PVC gate framing system

• US 6,176,043 B1
• Filed: 01/14/1999
• Issued: 01/23/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 01/14/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Ameristar Fence Products Incorporated (Assa Abloy AB)
• Original Assignee: Ameristar Fence Products Incorporated (Assa Abloy AB)
• Inventors: Gibbs, Edward L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Stodola, Daniel P.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Strimbu, Gregory J.
• Application Number:
  US09/231,097
• Time in Patent Office: 740 Days
• Field of Search: 495/01, 494/49, 292/238, 256/73, 256/19, 522/236, 522/237
• US Class Current: 49/501
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 65/0007 for gates for wire gates E06B11/021
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 9/08 Fastening locks or fasteners or parts thereof, e.g. the casings of latch-bolt locks or cylinder locks to the wing on glass wings E05B65/0025
• CPC Class Codes: E05C 3/14 with operating handle or equivalent member rigid with the latch E05C3/122 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: E05D 3/02 with one pin
• CPC Class Codes: E05D 5/06 Bent flaps
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2900/40 for gates
• CPC Class Codes: E06B 11/02 Gates; Doors
• CPC Class Codes: E06B 11/04 characterised by the kind of suspension suspensions per se E05D

Abstract

A gate framing system for a PVC gate, the gate comprising first and second spaced vertical PVC frame members connected at their upper and lower ends to a pair of spaced horizontal PVC frame members, the gate framing system comprising a pair of spaced metallic framing brackets mounted at each corner of the PVC gate, the pairs of framing brackets being connected to each other in such manner as to hold the PVC gate in compression between the brackets at each corner thereof, wherein the framing brackets are bent around the outer side edges of the PVC vertical frame members in an overlapping relation, wherein a first post-tensioning metallic rod extends horizontally across the top of the PVC gate through the overlapping ends of the pairs of brackets at the upper corners of the PVC gate, and wherein a second post-tensioning metallic rod extends horizontally across the bottom of the PVC gate through the overlapping ends of the pairs of framing brackets at the bottom corners of the PVC gate, whereby the post-tensioning rods exert horizontal compressive forces between the upper two corners and the lower two corners to add structural rigidity to the PVC gate.

Claims

1. A gate framing system in combination with a PVC gate, the gate comprising first and second vertical PVC frame members connected at upper and lower ends thereof to first and second horizontal PVC frame members, the vertical PVC frame members being spaced from each other and constituting side members of the gate, the horizontal PVC frame members being spaced from each other and constituting top and bottom members of the gate, the connections of the vertical PVC frame members to the horizontal PVC frame members forming four corners on the PVC gate, the gate being further defined as having a front side and rear side, the framing system comprising a pair of spaced metallic framing brackets mounted at each said corner of the PVC gate such that one of said framing brackets at each said corner lies along the rear side of the PVC gate and the other of said framing brackets at each said corner lies along the front side of the PVC gate, the pairs of framing brackets being connected to each other by means of holding the PVC gate in compression at each corner thereof to increase the strength and rigidity of the PVC gate, a pair of metallic hinge brackets each connected directly to a respective one of the pairs of framing brackets disposed along the first vertical PVC frame member.

2. A gate framing system in combination with a PVC gate as set forth in claim 1, wherein each pair of spaced metallic framing brackets are designed to sandwich said vertical PVC frame member and the horizontal PVC frame member forming a respective one of said corners.

3. A gate framing system in combination with a PVC gate as set forth in claim 1, wherein the PVC gate is adapted to be hingedly connected to a PVC gate hinge post, wherein each hinge bracket constitutes a portion of a hinge, each hinge also including a right angled member which is adapted to be secured to two sides of the PVC gate hinge post adjacent a respective one of said hinge brackets, each right angled member being provided with a pair of ears which support a pivot pin, each hinge bracket being provided with a bent portion, the bent portion of each hinge bracket being provided with a curved portion at an end thereof through which a respective one of the pivot pins is received, thereby providing an offset relation between the hinge brackets and the right angled members whereby the gate can swing through 180 degrees of movement with respect to the PVC hinge post.

4. A gate framing system in combination with a PVC gate, the gate comprising first and second vertical PVC frame members connected at upper and lower ends thereof to first and second horizontal PVC frame members, the vertical PVC frame members being spaced from each other and constituting side members of the gate, the horizontal PVC frame members being spaced from each other and constituting top and bottom members of the gate the connections of the vertical PVC frame members to the horizontal PVC frame members forming four corners of the PVC gate, the gate framing system comprising a pair of metallic framing brackets mounted at each corner of the PVC gate, each pair of framing brackets at each corner being bolted to each other to hold PVC gate in compression between the brackets, wherein the framing brackets of each said pair of framing brackets are bent around the outer side edges of a respective one of the PVC vertical frame members and overlap one another, wherein a first post-tensioning metallic rod extends horizontally across the top of the PVC gate between the overlapping pairs of brackets at the upper corners of the PVC gate, and wherein a second post-tensioning metallic rod extends horizontally across the bottom of the PVC gate between the overlapping pairs of framing brackets at the bottom corners of the PVC gate, whereby the post-tensioning rods exert horizontal compressive forces between the upper corners and the bottom corners to add structural rigidity to the PVC gate.

