IN AN OPENING IN A WALL

The present invention relates to a device for assisting the positioning of a frame in a structural opening, and more particularly a frame, such as a door or window frame, in an opening in a wall.

A method of fitting a door frame to an opening in a wall involves placing an estimated amount of packing between the frame and wall, temporarily fixing it in position and checking with a spirit level that the sides of the door frame are vertical and the top of the frame is horizontal. This involves repeated adjustment of the amount of packing and re-checking with the spirit level in order to get the frame correctly positioned. The frame can then be fixed to the surrounding wall. This method is time consuming due to its repeated trial and error process, and can take up to an hour and maybe an hour and a half.

EP-A-0976890 discloses a system for mounting a door frame with an outer flange in an opening in a wall. The door frame is placed so that an inner surface of its outer flange is against a first face of the wall. Placed within the door frame is a mounting frame which comprises two vertical sections with adjustable length spacer sections in between. The mounting frame has mounting devices spaced along, and fixed to, the mounting frame and these devices hold the door frame to the wall. Each mounting device has an angle bracket to be placed against the outer flange and an inner surface of the door frame so that an outside corner between the outer flange and inner surface of the door frame is received in an inside corner of the angle bracket. Each mounting device also has an L-shaped rod with a clamp pad attached thereto.

The clamp pad is arranged to be clamped against either a second face of the wall opposite the first face or a side of the door frame distal to the door frame flange. When the door frame is held relative to the wall opening by the mounting frame and its mounting devices, the door frame can be fixed to the surrounding wall by, say, mortar placed between the gap between the door frame and the wall.

A problem with the system is that it is unwieldy as it requires a large mounting frame. Also, there is a problem in that the device does not enable the door frame to be adjusted in a direction perpendicular to the wall since the device relies on positioning a frame surface against one face of the wall.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a device to alleviate at least one of the above-mentioned problems.

According to the present invention there is provided a device for positioning a frame in an opening in a wall, comprising:

a bracket having two opposing portions spaced apart by a middle portion; first clamping means mounted on at least one of the opposing portions, and configured to clamp opposing faces of the wall to position the device with respect to the wall independently of the frame; and

second clamping means mounted on at least one of the opposing portions, and configured to clamp opposing sides of the frame so as to hold the frame relative to the device. The frame may be a door or window frame.

In order to position a frame in an opening in a wall, a plurality of the devices are spaced along the frame and each device is placed over the frame so that the first clamping means is aligned with the wall and the second clamping means is aligned with the frame. The first clamping means of each device is clamped to opposing faces of the wall to position the device with respect to the wall independently of the frame, and the second clamping means is clamped to opposing sides of the frame so as to hold the frame relative to the device and therefore relative to the opening in the wall. Using several of these devices enables the frame to be positioned relative to the surrounding wall and no unwieldy apparatus is required. The devices initially hold the frame in an approximate position and enable a user to manoeuvre the frame into its required position at each place where there is a device. Each device is used to adjust the position of the frame independently of the other devices. The devices will hold the frame while the frame is permanently fixed to the wall. Individual adjustment of any device enables the frame to be positioned so as to take account of any irregularities in the surrounding wall finish, and/or any unevenness of the frame. This also allows the frame to be slightly "twisted" if required. The length of time required to fit a door frame in this way is generally less than 30 minutes.

The device may include third clamping means mounted on the middle portion of the bracket, the third clamping means comprising an adjustable clamp arranged to engage an inner face of the frame and urge it outwardly.

The first clamping means may include an adjustable clamp mounted on one of the two opposing portions and selectively movable in a direction towards and away from the other of the two opposing portions. Alternatively, the first clamping means may include an adjustable clamp mounted on each of the two opposing portions and selectively movable towards and away from each other. These two adjustable clamps may be opposite each other.

The second clamping means may include an adjustable clamp mounted on one of the two opposing portions and selectively movable in a direction towards and away from the other of the two opposing portions. Alternatively, the second clamping means may include an adjustable clamp mounted on each of the two opposing portions and selectively movable towards and away from each other. These two adjustable clamps may be opposite each other.

The clamping means may be configured to permit adjustment of the device in two opposing directions perpendicular to a plane containing the wall. The clamping means may be configured to permit adjustment of the position of the frame relative to the device in two opposing directions perpendicular to a plane containing the wall. Where there is an adjustable clamp for a first and/or second clamping means mounted on each of the two opposing portions and selectively movable towards and away from each other, this enables the frame to be moved in a direction perpendicular to the wall.

At least one of the adjustable clamps may have a clamp head for engaging a surface. The clamp head may be rotatable about various or plural axes with respect to a body of the adjustable clamp. The clamp head may have a location pin extending from a surface of the clamp head for engaging a surface. The clamp head may have a non-slip surface for engaging a surface.

The bracket is preferably C or U-shaped.

The clamping means may include threaded adjusting means and/or ratchet adjusting means.

Embodiments of the present invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying schematic drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a plan view of the device according to one embodiment of the invention;

Figure 2 is a plan view of the device positioned around a portion of a door frame proximate a wall;

Figure 3 is an elevational view of a door frame in an opening in a wall with several devices being used to position the door frame in the opening;

Figure 4 is a sectional detail of Figure 1 ; and

Figure 5 is a plan view of a modified device positioned around a portion of a door frame proximate a wall .

