Wood-frame glass door unit

In a wood-frame glass door unit having a surround structure and a first and second door panel each having a frame and glass pane, the combination comprising:

• first and second side rails formed from a plurality of laminated wood strips for forming the sides of each frame, said side rails being formed from a plurality of laminated wood strips,
• top and bottom rails attached between said side rails and forming the top and bottom of each frame, said top and bottom rails being formed from a plurality of laminated wood strips, said lamination permitting the reduction of the width of each of the side, top and bottom rails thereby permitting more glass area,
• fastener means for rigidly securing said first door panel to said surround structure, and
• hinge means for hingeably connecting the first side rail of the second door panel to the second side rail of the first door panel whereby said second door panel is hinged from said first door panel.

A wood-frame glass door unit comprising:

• a first panel wood-frame for supporting a glass pane therein, the members of said frame being composed of laminated wood strips to permit the reduction of the width of the members making up said frame,
• a second panel wood-frame for supporting a glass pane therein, the members of said frame being composed of laminated wood strips to permit the reduction of the width of the members making up said frame, thereby reducing the frame to glass ratio and the weight of the frame and glass combination,
• a surround structure,
• fastener means for rigidly attaching said first panel wood-frame to said surround structure, and
• hinge means for hinging said second panel wood-frame from said first panel frame.

A wood-frame glass door unit comprising:

• a first door panel having a frame including a first and second side rail maintained in a spaced relationship by a top and bottom rail attached between the ends of the first and second side rail,
• a first glass pane fitted within the frame of said first door panel,
• a second door panel having a frame including a first and second side rail maintained in a spaced relationship by a top and bottom rail attached between the ends of the first and second side rail,
• a second glass pane fitted within the frame of said first door panel,
• a surround structure including a first and second side door jamb maintained in a spaced relationship by a top door jamb and bottom sill attached between the ends of the first and second side door jambs,
• fastener means for rigidly securing said first door panel to said surround structure, said fastener means including a plurality of screws for fastening said first door panel along the top rail to said top door jamb and along the bottom rail to said bottom sill and a plurality of screws for fastening said first side rail of the first door panel to said first side door jamb, said fastener means further including angle brackets attaching said second side rail of said first door panel to said top door jamb and bottom sill, and
• hinge means for hingeably connecting the first side rail of the second door panel to the second side rail of said first door panel whereby said second door panel is hinged from said first door panel.

A method for making a wood-frame glass door unit comprising:

• laminating wood strips edge-to-edge to permit the forming of narrow wood rails,
• forming the frames of at least two door panels from the laminated wood rails, each said including a first and second side rail maintained in a spaced relationship by a top and bottom rail attached between the end of the first and second side rail,
• inserting glass panes within the frames,
• forming a surround structure,
• rigidly fastening one of the door panels to the surround structure by attaching the first side rail and the top and bottom rail to the surround structure, and
• hinging the other door panel from the fixed door panel by hinging the first side rail of the other door panel to the second side rail of the one door panel.