Supports – Props and braces – Adjustable length
Patent
1992-01-13
1993-10-19
Foss, J. Franklin
Supports
Props and braces
Adjustable length
521272, A47F 500
Patent
active
052538397
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
The present invention relates to a device to brace a door frame.
Usually, door frames for fire doors and standard doors in block walls (as opposed to partition walls) in multi-storey buildings comprise elongate channels pressed from sheet metal, and the hollow regions defined by the channels must be filled with grout or other filler material in order to comply with building regulations. In addition, usually, there is a gap of up to 50 mm between the door frames and the adjacent walls which must also be filled with grout. In the case of fire-doors the grout must be a fire resistant grout.
It is important that the door frames do not buckle or otherwise deform when the hollow regions and the gaps are filled with grout. This is particularly important in the case of fire doors since building regulations prescribe close tolerances between the door frames and the fire doors, and as a consequence the fire floors will not fit the openings properly if the door frames are even slightly out of square.
In order to minimise buckling or other deformation, it is standard practice to brace the door frames while the grout is being poured into the hollow regions and the gaps and during the time it takes for the grout to substantially set. Typically, the door frames are braced either with lengths of timber which are wedged into position or with so-called "acrow" props.
There are a number of drawbacks associated with the use of such conventional means to brace the door frames. One drawback is that the bracing members prevent access through the doorways, and this can be particularly inconvenient since the grout usually requires at least several hours to set sufficiently to allow the bracing members to be removed. Another drawback is that the bracing members, particularly timber, tend to scratch or otherwise damage the door frames. Moreover, the timber generally is not re-used and this tends to increase the cost of the work. In addition, the bracing members often cause an outward pressure on the door frames which itself causes distortion of the door frames.
An object of the present invention is to provide a device to brace a door frame which alleviates the drawbacks described in the preceding paragraph.
According to the present invention there is provided a device to brace a door frame formed from elongate channel members to prevent the sides of the door frame buckling or otherwise deforming when grout or other filler material is used to fill a hollow region defined by the channel members and/or a gap between the door frame and an adjacent wall, comprising: contact a side of the door frame substantially along the length thereof; retracted position and an expanded position: and position with the contact surfaces in contact with the opposed sides of the door frame to brace the sides of the door frame.
It is preferred that the coupling means comprises an upper and a lower arm extending from each support member, one upper arm arranged to telescope in the other upper arm and one lower arm arranged to telescope in the other lower arm.
It is preferred that the lower arms define a base to contact the floor.
It is preferred that the device further comprises an adjustable member to vary the side-to-side inclination of the base with respect to the floor.
It is preferred particularly that the device comprises one of said adjustable members at each end of the base.
It is preferred that the device further comprises a leg pivotally connected to each support member for swinging movement outwardly away from the support member, each leg being adjustable in length, whereby, in use, the legs can be manipulated to locate the support members at a required front-to-rear inclination with respect to the floor.
It is preferred particularly that each leg has a tiltable base plate at the free end to firmly contact the floor irrespective of the angle of the leg with respect to the floor.
It is preferred particularly that each leg is telescopic and comprises, a first element, and a second element positioned to slide in the first element, and a means to lock
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