DOOR CLOSER MOUNTING BRACKET WITH SCREW HOLDERS

Abstract: A door closer mounting bracket which includes a screw holder for holding the mounting screws in the proper installation position. The screw holder eliminates the need for the installer to hold the mounting bracket with one hand, hold a screw in the proper position with the same hand and then attach the screw to the door with a screw driver in the other hand. The preferred screw holder is a plastic grommet plug in each mounting hole. The plastic grommet plug further includes a plurality of upwardly extending posts to better grip and retain the screws.

Description: DOOR CLOSER MOUNTING BRACKET WITH SCREW HOLDERS BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates generally to the installation of door closers and more particularly to the installation of door closer mounting brackets. The typical installation of a door closer requires the installer to measure and mark the door and door frame for the mounting screws. Next, the installer drills holes for the mounting screws. He holds the door closer to the door or door frame with one hand, picks up the screws and attempts to hold the door closer and screws with one hand while using a screw driver to screw the screws into the door. Typically, door closers can weigh up to 8 to 10 pounds. Holding the door closer and the screws with one hand while attaching the screws to the door with the other hand can make the installation difficult. The foregoing illustrates limitations known to exist in present door closer installations. Thus, it is apparent that it would be advantageous to provide an alternative directed to overcoming one or more of the limitations set forth above. Accordingly, a suitable alternative is provided including features more fully disclosed hereinafter. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In one aspect of the present invention, this is accomplished by providing in combination: a door closer; a mounting bracket adapted to engage the door closer, the mounting bracket having a plurality of mounting holes therethrough; a plurality of screws; and a holder means for temporarily retaining the screws in pre- installation positions aligned with the mounting holes. The foregoing and other aspects will become apparent from the -1- C0NFIRMATI0N COPY following detailed description of the invention when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawing figures. BRIEF DESCRIPTION " OF THE DRAWING FIGURES FIG. 1 is perspective view of a door closer and mounting bracket; FIG. 2 is a top view of the mounting bracket shown in FIG. 1; FIG. 3 is a side view of the mounting bracket shown in FIG. 1; FIG. 4 is a side view of the mounting bracket shown in FIG. 1 showing a first embodiment of a screw holder according to the present invention; FIGS. 4A and 4B are top and side views of the screw retaining plug shown in FIG. 4; FIGS. 5A and 5B are top and side views of a second embodiment of a screw holder according to the present invention; FIGS. 6A and 6B are top and side views of a third embodiment of a screw holder according to the present invention; FIG. 7 is a side view of a fourth embodiment of a screw holder according to the present invention; FIG. 8A and 8B are top and side views of a fifth embodiment of a screw holder according to the present invention; FIGS. 9A and 9B are bottom and side views of a sixth embodiment of a screw holder according to the present invention; and FIGS. 10A and 10B are top and side views of a seventh embodiment of a screw holder according to the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION FIG. 1 shows a preferred embodiment of a door closer 10 with a cylinder body 12 and its relationship to mounting bracket 50. The screw holders of the present invention can be used with any of the many different types of door closer mounting brackets. One end the door closer 10 has a lip 14 which engages an angle clamp or hook portion 60 on one end of the mounting bracket 50. The other end of the door closer 10 includes a screw passageway (not shown) that engages the screw 58 on the mounting bracket 50. The screw 58 is threaded into a screw attachment 54. The door closer 10 fits into bracket 50 such that both hands are available to secure the attachment fastener. First, the four holes for the mounting bracket 50 are drilled into either the door or the door frame. Then, the mounting bracket 50 is attached to the door or door frame using screws 20 (which are held in pre- installation positions by screw holders shown in FIGS. 4 through 10B) inserted into mounting holes 70. The door closer lip 14 is inserted into the hook 60 and the other end of the door closer 10 is swung down onto the screw 58, as shown in FIG. 1. The hook 60 and lip 14 in cooperation with the screw 58 and screw passageway hold the door closer 10 loosely against the mounting bracket 50 until screw 58 can be turned to tightened the door closer 10 to the mounting bracket 50. FIGS. 4, 4A and 4B show the preferred embodiment of the screw holder. Plastic grommet plugs 30 are inserted into each mounting hole 70. A screw 20 is then inserted into each grommet plug 30, the plug 30 gripping and retaining the screw 20. Preferably plug 30 includes a plurality of upwa_rdly extending posts 32 which provide better gripping and retention of the screw 20. The posts 32 are bendable and as the head of the screw 20 contacts posts 32, the posts 32 are bent outwardly and them broken off by the force of the screw head. FIGS. 5A and 5B show a second embodiment of the screw holder. A plastic shell 34 is snapped onto the mounting bracket 50 engaging the hook 60 and the screw 58 and screw attachment 54. The plastic shell 34 includes a plurality of funnel shaped downwardly projections 36. Each projection 36 grippingly engages and retains a screw 20. The material of plastic shell 34 is sufficiently resilient to allow the material in projections 36 to deform when the screws 20 are driven into the door, thereby permitting the screws 20 to be completely tightened against the mounting bracket 50. Preferably, projections 36 do not extend completely to the upper surface of mounting bracket 50. This permits shell 34 to be easily removed from mounting bracket 50 after the mounting bracket 50 is attached to the door. In addition to retaining screws 20, shell 34 can be provided with additional inwardly extending projections to hold other mounting hardware 51. FIGS. 6A and 6B show a third embodiment of a screw holder. A crushable foam block 38 is attached to the mounting bracket 50. Depending on the location of mounting holes 70, the foam block 38 is positioned over one or more mounting holes 70. Screws 20 are then screwed into the foam block 38 over the mounting holes 70. As the screws 20 are screwed into the door, the foam about the screws 20 is crushed so that it doesn't interfere with attaching the screws 20. After the mounting bracket 50 is attached to the door, the foam block 38 is removed from the mounting bracket 50. FIG. 7 shows a fourth embodiment of the screw holder. A thin walled grommet type screw sleeve 40 is attached to each mounting hole 70. Sleeve 40 contains one or more grommet type projections at its lower end to grip mounting hole 70, thereby retaining the sleeve 40 on the mounting bracket 50. Preferably, sleeve 40 contains a tapered portion 41 to provide better gripping and retention of screw 20. Also preferably, sleeve 40 is formed from a crushable material such as plastic or thin walled metal. FIGS. 8A and 8B show a fifth embodiment of the screw holder. A thin walled steel tube 42 is tack welded to the mounting bracket 50 at one or more locations 43. Tube 42 extends upwardly to engage the head of screw 20 at a head engaging portion 44. The tube is broken off after the screws are installed. FIGS. 9A and 9B show a sixth embodiment of the screw holder. Each mounting hole 70 has a plurality of inwardly extending tabs 46 which engage the end of screw 2Q to hold the screws 20 to the mounting bracket 50 prior to installation. Preferably, tabs 46 are frangible . FIGS. 10A and 103 show a seventh embodiment of the screw holder. A tag 48 is provided on the underside of the mounting bracket 50. Preferably, tag 48 is a piece of cardboard. Screws 20 are partially driven through tag 48, which then retains screws 20 prior to installation. Tag 48 may or may not be adhesively attached to mounting bracket 50.

