Corner lock for mitered corner of a door or window frame

• US 6,125,604 A
• Filed: 01/29/1998
• Issued: 10/03/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 01/29/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: S. D. Holmes
• Original Assignee: S. D. Holmes
• Inventors: Holmes, S. D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Aubrey, Beth
• Assistant Examiner(s): Glessner, Brian E.
• Application Number:
  US09/015,139
• Time in Patent Office: 978 Days
• Field of Search: 52/713, 52/656.2, 52/656.4, 52/656.5, 52/656.9, 52/657, 403/401, 403/402, 49/501, 49/504, 248/351
• US Class Current: 52/713
• CPC Class Codes: E06B 3/982 Mitre joints
• CPC Class Codes: F16B 2200/65 Miter joints

Abstract

A corner lock for a mitered corner of a hollow door or window frame includes a pair of braces positioned in the interior of the door or window frame at each corner. The braces are interlocked with one another and extend from an outward part to an inward part of each corner. The first brace is directly attached to interior walls of outward horizontal and vertical parts of a door or window frame. The second brace has an outward end attached to the first brace and an inward end that abuttingly engages the inward corner of the door or window frame. A central screw extends through the first brace and bears against the second brace when advanced. The first brace bends into a convexity and the second brace bends into a concavity when the central screw is advanced. A rigid leg that forms a part of the second brace includes a base that bears against an inward corner when the central screw is advanced so that the mitered corner is strenghthened and locked against movement.

Claims

1. A corner lock adapted to be mounted in a mitered corner of a hollow door or window frame, comprising:

a first brace adapted to be disposed within said hollow frame;

said first brace having a central plate and a pair of wings that are interconnected to opposite ends of said central plate and that are respectively adapted to be secured to an outward horizontal part of a door frame and to an outward vertical part of said door frame;

a second brace adapted to be disposed within said hollow frame, in spaced apart, parallel relation to said first brace;

said second brace having a central plate and a pair of wings that are connected to opposite ends of said central plate in spaced relation thereto;

an elongate, rigid leg connected at an outward end thereof to said central plate of said second brace;

said elongate, rigid leg including a base means formed at an inward end thereof that is adapted to abuttingly engage an inward corner of said door or window frame;

said wings and said central plate of said second brace being spaced apart from said wings and said central plate of said first brace;

a first fastener means adapted to immovably secure a first wing of said first brace to a horizontal part of said door frame;

said first fastener means also immovably securing said first wing of said first brace to a first wing of said second brace, said respective first wings of said first and second braces being immovable with respect to said horizontal part of said door frame and with respect to one another;

a second fastener means adapted to immovably secure a second wing of said first brace to a vertical part of said door frame;

said second fastener means also immovably securing said second wing of said first brace to a second wing of said second brace, said respective second wings of said first and second braces being immovable with respect to said vertical part of said door frame and with respect to one another;

a central screw extending through and screw-threadedly engaging said central plate of said first brace and said central screw having a leading end that bears against said central plate of said second brace;

said central screw for driving said base means into increasingly tighter abutting engagement with said inward corner when said central screw is advanced, thereby strengthening and locking said mitered corner; and

said central screw bending said central part of said first brace into a convexity and said central part of said second brace into a concavity when said central screw is advanced.

2. The corner lock of claim 1, further comprising a dimple formed in said central plate of said second brace, centrally thereof, said dimple receiving said leading end of said central screw and serving to center said central screw as it is advanced.

3. The corner lock of claim 1, wherein said respective central plates of said first brace and said second brace are disposed in substantially parallel relation to another, and wherein said wings of said first brace and said second brace are disposed in substantially parallel relation to one another.

4. A corner lock adapted to be mounted in a mitered corner of a hollow door or window frame, comprising:

a first brace having a flat central plate and a pair of flat wings integrally formed therewith, said flat wings being disposed at opposite ends of said flat central plate and said flat wings being disposed at a predetermined common angle relative to said central plate;

said first brace adapted to be positioned within said hollow frame such that a first flat wing of said pair of flat wings is adapted to overlie and abuttingly engage an interior wall of an outward horizontal part of a door frame and such that a second flat wing of said pair of flat wings is adapted to overlie and abuttingly engage an interior wall of an outward vertical part of said door frame;

a second brace having a flat central plate and a pair of flat wings integrally formed therewith, each of said flat wings being disposed at opposite ends of said flat central plate of said second brace and each of said flat wings being disposed at a common predetermined angle relative to said flat central plate of said second brace;

said second brace being spaced apart from said first brace in closely spaced, parallel registration therewith, said second brace being spaced inwardly of said first brace relative to said hollow door or window frame;

a pair of fastener members, a first fastener member of said pair adapted to immovably secure a first flat wing of said first brace to an outward horizontal part of said door or window frame and adapted to immovably secure a first flat wing of said second brace to said first flat wing of said first brace;

a second fastener member of said pair adapted to immovably secure a second flat wing of said first brace to an outward vertical part of said door or window frame and immovably secure a second flat wing of said second brace to said second flat wing of said first brace;

an elongate, rigid, flat leg plate secured at an outward end thereof to said flat central plate of said second brace, said leg plate being disposed normal to said flat central plate of said second brace;

a base means integrally formed in a distal end of said leg plate, said base means adapted to overlie and abuttingly engage an inward corner of said door or window frame;

a central screw extending through and screw-threadedly engaging said flat central plate of said first brace;

said central screw having an inward end that abuttingly engages said central flat plate of said second brace;

whereby said base means is adapted to bear with increasing force against said inward corner as said central screw is advanced, thereby strengthening and locking said mitered corner; and

whereby said central flat plate of said first braces flexes and forms a convexity and said central flat plate of said second braces flexes and forms a concavity as said central screw is advanced.

5. The corner lock of claim 4, wherein said common predetermined angle of said flat wings with respect to said flat central plate of said first brace is about two hundred twenty five degrees.

6. The corner lock of claim 5, wherein said common predetermined angle of said flat wings with respect to said flat central plate of said second brace is about two hundred twenty five degrees.

7. The corner lock of claim 4, wherein said flat central plate of said first brace and said flat central plate of said second brace have a common predetermined longitudinal extent greater than a common predetermined transverse extent thereof.

8. The corner lock of claim 4, wherein said flat leg of said second brace is rotationally oriented with respect to said flat central plate of said second brace such that it transversely bisects said flat central plate of said second brace.