AU592995B2

AU592995B2 - Elongate frame component

Info

Publication number: AU592995B2
Application number: AU58704/86A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Leslie David Goleby
Original assignee: LAKECRAFT Pty Ltd
Current assignee: LAKECROFT Pty Ltd
Priority date: 1985-04-12
Filing date: 1986-06-12
Publication date: 1990-02-01
Anticipated expiration: 2006-06-12
Also published as: AU5870486A

Description

A

92 995 Z 41 gh~ 4 4 4 '9

'I

t I I ttI 4 I ii t 14

V.

t 'V It 4' I4'II I 44 r 4' 44' Vt? f COMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALIA The Pa=tents Act 1952 -1969 Name of Applicant: .Address Of Applicant: Actual inventor: Address for Service: LAKECROFT PTY LTD 79 Formation Street, Wacol, Qt ,eensland, 4076 LESLIE DAVID GOLEBY CULLEN HALFORD MAXWELL Patent Trade Mark PAttorneys, 6t.1- Floor, 82 Ann Street, Brisbano in the State of Queensland, Commonwuealth of Australia.

COMPLETE SPECIFICAT: ON FOR THE, INVENTION Vi T:TLE-D: ELONGATE FRAME COMPONENT Tie folloWi-ig statement is a fuldescrin tihn of the Ae1ir including the best method of origit known. to Us:

C::

u~-ua~ -2- This invention relates to an elongate frame component for use as in a peripheral frame in relation to window sheets or panels or doors.

Hitherto, peripheral frames of the type mentioned above were manufactured from a plurality of frame members wherein in one conventional arrangement mutually adjacent frame mebers were interconnected by a corner gusset or insert which utilized a rat-icet type locking action when inserted into the adjoining open ends of the tubular frame members. Often rivets were

S*

10 also used in addition to the ratchet locking mechanism a to interconnect the adjoining frame members which usually had mitred ends.

In another conventional arrangement a corner i n insert or gusset was used which comprised a body portion in the form of a rectangular block which had outwardly extending rectangular projections which were narrower in width that 'he body portion and which each engaged in an adjacent tubular member by a wedging Saction. In this arrangement the body portion of the corner insert comprised part of the peripheral frame and the outwardly extending projections extended into the interior of mutually adjacent tubular frame memembers to form a rectangular frame suitable for use in furniture and shelving, Disadvantages associated with the conventional ratchet type corner gusset referred to above were the K 2 1- f i~if o 3 necessity for the provision of mitred ends for ea,'h of the frame members and also it was found that the fabrication for the peripheral frame was often time consuming and relatively expensive. This also applied to the conventional frame described above utilizing a wedging type corner gusset.

Manufacture of the particular corner gusset in each -f the abovementioned ,;ases was also considered to be time consuming and expensive as this was a highly specialized item only designed for the specific task in mind as described above.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a method of construction of frames and in particular peripheral frames which alleviates the abovementioned disadvantages associated with the prior art.

A further object of the invention is to provide an elongate frame component suitable for use in the abovementioned method.

m' aThe invention provides in a first aspect, a peripheral frame suitable for use in supporting window sheets or panels comprising: e v20 a pair of opposed elongate :Crame components Sincluding an elongate shank or body portion and a pair of t b attachment members located on a common side of said Jhank portion with each attachment member located adjacent each end of said shank portion; and a pair of opposed frame members wherein each frame member is engageable in male-female interengagement at each

A

P C t ao; 4 end thereof with a respective attachment member.

The invention also provides in a second aspect, an elongate frame component useful in forming a peripheral frame comprising: an elongate shank or body portion; a pair of attachment members located on a common side of said shank portion and projecting outwardly therefrom, with each attachment member located adjacent each end of said shank portion; and support means associated with the elongate shank or body portion engageable with an adjacent support structure of a building wherein in use said elongate frame component may S form a frame member of a peripheral frame whereby each attachment member may engage with a socket in an adjacent 15 frame member in a male-female interengagement, and said support means facilitates engagement with a support member of r l said support structure.

In a preferred embodiment in relation to a peripheral frame of rectangular shape there may be provided a 2Q pair of opposed side frame members which each correspond to said elongate frame component and an upper and lower tubular frame member. In this arrangement each side frame member will have a pair of said outwardly extending attachment lugs at each end thereof which are located on the said side thereof. The upper tubular frame member may engage with each top lug of the side frame tembers and the lower tubular frame A U4"v S>,1O 'y 1 1

N

w

I

-1 I l--i-SIII11- ~-il 4a member may engage with each bottom lug of the side frame members.

Preferably each attachment lug is rectangular in cross section and the upper and lower tubular frame members are also rectangular and are open ended. It will be appreciated however that each attachment lug may have any suitable shape such as round or polygonal. All that is necessary is that the attachment lug engage with an adjacent open end of a tubular frame member in male-female interengagement.

The elongate member also has a body portion or shank which preferably is channel shaped and includes a pair of opposed side walls and a base wall. It is ot 6 o* I6 t t k aI 67 V "O'QM 4, d i; 1-i. also preferred that one end of the shank be open and the other end is closed including an end wall, The channel shaped shank suitably also includes a plurality of mounting lugs which extend upwardly from the base wall thereof. In a more preferred arrangment there may be provided an array of spaced mounting lugs at the open end of the shank portion. The purpose of the mounting lugs is to slidably receive a supporting channel member and this aspect of the invention will be discussed in greater detail hereinafter.

