Wood trim system

Abstract

For attaching wood trim around a door or window frame. In the disclosed system, plastic spline-clips attached to the jambs serve to fix the jamb to the wall. The spline-clips have two splines, which engage slots in the wood trim, forming a dovetail connection between the trim and the splines. The splines are elastic enough to deflect apart to admit the trim, and then spring back to grip the trim and to push the trim tightly against the wall. Grooves cut in the edge faces of the jambs receive lugs on the clips, by which the clips are accurately positioned on the jambs. Also disclosed is a split-jamb system, in which the inside jamb-frame is positioned first, then squared up in the wall opening, and then held in place on the wall by means of with its inside spline-clips; the outside jamb-frame is then assembled to the inside jamb-frame, and the outside jamb-frame locked in place with its outside spline-clips. Also disclosed is a corner-cover, which masks the ends of converging baseboards and other trim, on both inside corners and outside corners. The corner-cover avoids the need for mitring the baseboards. The corner-cover is profiled to fit the profile of the baseboard. Also disclosed is a system for attaching trim, e.g baseboards, chair rails, to a wall. This includes a hook-clip, the hook of which engages a slot cut in the trim. The hook is springy, and presses the trim against the wall. The system biases the trim so that it is the top of the trim that is pressed against the wall.

1 . Procedure for fixing a doorframe or windowframe, termed a frame, in an opening in a wall, the wall have an inside surface and an outside surface, and for applying wood trim around the frame, including:
 providing an inside set of plastic spline-clips, each spline-clip having the following characteristics:—
 the spline-clip has a unitary cross-sectional profile that includes a wall-spline and a jamb-spline, the two splines protruding from a connecting web of the clip; and 
 the web has a wall-contact surface, and the spline-clip is so structured that the wall-contact surface of the web can make touching contact with the flat surface of the wall; 
   providing the frame as a split-frame, comprising an inside-frame that includes left and right inside-jambs, and a separable outside frame that includes left and right outside-jambs, wherein:—
 the split-frame includes an engageable split-guide, which is so structured that, when the split-guide is engaged, the inside-frame is movable relative to the outside-frame, being guided and constrained by the split-guide for relative movement only towards and away from the outside-frame, being the inside-outside direction; 
 the structure of the split-guide is such that the inside-frame can be assembled to the outside-frame, in the inside-outside direction, and when assembled thereto the split-guide is effective to prevent relative movement between the inside and outside frames in the left-right and up-down directions; and 
 the outside-frame lies assembled into the opening in the wall, and is rigidly fixed to the wall; 
   attaching the inside set of spline-clips to the inside-frame, thereby forming an inside sub-assembly comprising the inside-frame and the inside spline-clips attached thereto;   positioning the inside sub-assembly in the opening in the wall;   engaging the split-guide, and moving the inside sub-assembly towards the outside sub-assembly until the respective wall-contact-surfaces of the inside spline-clips lie flat against the inside surface of the wall;   then driving fasteners through the webs of the inside spline-clips, thereby fastening the inside spline-clips and the inside-frame to the wall; and   then assembling wood trim onto the inside spline-clips.   
   
   
       2 . As in  claim 1 , including, prior to assembling the inside frame into the opening, assembling the outside-frame into the opening by the following procedure:
 providing an outside set of the plastic spline-clips;   attaching the outside spline-clips to the outside-frame, to form an outside sub-assembly comprising the outside-frame and the outside spline-clips attached thereto;   positioning the outside sub-assembly in the opening in the wall;   with the wall-contact-surfaces of the outside spline-clips flat against the outside surface of the wall, adjusting the orientation of the outside-door-frame until the outside door-frame is aligned squarely within the opening;   then driving fasteners through the webs of the outside spline-clips, thereby fastening the outside spline-clips and the outside-frame to the wall; and   then assembling wood trim onto the outside spline-clips.   
   
   
       3 . As in  claim 2 , wherein:
 the outside-frame is a doorframe, and includes a door; and   the door is hinged to one of the left and right inside-jambs, and latched to the other.   
   
