Abstract:
A hinge adapter is described, providing a new construction for hanging a door in a door frame. The hinge adapter of the invention comprises two major components, the first being a hinge-to-door adapting member and the second being a hinge-to-jamb adapting member. These two adapting members each have at least two mortises for receiving a hinge plate. Preferably, these adapting members also each have a plurality of holes for use in attaching the respective adapter to either a door, or to a doorjamb. Attaching the two adapting members to the door and to the door jamb, with at least two hinges between them, allows the hanging of the door upon the doorjamb with the attachment of the door to the jamb being made over a larger area of the jamb and the door, than if the at least two hinges were attached directly to the door and the door jamb.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to arrangements for hanging doors in door frames. In particular, the present invention relates to a hinge adapter that can be mated with a door edge and also to a door jamb, for use in hanging the door in a door frame. The new hinge adapter allows a door to be re-hung in a door frame using hinges that are provided with the hinge adapter of this invention, but where the holes used for mounting the hinges have become stripped. The new hinge adapter also provides for an increased area of the door and door frame surfaces to be used for hanging the door. Use of the new hinge adapter in hanging a door allows the door to be securely hung in the door frame without the need for making mortises in the door or the jamb of the door frame. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     A variety of methods are currently used for hanging a door. A typical method involves forming a selected number of mortises in a door jamb, where the number of mortises is equal to the number of hinges to be used for the door. The door to be used is also mortised along a side of the door, for receiving hinges. The door is hung by placing the door in the door frame and then inserting hinge pins into the hinges. The door being hung frequently requires hand fitting to a door frame, which requires a substantial amount of skill and time. 
     The door hanging systems known have limitations in their use, however, because they may be expensive or difficult to manufacture, or their design is not easily adapted to supporting a wide variety of articles to be supported. There remains a need in the art for a door hanging system that can be manufactured economically, used easily by either a consumer or by a professional to hang a door in a door frame and which also has a design that allows an old door to be easily re-hung in a door frame. The hinge adapter of the present invention as described herein meets these needs. 
     To overcome the shortcomings of known door hanging systems, I have now designed a new door hanging system, and a new hinge adapter for mounting hinges on a door jamb. The new hinge adapter includes a new construction for hanging a door in a door frame. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     Briefly, a door hanging system is disclosed here that can be readily used to mount a door in a door frame where the door had been previously mounted, but where the holes used to attach the door hinges to the door frame had become stripped. The new hinge adapter can also be used to hang a new door in a door frame, without the need for making mortises in the door or door jamb for accommodating the hinges used with the door. Other embodiments may readily be adapted for mounting other types of doors. 
     The door hanging system of the present invention uses a new hinge adapter. The hinge adapter provides a new construction for hanging a door in a door frame. The hinge adapter of the invention comprises two major components, the first being a hinge-to-door adapting member and the second being a hinge-to-jamb adapting member. These two adapting members each have at least two mortises for receiving a hinge plate. Preferably, these adapting members also each have a plurality of holes for use in attaching the respective adapter to either a door, or to a door janb. Attaching the two adapting members to the door and to the door jamb, with at least two hinges between them, allows the hanging of the door upon the door jamb with the attachment of the door to the jamb being made over a larger area of the jamb and the door, than if the at least two hinges were attached directly to the door and the door jamb. 
     The hinge adapter disclosed here can be used to overcome a common problem with doors where the mounting holes used to attach the hinges from a door to the door frame becomes stripped over time. Use of the inventive hinge adapter allows the door to be hung again in the same door frame. The hinge adapter preferably includes a set of hinges adapted for use with the door adapter. Such hinges can be equal in number to those originally used with the particular door and door frames, or different in number. 
     The new hinge adapter may be viewed as a tvpe of extension for the plates of the hinges. By attaching the hinges to the new hinge adapter of the present invention, and then attaching the hinge adapter to the door and the door jamb of the door frame a larger effective area for attachment is presented by the hinges. The new hinge adapter then may be viewed as a large extension of the plates of the hinges. The hinges may be securely attached to mortises within the hinge adapter. This attachment can be advantageously made using sheet metal screws bolt-and-nut fasteners. Wood screws can be used to securely attach the new hinge adapter to the door and door jamb, if the door and door frame are of wood construction. 
     The hinge adapter disclosed here thereby provides an extended area on both the door and the door jamb for attachment of the door to the door jamb. Fasteners such as screws can be used in these extended areas for hanging the door to the door jamb. 
     It is accordingly an aspect of the invention to provide a door hanging system that is well suited for reusing a door in a doorframe, where the holes in the doorframe for mounting the hinges have become stripped. 
     It is also an aspect of the invention to provide a door hanging system that is well suited for reusing a the hinges previously used for a particular door in a doorframe, where the holes in the doorframe for mounting the hinges, or the holes in the door for mounting the hinges have become stripped. 
     It is another aspect of the invention to provide a door hanging system that can be manufactured easily from extruded metal. 
     It is another aspect of the invention to provide a door hanging system that is made in kit form, to reduce the cost of manufacturing. 