Claims: Having described the invention, what is claimed is: 1. In combination: a door closer; a mounting bracket adapted to engage the door closer, the mounting bracket having a plurality of mounting holes therethrough; a plurality of screws; and a holder means for temporarily retaining the screws in pre- installation positions aligned with the mounting holes. 2. The combination according to claim 1, wherein the holder means comprises a plastic plug inserted into a mounting hole, the plastic plug grippingly engaging the screw. 3. The combination according to claim 2, wherein the plastic plug has a plurality of posts extending therefrom, the posts supporting and guiding the screw. 4. The combination according to claim 3, wherein the posts are bendable . 5. The combination according to claim 3, wherein the head of the screw engages the posts when the screw is driven into a mounting substrate, the screw head bending and breaking the posts. 6. The combination according to claim 1, wherein the holder means comprises a crushable material removably attached to the mounting bracket, the screw being inserted into the crushable material. 7. The combination according to claim 6, wherein the crushable material is a foam block. 8. The combination according to claim 1, wherein the holder means comprises a thin walled sleeve ^ engaging a mounting hole and a screw. 9. The combination according to claim 8, wherein the sleeve is formed from a crushable material. 10. The combination according to claim 9, wherein the sleeve is plastic . 11. The combination according to claim 8, wherein the sleeve is tapered. 12. The combination according to claim 1, wherein the holder means comprises a thin walled tube attached about a mounting hole, the tube engaging a head of the screw. 13. The combination according to claim 12, wherein the tube is metal and is tack welded to the mounting bracket. 14. The combination according to claim 1, wherein the holder means comprises a plurality of inwardly extending screw engaging tabs about the circumference of a mounting hole. 15. The combination according to claim 14, wherein the tabs are frangible . 16. The combination according to claim 1, wherein the holder means comprises a tag adjacent a bottom side of the mounting bracket, the tag engaging one or more screws, the screws being inserted through the mounting holes from a top side of the mounting bracket and into the tag. 17. The combination according to claim 16, wherein the tag is cardboard. 18. The combination according to claim 1, wherein the holder means comprises a shell attached to the mounting bracket, the shell having an upper surface positioned distal the mounting bracket and having a plurality of screw engaging projections extending from the upper surface towards the mounting bracket, the screws being retained within and by the screw engaging projections. 19. The combination according to claim 18, wherein the shell is plastic. 20. The combination according to claim 18, wherein the screw engaging projections are funnel shaped.

Inventors: ANDERSON TOM, BRAUNLICH MARK F, CURRENT ANDREW, JENSEN JAMES E, LASSON REX H, ANDERSON, TOM, BRAUNLICH, MARK, F., CURRENT, ANDREW, JENSEN, JAMES, E., LASSON, REX, H.
Applicants: ANDERSON TOM, BRAUNLICH MARK F, CURRENT ANDREW, JENSEN JAMES E, LASSON REX H, SCHLAGE LOCK CO, ANDERSON, TOM, BRAUNLICH, MARK, F., CURRENT, ANDREW, JENSEN, JAMES, E., LASSON, REX, H., SCHLAGE LOCK COMPANY
Application year: 2000
Main classification: E05F3
IPC codes: E05F3, F16B41