Патент USA US3289368

E
D. J. VAN EDEN
DEVICE FOR STRAIGHTENING WARPED DODHS .
Filed March 8, 1965
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ATTORNEYS
United States Patent C
C6
3,289,353
Patented Dec. 6, 1966
1
2
3,289,353
plied to the door, and of making the degree of this force
DEVICE FOR STRAIGHTENING WARPED DOORS
Donald J. Van Eden, 1670 Ottawa Beach Road,
Holland, Mich.
Filed Mar. 8, 1965, Ser. No. 437,873
1 Claim. (Cl. 49-503)
This invention relates to devices for exerting force
against a warped door in a home or other building to
at speci?ed locations adjustable over a considerable range.
Also, the total force which the device is capable of exert
ing is an absolute maximum, due to a unique anchoring
mechanism for the device. Adjustments in the degree of
force are facilitated by a unique indexing feature, which
also is aesthetically pleasing. Finally, the device is ar
ranged to have all of the foregoing features while enabling
full and completely normal use of the door and not in any
straighten the door back into its original shape and to 10 way interfering with its operation.
retain it inde?nitely in this shape, and more particularly
The foregoing objects and advantages of the present
to a new and improved such device having inventive and
invention, together with other equally desirable features
desirable features.
possessed thereby, will become increasingly apparent upon
Warpage of the entrance and exit doors of homes and
a full consideration of the following speci?cation and its
other buildings has long been a problem to the owners and
tenants of these buildings. One side of these doors is
exposed to the wide extremes in temperature and humidity
of the out-of-doors environment, whereas the other side
of the same doors constantly encounter the greatly dif
appended claim, particularly when taken in conjunction
with the accompanying illustrative drawings which set
forth a preferred embodiment thereof.
In the drawings:
FIG. 1 is a broken end elevation, partially in section,
ferent conditions inside the building. This inevitably 20 view of a typical door upon which the present invention
produces warpage of wooden doors, so that in a relatively
has been installed;
short time their operation is impaired and they begin
FIG. 2 is an enlarged, fragmentary sectional view taken
to stick and jam and otherwise close improperly. This
through the plane II-—II of FIG. 1;
improper closure of the warped doors also results in their
FIG. 3 is an enlarged, fragmentary, central vertical
admitting sizeable drafts of cold air in the Winter season, 25 section of the top end of the device shown in FIG. 1; and
which not only are annoying and wasteful of heating
FIG. 4 is an enlarged, fragmentary side elevation of the
funds, but also are deleterious to good health as well.
device of FIG. 3, taken along the vertical plane IV—IV
As a result of this bothersome situation, attempts have
of that ?gure.
been made in the past to construct doors in such a manner
Briefly stated, the present invention consists of a pair
as to minimize warpage, and attempts have also been made 30 of pressure bars which are mounted upon a warped door
to provide door-straightening devices to correct the warp
in vertical alignment with each other. The pressure bars
age once it occurs and prevent further warpage from
are placed under tension, and thereby draw the warped and
occurring. While both types of effort have met with some
twisted door member into a ‘straight vertical position.
degree of success, the wooden doors continue to warp,
Each end of the pressure bars carries a horizontally-dis~
and the straightening devices have had their limitations 35 posed threaded member which enters into a suitable
and shortcomings. For example, straightening devices
mounting aperture formed in the door. A recess is prefer
often merely screw into the surface of the door. Con
ably formed into the interior of the door from the side
sequently, the amount of actual straightening force they
edge thereof, to coincide with these mounting apertures,
are capable of exerting is strictly limited, since even
and threaded anchors are tightened upon the said members
rather small amounts of force have been found to merely 40 to ?xedly secure the pressure bars to the door. The
strip the screws out of their holes in the door. Further,
anchors have ?attened surfaces for bearing against the
such devices are for the most part rather unsightly, par
edge of the recess in the door when ?rmly tightened onto
ticularly if they are made to exert the required amount
the pressure bar threaded member. Further, the ends
of force, since they incorporate rather crude, utilitarian
of the pressure bar are preferably shaped to extend over
securing means, and utilize them in the most obvious man 45 and beyond the point where the threaded member enters
ner.
