Frame assembly

A frame assembly for doors, windows and the like includes a fastening element consisting of a longitudinal connecting portion and a transverse clamping portion, a first frame provided with a plurality of locking holes and a second frame provided with two fastening holes. The connecting portion has a side plate extending substantially perpendicular to either lateral side thereof and is provided with a plurality of threaded holes at an upper portion thereof for matching the locking holes. The clamping portion consists of a clamp plate punched and bent from a middle portion of the connecting portion and a grip plate in a relative clamping relationship with the clamp plate; the grip plate being provided with two projecting hook pieces for matching the fastening holes. The connecting portion may be inserted into the first frame so that they may be locked firmly and conveniently by screws. The clamping portion is fitted onto a rear side of the second frame such that the hook pieces of the grip plate hook against the fastening holes in the second frame to ensure the assembly.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
(a) Field of the Invention 
The present invention relates generally to a frame assembly for doors, 
windows and the like, and more particularly to a frame assembly which is 
convenient and speedy to assemble. 
(b) Description of the Prior Art 
Conventional frame assemblies for doors, windows and the like generally 
fall into the following three main types: 
1. Referring to FIG. 4, welding is commonly used for securing plain miter 
joints of door and window frames. However, the weld portion 6 will be 
uneven and hence unsightly. The outer appearance of the door or window 
will be marred even after repeated polishing. Besides, it is difficult to 
adjust or change the position of the frames after the completion of 
welding. 
2. With reference to FIG. 5, there is shown a conventional way of joining 
frames of planar ends, two longitudinal frames 73 respectively provided 
with a hole in an upper lateral side thereof are joined by an intermediate 
transverse frame 72 having two through holes at either end thereof. An 
iron bar 7 is passed through the holes of the transverse frame 72 with 
both ends inserted into the respective holes of the longitudinal frames 73 
on both sides thereof. Corresponding nuts 71 are further secured in place. 
However, such a construction is very complicated and cost-consumptive. 
3. FIG. 6 illustrates another way of joining frames of planar ends. A 
plastic plug means 8 is inserted into a hollow upper end of a longitudinal 
frame 83, and a screw 81 is driven into a transverse frame 82 into the 
plug means 8 to secure the transverse frame 82 onto the longitudinal frame 
83. However, since the plastic plug means 8 may deteriorate after a period 
of use, its strength will be seriously affected. Besides, it will be 
necessary to assemble the frames in their entireties before delivery to 
the job site. Transportation is therefore inconvenient and costly. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
Accordingly, a primary object of the present invention is to provide a 
frame assembly for doors, windows and the like for convenient and speedy 
construction, in which a fastening element is provided for connecting a 
longitudinal frame and a transverse frame by means of a specially designed 
clamping portion and a connecting portion.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
With reference to FIGS. 1 and 1A, a preferred embodiment of the frame 
assembly for doors, windows and the like according to the present 
invention essentially comprises a substantially right-angled fastening 
element 1 having a longitudinal connecting portion 11 which has a side 
plate 14 disposed at a substantially right angle to either lateral side 
thereof. The connecting portion 11 may be suitably and firmly fit into a 
longitudinal frame 3. The connecting portion 11 is further provided with a 
plurality of threaded holes 16 which corresponds to a plurality of locking 
holes 31 in a front side of the longitudinal frame 3 such that, when the 
connecting portion 11 is fitted into the longitudinal frame 3, a plurality 
of screws may be passed through the locking holes 31 and the threaded 
holes 16 to lock and position them firmly and speedily. The fastening 
element 1 also consists of a substantially transversely oriented clamping 
portion 12 which in turn consists of a clamp plate 13 punched from a 
middle portion of the connecting portion 11 and further bent to a position 
substantially perpendicular to thereto and a grip plate 121 in a relative 
clamping relationship with the clamp plate 13. The grip plate 121 and the 
clamp plate 13 may be utilized to clamp onto a rear side of a transverse 
frame 2. Hence, by using the fastening elements 1 according to the present 
invention, doors, windows and frames may be secured in place with 
convenience. Besides, the grip plate 121 is further provided with two 
projecting hook pieces 15 disposed respectively on both sides near a lower 
rim thereof such that, when both the grip plate 121 and the clamp plate 13 
are fitted onto the rear side of the transverse frame 2, the hook pieces 
15 may project through two corresponding fastening holes 21 in the 
transverse frame 2 to ensure the connection. 
FIGS. 2, 2A, and 2B illustrate a second preferred embodiment of the frame 
assembly according to the present invention used in another example. In 
this example, the connecting portion 11 is fitted into the transverse 
frame 2 while the grip plate 121 and the clamp plate 13 together clamp a 
rear side of the longitudinal frame 3. Accordingly, the transverse frame 2 
is configured to have a plurality of locking holes 22 for matching the 
plurality of threaded holes 16 of the connecting portion 11 while the 
longitudinal frame 3 is provided with two fastening holes 32 for receiving 
the projecting hook pieces 15 of the grip plate 121. 
FIGS. 3, 3A, and 3B show a third preferred embodiment of the frame assembly 
according to the present invention employed in plain miter joints. In this 
example, a longitudinal frame 5 is provided with a connecting piece 51 
which is configured to have an angular notch 52 at either side of a lower 
portion thereof. The connecting portion 11 of the fastening element 1 is 
fitted into a transverse frame 4 which has a plurality of locking holes 41 
for matching the threaded holes 16 of the connecting portion 11 so that 
they may lock firmly together. The grip plate 121 and the clamp plate 13 
are together fitted onto the connecting piece 51 of the longitudinal frame 
5 such that the projecting hook pieces 15 of the grip plate 121 
respectively hook onto the angular notches 52 of the connecting piece 51. 
In view of the aforesaid, the frame assembly according to the present 
invention may be used to secure doors, windows and frames in a convenient 
and cost-effective manner in various kinds of joints. 
Although the present invention has been illustrated and described with 
reference to the preferred embodiment thereof, it should be understood 
that it is in no way limited to the details of such embodiment but is 
capable of numerous modifications within the scope of the appended claims.