Abstract:
A door frame and gusset system for adjustably attaching a strike plate to a door frame. The door frame includes an emboss indentation having slots and tabs. The tabs engage and align a gusset mounted on the back side of the door frame opposite the strike plate. The gusset has threaded holes for engaging screws which attach the strike plate to the gusset through the slots in the emboss indentation. The gusset also has slots which engage the tabs to allow the gusset to move horizontally with respect to the frame and prevent vertical movement of the gusset with respect to the frame. The slots in the emboss indentation allow relative movement of the gusset and strike plate with respect to the door frame to adjust the position of the strike plate. A separate dust box may also be incorporated between the gusset and the door frame. In addition, integral gusset and dust box assembly may be used in connection with the door frame and gusset system.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention relates to a door frame and gusset system, and more specifically relates to a door frame and gusset system for attaching a strike plate to the door frame to allow adjustment of the strike plate with respect to the door frame. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Traditionally, doors are hung on wooden door frames by inserting screws through strike plates and hinges into the wood of the wall surrounding the door. Newer, industrial constructions, however, typically use metal door frames. The door frames are often thin-walled and thus do not have a solid background material for receiving a screw for mounting the strike plate or the hinges for the door. 
     Typically, manufacturers use a gusset behind a door frame for receiving the screws that support the strike plate and the hinge of a door mounted to the door frame. The gusset usually comprises a small plate of metal which is thicker than the door frame and which has formed or machined in screw holes which match the pattern of screw holes on the strike plate or the hinges. The holes in the gusset are tapped to receive the screws holding the strike plate or the door hinge. 
     The door frame generally includes an indentation (called “emboss indentation” in the art) for receiving the strike plate or the hinge of the door. Holes are included in the emboss indentation which match the screw hole pattern on the strike plate or hinge and the gusset. Before the frame is attached to the wall, the gusset is generally attached or held in place against the back side of this emboss indentation by some form of tab. When the gusset is placed on the tabs, the holes in the gusset, the holes in the emboss indentation, and holes in the strike plate or hinge are all aligned. After the gusset is in place, the door frame is attached to the wall. The door frame then stands ready for the attachment of a door, which simply requires inserting a screw through the strike plate or hinge, through the hole in the emboss indentation of the door frame, and into the tapped holes of the gusset. 
     With the door frame and gusset systems of the prior art, problems sometimes arise when mounting strike plates to the door frame. Particularly, once the strike plate has been mounted on an emboss indentation of the door frame, the latch on the door may not align with the opening in the strike plate in the transverse direction. If the strike plate is mounted too close to the door stop on the door frame, the door latch will not engage the opening of the strike plate, and door will not latch. If, on the other hand, the strike plate is mounted too far away from the door stop on the door frame, the door will latch loosely and may rattle against the door stop. If the strike plate is too close to the door stop, an installer may have to resorted to grinding the opening in the strike plate in order to accommodate the mismatched strike plate and door latch. If the strike plate is too far away from the door stop, the installer may have to install weatherstripping or other cushioning material on the door stop to accommodate the excess space and to thus prevent the door from rattling. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention solves the above problems by providing a door frame and gusset system that accommodates transverse adjustment of a strike plate mounted on the door frame. The door frame and gusset system includes an emboss indentation on the door frame and a gusset mounted on the back side of the emboss indentation. The emboss indentation has slots and tabs. The tabs protrude rearwardly of the door frame. The slots are elongated in the transverse direction of the door frame and are aligned in the longitudinal direction with the holes in the strike plate. The gusset has threaded holes aligned to match the holes in the strike plate. The gusset also has gusset slots which engage the rearward protruding tabs of the emboss indentation. 
     In order to mount the strike plate onto the door frame, the gusset is first attached to the back side of the emboss indentation by means of the tabs of the emboss indentation engaging the gusset slots. The tabs are then bent to loosely secure the gusset to the door frame. When the gusset is thus attached to the back side of the door frame, the threaded holes in the gusset are in alignment with the slots in the emboss indentation in the longitudinally direction. The gusset slots, in engagement with the bent tabs, allows the gusset to slide transversely with respect to the emboss indentation, but not move longitudinally. Once the gusset is thus attached to the back side of the door frame by means of the bent tabs, the door frame is mounted to the wall which defines the door opening. 
