of the

ribs

28 and 30 which support the

snubber portions

59, 59 as they are compressed by

fianges

34 and 35 of the pressure plate 37 when in its normal operative position as shown in FIG. 2 of the drawings. The

strips

57, 57 are preferably of a vinyl composition impregnated with a lubricant such as glycerine, are very soft, and have Very smooth surfaces so very little friction is produced as the

flanges

34 and 35 of the pressure plates move over the surface of these

strips

57, 57. The

snubbers

58, 58 also exert an inward pressure on the pressure plate 37, which holds the pressure plate 37 in position against ordinary operating pressures, prevents movement of the pressure plate due to vibration and the resultant rattling of the pressure plate, and also serves as a Weather seal around the pressure plate. The approximate amount of compression of the snubber strips is shown in F IG. 4 of the drawings.

Weather strips

62, 62 having

base portions

63, 63 thereon which are fitted into the

channels

26 and 29 respectively, may be used, if desired, instead of the combined weather and

snubber strips

59, 59 hereinabove described, although

such strips

62, 62 only act as weather strips and do not prevent rattling or vibration of the pressure plates and, therefore, are not so desirable as the snubber strips in operation.

In the making of a door frame two side members, such as 11 and 12, of suitable length are used and joined together at their upper ends by a header 13 and by a threshold 18 at their lower ends with the

side members

11 and 12 being placed so the pressure plates 31 carried by each of said side members face each other from opposite sides of the door opening. The door 15 is hinged upon the pintles 18, 18 which may be placed upon either side of the door as desired, and may operate either to open in one direction only, or may swing freely to both directions as desired.

The making and assembling of the frame is a comparatively simple operation in that the outer channel sections are preferably made of extruded metal and the pressure plates are also made of extruded metal with the springs 55 attached thereto and also the cushion member 48 attached thereto by inserting the free edges thereof in the channels formed in the pressure plate 31 with the cushion member 48 being of suiiicient width that it must be bent into arcuate form for insertion into the pressure plate. The pressure plate 31 is disposed at an angle to be inserted into the inside channel with the springs 50 being compressed in the operation and the

snubber strips

57, 57 placed in position so that the space between the

webs

25 and 28 in the

sections

32 and 33 is closed against the admission of dirt, air and the like which also adds to the appearance of the device. The

weather strips

62, 62 may be used instead of the snubber strip, as hereinabove described, if desired. In this condition the

frame members

11 and 12 are placed in such position that the

pressure plates

31, 31 are on adjacent sides toward each other on the inside of the frame. The

pressure plates

31, 31 are of the same length as the main frame members and are supported at their ends by the frame of the building so that it is not possible for these inside frames to move endwise out of position within the channel sections. The header 13 is secured to the upper ends of the main frame members 10 and the threshold 14, added if desired, or may be placed in position when the door frame is set in the building.

A plurality of the springs 49 have previously been attached to the pressure plate 31, these springs being comparatively soft in their action, and tending to keep the pressure plates biased outward so the

ribs

36 and 37 are in engagement with the sides of the

ribs

27 and 30, which is the position they normally occupy in the assembled condition of the frames. Elastic blocks of rubber or other composite material may be substituted for the springs, if desired, particularly for sound deadening purposes. The door is mounted in the frame on the pintles in such manner that its edges are in contact with the outer edges of the cushion member 48 as shown particularly in FIG. 2, thereby providing a closure member at each side of the door against the admission of drafts 0f wind and the like therethrough, but are yieldingly positioned therein by reason of the cushioning eiect of the cushion member 48 and the springs so that, as shown particularly in FIG. 4, if an object is caught between one `of these cushions and the edge of the frame, the

pressure plates

31, 31 are moved inward without any great amount of pressure being exerted upon the object, such as a hand or the like, so that even if the hand of the user is caught in this position, even though it may be a child, no serious injury results from being caught between the edge of the door and the cushioning members. The mounting of the pressure plates is so designed that these plates will move approximately 3A of an inch transversely, which is ample room to prevent injury, particularly with the yielding of the cushioning member which aords ample protection should the hand of the user be caught therein.

While I have described more or less precisely the method employed and the apparatus used therewith, I do not wish to be understood `as limiting myself thereto, as I contemplate changes in form and the proportion of parts `and the substitution of equivalents as circumstances may suggest or render expedient without departing from the spirit or scope of my invention.

What is claimed is:

1. A door frame comprising parallel extending side frame members, a top header secured to the said side frame members, and a threshhold at the bottom of the door opening defined by the said side frame members, the side frame members consisting of channel sections having pressure plate retaining ribs thereon, pressure plates mounted in the channel sections having spaced channels in the faces thereof and retainer ribs thereon for engagement with the retaining ribs on the channel sections, a exible cushion mounted at each of its edges inthe spaced channels in the pressure plates and extending outwardly therefrom, and of substantially greater width than is the door engaged thereby, and elastic members mounted between the pressure plates and the web of the channel section normally lbiasing the face plates to their outer positions and permitting inward movement of the said pressure plates.

2. A door frame member consisting of a channel section having inwardly projecting retainer ribs thereon, a movable face plate mounted within the said channel section having ianges thereon on its outer edges cooperating with the retainer ribs on the said channel section to limit the outward movement of the said face plate, the said face plate having longitudinally extending spaced channels formed therein, a flexible cushion member mounted on its edges in the channels in the face plate, the said cushion member being wider than is the distance between the channels in the face plate, and springs secured to the projections on the rear side of the face plate with their free ends in engagement with the channel section whereby the face plate is biased in an outward direction.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 562,503 Sutherland June 23, 1896 1,826,121 Brogie Oct. 6, 1931 2,686,942 Spector Aug. 24, 1954 2,718,677 Cornell Sept. 27, 1955 2,731,681 Gall Jan. 24, 1956 FOREIGN PATENTS 16,664 Great Britain July 28, 1896

Claims

1. A DOOR FRAME COMPRISING PARALLEL EXTENDING SIDE FRAME MEMBERS, A TOP HEADER SECURED TO THE SAID SIDE FRAME MEMBERS, AND A THRESHHOLD AT THE BOTTOM OF THE DOOR OPENING DEFINED BY THE SAID SIDE FRAME MEMBERS, THE SIDE FRAME MEMBERS CONSISTING OF CHANNEL SECTIONS HAVING PRESSURE PLATE RETAINING RIBS THEREON, PRESSURE PLATES MOUNTED IN THE CHANNEL SECTIONS HAVING SPACED CHANNELS IN THE FACES THEREOF AND RETAINER RIBS THEREON FOR ENGAGEMENT WITH THE RETAINING RIBS ON THE CHANNEL SECTIONS, A FLEXIBLE CUSHION MOUNTED AT EACH OF ITS EDGES IN THE SPACED CHANNELS IN THE PRESSURE PLATES AND EXTENDING OUTWARDLY THEREFROM, AND OF SUBSTANTIALLY GREATER WIDTH THAN IS THE DOOR ENGAGED THEREBY, AND ELASTIC MEMBERS MOUNTED BETWEEN THE PRESSURE PLATES AND THE WEB OF THE CHANNEL SECTION NORMALLY BIASING THE FACE PLATES TO THEIR OUTER POSITIONS AND PERMITTING INWARD MOVEMENT OF THE SAID PRESSURE PLATES.