Abstract:
A tool includes a hammered shaping device having a first working surface and a thickness measured in a direction perpendicular to said first working surface. The first working surface has a length and a width. The length is about equal to a length of a hinge leaf. The width is about equal to a width of the hinge leaf. The thickness is at least two times a thickness of the hinge leaf. The hammered shaping device is fabricated of a material that can be hammered without substantial permanent deformation. The hammered shaping device can have a gauge. The hammered shaping device can have countersunk holes to facilitate connection to a door or door frame hinge reinforcement plate.

Description:
RELATED APPLICATION AND PRIORITY  
       [0001]     This application claims priority of Provisional U.S. Patent Application 60/663,856, filed Mar. 21, 2005, incorporated herein by reference. 
     
    
     FIELD  
       [0002]     This patent application generally relates to door and door frame alignment. More particularly, it relates to a system for aligning a door and a door frame. Even more particularly, it relates to a system for precisely measuring misalignment and for facilitating hammering or wrenching to obtain alignment within a close tolerance.  
       BACKGROUND  
       [0003]     Hinge reinforcements located on doors and door frames frequently get bent outwardly when the door is opened too forcefully, when the door is opened too far, or when the door is whipped by the wind. A hinge reinforcement that is bent too much can cause the door to be misaligned with the frame, preventing the door from closing or latching. The door may be so far out of alignment that it hits the frame which can cause damage to both the door and the frame. If the door fails to latch a security risk is posed. Thus, it is important to return the hinge reinforcement to its original shape and location so that the door is properly aligned in the frame and the door closes and latches properly.  
         [0004]     Typically, doors and door frames have been bent outwardly as the door hinge pulls on the door on one side and on the door frame on the other side. Hammering has been the technique for restoring alignment of both door and door frame. However, there has been no way other than crudely by eye of knowing exactly where to hammer and how much to hammer. An instrument to measure how much the frame or door is out of alignment and where the misalignment is located has long been needed. A device for mor precisely locating where the hammer blows fall has also long been needed. A device and system for both measuring and facilitating hammering and wrenching are provided in the present patent application. In addition, a better alignment kit has been needed to provide all the parts needed for fully aligning a door and door frame, and this alignment kit is also provided by this patent application.  
       SUMMARY  
       [0005]     One aspect of the present patent application is a tool that includes a hammered shaping device having a first working surface and a thickness measured in a direction perpendicular to said first working surface. The first working surface has a length and a width. The length is about equal to a length of a hinge leaf. The width is about equal to a width of the hinge leaf. The thickness is at least two times a thickness of the hinge leaf. The hammered shaping device is fabricated of a material that can be hammered without substantial permanent deformation.  
         [0006]     Another aspect of the present patent application is a tool, comprising a hammered shaping device having a gauge.  
         [0007]     Another aspect of the present patent application is a tool, comprising a hammered shaping device having a plurality of countersunk holes for attaching the hammered shaping device to a workpiece.  
         [0008]     Another aspect of the present patent application is a method of using a tool to align a hinge reinforcement, comprising providing a hammer and a hammered shaping device. The hammered shaping device includes a gauge. The hammered shaping device is inserted into a hinge recess, wherein the hinge recess includes the hinge reinforcement and a hinge periphery. A location where the hinge reinforcement extends out of alignment as indicated by location of the gauge with respect to the hinge periphery is observed. The hammered shaping device is hammered in locations indicated by the location to align the hinge reinforcement. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0009]     The foregoing will be apparent from the following detailed description as illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:  
         [0010]      FIG. 1   a  is a three dimensional view of one embodiment;  
         [0011]      FIGS. 2   a - 2   c  provide front, top and side views of the embodiment of  FIG. 1   a;    
         [0012]      FIGS. 3   a  and  3   d  are three dimensional views of a standard frame with a frame hinge reinforcement plate welded in;  
         [0013]      FIGS. 3   b  and  3   e  are three dimensional views of a standard door with a frame hinge reinforcement plate welded in;  
         [0014]      FIG. 3   c  is a three dimensional view of a frame hinge reinforcement plate;  
         [0015]      FIG. 4  is a three dimensional view of another embodiment;  
         [0016]      FIG. 5   a  is a cross sectional view of an embodiment of a hammered shaping device in use to fix a misaligned door or frame hinge reinforcement plate in which the hammered shaping device is hammered to push in the hinge reinforcement plate;  
         [0017]      FIG. 5   a  is a cross sectional view of another embodiment of a hammered shaping device in use to fix a misaligned door or frame hinge reinforcement plate in which hex head bolts are tightened to pull out the hinge reinforcement plate;  
         [0018]      FIG. 6   a  is a top view of a case for holding parts for a door and frame alignment kit;  
         [0019]      FIG. 6   b  is a cross sectional view of the case of  FIG. 6   a;    
         [0020]      FIG. 6   c  is a top view of components that would fit into the compartments of the case of  FIGS. 6   a ,  6   b ; and  
         [0021]      FIG. 7   a  is a top view of a larger case for holding more parts for a door and frame alignment kit;  
         [0022]      FIG. 7   b  is a cross sectional view of the case of  FIG. 7   a;   
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0023]     The present application provides an adjustment tool that serves as both a gauge and as a striker or hammered shaping device. The striker or hammered shaping device can be used between the hammer and the surface being hammered. It can also be used for wrenching out a surface that was hammered in or otherwise bent in too far.  
