GB2390564A

GB2390564A - A support for a door

Info

Publication number: GB2390564A
Application number: GB0214810A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Nigel Alan Tyler
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2002-06-27
Filing date: 2002-06-27
Publication date: 2004-01-14
Also published as: GB0214810D0

Abstract

A support comprises a first frame section 2 pivotally connected to a second frame section 10. The weight of a door 15 or any other planar item inserted within the support rests on section 11 causing the second section of the frame to pivot around pivot point 9 such that stoppers 6, 12 are urged together, clamping the item 15 in position. Spring (13, fig 1) biases the clamp open until a workpiece is inserted. The invention provides a lightweight door support that is easily portable for use on site.

Description

In; - 1 A DOOR SUPPORT

The present invention relates to a door support as may be used by a carpenter or joiner to support an unhung door.

When working on a door, X is often necessary to support the door on an edge whilst working on an opposite edge of the door, typically when the opposite edge is to be planed, or to have hinges or a lock fitted thereto.

10 It is conunon practice to work on a door close to the doorway in which the door is to be fitted, so that the door can be offered up to the doorway as required. Thus, much work on doors is carried out "on site" without the benefit of facilities that may be available in a workshop. If, at an on she location, an edge of the door is to be worked on, the door may be stood on edge resting one end against the wall, but this is not particularly desirable for it 15 precludes access to that section of the edge that is lent against the wall. To overcome this problem, it is common for joiners and carpenters to make or use a door support comprising a short, relatively stocky, length of timber having at its midpoint on one side a wedge shaped slot cut perpendicularly thereto. The door is rested in the slot and retained in place by a suitable wedge being jammed in the slot alongside the door, the wedge being typically 20 tapped "home" to firmly hold the door in place.

Although the above commonly employed door support is advantageous in that the support can be constructed from materials readily available, and is of little value, the action of inserting the wedge open damages the surface of the door especially where that surface 25 is either highly polished or painted. Furthermore, the door is only supported along its lower

-2 most edge such that a person working on the door has to be careful not to apply any lateral force to the top edge which may result in the door leaning to the side and causing damage to that section of the door held in the support.

5 According to the present invention there is provided a door support for supporting a door whilst the door is stood on an edge, the support comprising a rest portion and a clamp portion, wherein the rest portion is arranged to bear a substantial portion ofthe weight of a door, when in the door support, and wherein the clamp portion comprises two sections between which the door is clamped to maintain it in a substantially upright position, the rest 10 portion being mechanically finked to the clamp portion in a manner such that the weight of the door on the rest acts to urge the two sections of the clamp portion together.

A door support in accordance with the present invention may be of simple construction using only the weight of the door to support the door in position. This is 15 particularly advantageous because the action of inserting the door in the support will in itselfcause the support to clamp the door in position.

Preferably, the door support comprises a Tame, the frame having a first frame section arranged to be free-standing, to which first frame section, the first section of the 20 clamp portion is fixed, and a second frame section pivotally connected to the first frame section, the second frame section comprising the rest portion towards one end and the second section of the clamp portion towards an opposite end, the second frame portion pivoting under the weight of the door on the rest to urge the second section of the clamp portion towards the first section of the clang portion.

: - 3 A door support comprising a frame as described above can be constructed primarily of just two sections, providing a door support that is relatively inexpensive to manufacture.

Furthermore, the pivotal action provides for effective translation of the downward force on the rest, to a compressive force on the clamp to hold the door in position s The support is preferably constructed of metal tube and advantageously comprises means for biasing the clamp portion to an open position. The biasing of the clamp portion towards an. open position is particularly ad.,antageous for it ensures the door support is ready to receive a door, making the support easier to use particularly if: the door is being 10 handled by an individual; the door is heavy, or if the door support is being used outside in windy conditions.

A further advantage of using a door support in accordance with the present invention is that the Claire portion can be arranged such that the door is supported at a point

15 approxonately midway up the door. At this point the clamping force required to maintain the door in position is less than it would be if the door were to be supported only along a bottom edge. This reduces the risk of damaging the surface of the door, which risk is alsoreduced by the clamping force not having any component tangential to the surface of the door.

The invention has been defined as a door support, that being a support suitable for receiving and supporting a door. However, this definition does not preclude the support being used to support other substantially planar items, such as worktops. Thus in the context of the present application, door support is defined as any support suitable for

- 4 supporting a door in the manner described regardless ofthe use to which such a support is subsequently applied.

One embodiment of a door support in accordance with the present invention will 5 now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying figures, of which: Figure I is a side elevation of a door support in accordance with the present invention; Figure 2 is the same view as Figure 1 with a door in the support; and 10 Figure 3 is a plan view of Figure 2.

Referring to all three figures, the door support, illustrated generally as 1, comprises frame section 2, which is freestanding by means of tubular feet sections 3 and 4 welded thereto. The first flame section 2 is constructed of tubular steel bent such that a first end 5 is supported approximately 45 cm above the ground, with a rubber stopper 6 inserted into the end of the tube, the rubber stopper 6 forming a first section of a clamp portion of the support. The opposite end 7 of the frame section 2 terminates in a hinge 8, to which is pivotally connected via pin 9 a second section 10 ofthe frame. This second section 10 comprises a length of tubular steel bent such as to have a rest portion I 1 towards one end and at the opposite end a stopper 12 opposed to stopper 6. Stoppers 6 and 12 together Bonn 25 a clamp portion in which a door can be retained.

- 5 - The door support additionally comprises a spring 13 for urging the second frame section 10 in the direction ofthe arrow 14, thereby maintaining maximum separation between stoppers 6 and 12. The spring 13 is relatively weak such that when a door IS is 5 inserted, as illustrated in Figure 2, the weight of the door acting on rest portion 11 (in the direction of arrow 16) urges stopper 12 towards stopper 6, retaining the door 15 in a substantially upright vertical position.

lye door, as shown in Figures 2 and 3, is supported away Mom its lower edge, the 10 depth of the door support being a matter of design choice. The nearer to the top edge the door is supported the more rigid the support provided will be, however the larger the support will then be.

One embodiment of the invention only has been described above, however it will be 15 apparent that various modification of the design may be made, which modifications will be withy the scope of the appended claims.

Claims

Al -6 CLAIMS

1. A door support for supporting a door whilst the door is stood on an edge, the support comprising a rest portion and a clamp portion, wherein the rest portion is arranged 5 to bear a substantial portion of the weight of a door when the door is in the door support and wherein the clamp portion comprises two sections between which the door is clamped to maintain the door in a substantially upright position, the rest portion being mechanically linked to the clamp portion in a manner such that the weight of the door on the rest portion acts to urge the two sections of the clamp portion together.

2. A support as claimed in Claim 1, comprising a frame, the frame beving a first frame section arranged to be Dee standing to which first Dame section a first section of the clamp portion is fLxed, and a second frame section pivotally connected to the first frame section, the second frame section comprising the rest portion towards one end and the second 15 section of the clamp portion towards an opposite end, the second frame portion pivoting under the weight of a door on the rest portion to urge the second section ofthe clamp portion towards the first section of the clamp portion.

3. A support as claimed in Claim 1 or 2, constructed of metal tube.

4. A support as claimed in Claim 1, 2 or 3, comprising means for biasing the clamp portion to an open position

5. A support substantially as hereinbefore described, with reference to, and/or 25 illustrated in, the accompanying figures.