Door frame assembly

Apparatus for constructing a door frame in an opening formed in a wall to accommodate a door, said apparatus comprising:

• a frame member including a central web adapted to span the width of the wall and a pair of side flanges extending from the lateral edges of the web and adapted to fit over the edges of the wall circumscribing the opening, said web formed of first and second longitudinally extending portions and including first and second longitudinally-extending slots, the first slot centrally located and transversely aligned relative to the web, and opening toward the second portion of the web, the second slot located proximate the lateral edge of the second portion of the web, the second portion of the web including a section between said slots having an outer surface bearing a longitudinally-extending ridge;
• at least two hinge members each having a hinge plate which includes first and second elongate tongues adapted to engage and mate with the respective slots in the frame member so that the hinge members can be attached to the frame member where desired after installation of the frame member in the opening, the hinge plate also including a groove complementary to but smaller than the ridge of the frame member to promote flexion of the hinge plates and minimize detachment of the plates from the frame member under stress;
• and
• a plurality of cover plate sections each including a pair of elongate tongues adapted to engage and mate with the respective slots in the frame member, and a groove complementary to but smaller than said ridge, said cover plate section adapted to cut to fit the gaps between hinge plates and the ends of the frame member to provide an aesthetically pleasing door frame.

Apparatus for providing a door frame in an opening formed in a wall to accommodate a door said apparatus comprising:

• a frame member including a central web adapted to span the width of the wall and a pair of side flanges extending from the lateral edges of the web and adapted to fit over the edges of the wall circumscribing the opening, said web formed of first and second longitudinally extending portions, the first portion being planar and terminating in a first slot, the first slot substantially coplanar with the plane of the first portion and opening toward the second portion of the web, the second portion of the web including a second slot aligned normal to the first and located proximate the lateral edge of the second portion;
• at least two hinge members each having a planar hinge plate having two elongate tongues adapted to engage and mate with the slots in the web so that the hinge members can be located where desired and attached to the frame member after installation of the frame member in the opening with minimized tendency to detach from the frame member under stress;
• and
• a plurality of cover plate sections each including a generally planar portion having a pair of elongate tongues adapted to engage and mate with the respective slots in the web, the cover plate sections adapted to be cut to fit the gaps between hinge plates and the ends of the frame member to provide an aesthetically pleasing finished door frame.

Apparatus for providing a door frame in an opening formed in a wall to accommodate a door, said apparatus comprising:

• a frame member including a central web adapted to span the width of the wall and a pair of side flanges extending from the lateral edges of the web and adapted to fit over the edges of the wall circumscribing the opening, said web formed of first and second longitudinally-extending portions, the first portion being planar and terminating in a first slot having an inner and an outer slot wall, the first slot aligned substantially in the plane of the first portion and opening toward the second portion of the web, the second portion of the web including a second slot aligned normal to the first and located proximate the lateral edge of the second portion, the second portion also including a section between the slots having an outer surface bearing a longitudinally extending ridge, the inner slot wall of the first slot being offset toward the wall from the outer surface of the ridge-bearing section of the web and the plane of the web's first portion;
• at least two hinge members each having a planar hinge plate having two elongate tongues adapted to engage and mate with the slots in the web and a groove complementary to but smaller than the ridge of the web, so that the hinge members can be located where desired and attached to the frame member after installation of the frame member in the opening with minimized tendency to detach from the frame member under stress;
• and
• a plurality of cover plate sections each including a generally planar portion having a pair of elongate tongues adapted to engage and mate with the respective grooves in the web and a groove complementary to but smaller than the ridge of the web, the cover plate sections adapted to be cut to fit the gaps between hinge plates and the ends of the frame member to provide an aesthetically pleasing finished door frame.

In a prefabricated door frame assembly for construction of a door frame in a door opening in a wall including (i) a frame member comprising a web spanning the width of the opening and formed of a first longitudinally extending planar portion and a second longitudinally-extending non-planar portion, and two side flanges extending from the lateral edges of the web to circumscribe the wall at the opening, the web including first and second parallel, commonly-opening slots transversely aligned relative to the web, the first slot aligned in the plane of the web's first portion proximate the center of the web and opening toward the web's second portion, and the second slot offset toward the wall from the first, proximate the lateral edge of the web's second portion;

• (ii) at least a pair of hinge members including a planar hinge plate having first and second elongate tongues adapted to engage and mate with their respective slots in the frame member;
• (iii) a strike plate having first and second elongate tongues adapted to engage and mate with their respective slots in the frame member;
• and (iv) cover plate sections having first and second elongate tongues adapted to engage and mate with their respective slots in the frame member, the cover plate sections adapted to be cut to attach to the frame member between the hinge plates and strike plate and the ends of the frame member;
• the improvement which comprises:
• (a) in the frame member, a longitudinally-extending ridge borne on the outer surface of a section of the web's second portion between the slots, and an inner wall of the first slot recessed from the outer surface of the ridge-bearing section and the plane of the web's first portion, so that the first slot is wider than the respective tongues of the hinge plates, cover plate sections, and strike plate;
• and
• (b) in the hinge plates, strike plate, and cover plate sections, a groove formed in the plates and complementary to but smaller than the ridge of the frame member, so that upon installation in the frame member, the plates tend to flex outwardly from the wall to minimize detachment of the hinge plates from the frame member under stress.