   
       4 . As in  claim 1 , including:
 providing the wood trim with the following characteristics:—
 the wood trim has a unitary cross-sectional profile that includes a wall-spline-slot and a jamb-spline-slot; 
 the respective proximal walls of the slots together define a male dovetail form, being of a maximum overall width DM; 
 the profile includes a wall-land, beyond the wall-spline-slot, for making contact with an outer flat surface of the wall; and 
 the profile includes a jamb-land, beyond the jamb-spline-slot, for making contact with an edge face of a jamb component of the frame; and 
   providing the spline-clips with the following characteristics:—
 the two splines of the spline-clip are so angled relatively, and both so angled relative to the web, as to define a female dovetail shape between the two splines; 
 the two splines converge together, the further away from the web, to a minimum distance apart DF, where DF is smaller than DM; and 
 the spline-clip is elastically deflectable, to the extent that the splines can be separated to the distance DM by the application of a separating force, and can recover resiliently, without damage, upon the separating force being no longer applied. 
   
   
   
       5 . As in  claim 1 , wherein:
 the inside-jambs and the outside-jambs have respective edge-faces facing each other; and   providing the engageable split-guide by forming respective key-grooves formed in the respective edge-faces, and providing a key which engages both key-grooves.   
   
   
       6 . As in  claim 1 , including attaching the inside set of spline-clips to the inside-frame by the following procedure:
 the inside-jambs having respective inside edge-faces lying in substantially the same plane as the inside surface of the wall, forming respective inside spline-clip grooves in the inside edge-faces of the inside jambs;   providing respective barbed lugs on the webs of the inside spline-clips, the barbed lugs protruding towards the inside-jambs;   engaging the barbed lugs into the spline-clip grooves;   designing the lugs on the inside spline-clips to be a tight fit in the spline-clip grooves in the inside jambs, whereby, when the lug is present inside the spline-clip groove, the spline-clip is thereby secured firmly to the jamb.   
   
   
       7 . As in  claim 1 , including:
 in the left-right sense, by so moving the sub-assembly that the web of the inside clip moves horizontally over the inside surface of the wall;   in the up-down sense, in that the flat of the web of the inside clip is movable vertically over the flat inside surface of the wall, while remaining in contact with that surface;   
   
   
       8 . Combination of wood-trim and spline-clips, wherein:
 the spline-clips are effective to attach the wood-trim around a door or window installation, being an installation that includes an opening in a wall;   the wall, in respect of a cross-sectional profile of the opening in the wall, includes parallel opposite outer surfaces, and includes also a jamb-piece;   the jamb-piece has respective outer surfaces which are at least approximately co-planar with the outer surfaces of the wall;   the spline-clips of the combination are of plastic material, which is capable of being pierced by a pointed fastener such as a staple or nail;   each spline-clip is configured as follows: —   the spline-clip is in one piece, which has a profile having an overall width W;   the width W of the spline-clip includes a web-portion, which is shaped to lie flat against one of the outer surfaces of the wall;   the web-portion is shaped to bridge a gap between one of the outer surfaces of the wall and the co-planar outer surface of the jamb-piece;   the web-portion of the spline-clip has a wall-end and a jamb-end;   at or near the wall-end of the web, the spline-clip includes a protruding wall-spline;   at or near the jamb-end of the web, the spline-clip includes an protruding jamb-spline;   each spline has an inner-side-face, being, in respect of each spline, the face that faces the other spline;   the respective inner-side-faces of the splines on the spline-clip lie spaced apart a distance DC;   the inner-side-faces slope inwards with respect to the web-portion, in such manner that the respective inner-side-faces of the two splines of the spline-clip together create a female dovetail form;   the distance DC is measured parallel to the wall, and the female dovetail form is so configured that the distance DC decreases in proportion to the spacing of the distance DC from the wall;   the splines have tips, and the minimum value of the distance DC, termed DC-min, occurs at or near the tips;   the wood-trim has the following characteristics:   the wood-trim is made of rigid solid material;   the wood-trim has a profile that includes a wall-side face, being a face of the trim that lies against the wall, and is thereby hidden from view, when installed;   formed into the wall-side face of the trim are two spline-slots, being a wall-end spline-slot and a jamb-end spline-slot;   the two spline-slots are angled inwards, at angles corresponding to the respective slopes of the two splines;   the two spline-slots in the wood-trim have respective inner-faces, which lie spaced apart a distance DT;   the two inner-faces slope inwards with respect to the web-portion, in such manner that the two inner-faces of the slots in the wood-trim together create a male dovetail form;   the distance DT is measured parallel to the wall, and the male dovetail form is so configured that the distance DT decreases in proportion to the spacing of the distance DT from the wall;   the slots have entry corners, and the maximum magnitude of the distance DT, termed DT-max, occurs at or near the entry-corners;   the distance DC-min of the female dovetail form is smaller than the distance DT-max of the male dovetail form;   the plastic material of the spline-clip is flexible and pliable enough that, when the splines are forced apart with a force F of such magnitude that the minimum distance DC-min between the splines is increased to the distance DT-max, and then released, the splines spring back resiliently without taking a permanent set; and   the solid material of the wood-trim is rigid enough that a force of the same magnitude as the force F, when applied between the entry-corners, causes substantially no reduction in the distance DT-min.   
   