         [0024]     One use for the adjustment tool described in this application is to provide a device for use in hammering an object, such as a door reinforcement plate or a hinge reinforcement plate. Such a hammered shaping device is a device for use between a hammer and a surface that transmits hammer blows from the hammer to the surface.  
         [0025]     The hammered shaping devise may have one, two, or three pairs of working surfaces. A first working surface of the hammered shaping device is a surface that can receive hammer blows from a hammer. A second working surface of the hammered shaping device is a surface opposite the first surface that can transmit the hammer blow to the object. The first working surface and the second working surface constitute a first pair of working surfaces. If the hammered shaping device is a rectangular solid it has three pairs of working surfaces that may have different dimensions, all of which can be used.  
         [0026]     One embodiment of the hammered shaping device described in this application has several different working surfaces with different sizes allowing it to shape the entire hinge reinforcement at once or to shape only specific portions of the hinge reinforcement while leaving other portions alone. One embodiment of the hammered shaping device has a built in gauge that provides indication of the amount of shaping needed to move the hinge reinforcement into proper position. One embodiment has two, three, or four built in gauges, allowing it to be used to shape reinforcement plates in doors or door frames that have different thickness hinges. One embodiment has countersunk holes to firmly attach the hammered shaping device to the door or frame reinforcement plate to facilitate hammering in or to facilitate pulling out with threaded bolts.  
         [0027]     In one embodiment, hammered shaping device  20  has two different sizes of rectangular hardened steel, such as cold rolled steel bars, one continuously welded on the other, as shown in  FIG. 1 . Two dimensions of larger bar  22  are about equal to those of a standard leaf hinge plate so larger bar fits into the space of a standard leaf hinge plate on a door or on a door frame. Dimensions of larger bar  22  typically include a length of about 4 7/16 inches, a width of about 1 ½ inches to about equal these dimensions of commonly used leaf hinge plates. Larger bar  22  can have a thickness of about 1 ½ inches. Dimensions of smaller bar  24  are typically set to about equal those of another size of hinge plate. Dimensions of smaller bar  24  are typically set to a length of about 3 15/16 and a width of about 1 ½. Thickness of smaller bar  24  may be set to about 1 inch. Bar  22  may be welded to bar  24 . Smaller or larger dimensions can be used for thickness of each bar so the hammered shaping device has enough mass to transmit energy and to avoid being deformed during hammering and so it extends far enough to avoid damage to adjacent portions of a door or frame during hammering. Smaller or larger dimensions of length and width can be used to match other size hinges or for shaping other objects. An adhesive can be used between bars  22 ,  24  instead of a weld. Hammered shaping device  20  can also be fabricated of a single piece of hardened machined material. Alternatively it can be fabricated of a single piece of cast steel using a mold. It can also be fabricated of a material other than steel that can transfer the force of hammering.  
         [0028]     In one embodiment gauge lines  26   a ,  26   b  are scribed or cut into from one to four of the sides of hammered shaping device  20  with a saw. Gauge line  26   a  may be located about ⅛ inch from working surface  28 , as shown in  FIG. 2 . Gauge line  26   b  may be located about 3/16 inch from working surface  28 . Which gauge line  26   a ,  26   b  is used depends on the thickness of hinge (not shown) used in door frame  30  or door  30 ′. Additional gauge lines can be provided to match thickness of other hinges that can be used. For example, three, four or any other number of gauge lines can be provided to, match thickness of various hinges.  