     It is a further aspect of the invention to provide a door hanging system that can use commercially available door hinges for hanging a door, while also allowing convenient hanging in a door frame where the holes in the door frame for mounting the hinges have become stripped. 
     It is another aspect of the invention to provide a new door hanging construction that can use commercially available door hinges for hanging a door, while also providing greater strength of the attachment of the door to a door frame. 
     It is yet another aspect of the invention to provide a new door hanging system that can be easily installed by a homeowner using common tools that are available to an ordinary homeowner. 
     It is yet another aspect of the invention to provide a new door hanging system that can be easily installed by a homeowner, with little skill needed by the homeowner. 
     It is yet another aspect of the invention to provide a new door hanging system that can be used when the holes in the door frame for mounting the hinges become stripped. 
     It is yet another aspect of the invention to provide a new door hanging system that can be easily installed by a homeowner, where the hanging system allows for easy adjustment by shimming of the door mounting in a doorframe. 
     It is still another aspect of the present invention to provide a new door hanging system that is stronger and more resistant to break-in than conventional hinge-on-jamb arrangements. 
     It is still another aspect of the present invention to provide a hinge adapter that allows commercially available door hinges to be used for hanging a door, while also reinforcing the doorjamb. 
     These aspects, and others set forth more fully below are achieved by the present invention. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is an illustration of a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of a hinge adapter according to the invention. 
     FIG. 2 is an illustration of a perspective view of the embodiment of FIG. 1, showing how the hinge adapter may be mounted intermediate a door and a door jamb. 
     FIG. 3A is an illustration of a plan view of the hinge-to-jamb adapting member of the embodiment of FIG.  1 . 
     FIG. 3B illustrates a side view of the hinge-to-jamb adapting member of FIG.  3 A. 
     FIG. 4 As an illustration of a plan view of the hinge-to-door adapting member of FIG.  1 . 
     FIG. 5 cepicts a section view of the hinge-to-door adapting member of FIG.  4 . 
     FIG. 6 an illustration of a plan view of a reinforcing plate of the hinge-to-door adapting member of FIG.  4 . 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     A hinge adapter is disclosed here, for use in hanging a door in a door frame, the new hinge adapter comprising: a hinge-to-door adapting member and a hinge-to-jamb adapting member. 
     The hinge-to-door adapting member comprises a first elongated plate, generally rectangular, dimensioned with a length substantially equal to the height of the door, and having first and second opposed major faces, first and second opposed long edges and first and second opposed short edges. This member also has in its first major face at least two spaced apart mortises. Each of these mortises is dimensioned to receive a plate of a hinge. The hinges that are suitable for use with the present invention include conventional door hinges, that have two hinge plates that are joined by a pivoting portion. 
     The hinge-to-jamb adapting member comprises a second elongated plate, generally rectangular, dimensioned with a length substantially equal to the height of the door frame, and having first and second opposed major faces, first and second opposed long edges and first and second opposed short edges. This adapting member has in its first major face at least two spaced apart mortises, the at least two spaced apart mortises are each dimensioned to receive a plate of a hinge. 
     Preferably, the new hinge adapter disclosed here includes a plurality of holes disposed along its length. That is, it is preferred that both the hinge-to-door adapting member and the hinge-to-jamb adapting member, have holes for admitting through the adapting members screws. Screws can be used for attaching these members to either a door or a door jamb, respectively. Screws can also be used to attach a plate of a hinge to each mortise in these members. 
     The at least two spaced apart mortises of the hinge-to-jamb adapting member are equal in number to the at least two spaced apart mortises of the hinge-to-door adapting member, and wherein the mortises are aligned within the hinge-to-door and hinge-to-jamb adapting members for use in combination for hanging the door. 
     In a preferred embodiment of the new hinge adapter, space is allowed in the hinge-to-door adapting member for accommodating shims. One or more shims of selected dimensions may be added by a user to a channel in the hinge-to-door adapting member for adjusting the positioning of the hinge-to-door adapting member on a mounting edge of a door, for purposes of making the door hang plumb in a door frame. The hinge-to-door adapting member is preferably mortised for receiving the at least two hinges. It is preferred that the mortises be dimensioned with sufficient depth to allow the hinges to be mounted flush in the hinge-to-door adapting member. Optionally, a third or even a fourth hinge may be used. Preferably, two or three hinges are used; and most preferably, three hinges are used. 
     The new door hanging system can be manufactured using a rigid extruded material. Preferably, an extruded metal such as aluminum or steel is used. More preferably, surface treated steel such as a galvanneal™ steel is used for these members. 
     The new hinge adapter and door hanging system disclosed here will be readily understood by those skilled in the art, by considering the following example. The example illustrates an exemplary embodiment of the new system. This embodiment is depicted in the accompanying drawings. With reference to these drawings, wherein like reference numerals designate similar parts throughout the various views, this embodiment will be considered now. 
     FIG. 1 shows a first embodiment  10  of a hinge adapter according to the present invention. The hinge adapter shown includes a hinge-to-door adapting member  12 , and a hinge-to-jamb adapting member  14 . These two members are shown with three conventional door hinges mounted intermediate the adapting members. 