Reference may now be made to a preferred embodiment of the invention as shown in the attached drawings wherein:- Figure 1 is a perspective view of a frame component constructed in accordance with the invention S 15 and an insert channel member; Figure 2 is a perspective view of a peripheral t t frame member constructed in accordance with the invention suitable as a window frame; Figure 3 is a perspective view showing a window panel incorporatiing the frame of "igure 2; and, Figure 4 is a perspective view illustrating the method of installation of the window panel frame to Figure 3 to a window assembly.

In the drawings there is shown frame component 10 including shank or Vody portion 11 and outwardly extending atLachment lugs The shank 1' is channel !klF -6shaped having a base wall 13 and opposed side walls 14 and end wall 15. One end 16 of the shank is open ended as shown so as to allow an insert channel member 17 to be slidably received therein as shown. There is also shown mounting lugs 18 located at each end of the shank 11 for engaging with the side waalls 19 of channel member 17 as shown. This in this aspect of the invention the outer surfaces 20 of lugs 18 engage in abutting relationship with side walls 19 of channel member 17 and the top surfaces 21 of lugs 18 engage with top wall 22 of channel member 17.

As best shown in Figure 2 each attachment lug 12 of frame component 10 may engage in plug-socket fashion t 41 with an adjacent open end of a tubular frame member 23 of rectangular profile to thereby form peripheral T t 15 frame 24 which may have attached thereto a window panel t 4 which may be formed from glass, plastics material or metal as the case may be. The frame 24 may include ia depending portion 25A as shown in Figure 3. Frame 24 is attached to a pair of opposed channel members 17 as shown in Figure 4. In fact each opposed channel a members 17 may slidable receive elongate frame components 10 as shown in Figure 4. There also may be provided plug member 26 having projecting ta'b 27 which may engage in slot 28 between lugs 18 as shown. There also may be provided co-aligned apertures 29 in plutg member 26 and 30 in side walls 14 and lugs 18 for r I c II- i i I< a i iIi It

I

a: itt tt i at( I a I I' Ii 4a ii It I( I *I re -7insertion of an appropriate fastener (not shown) such as a rivet or bolt to attach member 17 to component There is also shown perimeter frame member 31 of the window assembly shown in Figure 4 as well as control arm 32 which is attached to each channel member 17. A plurality of frames 24 when inserted into accommodating channel members 17 may all pivot simultaneously by a suitable operating mechanism (not shown) associated with each control arm 27. A suitable operating mechanism is described in Australian Patent 10 Specification 546,781.

When each frame 2' 's in the closed position each depending portion 25 i-gages with an adjacent panel (not shown) in abutti,, relationship.

Suitable fasteners such as rivets (not shown) 15 may intercoconnect lugs 12 to frame members 23 If desired each lug 12 may have a slight inward taper from inner end to outer end to facilitate entry in each frame menber 23. There also may be provided beariv pads or ribs 33.

It also will be appreciated that in another variation that window frames constructed in accordance with the invention may also be attached to a surround frame of a window assembly by a suitable hinge means so that the window frame may pivot relative to the surround frame from an opening to a closing position and vice versa. Thus window frames constructed in It 7 7 r- a- -8accordance with the invention may function as louvres as shown in the attached drawings or be utilized in window casements.

It also will be appreciated that the frame component of the invention may be utilized in door frames as well as in' furniture or shelving.

The invention also includes within its scope a method of fabrication of a peripheral frame including the step of attaching a pair of adjacent frame members to the respective attachment members of the abovementioned elongate frame components as described in detail above.

After consideration of the foregoing it will be appreciated that the elongate frame component of the invention provides substantial advantages when compared 15 to the aforementioned prior art. Thus a peripheral Ce frame may now be installed or assembled in minimum time and in an extremely efficient mrainer obviating the need for mitred ends.

:a

Claims

1. A peripheral frame suitable for use in supporting window sheets or panels comprising: a pair of opposed elongate frame components including an elongate shank or body portion and a pair of attachment members located on a common side of said shank portion with each attachment member located adjacent each end of said shank portion; and a pair of opposed frame members wherein each frame member is engageable in male-female interengagement at each end thereof with a respective attachment member.

2. An elongate frame component for use in formng a peripheral frame as claimed in claim 1 comprising: 099 an elongate shank or body portion; a pair of attachment nmmbers located on a common S, side of said shank portion and projecting outwardly therefrom, with each attachment member located adjacent each end of said shank portion; and support means associated with the elongate shank or St body portion engpgeable with an adjacent support structure of a building wherein in use said elongate frame component may Sform a frame member of a peripheral frame whereby each attachment member may engage with a socket in an adjacent frame member in a male-female interengagement, and said support means facilitates engagement with a support member of said support structure,

3. An elongate frame component as claimed in claim 2 wherein each attachment member is rectangular in cross v section.

4. An elongate frame component as claimed in claim 2 or claim 3 wherein said support means comprises an array of spaced mounting lugs located on an opposite side of said shank portion to said attachment members.

An elongate frame component as claimed in claim 4 wherein said array of spaced mounting lugs comprises a pair of outwardly extending spaced mounting lugs located at ea(ih end of said shank portion.

6. An elongate frame component as claimed in any one of claims 2 to 5 wherein the shank portion is of channel cross section,

7. An elongate frame component as claimed in claim 6 t wherein one end of the shank portion is open and the other t, end is closed including an end wall. S

8. An elongate frame component for us(! in formiing a t peripheral frame substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

9. A peripheral frame suitable for t'se in supporting window sheets or panels substantially as herein described with reference to the accompAnying drawings, A method of fabrication of a peripheral frame as claimed in claim 1 including the step of attaching each of the frame members to the respective attachment members of each of the elongate frame components. DATED this tenth day of November 1989 LAKECROFT PTY. LTD. By thiir Patent Attorneys G. R, CULLEN CO. I- V^