Abstract:
The jamb bracket system having a jamb bracket with a plate that is matingly received within a mounting plate groove. The jamb bracket has a pair of attachment plates for connection with a closure assembly. At least one screw is disposed through the jamb bracket and mounting plate to attach it to the door jamb. The mounting plate is made of a composite powdered aluminum that permits the mounting plate to break away from the door jamb when a predetermined load is placed on the plate.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
       [0001]    This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/325,426 filed Apr. 19, 2010. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    This invention is directed toward a jamb bracket system, and more particularly to a breakaway jamb bracket system that reduces the potential for damage to a storm door. 
         [0003]    Door jamb brackets are well-known in the art. While useful, conventional bracket systems make removal of a storm door difficult. In addition, because of a more rigid connection, when heavy wind acts upon the storm door, damage can occur to the storm door because the door does not easily breakaway from the bracket. Accordingly, a need exists in the art for a bracket that addresses these deficiencies. 
         [0004]    An objective of the present invention is to provide a breakaway jamb bracket system that reduces damage to a storm door under excessive loads. 
         [0005]    This and other objectives will be apparent to those skilled in the art based on the following written description. 
       BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0006]    A jamb bracket system that has a mounting plate with a groove on an inner surface that receives a jamb bracket. The jamb bracket has a plate and a pair of attachment plates for connection with a closure assembly. There is at least one screw disposed through the jamb bracket and mounting plate. The mounting plate is comprised of a composite powered aluminum that permits the plate to break away from a door jamb when a predetermined load is placed on the plate. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0007]      FIG. 1  is an exploded perspective view of a jamb bracket system; 
           [0008]      FIG. 2  is a perspective view of a jamb bracket system; 
           [0009]      FIG. 3  is a sectional view of a jamb bracket system; 
           [0010]      FIG. 4  is a side plan view of a jamb bracket system; 
           [0011]      FIG. 5  is a sectional view of a jamb bracket system; and 
           [0012]      FIG. 6  is a sectional view of a jamb bracket system; 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
       [0013]    With reference now to the drawings, and in particular to  FIGS. 1 through 6  thereof, a new jamb bracket system embodying the principles and concepts of the present invention and generally designated by the reference numeral  2  will be described. 
         [0014]    As best illustrated in  FIGS. 1 through 6 , the jamb bracket system  2  comprises a mounting plate  4  and a jamb bracket  6 . The jamb bracket system  2  itself is designed to be attached to a closer assembly  8 , which is subsequently attached to a storm door  10 . 
         [0015]    The mounting plate  4  is U-shaped and has two ends comprising a first end  12  and a second end  14 , and furthermore, has two surfaces comprising an outer surface  16  and an inner surface  18 . The mounting plate  4  further includes an inner edge  20  and an outer edge  22 . The mounting plate  4  further includes a groove  24  that is located on the inner surface  18  of the mounting plate  4 . The groove  24  covers approximately half the surface area of the inner surface  18  of the mounting plate  4  and is located adjacent to the inner edge  20  of the mounting plate  4 . The presence of the groove  24  essentially halves the thickness of the mounting plate  4  where the groove  24  is located. The groove  24  has both a length and a width. The mounting plate  4  is made of a composite powdered aluminum which permits the plate to break away like a sheer pin effect under excessive loads. 
         [0016]    When placed against a door frame  26 , the inner edge  20  of the mounting plate  4  is designed to be flush with the door frame  26 . The area where the groove  24  is located, however, forms a small space in between the door frame  26  and the mounting plate  4 . 
         [0017]    The jamb bracket  6  comprises a flat plate  28  which is preferably rectangularly shaped. The flat plate  28  has two surfaces comprising a top surface  30  and a bottom surface  32 , and furthermore, has two ends, a first end  34  and a second end  36 . The flat plate  28  has a length and a width, with the length running from the first end  34  to the second end  36  of the flat plate  28 . 
         [0018]    A pair of attachment plates  38  and  40  are attached to the top surface of the flat plate  28 , with these attachment plates  38  and  40  being parallel to one another. The plates  38  and  40  are designed to travel from the first end  34  to the second end  36  of the flat plate  28 . Each plate  38  and  40  has a hole  42  that can be used for attachment of the closer assembly  8 , with the closer assembly  8  being pivotally attached to the plates  38  and  40 . 
         [0019]    Once the mounting plate  4  has been appropriately attached to a door frame  26 , the jamb bracket  6  can be removably attached to the mounting by inserting the flat plate  28  in between the mounting plate  4  and the door frame  26  with the bottom surface  32  of the flat plate  28  being flush against the door frame  26 . To do this, the flat plate  28  is inserted lengthwise into the groove  24 , allowing the plates  38  and  40  to extend outward in between the two ends of the mounting plate  4 . The length and width of the flat plate  28  are the same as the length and width of the groove  24 , and therefore, once the jamb bracket  6  has been fully inserted into the groove  24 , the second end of the jamb bracket  6  is flush with the first end and second end of the mounting bracket  4  and the flat plate  28  is snugly located in between the mounting plate  4  and the door frame  26 . 
         [0020]    The mounting plate  4  itself has a plurality of screw holes that allow it to be properly fastened to a door frame  26 . The plurality of screw holes includes a quartet of outer screw holes  44 A,  44 B,  44 C, and  44 D, and a plurality of inner screw holes  46 A,  46 B,  46 C, and  46 D. Furthermore, the jamb bracket  6  itself has four screw holes  48 A,  48 B,  48 C, and  48 D. 
         [0021]    The outer screw holes  44 A- 44 D are not located over an area of the mounting plate  4  where the groove  24  is located. Therefore, these screw holes are located in an area where the mounting plate  4  is at its thickest. A number of wood screws  45  are used for insertion through these screw holes  44 A- 44 D and these are usually designed to be rather permanent, although they can be removed if needed. 
         [0022]    The inner screw holes  46 A- 46 D are located over an area of the mounting plate  4  where the groove  24  is located. When the jamb bracket  6  is completed inserted into the groove  24 , the inner screw holes  46 A- 460  line up perfectly with the screw holes  48 A- 48 D on the jamb bracket  6 . At this point, a number of screws  47  can be used to secure the jamb bracket  6  to the mounting plate  4 . Each screw  47  will be inserted through an inner screw hole on the mounting plate  4 , through a screw hole on the jamb bracket  6 , and then into the door frame  26  itself to secure these two components together. The screws  47  are preferably Allen hex set screws. 
         [0023]    With respect to the above description then, it is to be realized that the optimum dimensional relationships for the parts of the invention, to include variations in size, materials, shape, form, function and manner of operation, assembly and use, are deemed readily apparent and obvious to one skilled in the art, and all equivalent relationships to those illustrated in the drawings and described in the specification are intended to be encompassed by the present invention. 
         [0024]    Therefore, the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention.