Patent Application
20230304306
The present invention is in the field of construction and pertains particularly to methods and apparatus for positioning door jambs for installation to frame members of a constructed doorway.
In the art of construction, doors are installed to door jambs, which are in turn installed to doorway framing members. It is critical that door jambs are set in the correct positions for subsequent installation of a door. In current art, workers perform measuring tasks and marking tasks to ensure that they place the jambs in the correct positions before a door is hung in the doorway. The requirement for measuring and marking for every dimension adds a lot of task work to the job. In construction code, doorway frames are typically all set at prescribed widths and face alignments with one another (left, right).
Therefore, what is clearly needed is a jig that may be used to preset door jambs into correct positions for install to doorway frame members.
According to an embodiment of the present invention, a jig is provided for positioning door jambs for installation to a constructed doorway comprising a base template having a length, a width, and a height, the base template including side walls formed along the long edges of the base template material creating the height dimension, a first pair of board locator pins spaced apart and parallel to one another mounted on the base template above the top surface of the base template, the pattern of the locator pins centered on the base template relative to the length of the base template, a first pair of notch patterns disposed at opposing ends of the base template in mirror image to one another and aligned horizontally, each notch pattern adapted to conform to a step profile of a door jamb on one side of the constructed doorway, a pair of slots placed through the surface wall of the base template, the slots spaced apart and held parallel to one another, the pattern of the mounting slots centered relative to the length of the base template and the pattern of the board locator pins, an alignment rail having a length, width, and height, the alignment rail including a side wall along one edge, the alignment rail adjustably mounted on the base template at the pair of slots using nut and bolt fasteners, a second pair of locator pins spaced apart and parallel to one another mounted on the alignment rail a distance above the top surface of the alignment rail, the pattern of the locator pins centered on the alignment rail relative to the length of the alignment rail, the second pair of locator pins having the same dimensions and spacing as the first pair of locator pins, and a second pair of notch patterns disposed at opposing ends of the alignment rail in mirror image to one another and aligned horizontally, each notch pattern adapted to conform to the step profile of the door jambs positioned for installation.
In one embodiment, the base template and alignment rail are manufactured of aluminum sheet metal of a uniform thickness. In a preferred embodiment, the length of the base template is greater than the width dimension of the constructed doorway, and wherein the outside edges of the first pair of locator pins brush the inside surfaces of the vertical doorway frame members centering the base template within the constructed doorway. In a preferred embodiment, the length of the alignment rail is greater than the width dimension of the doorway frame, and wherein the outside edges of the second pair of locator pins brush the inside surfaces of the vertical doorway frame members centering the alignment rail within the doorway frame.
In one embodiment, the first and second pair of locator pins are welded to the base template and alignment rail respectively. In another embodiment, the first and second pair of locator pins are mechanically mounted to the base template and alignment rail respectively. In a variation of this embodiment, the first and second pair locator pins are attachable and detachable to their respective mounting locations. In one embodiment, the pair of bolts are turn knobs that thread into nuts through one or more washers.
In one embodiment, the jig further includes four leveler points disposed two to each side wall of the base template, the leveler points contacting the floor when the jig is in use. In a preferred embodiment, the first and second pairs of notch patterns conform to the stepped sides of the door jambs. In one embodiment, the locator pins are annular. In an alternative embodiment, the locator pins are rectangular. In a preferred embodiment, the first and second pairs of locator pins align with one another in the jig when the jig is fully assembled. In one embodiment, the first and second pair of locator pins are individually pivotally mounted and may be locked horizontal or unlocked and pivoted upward.
In one embodiment, the is adapted by the notch patterns for a door jamb with a double-step profile having a center raise defining the thickness dimension of the door jamb. In another embodiment, the jig is adapted by the notch patterns for a door jamb with a single-step profile having an edge raise defining the thickness dimension of the door jamb. In a preferred embodiment, before tightening the alignment rail to the base template, the alignment rail is urged along the slot track in the base template to stack both door jambs to the opposing notch patterns in the base template.