Referring to Figures 1 to 4 of the accompanying drawings, a device 1 for assisting the positioning and fixing of a door frame 2 in an opening 3 in a wall 4 has a C-shaped bracket 5 having two opposing portions 6, 6' spaced apart by a middle portion 7. The bracket 5 has a stiffening web 8 inside each of its two corners. The device 1 has first, second and third clamping means 9, 10, 1 1 . The first clamping means 9 is configured to clamp opposing faces 12, 12' of the wall 4 to position the device 1 with respect to the wall 4 independently of the frame 2. The second clamping means 10 is configured to clamp opposing sides

13, 13' of the frame 2 so as to hold the frame 2 relative to the device 1 . The third clamping means 1 1 is arranged to engage an inner face 14 of the frame 2 and urge it outwardly.

The first clamping means 9 comprises an adjustable clamp 15, 15' mounted on each of the two bracket opposing portions 6, 6'. The second clamping means 10 also comprises an adjustable clamp 16, 16' mounted on each of the two opposing bracket portions 6, 6'. The adjustable clamps 15, 15', 16, 16' of each of the first and second clamping means 9, 10 are opposite each other and are selectively movable towards and away from each other. The third clamping means 1 1 comprises an adjustable clamp 17 mounted on the middle portion 7 of the bracket 5 and arranged to engage the inner face 14 of the frame 2.

Each of the adjustable clamps 15, 15', 16, 16', 17 has a threaded elongate body 18 (shown in elevation on Fig. 4 for clarity) passing through, and engaging with, a respective threaded hole 19 in a bracket portion 6, 6', 7. Each threaded hole 19 also extends through a respective collar 27 on an outside of the bracket 5. A clamp head 20 is connected to the end of the elongate body 18 within the bracket 5 for each of the adjustable clamps 16, 16', 17 and a clamp head 20' is connected to the end of the elongate body 18 within the bracket 5 for each of the adjustable clamps 15, 15'. This connection is by means of a stiff ball and swivel or ball and socket joint 21 so that the clamp head 20, 20' is rotatable about various axes with respect to the elongate body 18 even when pressure is applied to it. The clamp head 20, 20' is a disc with a tapered circumferential edge 22 wherein the face 23 of the disc adjacent the ball and swivel joint 21 has a smaller diameter than the opposite disc face 24 for engaging a surface. The opposite end of the elongate body 18 has a handle 25 in the form of a cross bar.

The clamp heads 20' for the adjustable clamps 15, 15' of the first clamping means 9 each have a non-slip surface 24' for engaging a surface, and a location pin 26 protrudes from the centre of the non-slip surface 24'.

A method for installing a door frame 2 in an opening 3 in a wall 4 by use of a plurality of the devices 1 will now be described.

The devices 1 to be used first have their clamp heads 20 wound back by turning their associated handles 25 anticlockwise. The door frame 2 is then stood within the opening 3 and a device 1 is placed so that the wall 4 is aligned with the first clamping means 9 and the door frame 2 is aligned with the second clamping means 10. The handles 25 of the adjustable clamps 15, 15' of the first clamping means 9 are turned clockwise until the clamp heads 20' engage opposing faces 12, 12' of the wall 4 and then further turned to tighten the clamp heads 20' against the wall 4 so as to secure the device 1 to the wall 4 and force the location pins 26 into the wall 4. The handles 25 of the adjustable clamps 16, 16' of the second clamping means 10 are turned clockwise until the clamp heads 20 engage opposing sides 13, 13' of the frame 2 and secure the frame 2 to the device 1 . The ball and swivel joint 21 enables the clamp head 20, 20' to move so that the surface 24, 24' of the clamp head 20, 20' is parallel to the surface that it is engaging.

Other devices 1 are then placed around the door frame 2 and their first and second clamping means 9, 10 are used to secure the devices 1 to the wall 4 and the frame 2 to the devices 1 in a like manner.

The handles 25 of the adjustable clamps 15, 15', 16, 16', 17 of the first, second and third clamping means 9, 10, 1 1 of each device 1 are then rotated as necessary in order to make plumb and lateral adjustments to the door frame 2 so that it can be held plumb and true in the position required. By being able to individually adjust each adjustable clamp 15, 15', 16, 16', 17 of the device 1 , the frame 2 can be moved or manipulated in all planes until it is in its required position.

Packing is placed between the door frame 2 and the surrounding edge of the wall opening 3 as required, and the door frame 2 is then fixed into its required or final position. The clamp heads 20, 20' of the devices 1 are then wound back by their associated handles 25 so that the devices 1 can be removed.

Each adjustable clamp may be adjustable solely by means of a type of ratchet mechanism already used in known clamps instead of by screw-threaded adjustment means. Alternatively, each adjustable clamp may include a known arrangement wherein the clamp is adjusted relatively rapidly by means of a ratchet mechanism and relatively small adjustments may be then effected by a screw-threaded adjustment means.

A modified device 30 is illustrated in Figure 5 wherein the first clamping means 31 comprises a pad 32 mounted on one of the two opposing portions 33, 33' of the bracket 34. The first clamping means 31 also includes an adjustable clamp 35 is mounted on the other opposing bracket portion 33' and is selectively movable in a direction towards and away from the pad 32. Thus, the wall 4 can be clamped between the pad 32 and the adjustable clamp 35. The second clamping means 36 also comprises a pad 37 mounted on one bracket portion 33. The second clamping means 36 also includes an adjustable clamp 38 is mounted on the other opposing bracket portion 33' and is selectively movable in a direction towards and away from the pad 37. Thus, the door frame 2 can be clamped between the pad 37 and the adjustable clamp 38. The pads 32, 37 are of any suitable size to enable the door frame 2 to be positioned. Each of the pads 32, 37 may be replaced by a pad of a different size.

Whilst particular embodiments have been described, it will be understood that various modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the invention. For example, the location pins 26 may be omitted.

The clamp heads can be rotated in the opposite direction to that described above in order to be wound or unwound.