   
       9 . As in  claim 8 , wherein:
 the distance DT-max of the solid material of the trim is greater than the distance DT-min measured when the plastic material is unstressed, by an interference distance ID millimetres;   ID is at least ½ mm.   
   
   
       10 . Procedure for fixing a doorframe or windowframe, termed a frame, in an opening in a wall, and for applying wood trim around the frame, including:
 providing wood trim having the following characteristics:
 the wood trim has a unitary cross-sectional trim profile that includes a wall-spline-slot and a jamb-spline-slot; 
 the respective proximal walls of the slots in the trim profile together define a male dovetail form, being of a maximum overall width DM; 
 the trim profile includes a wall-land, beyond the wall-spline-slot, for making contact with a flat surface of the wall; and 
 the profile includes a jamb-land, beyond the jamb-spline-slot, for making contact with an edge face of a jamb component of the frame; 
   providing an inside set of plastic spline-clips, each having the following characteristics:—
 the spline-clip has a unitary cross-sectional spline-clip profile that includes a wall-spline and a jamb-spline, the two splines protruding from a web of the spline-clip, which joins the two splines; 
 the web has a wall-contact surface, and the spline-clip is so structured that the wall-contact surface of the web can make touching contact with the flat surface of the wall; 
 the two splines are so angled relatively as to define a female dovetail shape between the two splines; 
 the two splines converge together, the further away from the web, to a minimum distance apart DF, where DF is smaller than DM; and 
 the spline-clip is resiliently deflectable, to the extent that the splines can be separated to the distance DM by the application of a separating force, and can recover elastically, without damage, upon the separating force being no longer applied; 
   making a sub-assembly of the frame and the inside set of plastic spline-clip;   fixing the spline-clips to the frame, in the sub-assembly;   placing the sub-assembly in the opening;   adjusting the position of the sub-assembly in the inside-outside sense relative to the opening in the wall by moving the sub-assembly in the inside-outside direction until the flat of the web of the clip lies in contact with the flat inside surface of the wall;   with the web of the spline-clip in contact with the flat wall surface, driving a fastener through the web and into the wall;   with the spline-clip attached to the wall, and the two splines of the spline-clip protruding out from the wall, assembling the wood trim onto the spline-clip by placing one of the grooves in the wood trim over one of the splines of the spline-clip;   so positioning the wood trim, and so applying a manual force to the wood trim in the direction towards the wall, that the male dovetail in the wood trim, in moving towards the wall, bends one of the splines outwards relative to the other spline, with such deflection as to enable the male dovetail to enter between the splines;   pressing the wood trim so far towards the wall that the elasticity of the spline-clip causes the spline to move back, over the male dovetail;   whereby the splines apply a force to the male dovetail urging the wood trim in the direction towards the wall.   
   
   
       11 . Corner cover apparatus, for covering corners at which two pieces of profiled trim converge, in combination with the trim, wherein:
 the trim is of the same cross-sectional trim profile at all points along its length;   the trim has an outside or front face, which is formed with a front face profile;   the two pieces of trim converge at an angle A;   the corner-cover includes two limbs, set at the angle A to each other;   the two limbs are joined rigidly together at the apex of the angle A;   the limbs have respective inside faces, having respective inside face profiles;   in respect of each limb of the corner-cover:—
 the inside face profile of the limb is the same at all points along the length of the limb; 
 the front face profile of the limb is the same at all points along the length of the limb; 
 the limb is shaped and dimensioned to fit against the trim; and 
 when so fitted, the inside face profile of the limb lies against the front face profile of the trim and the front face profile of the limb is visible; and 
 the apparatus includes a fastening means, which is effective to urge the inside faces of the limbs into contact with the respective front faces of the two converging pieces of trim, and thus to attach the cover to both pieces. 
   