In a preferred embodiment, bolt openings are provided through the alignment rail, the spacing of the bolt openings in the alignment rail substantially equal to the spacing of the slots in the base template. In one embodiment, the alignment rail is installed to the base template to stack the door jambs and removed from the base template after the door jambs are installed to the constructed doorway.
In various embodiments described in enabling detail herein, the inventor provides a unique two-piece jig for staging door jambs relative to location and orientation (proper spacing and alignment) for install to vertical doorway studs in a doorway. A goal of the present invention is to reduce measuring and marking tasks associated with locating door jambs relative to vertical studs of a doorway before installation. The present invention is described using the following examples, which may describe more than one relevant embodiment falling within the scope of the invention.
In one embodiment, base template 100 is fabricated from steel. Base template 100 has a top surface 101 that is a raised surface with reference to ground level. Base template 100 is rectangular in form wherein the longest opposing edges of template are formed orthogonally downward a strategic fold distance to form two downward facing edges uniform in height resulting in the raised surface 101 with respect to ground level. The downward facing feet are not visible in this overhead view but are indicated in this view by broken lines and are visible in a latter view of this specification. Base template 100 includes a large, elongated opening 102 created by material removal disposed proximal to the center region of the template. Opening 102 may be termed a lightening hole for reducing weight of the jig and reducing the tendency of warping in the jig.
Base template 100 includes a pair of board locator pins 105a and 105b. Locator pins 105a and 105b are welded or otherwise mechanically fixed to raised surface 101 in a direction orthogonal to the longitudinal center line of base template 100. Locator pins 105a and 105b are positioned at some distance above raised surface 101 and are spaced apart such that a spacing distance B is equal to the code width dimension of a constructed doorway. Locator pins 105a and 105b are parallel to one another and spaced apart to touch the vertical frame member or “door frame” at each side on the outside edges when base template 100 is inserted within the doorway from the correct side that a door will be eventually hung.
The overall length of base template 100 is longer than the width of the constructed doorway frame in terms of code dimension. In a preferred embodiment, base template 100 is fabricated specifically for a specific width of the constructed doorway, minus doorway jambs, and which may be dependent upon construction code widths. Board locator pins 105a and 105b may be steel or aluminum annular pins, or rectangular bars without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. In one embodiment, locator pins 105a and 105b are mechanically connected to base template 100 using a pivot mount (not illustrated) and may be locked in a horizontal orientation and unlocked to pivot upward. In one embodiment, locator pins 105a and 105b are detachable from base template 100.
Base template 100 includes a pair of orthogonal through slots 103a and 103b. Through slots 103a and 103b are parallel to one another and are of a uniform length and width. Slots 103a and 103b is centered with respect to the overall width of base template 100. Slots 103a and 103b are adapted to accept a bolt pattern placed through a second part of the jig in the form of a locator rail (not illustrated) that may be attached to base template 100 using the slots and typical hardware (bolts and nuts). Base template 100 is placed against the doorway frame opening with locator pins 105a and 105b residing just inside of the finished vertical frame members of the constructed doorway thus, the tool is centered within the constructed doorway with little to no dimensional play to move the template side-to-side. The locator pins 105a and 105b may be fixed on the base template with the code width of the doorway as a measurement from outside edge to outside edge of the pair. It is noted herein as well that the pattern of locator pins 105a and 105b is centered longitudinally on base template 100.
Base template 100 is notched uniformly at both edges to form a shape profile at each end of the template for orientating each door jamb in the correct edge position for install. Locator pins 105a and 105b may serve as locator pins for the outside surfaces (long edge) of the door jambs correctly orientated within the base template. Notch patterns include notches 104a and 104b. Notches 104a and 104b function to locate the inside surfaces of the opposing door jambs according to step profile in this example. Therefore, the distance between the inside edge of locator pin 105a and notch pattern 104a is roughly equal to the thickness dimension of the door jamb (within tolerance). The notched surfaces of door jamb notches 104a and 104b are parallel (opposing mirror image patterns) and orthogonal to the longitudinal center line of base template 100. Similarly, the long edges of the base template are parallel to one another and to the longitudinal center line of base template 100. In one embodiment, the notch patterns may profile a different shape owing to a different configuration of door jamb.
