Accessory for preventing a pre-hung door from sagging in a door frame

An accessory for preventing a pre-hung door from sagging in a door frame comprised of a retainer for supporting one side of the door on a lock jamb of the frame and a bolt which is slideable in the frame for preventing the door from rotating in the frame. The retainer has a “U” shaped portion which receives a lock jamb and an adjoining cylindrical portion which engages a bore in a door. The bolt is an elongated slender member having an enlarged end portion which engages a pocket in the lock jamb and a spur which resists a withdrawal of the bolt from the lock jamb.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to door accessories and more particularly to an accessory for preventing a pre-hung door from sagging in a door frame.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

It is a common practice to market a pre-hung door in a door frame consisting of jambs and header panels. Only one side of the door is supported on a hinge jamb with a pair of hinges. The pre-hung door is commonly closed with staples and/or adhesive tape. One problem with the current practice is that the pre-hung door tends to sag in the frame because the opposite lock side of the door is unsupported . Another problem is that tapes and staples can mar the appearance of the door.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention overcomes door sag by supporting doors on opposite sides to hinge and lock jambs. The lock side is supported on the lock jamb with a retainer and a bolt. The bolt engages the lock jamb and a spur on the bolt prevents the bolt from being easily withdrawn from the jamb. One feature of the invention is changes are not required to doors or jambs.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring now to the drawings wherein like numerals designate like and corresponding views throughout the several views, InFIGS. 10 and 11, a door20is shown mounted in a frame21according to the invention. The door20and frame21are conventional. On one side of a lock jamb22is a depression23for a lock strike plate (not shown). Extending into the strike plate depression23is a pocket24for a lock strike (not shown). A pair of intersecting bores25,26are in the door20for a door lock (not shown). The door is connected as shown inFIGS. 10 and 11to the lock jamb22with a bolt27and a retainer28. The opposite side of the door (not shown) is connected to a hinge jamb with a pair of hinges. The bolt27and retainer28are preferably molded plastic parts.

The details of the bolt27and retainer28are shown inFIGS. 1 to 8. The retainer28has a “U” shaped portion29and an adjoining cylindrical portion30. The cylindrical portion30is divided into a series of circular ribs31and connecting portions32to reduce the amount of plastic. In each of the ribs31is an aperture33which receives the bolt27. The aperture33is asymmetrical to prevent the bolt27from rotating in the retainer28. The aperture33is oval shaped and has opposing planar surface36. The “U” shaped portion29has two opposing legs34and34′. One leg34of the “U” shaped portion29is inclined or canted relative to the other leg34′ as will be shown to tightly retain the retainer28on the lock jamb22. The two opposing leg34,34′ are configured to sandwich the lock jamb22therebetween.

With reference toFIGS. 4 through 8, the bolt27is a slender elongated cylindrical member with an enlarged end portion35. As shown inFIG. 6, the cross-section of the elongated body portion39of the bolt27has an oval cross section and has opposing planar surfaces42. The cross-section of the elongated body portion39of the bolt27matches the aperture33in the ribs31of the retainer28. At one end portion of the bolt27are a pair of finger depressions37which are used for moving the bolt27in the retainer28. Referring toFIG. 5, on the circumference of the bolt27there is a spur38which as will be shown resists a withdrawal of said bolt from the lock jamb22. The spur38is located between the depression37and the enlarged end portion35along a length of the bolt27. An enlarged view of the spur38is shown in circle A-A.

The method of using the invention is shown inFIG. 9. The first step (step “A”) consists of installing the bolt27in the retainer28. The bolt27is forced into one end of the retainer28as shown inFIG. 9. More specifically, the elongated body portion39of the bolt27is received through an opening40defined in leg34and another opening41defined in leg34′. As will be shown, the spur38resists the bolt27from being withdrawn from the lock jamb22. Note: The spur38is compressed during the forcible insertion of the bolt27into the retainer28. The next step (step “B”) is to align the retainer28with the strike plate depression23and install the retainer28in the lock jamb22.

The third step (step “C”) is to align the retainer28with bore26in the end of the door20. The fourth step (step “D”) is to install the retainer28in the door20. The final step is to grasp the bolt27with the finger depressions37and move toward the lock jamb22to engage the enlarged end35of the bolt27with the pocket24in the lock jamb22.

From the above it is apparent that what I have invention is a means for preventing sag of pre-hung doors that is non-obvious, effective and easy to use. Although only a single embodiment has been illustrated and described, it is obvious that other embodiments can be developed from my disclosure by mere changes in features such as materials, shape, omissions and substitution of parts that are known and obvious to ordinary persons skilled in the art.