         [0029]     In use, bottom working surface  28  of hammered shaping device  20  may be applied to frame hinge reinforcement plate  32  within recess  36  in frame  30 , as shown in  FIG. 3   a . Bottom working surface  28  of hammered shaping device  20  may also be applied to door hinge reinforcement plate  32 ′ within recess  36 ′ in door  30 ′, as shown in  FIG. 3   b . Bottom working surface  28  has dimensions, as shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2   b , which are about equal to the dimensions of about 90% of door and frame hinge reinforcement plates currently in use. Frame hinge reinforcement plate  32  separated from door or frame is shown  FIG. 3   c  and welded in to frame  30  or door  30 ′ in  FIGS. 3   d ,  3   e.    
         [0030]     One can strike working surface  38  of hammered shaping device  20  with a hammer to direct hammering force through hammered shaping device  20  and through working surface  28  onto various portions of reinforcement plate  32 ,  32 ′. The locations on top working surface  38  selected for hammering can be determined using gauge  26   a ,  26   b , as shown in  FIG. 5   a , which shows an example requiring hammering along portion  39 . One can also apply top working surface  38  to reinforcement plate  32 ,  32 ′ and hammer on bottom working surface  28  to direct hammering through hammered shaping device  20  and through working surface  38  more on one end of reinforcement plate  32 ,  32 ′ than the other. Working surface  38  has a length dimension that is smaller than the length dimension of working surface  28 .  
         [0031]     One can also hammer on end working surface  40  or end working surface  42  to concentrate force in a particular smaller area of reinforcement plate  32 ,  32 ′. Working surfaces  40  and  42  have the same dimensions as each other. They also have the same width as working surfaces  28  and  38 . But working surfaces  40  and  42  have length dimensions that differ from those of working surfaces  28  and  38 . As shown in  FIG. 1  hammered shaping device  20  has three differently dimensioned pairs of working surfaces that can be placed in contact with reinforcement plate  32 ,  32 ′. And one of the pairs,  28 ,  38 , have working surfaces with one dimension equal and one dimension slightly different. Although not shown, gauge lines can also be provided adjacent working surfaces  38 ,  40 , and  42 .  
         [0032]     Another embodiment provides hammered shaping device  50  has a single size of rectangular hardened steel fabricated of a single bar of hardened steel with a uniform rectangular solid shape, as shown in  FIG. 4 . In this embodiment hammered shaping device  50  has three pairs of equally dimensioned opposed working surfaces  28 ′- 38 ′,  40 ′- 42 ′, and  52 - 54 .  
         [0033]     Countersunk holes  56  aligned and threaded holes  58 ,  58 ′ in frame and door hinge reinforcement plates  32 ,  32 ′ can be used along with threaded bolts with washers and large heads (not shown) to wrench out portions of door hinge reinforcement plates  32 ,  32 ′ that bent in or were hammered in too much, as shown in  FIG. 5   b.    
         [0034]     Alternatively, countersunk holes  56  aligned with threaded holes  58 ,  58 ′ in frame and door hinge reinforcement plates  32 ,  32 ′ can be used along with threaded bolts  60  having heads  62  that fit into the countersink of countersunk holes  56  to hold hammered shaping device  20 ,  50  tightly to door hinge reinforcement plates  32 ,  32 ′ to facilitate hammering without vibration and without having to hold hammered shaping device  50  by hand. Control over realignment is also greatly facilitated by having hammered shaping device  20 ,  50  connected to frame or door reinforcement plate  32 ,  32 ′.  
         [0035]     Hammered shaping device  20 ,  50  may be included in kit  70  that includes box  72 , as shown in  FIGS. 6   a ,  6   b  foam  74 , cutouts  76  in foam  74 , and other components and devices useful in realigning a door or a door frame, as shown in  FIG. 6   c . These components and devices include hinge shims,  82 , hammer  84 , metal and wood hinge screws  86 , left and right hand reinforcing pivots  88 , kick plate screws  90 , weatherstrip screws  92 , through bolts  96 , screw driver  98 , bits  100  for screw driver  98 , drill attachment  102  for bits  100 , triflow lubricant  104 , and hex wrench set  106  and other screws and fasteners  108 ,  110 . Larger box  72 ′, as shown in  FIG. 7   a ,  7   b  can be used for holding additional components and devices. Box  72 ′ also has foam  74 ′ with cutouts  76 ′, for the various components and devices.  
         [0036]     While the disclosed methods and systems have been shown and described in connection with illustrated embodiments, various changes may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.