US3818672A

US3818672A - Gusset

Info

Publication number: US3818672A
Application number: US00221138A
Authority: US
Inventors: J Moore
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1972-01-27
Filing date: 1972-01-27
Publication date: 1974-06-25
Anticipated expiration: 1991-06-25

Abstract

A gusset for fastening the corners of hollow frame doors, in a manner so as to prevent opening of the miter joint, comprising a generally right triangular base plate having peripherally upstanding flanges terminating substantially at right angles to the base plate and extending along the angularly related sides and the hypotenuse, each side flange including an end portion extending lineally beyond the hypotenuse and both ends of the hypotenuse flange being provided with extending flanges which are contoured angularly to overlie the extended side flange portions, when the gusset is inserted in place within the door, fasteners extending through the top and side rails of the door engage in the respective extending hypotenuse portions to draw the miter joint tight.

Description

Moore, Sr.

[ June 25, 1974 1 GUSSET [76] Inventor: John J. Moore, Sr., P.O. Box 686,

Marathon, Fla. 33935 [22] Filed: Jan. 27, 1972 [2]] Appl. No.: 221,138

[52] U.S. CI 287/189.36 H, 52/475, 52/665 [51] Int. Cl E04b 1/38 [58] Field of Search 52/655, 656, 657, 475,

52/476, 665, 721, 637, 638, 634, 603; 287/l89.36 H, 20.92 D; 248/222, 247, 248, 300; 211/135, 182

[ 56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,468,813 9/1923 Huff 248/247 1 2,067,727 1/1937 Peister.... 287/2092 D 2,588,818 3/1952 Franks r. 287/18936 H 2,938,759 5/1961 Mutchnik et al. 248/188 2,972,396 2/1961 Minick 287/l89.36 H 2/1967 Heywood 287/189.36 H

3,440,787 4/1969 Bataille 52/603 X Primary Examiner-Henry C. Sutherland Assistant ExaminerCarl D. Friedman 5 7] ABSTRACT A gusset for fastening the corners of hollow frame doors, in a manner so as to prevent opening of the miter joint, comprising a generally right triangular base plate having peripherally upstanding flanges terminating substantially at right angles to the base plate and extending along the angularly related sides and the hypotenuse, each side flange including an end portion extending lineally beyond the hypotenuse and both ends of the hypotenuse flange being provided with extending flanges which are contoured angularly to overlie the extended side flange portions, when the gusset is inserted in place within the door, fasteners extending through the top and side rails of the door engage in the respective extending hypotenuse portions to draw the miter joint tight.

1 Claim, 5 Drawing Figures GUSSE'I STATEIOF THE PRIOR ART Most comer gussets presently in use for fastening the corners of hollow frame doors are generally formed of a right angular base plate with upstanding flanges along the outside and inside edges thereof to form a generally right angular channel. This construction provides no connection between the outside and inside flanges other than the base plate which lies along one inside face of the door frame. Consequently, the miter joints at the comers often open to varying degrees because the relatively thin base plate receives most of the forces to which a door is subjected when in use.

BACKGROUND OF THE PRESENT INVENTION Hollow frame doors such as screen doors are comprised of parallel top and bottom rails and parallel side rails, miter joints being provided at the corners to join the respective rails. The various rails are hollow and are generally rectangular in cross section. It is common practice to join the mitered comers by means of angular gussets disposed within the hollow rails and, obviously, a door of this type is only as rigid at the comer joints as the gussets which form the connection between the rails. Various forces created by the stresses and strains imposed on the door from its own weight as well as from usage often flex, bend or twist the gussets,

' resulting in the openings of one or more of the miter joints.

It is therefore a principal object of the present invention to provide a gusset for joining the miter joints which provides the necessary rigidity and strength to prevent the miter joints from opening up.

It is a further object to provide a gusset comprised of a generally right triangular base plate having peripherally upstanding flanges along both legs and the hypotenuse with extended overlapping flange positions at both ends of the hypotenuse to receive the fastening screws which are passed through the outer edges of the door.

It is still a further object of this invention to provide enlarged clearance holes for the fasteners in extended flange positions of the legs whereby the fasteners pass therethrough and engage in holes in the opposed extended flange portions of the hypotenuse flange. The hypotenuse flange therefore acts as a draw-bar between the angularly related door frame rails to provide a very rigid and strong connection therebetween.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is an elevational view of one corner miter joint of a hollow frame door with the frame positions broken away to illustrate the draw-bar gusset of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a cross sectional view taken on line 2--2 of FIG. 1, looking in the direction of the arrows.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged view of the gusset of the instant invention removed from the door.