This has caused most persons to view the cure as
even less desirable than the af?iction, and they choose to
endure the warpage rather than install the straightening
devices.
A further shortcoming of prior straightening devices is
that they have failed to provide a way to vary the pro?le
of the force along the height of the door in localized
areas, so as to correct for different degrees of warpage
which inevitably occur. That is, prior devices merely
exerted an identical degree of force against the top and
bottom of the door alike. Since warpage is practically
never the same at the top and the bottom of the door and
along its height between these extremes, prior devices
the door so as to protectively cover the mounting aperture
through which the members pass. This preferred exten
sion provides a surface for abutting against the outside of
the door when the anchor is securely tightened into place,
and this completely hides the mounting aperture and seals
it to prevent water or moisture from entering the interior
of the door through the aperture.
The extension thus
provides an added aesthetic quality, as well as the highly
desirable functional qualities described. The pressure bar
normally bows slightly outward between its end extremi
ties, and means are provided between the door and the bar
to force the latter outward away from the door, thereby
putting it into tension and drawing the door straight. The
failed to afford the desired measure of ?exibility whereby
latter means is preferably a threaded stud or bolt-like
different degrees of force could be applied at different 60 member having a head which engages the inner surface
portions of the door.
of the pressure bar to force it outward, and an adjusting
The present invention provides as its major objective
nut by which the stud may be forced outward away from
the complete and effective solution to the problems which
the door. The head of the stud or bolt-like member is
have been set forth. The invention provides a door
recessed to match the surface of the pressure bar, so that
straightening device which mounts with absolute rigidity 65 the latter ?ts neatly into the recess. This indexes the
to the door in a manner concealed from view. Exterior
stud against rotational movement when its adjusting nut
portions of the device are designed to be attractive and
is turned, and also enhances the over-all appearance of
pleasing to the eye, and the entire device presents an ap
the device.
pearance which is actually enhancing to the door, in sharp
Referring now in more detail to the drawings, in FIG. 1
contrast with the unsightliness of previous devices. 70 a typical wooden door 10 is seen from one of its side
Further, the present invention provides a desirable way
edges, the door 10 being in a closed position in which
of localizing the straightening force which is to be ap
it ?ts between the usual threshold 12 at its bottom end
3,289,353
3
4
and overhead sill 14 at its top. A pair of the straightening
.devices of the present invention are installed upon the
of the hollow core variety, the recesses should be formed
in the cross members 20, 22 and 24. Since the door is
retained against warpage to at least some extent by its
hinges, most warpage occurs at its free side opposite the
door 10, including an upper device 16 and a lower device
18, which are substantially identical. As the ?gure shows,
the straightening devices 16 and 18 are typically attached
to the outer surface of the door, since the atmospheric
conditions on this side of the door almost always produce
hinges, and it is this side to which the locking mechanism
and handles are mounted. The pressure bars normally
are mounted only a few inches inside this edge, and the
recesses 44 need not be particularly deep.
a warpage which is convex on the outside and concave
An appropriate mounting aperture 46 (FIG. 3)
on the inside surfaces of the door. FIG. 1 depicts a door
constructed according to the common hollow core concept, 10 is formed through the outer surface of the door into
each of the recesses 44. Each end of each pressure bar
in which the door is comprised of a pair of oppositely dis
26 carries ‘a threaded mounting stud 48 (FIG. 3) which
extends directly away from the longitudinal axis of the
pressure bar, substantially normal to the surface of the
structural rigidity.
15 door. This stud 48 is inserted to the mounting aper
Both the upper device 16 and the lower device 18 in
ture 46 in the door, into the interior of the recessed por
clude an elongate pressure bar 26 which preferably is a
tion 44, and as it is so inserted, a backing plate 50 is
strong and substantially rigid metal bar. This may be of
telescoped over it and an anchor nut 52 is threaded upon
it to draw the bar securely against the material forming
round, square, or other desired cross section,~but will be
posed outer surface panels connected by horizontal cross
members 20, 22 and 24, and generally, vertical stiles (not
shown), which give the door the required amount of
here described as being round, which is the most pre
20
ferred shape. The pressure bar of the upper device is
attached at one of its ends to the cross bar 20 of the
door, just above its handle 28, and the pressure bar of
the door, with the backing plate 50 bearing against the
side edge of the recess 44.
