US3611784A - Tool for straightening hinge straps on metal doors and door jambs - Google Patents

Abstract

A TOOL FOR STRAIGHTENING HINGE STRAPS ON METAL DOOR JAMBS OR ON THE HEELS OF METAL DOORS, SAID TOOL HAVING AN APERTURED PLANAR MEMBER AND A MEMBER EXTENDING AT RIGHT ANGLES THEREFROM WHEREBY THE APERTURES IN THE PLANAR MEMBER ARE MATCHED WITH THE APERTURES OF THE STRAPS IN THE JAMB OR ON THE HEEL OF THE DOOR AND WHEREIN A HOLLOW PIPE MAY BE PLACED OVER THE EXTENDING MEMBER SO THAT THE TOOL CAN BE MANIPULATED SO AS TO MOVE THE HINGE STRAP IN THE JAMB OR HEEL IN A DESIRED DIRECTION TO PLACE THE STRAP INTO A DESIRED CONFIGURATION OR POSITION.

Description

Oct. 12, 1971 R. M. PRICHARD TOOL FOR STRAIGHTENING HINGE STRAPS ON METAL DOORS AND DOOR JAMBS Filed April 18, 1969 ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,611,784 TOOL FOR STRAIGHTENING HINGE STRAPS ON METAL DOORS AND DOOR JAMBS Reuben M. Prichard, 7252 Landover Road, Landover, Md. 20785 Filed Apr. 18, 1969, Ser. No. 817,311 Int. Cl. B21d 11/20 US. Cl. 72-458 2 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A tool for straightening hinge straps on metal door jambs or on the heels of metal doors, said tool having an apertured planar member and a member extending at right angles therefrom whereby the apertures in the planar member are matched with the apertures of the straps in the jamb or on the heel of the door and wherein a hollow pipe may be placed over the extending member so that the tool can be manipulated so as to move the hinge strap in the jamb or heel in a desired direction to place the strap into a desired configuration or position.

The use of metal doors and door jambs, particularly in the commercial or industrial fields, has become increasingly prevalent. Experience has shown, however, that the jambs and the doors may arrive for installation with the hinge attachment points on the jamb and on the door misaligned with respect to one another. Also, after the doors have been hung, persons will often place obstructions between the heel of the door and the door jamb at points adjacent to the hinge attachment areas in order to keep the door open and these obstructions will often be forgotten so that when someone attempts to force the door closed the hinge straps on the heel of the door and on the door jamb are bent and misaligned in the vicinity of the hinges. The metal hinge straps of doors and jambs are also often bent by being struck with carts, vehicles or other movable and heavy objects.

Therefore, the general purpose of this invention is to provide a simple, inexpensive and easily used tool which will enable the forceful movement or bending of misaligned straps on door heels or jambs to facilitate the proper mounting of the door on the jamb and the proper operation of the door once it has been so mounted.

An object of the present invention is the provision of a tool for straightening metal straps in door jambs or in the heels of metal doors.

Other objects and features of the invention will become apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art as the disclosure is made in the following description of preferred embodiments of the invention as illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 2 illustrates, in section, the tool of the invention mounted in place on a door jamb hinge strap or door heel hinge strap; and

FIG. 3 shows a perspective view of still another pre ferred embodiment of the invention.

With reference now to the drawings, wherein like reference characters designate like or corresponding parts, there is shown in FIG. 1 a heavy metal plate or planar member which includes a plurality of apertures or screw holes 12 which are so placed as to be matched with the apertures in the metal straps of a door jamb or heel at the hinge points where the tool is to be utilized. Extending from the planar member 10 is a stud 14 which is preferably located centrally of the planar member 10 and which preferably extends from the planar member at right angles thereto. However, as will be seen later the stud may be located oft-center on the planar member where there are only three screw holes in the strap. The stud or extending member 14 may be unusually elongated or a hollow pipe handle may be placed over the stud 14 in the use of the tool to gain mechanical advantage.

In operation of the tool of this invention the planar member 10 is placed at the desired hinge area of the door jamb or door heel so that the apertures 12 of the member 10 are matched with the screw holes or apertures in the metal straps of the door jamb or door heel. This is best illustrated in FIG. 2 wherein the tool is shown fastened in place at a desired hinge area by means of the screws or other fastening means 18. The metal door jamb or metal door heel 20 typically includes so-called metal straps 22 which may preferably be welded to the frame structure of the jamb or the heel at the hinge locations. Thus, the screws 18 penetrate the planar member 10 and the strap 22. If the stud 14 is of sufiicient elongation to provide the necessary mechanical advantage for the operator of the tool, the operator needs only to manipulate the tool by grasping the stud 14. Manipulation by the operator then causes the strap 22 to be moved in the desired direction so that the hinge location may be reoriented to the desired position or configuration. In this way, the strap may be bent and restored to its proper alignment.

The tool may be manipulated in various ways, for example, by the use of a hammer (not shown) on the end of the stud 14 so as to drive the strap back into the proper position. In the event that the length of the stud 14 is of shorter configuration, an elongated and hollow pipe handle 16 may be placed over the stud 14 in order to obtain the necessary mechanical advantage for the operator of the tool so that the strap can readily be moved or bent into the proper position.

The stud 14 and the planar member 10 may be made of any desired metal or other type of material which has the necessary strength characteristics. The stud 14 and the member 10 may be integrally molded together or, in the case of metals, the stud 14 may be welded to the plate 10. In addition, different plates 10 of varying sizes may be made with different aperture locations to accommodate different screw hole configurations and variously sized hinges on doors and jambs. .For example, FIG. 3 shows an embodiment of the invention which is used to straighten straps having three screw holes and wherein the stud 14 is located to the side of the member 10. Furthermore, the invention contemplates the use of a plate 10 which may have one or more patterns of apertures so that the plate 10 may be readily accommodated to various screw hole configurations peculiar to specific types of hinges. More than one set of apertures 12 could be placed in the plate 10 so that the tool could have at least two positions wherein the apertures would be matched with the screw holes of the strap on the jamb or door heel.

It should be understood that the foregoing disclosure relates to only preferred embodiments of the invention and that numerous modifications or alterations may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A tool for straightening hinge straps on metal door jambs or on heels of metal doors of the type having a plurality of openings therethrough for receiving screws therein, comprising a substantially flat metal plate having a plurality of openings therethrough, at least some of which are alignable with said openings in a said strap when said plate is placed in contact with a said strap, said plate having a stud fixed to one side thereof and extending perpendicularly therefrom so that, when said plate is secured to a strap by screws inserted through said aligned openings, said stud can be manipulated to move 3 said tool and said strap secured thereto in a desired direc- 2,937,549 5/ 1960 Shelby, Jr. 72-458 tion to place said strap in a desired configuration. 3,332,274 7/ 1967 Dunster, Jr 72-458 2. The tool as claimed in claim 1 1n comblnation with FOREIGN PATENTS a hollow pipe handle, said handle being of a size to fit over said stud whereby said handle can be manipulated to 5 126,453

1 d t move sald too an sald S lap MILTON s. MEHR, Primary Examiner 10/1949 Sweden 72458 References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,427,603 9/1947 Higgins 81-177.2 UX 2,799,190 7/1957 Awot 72-458 US. Cl. X.R.

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