     When the strike plate is subsequently mounted to the door frame, the holes in the strike plate aligned longitudinally with the slots in the emboss indentation and with the threaded holes in the gusset. With the holes in the strike plate aligned with the threaded holes in the gusset, screws are inserting to hold the strike plate to the door frame by means of the gusset. Because the slots in the emboss indentation extend transversely, both the gusset and strike plate can move transversely to thereby adjust the strike plate to ensure aligned engagement of the opening of the strike plate with the door latch. Once the proper alignment has been achieved, the screws are tightened, and the gussets holds the strike plate in the desired position. 
     The door frame and gusset system of the present invention also allows the use of a dust box with the door frame and strike plate. The dust box has elongated holes that aligned with the threaded holes in the gusset, the emboss indentation slots, and the holes in the strike plate. Consequently, the dust box is be positioned between the front side of the emboss indentation and the strike plate and held in place by the screws which hold the strike plate to the gusset. In an alternative embodiment of the present invention, the dust box and gusset may comprise an integral gusset and dust box assembly mounted on the back side of the door frame. 
     Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to provide an improved door frame and gusset system for mounting a strike plate. 
     It is a further object of the present invention to provide a door frame and gusset system for mounting a strike plate which accommodates transverse adjustment of the strike plate. 
     Further objects, features and advantages will become apparent upon consideration of the following detailed description of the invention when taken in conjunction with the drawing and the appended claims. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of door frame and gusset system for mounting a strike plate in accordance with the present invention. 
     FIG. 2 is a front elevation view of the door frame with an emboss indentation in accordance with the present invention. 
     FIG. 3 is a side elevation view (partially broken away) of the door frame with the emboss indentation in accordance with the present invention. 
     FIG. 4 is a back perspective view of the door frame with the emboss indentation in accordance with the present invention. 
     FIG. 5 is a back perspective view of the door frame with the gusset mounted on the tabs of the emboss indentation in accordance with the present invention. 
     FIG. 6 is a plan view of the gusset in accordance with the present invention. 
     FIG. 7 is a side elevation view of the gusset in accordance with the present invention. 
     FIG. 8 is a back perspective view of the door frame with the dust box mounted on the tabs of the emboss indentation in accordance with the present invention. 
     FIG. 9 is a back perspective view of the door frame with the dust box and; gusset mounted on the tabs of the emboss indentation in accordance with the present invention. 
     FIG. 10 is a perspective view of the dust box in accordance with the present invention. 
     FIG. 11 is a perspective view of an integral gusset and dust box assembly in accordance with the present invention. 
     FIG. 12 is a back perspective view of the door frame with the integral gusset and dust box assembly mounted on the tabs of the emboss indentation in accordance with the present invention. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Referring now to the drawings, in which like reference numerals represent like parts throughout the several views, FIG. 1 discloses a door frame and gusset system  8  in accordance with the present invention. The door frame and gusset system  8  includes a door frame  10  having an emboss indentation  12  and a gusset  14 . In one embodiment, the door frame and gusset system  8  may further include a separate dust box  11 . In another embodiment, the door frame and gusset system  8  may include and integral gusset and dust box assembly  110  (FIG.  12 ). The door frame and gusset system  8  is used to mount a strike plate  18  to the door frame  10 . 
     The strike plate  18  is a conventional strike plate which may be supplied by a number of manufacturers. The strike plate  18  has holes  20  and  22  which accommodate screws, such as screw  24 , for mounting the strike plate  18  to the door frame  10 . The strike plate  18  also has a square opening  26  which engages a door latch (not shown) in conventional fashion. 