It should particularly be noted that, as shown in FIG.
3, the ends of the pressure bars 26 preferably carry a
the lower device 18 is similarly attached to the cross bar
longitudinally-extending lip portion 54 which extends be
20, just below the handle 28. The upper end of the pres
yond the cover mounting aperture 46 completely. Fur
sure bar in device 16 is attached to the uppermost cross
ther, the lip 54 should have a substantially ?at, planar
bar 24 of the door, ‘near the top of the door, while the
rear surface for contacting the surface of the door 10
lowermost end of the pressure bar in device 18 is attached
when anchor nut 52 is ?rmly tightened down upon mount
to the lowermost cross bar 22 of the door, very nearly at
ing stud 48, and the latter is drawn through the mount
the bottom of the door.
30 ing aperture 46 the maximum extent. Thus, lip 54 serves
As will be observed in FIG. 1, each of the pressure
to distribute the mounting force exerted by the anchor
bars 26 is normally bowed slightly away from the outer
over a larger area of the door surface, while also com
surface of door 10. Further, a pair of adjustable forcing
pletely covering the aperture to prevent any moisture,
means 30 are positioned between each pressure bar and
etc. from entering therethrough.
'
the surface of the door, and serve to force the pressure bar 35
The nature of the lip portion 54 is further shown in
outward away from the door to put the bar in tension
FIG. 4, in connection with the preferred rounded shape
and draw the door straight, as will be explained subse
of pressure bar. This ?gure illustrates the distance which
quently. All of the forcing means 30 are identical to each
other, and their nature is shown more speci?cally in
FIG. 2.
Each of the forcing means 30 includes a threaded bolt
like device 32 which extends into the interior of the door
through an appropriate aperture 34 formed therein. The
the lip may extend beyond the perimeter of the mount—
ing aperture 46 in the door, and beyond that of the mount
ing stud 48 as Well.
FIG. 4 further illustrates the
bolt-like device 32 carries an enlarged head portion 36 _,
smoothly curved con?guration which is preferably em
bodied in the gradual narrowing of the end of the bar
26 into its lip 54. This adds a desirable aesthetic quality
to the outward appearance of the complete structure,
at its end without the door, and an adjusting nut 40 is
since the bar appears to gracefully curve toward the door
threadedly engaged upon its shank portion. It is to be
and terminate with lip 54, and the manner in which it
noted that the head portion 36 of the bolt 32 has a groove
or recess 38 formed transversely across its surface. This
recess is shaped in cross section to complement the cross
is anchored to the door is in no way visible. Further, the
actual anchoring of the pressure bars to the door is com
sectional shape of the pressure bar 26. Consequently,
when the bolt-like device is forced outwardly from the
door, its vhead portion 36 engages the inner side of the
such a degree of force against the straightening device
pletely rigid and unyielding, and so strong that it is
doubtful whether the warpage of any door could exert
so as to pull its anchored ends out of their placement.
When the novel door-straightening device of the
2 shows. In this position, the pressure bar serves to index
present invention is installed in place upon a warped
the bolt device 52 and prevent it from any undesired rota 55 door in the manner previously set forth herein, with each
tion which might otherwise occur when the adjusting nut
of the ends of each of the pressure bars ?rmly anchored
pressure bar and receives the same into recess 38, as FIG.
40 is tightened against a backing washer 42 abutting the
surface of the door 10 to force the bolt 32 outward against
pressure bar 26. All exterior surfaces of the forcing
in place, the novel features of the operation of the de
vice become more apparent. That is, by providing a
separate pair of pressure bars which are each ?rmly
means 30, as well as similar surfaces of the adjusting bar 60
anchored to the door, and by providing with each of
itself, are preferably ?nished in an appealing manner,
these separate pressure bars a pair of the forcing means
as by a desirable plating, and consequently, the aligned
30, the particular degree of straightening force which
groove relationship between the head 36 of the bolt device
each particular door demands at various locations along
32 and the pressure bar 26 presents a particularly appeal
its warped edge may be applied by adjusting the force
ing exterior appearance which belies its desirable func
means 30 to vary the force pro?le along the edge of the
tional characteristics.