In construction, there may be two or more different door jamb configurations that are dimensionally constant with current construction codes. However, a notch pattern in a base template like base template 100 may be fabricated or modified for a custom shape door jamb that meets construction code if required. Typically, in a construction environment, the doorway width and the door jamb style will be a consistent metric within a given construction project, for example, one home, or a plurality of homes, built by the home builder in the same construction project. It is noted herein the door jambs are typically edge-flush to the doorway frame members on the side where the door will open and close. Therefore, base template 100 is inserted between and against the doorway frame from the side supporting the door or doors. A width dimension A is equal to the width of the door that will be hung in the doorway with finished door jambs installed.
In another hardware embodiment, turn knobs 202a and 202b are welded at center to male threaded bolts wherein a female nut and washer is provided to thread onto each of the bolts. In the latter case, the bolts having turn knobs are inserted through openings provided for the purpose in the horizontal surface of rail 200 wherein the openings line up with the slots in base template 100 and the washers and nuts are disposed beneath the base template and applied to tighten rail 200 to a position on base template 100. Rail 200 may remain loosely tightened until the rail is urged along the slots against the door jambs oriented in base template 100 and aids a user in stacking the door jambs back flush against the respective notches (104a and 104b,
Alignment rail 200 includes a pair of board locator pins referenced herein as a board locator 203a and a board locator pin 203b. Board locator pins 203a and 203b are parallel with one another and spaced part to equal the spacing orientation and longitudinal dispersal of board locator pins 105a and 105b introduced in
Alignment rail 200 may be notched at both ends according to the shape profile of the door jambs. The notches are represented herein as a notch 204a and a notch 204b. Notches 204a and 204b share distance A with notches 104a and 104b of base template 100. Distance B is the width between the frame members of the constructed doorway, and distance B is the width of the door to be hung after the door jambs are installed. Alignment rail 200 is adapted to slide along slots (tracks) 103a and 103b of base template 100 (
Jig assembly 300 includes four leveler points 303 (a,b,c,d) for avoiding anomalies in the flooring around the doorway frame that might otherwise create a tip or rocking tendency in the jig base template. Leveler points 303 (a-d) provide sure footing contact for the jig to ground and reduces the tendency for base jig template 100 to slide. In this view, board locator pins 105a and 105b of base template 100 are visible where locator pins 203a and 203b on alignment rail 200 are not visible because they occupy the same alignment spacing behind the visible pins. The locator pins maintain a uniform gap between the doorway frame member and the installed door jamb.
Notches 204a and 204b in rail 200 align with notches 104a and 104b in template 100. The back edges of the rail notch patterns 205a and 205b ensure the door jambs are stacked flush and aligned with one another in a fore/aft scenario. In this embodiment, jig 300 may be assembled loosely (rail to template), the door jambs may be roughly placed, and then the alignment rail may be urged forward to stack the door jambs against the jig 300 and tightened to maintain the configuration while the jambs are being mounted to the inside surfaces of the vertical doorway frame members. The installer may loosen jig 300 at the rail and slide the rail backward to remove the jig from the finished doorway.
It is noted herein that the combined notch patterns in the base template and in the alignment rail define the profile of the inward facing side of the door jamb. In the embodiment described above, the door jamb style is a double-step jamb having a centered raise. However, other profile shapes of door jambs may be supported by jig 300 simply by providing the required notch patterns in the jig parts. In one embodiment, jig 300 may be used with single-step door jambs, or no-step door jambs, concave door jambs, or other custom shapes. It is noted that jig 300 may be provided for different door widths and doorway frame widths without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention.
It will be apparent with skill in the art that the door jamb staging jig 300 of the present invention may be provided using some or all the elements described herein. The arrangement of elements and functionality thereof relative to the jig of the invention is described in different embodiments each of which is an implementation of the present invention. While the uses and methods are described in enabling detail herein, it is to be noted that many alterations could be made in the details of the construction and the arrangement of the elements without departing from the spirit and scope of this invention. The present invention is limited only by the breadth of the claims below.