     Except for the emboss indentation  12 , the door frame  10  is conventional in construction and includes side flanges  28  and  30 , facings  32  and  34 , and door stop  36  having door abutting face  38 . The door frame  10  may be either a knockdown door frame as illustrated in FIG. 1 or conventional hollow door frame as is known in the art. The present invention is useful in connection with both the hollow door frame and the knockdown door frame. The door frame  10  has a longitudinal direction  40  and a transverse direction  42 . The side flanges  28  and  30  contact each side of a wall on the door latch side of a door opening. The back side of facings  32  and  34  contact the edge of the wall of the door opening, all in conventional fashion. The door frame  10  is conventionally constructed of steel, but other materials that may be formed as shown in FIG.  1  and that meet building code requirements are suitable for carrying out the present invention. 
     The emboss indentation  12  in the front facing  32  of the door frame  10  has a profile  44  which matches the outline of the strike plate  18 . As can be seen from FIG.  3  and FIG. 4, the profile  44  of the emboss indentation  12  extends rearwardly of the facing  32  of the door frame  10 . The emboss indentation  12  further includes tabs  46 ,  48 ,  50 , and  52  (FIG. 4) with corresponding tabs holes  46   a ,  48   a ,  50   a , and  52   a  (FIG.  1 ). In addition, the emboss indentation  12  has slots  54  and  56  which are elongated in the transverse direction  42  and which align in the longitudinal direction  40  with the holes  24  and  22  respectively of the strike plate  18 . The emboss indentation  12  further has a latch accommodating opening  58 . 
     The gusset  14  has a center opening  60 , threaded holes  62  and  64 , and gusset slots  66  and  68 . The threaded holes  62  and  64  are aligned in the longitudinal direction  40  with the holes  20  and  22  respectively of the strike plate  18  as well as the slots  54  and  56  of the emboss indentation  12 . The slots  66  and  68  align longitudinally with the tabs  46  and  48  and the tabs  50  and  52  respectively of the emboss indentation  12 . Moreover, the holes  62  and  64  are threaded to accommodate the threads of the screws, such as screw  24 . The gusset opening  60  is of a similar size to that of the opening  58  in the emboss indentation  12 . 
     The dust box  11  comprises a closed rectangular box structure  70  with an opening  72 . Flanges  74  and  76  are attached to either end of the rectangular box structure  70 . The flanges  74  and  76  have enlarged holes  78  and  80  respectively. The rectangular box structure  70  is sized to fit within the opening  60  of the gusset  14 . The opening  72  of the box structure  70  is sized to correspond with the opening  58  of the emboss indentation  12 . The enlarged holes  78  and  80  are positioned to align longitudinally with the holes  20  and  22  of strike plate  18 , with the slots  54  and  56  of the emboss indentation  12 , and with the threaded holes  62  and  64  of the gusset  14 . 
     In accordance with the present invention, the strike plate  18  is mounted to the door frame  10  in the following manner. For an installation that does not include the dust box  11 , the gusset  14  is the first placed over the tabs  46 ,  48 ,  50 , and  52  on the back side of the emboss indentation  12  of the door frame  10  as shown in FIG.  5  and the tabs are bent to loosely hold the gusset  14  in place on the back of the door frame  10 . With the gusset slots  66  and  68  of the gusset  14  thus engaged by the bent tabs  46 ,  48 ,  50 , and  52 , the door frame  10  is installed on the wall that defines the door opening. The side flanges  28  and  30  engage either side of the wall, and the facings  32  and  34  abutt the wall. With the door frame  10  thus mounted on the wall, the strike plate  18  is brought into positioned adjacent the emboss indentation  12  as shown in FIG.  1 . The holes  20  and  22  of the strike plate  18  are aligned with the slots  54  and  56  of the emboss indentation  12  as well as the threaded holes  62  and  60  for of the gusset  14 . Screws, such as screw  24 , are inserted into the holes  20  and  22  of the strike plate  18  and engage the threaded holes  62  and  64  of the gusset  14 . Because the slots  54  and  56  extend in the transverse direction  42  of the door frame  10 , the screws, such as screw  24 , can move within the slots  54  and  56  in the transverse direction  42 . Likewise, because the gusset slots  66  and  68  are longer than the transverse distances defined by the tabs  46  and  48  and the tabs  50  and  52  respectively, the gusset  14  likewise can move in the transverse direction  42  but not in the longitudinal direction when the gusset  14  is connected by the screws to strike plate  18 . If the door, when latch, is too lose and rattles when it is latched, the screws are loosened, and the strike plate is moved closer to the door abutting face  38 . Likewise, if the door does not latch, the strike plate  18  is moved away from the door abutting face  38 . In this way, the door frame and gusset system  8  can accommodate adjustment of the door to assure a tight latch. 