5. A gate framing system in combination a PVC gate, the gate comprising first and second vertical PVC frame members connected at upper and lower ends thereof to first and second horizontal PVC frame members, the vertical PVC members being spaced from each other and constituting side members of the gate, the horizontal PVC frame members being spaced from each other and constituting top and bottom members of the gate, the connections of the vertical PVC frame members to the horizontal PVC frame members forming four corners of the PVC gate, the gate being further defined as having a front side and rear side, the framing system comprising a pair of spaced metallic framing brackets mounted at each said corner of the PVC gate such that one framing bracket of each said pair of framing brackets lies along the rear side of the PVC gate and the other framing bracket of each said pair of framing brackets lies along the front side of the PVC gate opposite the one framing bracket, the brackets of each pair of framing brackets being connected to each other in such a manner as to hold the PVC gate in compression between the brackets, a pair of metallic hinge brackets each connected directly to a respective one of pairs of framing brackets disposed along the first vertical PVC frame member, wherein the faming brackets of each said pair of framing brackets are bent around a respective one of the PVC vertical frame members and overlap one another and wherein a first post-tensioning metallic rod extends horizontally across the top of the PVC gate between the pairs of brackets at the upper corners of the PVC gate and through the overlapping framing brackets disposed at the upper corners of the PVC gate, a second post-tensioning metallic rod extending horizontally across the bottom of the PVC gate between the pairs of framing brackets at the bottom corners of the PVC gate and through the overlapping framing brackets disposed at the bottom corners of the PVC gate, the post-tensioning rods exerting horizontal compressive forces between the upper corners and the bottom corners to add structural rigidity to the PVC gate.

6. A gate framing system in combination with a PVC gate, the gate comprising first and second vertical PVC frame members connected at upper and lower ends thereof to first and second horizontal PVC frame members, the vertical PVC members being spaced from each other and constituting side members of the gate, the horizontal PVC frame members being spaced from each other and constituting top and bottom members of the gate, the connections of the vertical PVC frame members to the horizontal PVC frame members forming four corners of the PVC gate, the gate being further defined as having a front side and rear side, the framing system comprising a pair of spaced metallic framing brackets mounted at each said corner of the PVC gate such that one framing bracket of each said pair of framing brackets lies along the rear side of the PVC gate and the other framing bracket of each said pair of framing brackets lies along the front side of the PVC gate opposite the one framing bracket, the brackets of each pair of framing brackets being connected to each other in such a manner as to hold the PVC gate in compression between the brackets, a pair of metallic hinge brackets each connected directly to a respective one of the pairs of framing brackets disposed along the first vertical PVC frame member, wherein the PVC gate is adapted to be hingedly connected to a PVC gate hinge post, wherein each hinge bracket constitutes a portion of a hinge, each hinge also including a right angled member which is adapted to be secured to two sides of the PVC hinge post adjacent a respective one of said hinge brackets, each right angled member being provided with a pair of ears which support a pivot pin, each hinge bracket being provided with a bent portion, the bent portion of each hinge bracket being provided with a curved portion at an end thereof through which a respective one of the pivot pins is received, thereby providing an offset relation between the hinge brackets and the right angled members whereby the gate can swing through 180 degrees of movement with respect to the PVC hinge post, wherein the PVC gate is adapted to engage a PVC latch post disposed along said second vertical PVC frame member, the PVC gate being provided with an intermediate PVC frame member positioned between and parallel with the horizontal PVC frame members, said intermediate PVC frame member being connected at its ends to the first and second vertical PVC frame members, a pair of intermediate metallic framing brackets connecting a respective one of said ends of the intermediate PVC frame member to the second vertical PVC frame member and holding portions of the PVC gate in compression between the intermediate metallic framing brackets, a U shaped striker bar support connected to one of said intermediate metallic framing brackets on the front side of the PVC gate, a striker bar mounted on the striker bar support in spaced parallel relation with the PVC gate, a metallic back plate adapted to be mounted on one side of the PVC latch post adjacent to the striker bar, a metallic pivotal latch member pivotally mounted on the back plate, the back plate being provided with a horizontally oriented opening for receiving the striker bar therein, portions of the back plate adjacent of the horizontally oriented opening being provided with inclined edges to facilitate movement of the striker bar into the opening, the pivotal latch member being provided with a downwardly directed and vertically oriented opening for receiving the striker bar therein when the striker bar is also received in the horizontally oriented opening of the back plate, the pivotal latch member being provided with an inclined surface adjacent the vertically oriented opening such that, when the striker bar contacts the inclined surface, said stricker bar can pivot the latch member so that the striker bar will go into said openings, the striker bar being spaced from the front side of the PVC gate such that said stricker can be used as a handle to pivot the PVC gate.