Storefront framing system

A coupler member for engaging an elongated receiving channel having opposing side walls, bottom walls extending inwardly from the lower ends of said side walls, and upper walls extending inwardly from the upper ends of said side walls with a groove running therebetween, said channel walls defining opposing slots, said coupler member comprising:

• an elongated base having upper and lower faces and dimensioned when the elongate axis of said base is aligned with said groove between said upper walls to be received through said groove and into said channel;
• compressible ridges formed on one of said upper or lower faces of said base such that when said base is received within said channel and rotated to position said elongate axis of said base transversely to said channel, said ridges bear against the contiguous upper or lower channel walls and force the opposite face of said base snugly against the other of said upper or lower channel walls, compressing said ridges and wedging said base within said channel;
• and
• a body extending upwardly from said base such that when said base is wedged within said channel, said body extends through said groove between said upper channel walls and above said upper channel walls so as to project exteriorly of said channel.

A framing system for storefronts and the like, comprising:

• a first frame member having a receiving channel formed on one face thereof, said channel having opposing side walls having upper and lower ends, bottom walls extending inwardly from said lower ends of said side walls, and upper walls extending inwardly from said upper ends of said side walls with a groove running therebetween, said channel walls defining opposing slots;
• a second frame member having a locking flange projecting from one face thereof, said locking flange having opposing lateral faces defining retainer grooves therein;
• and
• a coupler member, comprising:
• an elongated base at one end thereof, said base having upper and lower faces and an elongate axis, said base being dimensioned when said elongate axis of said base is aligned with said groove between said upper walls of said first frame member to be received through said groove and into said channel, said base further being dimensioned such that when said coupler member is inserted into said channel and twisted to position said elongate axis of said base transversely to said channel, said base engages said opposing slots of said channel to lock said coupler member within said channel;
• compressible ridges formed on one of said upper or lower faces of said base such that when said base is received within said channel in said first frame member and twisted to position said elongate axis of said base transversely to said channel, said ridges bear against the corresponding upper or lower channel walls and force the opposite face of said base snugly against the other of said upper or lower channel walls, compressing said ridges and wedging said base within said channel;
• a pair of resilient legs projecting upwardly from said base in spaced-apart relation for receiving said locking flange therebetween;
• flanges formed on mutually facing portions of said legs for engaging said retainer grooves on said opposing lateral faces of said locking flange,
• whereby when said base of said coupler member is secured within said channel of said first member, said legs of said coupler member engage said retainer grooves of said locking flange on said second frame member to secure said frame members together in spaced-apart relation.

A coupler member for connecting first and second adjacent frame members, the first of said frame members including a receiving channel formed on a portion facing the second frame member and having opposing side walls having upper and lower ends, bottom walls extending inwardly from said lower ends of said side walls, and upper walls extending inwardly from said upper ends of said side walls with a groove running therebetween, said channel walls defining opposing slots, and the second of said frame members including a locking flange projecting toward said first frame member and having opposing lateral faces with retainer grooves formed therein, said coupler member comprising:

• an elongated base having upper and lower faces and an elongate axis and dimensioned when said elongate axis of said base is aligned with said groove between said upper walls of said first frame member to be received through said groove and into said channel;
• compressible ridges formed on one of said upper or lower faces of said base such that when said base is received within said channel in said first frame member and rotated to position said elongate axis of said base transversely to said channel, said ridges bear against the corresponding upper or lower channel walls and force the opposite face of said base snugly against the other of said upper or lower channel walls, compressing said ridges and maintaining said base within said channel;
• a pair of resilient legs projecting upwardly from said base in spaced-apart relation for receiving said locking flange therebetween;
• and
• flanges formed on mutually facing portions of said legs and dimensioned to be received within said retainer grooves on said opposing lateral faces of said locking flange on said second frame member,
• whereby when said base of said coupler member is secured within said channel of said first member, said legs of said coupler member engage said retainer grooves of said locking flange on said second frame member to secure said frame members together.

A framing system for storefronts and the like, comprising:

• a first frame member having a locking channel formed thereon;
• a second frame member in parallel spaced-apart relation to said first frame member;
• a locking flange projecting from said second frame member, said locking flange having opposing lateral faces defining a plurality of sets of retainer grooves therein;
• a coupler member twist-lockable at one end thereof into said locking channel of said first frame member, the other end of said coupler member comprising a pair of resilient legs in parallel spaced-apart relation, said legs having flanges formed on mutually facing portions thereof, said locking flange projecting from said second frame member being receivable between said pair of resilient legs such that said flanges on said mutually facing portions of said legs snap into engagement with one of said sets of retainer grooves formed on said lateral faces of said locking flange,
• whereby said coupler member secures said first and second frame members together in parallel spaced-apart relation, and
• whereby said spaced-apart relation between said frame members can be controlled by selecting the set of retainer grooves which said flanges on said mutually facing portions of said legs engage.

A framing system for storefronts and the like, comprising:

• a first frame member;
• a second frame member in parallel spaced-apart relation to said first frame member;
• first and second locking channels formed on mutually facing portions of said first and second frame members, said second locking channel defining a plurality of sets of opposing slots;
• a coupler member twist-lockable at one end thereof into said first locking channel on said first frame member, the other end of said coupler member comprising a pair of resilient legs in parallel spaced-apart relation, said legs having flanges formed on outer portions thereof, said pair of resilient legs being receivable into said second locking channel such that said flanges on said outer portions of said legs snap into engagement with one of said plurality of sets of opposing slots to lock said coupler member into said second locking channel;
• whereby said coupler member secures said first and second frame members together in parallel spaced-apart relation;
• and
• whereby said spaced-apart relation between said frame members can be controlled by selecting the set of opposing slots which said flanges on said outer portions of said legs engage.