     For an installation that includes the separate dust box  11 , the gusset  14  and the door frame  10  are installed as previously described. Once the door frame  10  and attached gusset  14  are installed in the door opening, the dust box  11  is inserted from the front side of the door frame  10  through the opening  58  of the emboss indentation  12  and through the opening  60  of the attached gusset  14 . The slotted holes  78  and  80  of the dust box  11  coincided with the slotted holes  54  and  56  of the emboss indentation  12 . Next the holes  20  and  22  of the strike plate  18  are aligned with the slots  78  and  80  of the dust box  11 , the slots  54  and  56  of the emboss indentation  12 , and the threaded holes  62  and  60  for of the gusset  14 . Screws, such as screw  24 , are inserted into the holes  20  and  22  of the strike plate  18  and engage the threaded holes  62  and  64  of the gusset  14  to hold the strike plate  18  and the dust box  11  in place. 
     In another embodiment of the present invention, the integral gusset and dust box assembly  110  is shown in FIG.  11 . The integral gusset and dust box assembly  110  comprises a closed rectangular box structure  170  with an opening  172 . Flanges  174  and  176  are attached to either end of the rectangular box structure  170 . The flanges  174  and  176  constitute the gusset portion of the gusset and dust box assembly and have threaded holes  178  and  180  respectively as well as slots  182  and  184  respectively. The rectangular box structure  170  and the opening  172  of the box structure  170  are sized to correspond with the opening  58  of the emboss indentation  12 . The threaded holes  178  and  180  are positioned to align longitudinally with the holes  20  and  22  of strike plate  18  and with the slots  54  and  56  of the emboss indentation  12 . The slots  182  and  184  are positioned to align with and to engage the tabs  46  and  48  and the tabs  50  and  52  of the emboss indentation  12 , respectively. 
     For an installation of the integral gusset and dust box assembly  110 , the gusset and dust box assembly  110  is first placed over the tabs  46 ,  48 ,  50 , and  52  and engages the tabs by means of the gusset and dust box assembly slots  182  and  184  as shown in FIG.  12 . Once the integral gusset and dust box assembly  10  is mounted on the tabs  46 ,  48 ,  50 , and  52 , as shown in FIG. 12, the holes  20  and  22  of the strike plate  18  are aligned with the slots  54  and  56  of the emboss indentation  12  (FIG. 1) as well as the threaded holes  178  and  180  of the gusset and dust box assembly  110 . Screws, such as screw  24 , are inserted into the holes  20  and  22  of the strike plate  18 , through slots  54  and  56  of the emboss indentation  12  (FIG.  1 ), and engage the threaded holes  178  and  180  of the gusset and dust box assembly  110 . Because the slots  54  and  56  extend in the transverse direction  42  of the door frame  10 , the screws, such as screw  24 , can move within the slots  54  and  56  in the transverse direction  42 . Likewise, because the gusset and dust box assembly slots  182  and  184  are longer than the transverse distances defined by the tabs  46  and  48  and the tabs  50  and  52  respectively, the gusset and dust box assembly  110  likewise can move in the transverse direction  42  when the gusset and dust box assembly  110  is connected by the screws to strike plate  18 . If the door, when latch, is too lose and rattles when it is latched, the screws are loosened, and the strike plate is moved closer to the door abutting face  38 . Likewise, if the door does not latch, the strike plate  18  is moved away from the door abutting face  38 . In this way, the door frame and gusset system  8  with the integral gusset and dust box assembly  110  can accommodate adjustment of the door to assure a tight latch. 
     While this invention has been described with reference to preferred embodiments thereof, it is to be understood that variations and modifications can be affected within the spirit and scope of the invention as described herein and before and as described in the appended claims.