The preferred manner in which the ends of the pres
door in precisely the manner required. Thus, the top of
sure bars 26 are secured in position upon the door 10 is
the door may have warped considerably more than the
generally indicated in FIG. 1, and speci?cally shown in
bottom. If only a single pressure bar were used, or if
FIG. 3, to which reference is now made. It is ?rst to 70 the pressure bar utilized only single forcing means, then
be noted that in accordance with this method of securing,
the same degree of force will be exerted at each end of
a recess 44 is formed into the interior of the door 10 at
the pressure bar. In this situation, a compromise is
each point that an end of a pressure bar is to be secured.
required between the amount of force necessary
The recesses 44 are formed into the door from its side
to straighten one end of the door and the amount of
edge, as shown in FIG. 1, and in the event the door is
force required to straighten the other end thereof. This
5
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6
results in a situation Where no such door is ever com
cealed spaced recesses formed in the interior of said
door; each such recess receiving one of said anchor means
and being located such that engagement of the anchors
and tension member portions mounts the tension mem
bers in vertical alignment downward from the top of the
door and upward from the bottom thereof with a space
between the members in the area of the door knob, per
mitting easy actuation thereof; each of said anchor means
having a generally ?at surface for hearing against an in
pletely straightened.
The features made‘ available by the present inventive
device provide a way for applying different amounts of
force at different points along the door, and this achieves
results which are inherently impossible in previous
straightening devices. Moreover, this operation is pro
duced through a device having excellent appearance
characteristics, which instead of detracting from the ap
pearance of the door and making it unsightly actually 10 ternal wall of said recesses in securing said tension mem
augments its appearance quality. Also, the novel straight
bers to the door; and a pair of adjustable force-exerting
ening device is relatively easy to secure to any typical
door, and once it has been so secured, it is completely
means positioned between said door and each of said
tension members, for forcing such members outward and
dependable and is practically indestructible. Further, in
away from the door with different degrees of force de
the event that years of usage and exposure serve to in 15 termined by the relative positioning and adjustment of
crease or alter the warpage of the door, the straighten
each of said force means, thereby putting said members
ing force may be changed to suit the new conditions by
in tension and drawing their anchored ends outwardly,
the simplest of adjustments, although naturally any door
straightening the door; said force-exerting means each
having such a straightening device is not likely to under
comprising
‘a threaded male member with one end con
go ‘any notable additional warpage.
20 tacting the inner surface of the tension member and the
Having now fully and completely set forth the details
other end passing into the door a distance, and a threaded
of a preferred embodiment of the present invention, it
female member engaged with said male; said end of
may be that those skilled in the art to which it pertains
said
male member contacting said tension member having
will after studying the foregoing disclosure conceive of
a recessed portion complementary in cross section to that
certain variations and modi?cations in particular features 25 of
the tension member for receiving at least a portion
or details of the invention without departing from its
of
said
member therein, whereby said male member is
spirit and while continuing to use the concept which un—
indexed against rotation; and said female member bear
derlies it. Accordingly, all such modi?cations and varia
ing against the surface of the door and forcing the male
tions are to be considered a part of the invention and
the tension member seated thereagainst outward
within its scope, unless the claim appended below by its 30 and
away from the door by relative threading adjustments
language expressly states otherwise.
between the male and female members.
I claim:
Apparatus for straightening warped doors, comprising
in combination with a door: a pair of substantially rigid
upper and lower elongate tension members; said members 35
each having a threaded portion near each end thereof
extending away from the axis of the member at an angle
and directly'toward the door substantially normal there
References Cited by the Examiner
UNITED STATES PATENTS
275,832
1,145,608
2,786,242
4/1883
7/1915
Lockwood _________ __ 52-291
Morton ___________ __ 52—~—291
3/1957
Stephans ___________ __ 52——291
to; anchor means threadable upon said threaded tension
member portions for securing the said member ?xedly to
the door; a plurality of vertically aligned externally con
40
HARRISON R. MOSELEY, Primary Examiner,
KENNETH DOWNEY, Examiner,