     In FIG. 2 may be seen an illustration of the hinge adapter embodiment of FIG. 1, with a door and a door jamb depicted in broken lines. The relationship of the hinge adapter to the door and the door jamb can be seen as follows. The hinge-to-door adapting member  12  has a first major face  16  that is mortised to receive the plates  18  of hinges  22 . A second major face  24  of the hinge-to-door adapting member, opposed to the first major face  16 , is for attachment to an edge  26  of the door  28 . 
     Also in FIG. 2 may be seen the orientation of the hinge-to-jamb adapting member  14 . This member  14  has a first major face  32  that is mortised to receive plates  18  of hinges  22 . An opposed second major face  34  is for attachment to the door jamb  36 . 
     In FIG. 3A may be seen the hinge-to-jamb adapting member  14  with the its first major face  32  facing the viewer. Three mortises  38  are visible in the first major face  32 . These mortises are each sized and shaped to receive a hinge plate  18  of a conventional door hinge  22 . The hinge-to-jamb adapting member  14  has a first long edge  42 , a second long edge  44 , a first short edge  46 , and a second short edge  48 . In this preferred embodiment, the hinge-to-jamb adapting member  14  further comprises a wall  52  extending orthogonally from the member&#39;s first long edge  42 , thereby giving the hinge-to-jamb adapting member an L shaped profile. The wall  52  is depicted in the side elevation view, FIG.  3 B. Preferably, a hinge adapter according to the present invention comprises a wall  52 . This wall covers a face of the door jamb, upon which the hinge adapter is attached. The covering of this jamb face can serve an esthetic purpose—serving as a trim covering for the door jamb. The covering of this jamb face can also serve a functional purpose—serving to strengthen the mounting of the door in the door frame by providing a greater area of attachment of the door to the door frame, and allowing a greater area for mounting fasteners such as screws to be used to attach the door to the door frame. This wall can extend for a distance of up to about 9 cm, with the distance selected by a user to suit a particular door jamb. The hinge-to-jamb adapting member  14  shown in FIG. 3A has a plurality of holes  54  for admitting therethrough mounting fasteners such as screws. Optionally, the extending wall  52  can also comprise holes  54  for such mounting fasteners. 
     FIG. 4 illustrates a hinge-to-door adapting member  12  in accordance with this preferred embodiment of the new hinge adapter. The first major face  56  of the adapting member is shown facing the viewer. Three mortises  38  are shown in this first major face, the mortises being sized and shaped to receive a hinge plate of a conventional door hinge. This hinge-to-door adapting member preferably has a plurality of holes  54 , sized to receive mounting fasteners such as screws, for attaching the hinge-to-door adapting member to a door. 
     The mortises for receiving a hinge plate, are shown as having holes  54  through the respective members. These holes are preferred in an embodiment of the present invention, as providing convenience for attaching hinges to the hinge adapter. 
     FIG. 5 shows a sectional view of the hinge-to-door adapting member of FIG. 4, at a mortise  38 . 
     A reinforcing plate  58 , that is preferably used as a part of the hinge-to-door adapting member of the present invention, is shown in FIG.  6 . This plate provides stiffening of the hinge-to-door adapting member, and also provides a surface upon which one or more shims can be used in the attachment of the hinge-to-door adapting member to the door. This reinforcing plate may be fixed to the hinge-to-door adapting member by a method known in the art such as spot welding. 
     The optional use of shims (not shown) to aid in attaching the door plumb in the door frame will be appreciated by users of the new hinge adapter. These shims can be concealed from view beneath the hinge-to-door adapting member, if the hinge-to-door adapting member has the extending walls  62 ,  64  of the preferred embodiment. 
     It is preferred that the hinge-to-door adapting member further comprises: a first wall  62  extending orthogonally from the first long edge  66  of this member, and a second wall  64  extending orthogonally from the second long edge  68 ; and that the first wall and second wall extend from the second major face  24  of the hinge-to-door adapting member. The first wall  62  and second wall  64  serve as trim for the hinge-to-door adapting member, concealing any space that may be behind the thickness of the member, for accommodating the hinge mortises. The first wall and second wall give the hinge-to-door adapting member a U shaped profile. The first wall and second wall can each extend for a distance of up to about 5 cm, with the distance selected by a user to suit a particular door and the user&#39;s preference. 
     The new hinge adapter may be used for hanging either a new door or a existing door. For hanging an existing door, a strip of material may be removed from the edge  26  of the door. Such a strip is depicted in broken lines in FIG.  2 . The removal of this strip allows space for the thickness of the hinge-to-door adapting member to be mounted on the door, with the door still fitting into the existing door frame. For re-hanging an existing door in its frame, a strip of material of from about 0.3 to about 2.0 cm can be removed from the door. Preferably, a strip of about 1 to about 1.5 cm can be removed. 
     The present invention is not to be limited in scope by the embodiment disclosed herein, which is intended as a single illustration of one aspect of the invention, and any which are functionally equivalent are within the scope of the invention. Indeed, various modifications of the invention, in addition to that shown and described herein, will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the foregoing description. Such modifications are intended to fall within the scope of the appended claims.