FIG. 4 is an end elevation of the gusset looking along one leg thereof; and

FIG. 5 is an end elevation thereof looking directly at the hypotenuse flange comprising the draw-bar.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION With reference to the drawings in which like reference characters designate like or similar parts throughout the various views, the numeral 10 generally indicates the gusset of the present invention fixed in place in FIG. I to hold the metered joint 12, between a hollow top rail 14 and a side rail 16 of a door, the side rails being of generally channel shaped construction.

The gusset II) includes a base plate 18 which, as seen in FIG. I and 2, lies closely adjacent to one inside face of the joined

door rails

14 and 16. The base plate 18 has a substantially flat body section and is generally right triangular in configuration. The marginal edges of the base plate 18 are provided with integral upstanding

peripheral flanges

20 and 22 along both legs and an integral upstanding hypotenuse flange 24. The

flanges

20, 22 and 24 terminate substantially at right angles to the base plate 18. As best illustrated in FIG. 2 the

flanges

20, 22 and 24 generally span the distance between the opposed inside

faces

26 and 28 of the

door rails

16 and 14.

The base plate 18 and

upstanding leg flanges

20 and 22 are formed to provide a rounded nose 30 at the apex and both

leg flanges

20 and 22 include

portions

32 and 34 which are lineally extended beyond the hypotenuse flange 24. As best illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 3, the opposed ends of the hypotenuse flange 24 are extened at 36 and 38, said

extensions

36 and 38 being contoured angularly at obtuse angles relative to the hypotenuse flange 24 so as to overlie the

respective leg portions

32 and 34.

Each extended

leg portion

32 and 34 of the hypotenuse flange is provided with an enlarged clearance hole 40 and each

angled hypotenuse extension

36 and 38 is provided with a hole 42, aligned with the clearance hole 40, for the reception of a suitable fastener such as a self-tapping screw 44 as best seen in FIG. 1.

When a mitered comer joint between two door rails is to be joined, the gusset is placed partially in one rail and the other rail is then slid over the extending portion of the gusset and the fasteners 44 are passed through appropriate holes 46 in the door edges 48 and 50 of the

respective rails

14 and 16, through the clearance holes 40, into engagement with the holes 42 in the

hypotenuse flange extension

36 and 38. When the fasteners 44 are tightened the hypotenuse flange 24 performs as a draw-bar and effectively draws the miter joint 12 rigidly together. As the draw-bar flange 24 substantially spans the distance between the opposed inside

faces

26 and 28 of the

rails

14 and 16, the miter is held firmly together on both sides of the rails.

A pair of spaced apart outwardly struck

pads

52 and 54 may be formed in the base plate 18 to engage the inside of the miter joint on each side 28, FIG. 2, to space the base plate 18 therefrom to assist in locating the gusset and to provide knock-out pins. Strengthening rib 56 may be inwardly formed in the base plate 18 to add strength to the gusset.

An additional fastener such as a self tapping screw 58 is threaded through each of the door edges 48 and 50 and the

respective leg flanges

20 and 22 just inwardly of the rounded nose 30 to hold the gusset l0 firmly in place.

My invention has been illustrated as applied to a gusset for use in a door. It will however be apparent that my improved gusset is applicable for use in any installation where it is desired to use a gusset to strengthen or rigidify any structure.

While a preferred form of my invention has been illustrated and described it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications can be made therein without departing from its true spirit of the inventions as defined in the appended claims.

I claim::

1. A corner gusset for joining two angularly related corners of hollow frame doors having cooperating channel shaped rails comprising, a base plate having a substantially flat body section of generally triangular the hypotenuse being flanged laterally substantially at right angles to the flat body section to form rigidifying flanges temiinating substantially at right angles to the plane of the flat body section, the terminal ends of the rigidifying flange on the hypotenuse being contoured angularly at obtuse angles to align at its opposite ends with the rigidifying flanges of the angularly related sides, and means defining aligned apertures in the obtusely angled ends of the hypotenuse flange and aligned configuration having two right angularly related sides portions of the rigidifying flanges of the angularly related sides.

Claims

1. A corner gusset for joining two angularly related corners of hollow frame doors having cooperating channel shaped rails comprising, a base plate having a substantially flat body section of generally triangular configuration having two right angularly related sides and a hypotenuse to lie with the channel shaped rails, the marginal edges of the angularly related sides and the hypotenuse being flanged laterally substantially at right angles to the flat body section to form rigidifying flanges terminating substantially at right angles to the plane of the flat body section, the terminal ends of the rigidifying flange on the hypotenuse being contoured angularly at obtuse angles to align at its opposite ends with the rigidifying flanges of the angularly related sides, and means defining aligned apertures in the obtusely angled ends of the hypotenuse flange and aligned portions of the rigidifying flanges of the angularly related sides.