Method and apparatus for reinforcing a door assembly

• US 6,185,881 B1
• Filed: 03/18/1999
• Issued: 02/13/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 03/18/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Edward Wayne, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Edward Wayne, Inc.
• Inventors: Allen, David W., Olberding, Ronald E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Kent, Christopher T.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Thissell, Jennifer I.
• Application Number:
  US09/272,074
• Time in Patent Office: 698 Days
• Field of Search: 522/041, 522/10, 527/295, 527/391, 526/564, 523/092, 527/303, 494/62, 495/04, 493/94, 292/340
• US Class Current: 52/204.1
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 15/0205 Striking-plates, keepers, staples means for reducing friction E05B17/007; electric strikers E05B47/0046; staples for padlocks E05B67/383; strikers for espagnolettes E05C9/1808
• CPC Class Codes: E06B 1/52 Frames specially adapted for doors

Abstract

A fenestration product includes a door assembly having a door shiftable into and out of a closed position, at least one generally flat door jamb presenting an inner face that faces inwardly toward the door when the door is in the closed position and a generally oppositely facing outer face, and door hardware positioned along the inner face of the door jamb and configured to associate the door with the door jamb. The product further includes a substantially flat reinforcement plate secured flatly against the outer face of the door jamb. Moreover, the door hardware has at least a portion thereof that is securely fastened to the reinforcement plate so that movement of the hardware relative to the door jamb and reinforcement plate is prevented. A method of reinforcing a fenestration product in this manner is also disclosed.

Claims

1. A fenestration product comprising:

a door assembly including a door and a pair of laterally spaced, generally flat structural door jambs, each of which presents an inner face facing inwardly toward the door when the door is in a closed position and a generally oppositely facing outer face,

said door assembly further including door hardware configured to associate the door with the jambs, said door hardware including a strike plate positioned against the inner face of one of the jambs and a hinge positioned against the inner face of the other jamb to swingably mount the door on the other jamb;

a sidelight assembly including a window jamb positioned alongside the outer face an adjacent one of the door jambs, with the window jamb and the adjacent one of the door jambs being interconnected; and

a pair of substantially flat reinforcement plates each being secured flatly against the outer face of a respective one of the door jambs, with one of the plates being located between the window jamb and the adjacent one of the door jambs,

said strike plate and hinge each having at least a portion thereof that is fastened to a corresponding one of the reinforcement plates, such that said at least a portion thereof is prevented from moving relative to the corresponding one of the reinforcement plates and away from or along the inner face of the respective one of the door jambs.

2. A fenestration product as claimed in claim 1,

said at least a portion of the strike plate being fastened to said one of the plates located between the window jamb and the adjacent one of the door jambs.

3. A fenestration product as claimed in claim 1;

and

a second sidelight assembly, such that the sidelight assemblies are each associated with a respective one of the door jambs,

said second sidelight assembly including a second door jamb positioned alongside the outer face of the respective one of the door jambs,

said second door jamb and the respective one of the door jambs being interconnected, with the other one of the plates being located therebetween.

4. A fenestration product as claimed in claim 1,

said hinge having a pair of relatively swingable plates, one of which is positioned along the inner face of said other door jamb and is fastened to the corresponding one of the reinforcement plates.

5. A fenestration product as claimed in claim 1,

said one door jamb including a bolt-receiving hole,

said strike plate including a substantially flat body that is positioned flatly against the inner face of said one door jamb and is fastened to the corresponding one of the reinforcement plates,

said body having a bolt-receiving opening that is aligned with the bolt-receiving hole in said one door jamb.

6. A fenestration product as claimed in claim 1,

each of said reinforcement plates extending along substantially the full length of the respective one of the door jambs.

7. A fenestration product as claimed in claim 1;

and

at least one fastener projecting through each of the door jambs and interconnecting the corresponding one of the reinforcement plates and said at least a portion of the door hardware to prevent movement of the latter relative to the former.

8. A fenestration product as claimed in claim 7,

said at least a portion of the door hardware, the respective one of the door jambs, and the corresponding one of the reinforcement plates having aligned openings that receive said at least one fastener therein.

9. A fenestration product as claimed in claim 8,

said at least one fastener comprising a screw,

said screw threadably engaging the corresponding one of the reinforcement plates along the opening defined therein.

10. A fenestration product as claimed in claim 9,

said screw being slidably received within the opening defined in said at least a portion of the door hardware and threadably engaging the respective one of the door jambs along the opening defined therein.

11. A fenestration product as claimed in claim 10,

said screw being configured to form threads in the respective one of the door jambs and the corresponding one of the reinforcement plates as the screw is inserted into the openings defined therein.

12. A fenestration product as claimed in claim 1,

each of said reinforcement plates including a plurality of staple-receiving slots;

and

a plurality of staples, each of which is received within a respective one of the staple-receiving slots and serves to interconnect said at least one window jamb and said adjacent one of the door jambs.

13. A fenestration product as claimed in claim 1,

each of said reinforcement plates being formed of metal.

17. A fenestration product reinforcement method as claimed in claim 1;

and

aligning a bolt-receiving opening in one of the reinforcement plates with a bolt-receiving hole in one of the door jambs before the former is secured to the latter.

18. A fenestration product reinforcement method as claimed in claim 1,

step (a) including the steps of inserting a mounting screw through each of the reinforcement plates, respectively, and threading the mounting screw into the respective one of the door jambs.

19. A fenestration product reinforcement method as claimed in claim 1,

step (c) including the steps of inserting a fastening screw through the strike plate and the hinge, respectively, and threading the fastening screw into the corresponding one of the reinforcement plates.

20. A fenestration product reinforcement method as claimed in claim 1,

step (e) including the step of stapling the window jamb and the one door jamb to one another.

14. A method of reinforcing a fenestration product including a door and a pair of laterally spaced, generally flat structural door jambs, each of which presents an inner face facing inwardly toward the door and a generally oppositely facing outer face, said fenestration product reinforcement method comprising the steps of:

(a) securing a substantially flat reinforcement plate against the outer face of each of the door jambs;

(b) positioning a strike plate and a hinge against the inner face of respective ones of the door jambs;

(c) placing a window jamb alongside the outer face of one of the door jambs so that one of the reinforcement plates is located between the one door iamb and the window jamb;

(d) interconnecting the one door jamb and the window jamb; and

(e) fastening at least a portion of the strike plate and the hinge to a corresponding one of the reinforcement plates so that said at least a portion thereof is prevented from moving relative to the corresponding one of the reinforcement plates and away from or along the inner face of the respective one of the door jambs.

15. A fenestration product reinforcement method as claimed in claim 14,

step (e) including the step of fastening said at least a portion of the strike plate to said one of the reinforcement plates located between the one doorjamb and the window jamb .

16. A fenestration product reinforcement method as claimed in claim 14;

(f) placing a second window jamb alongside the outer face of the other one of door jambs so that the other one of the reinforcement plates is located between the other door jamb and second window jamb; and

(g) interconnecting the other door jamb and second window jamb.