   
   
       12 . As in  claim 11 , wherein the profile of the trim is so configured that, when the pieces of trim are fitted to converging walls, with the lengths of the pieces disposed horizontally along the walls, the height or vertical dimension of the profile is much greater than the thickness or horizontal dimension of the profile. 
   
   
       13 . As in  claim 11 , wherein the two limbs of the corner-cover are formed together as a unitary structure. 
   
   
       14 . As in  claim 11 , wherein:
 in respect of the two limbs, the cross-sectional thickness of the limb, being the smallest distance between the inside face profile and the front face profile of the limb, is the same at all points along the length of the limb; and   the cross-sectional thickness of the limb, being the smallest distance between the inside face profile and the front face profile of the limb, is at least approximately the same over the whole extent of the face profiles.   
   
   
       15 . As in  claim 11 , wherein the inside face profile of the limb is formed as an accurate negative of the front face profile of the trim, in that, when the limb of the corner-cover is placed against the front face of the limb, the inside face profile of the corner-cover conforms closely to the front face profile of the limb. 
   
   
       16 . As in  claim 11 , wherein, in respect of the two limbs, the front face profile of the limb conforms at least approximately to the inside face profile of the limb, to the extent that the visible appearance of the corner-cover, when viewed with the trim, merges unobtrusively with the visible appearance of the trim. 
   
   
       17 . As in  claim 11 , wherein the corner-cover apparatus includes an outer cover of relatively hard rigid material on which the front face profile is formed, and a lining of relatively soft, flexible, deformable material, such as a foam or sponge material, on which the inside-face profile is formed. 
   
   
       18 . As in  claim 11 , wherein:
 the fastening means comprises patches of adhesive present on the inside faces of the limbs of the corner-cover; and   the adhesive is protected with respective protectors which can be peeled away just before applying the corner-cover to the pieces of trim.   
   
   
       19 . As in  claim 11 , wherein the trim is one of baseboard trim or chair rail trim. 
   
   
       20 . As in  claim 11 , wherein the angle A is a right angle, and the lengths of the limbs are between three and ten cm. 
   
   
       21 . As in  claim 11 , wherein a pair of the corner-covers are configured one to cover an external corner and the other to cover an internal corner. 
   
   
       22 . As in  claim 11 , wherein:
 the corner-cover includes a platform, which is configured to overlie an upwards-facing top surface of the trim; and   the platform is of a thickness that is thinner than that of the cross-sectional profile of the limb, between the front profile and the inside profile.   
   
   
       23 . As in  claim 11 , wherein the material of the corner-cover is one of solid wood, or injection-moulded plastic. 
   
   
       24 . System for attaching trim, including baseboard trim and chair-rail trim, to a wall of a room, wherein:
 the system includes hook-clips, and includes fasteners whereby the hook-clips can be attached to the wall;   the trim is of the same cross-sectional trim profile at all points along its length;   the hook-clips are of the same cross-sectional hook-clip profile along their lengths;   the trim profile includes a hook-engaging surface, which faces into the room;   the trim profile includes a wall-facing-surface;   the hook-clip profile includes an upstanding hook, having a hook surface, which faces the wall;   the hook-clip profile includes a buffer, having a buffer surface, which faces into the room;   at least one of the hook or the buffer is resiliently or elastically deflectable;   the system is so configured that, when the hook-clips are attached to the wall, the trim can be attached to the hook-clips by lowering the trim downwards onto the hook-clips, and can be removed from the hook-clips by lifting the trim upwards from the hook-clips;   the trim profile is so configured, in relation to the wall and to the hook-clip profile, that when the trim is lowered down onto the hook-clips, the trim profile touches the hook profile at (i) a top-of-trim contact point T, at (ii) a hook contact point H, and at (iii) a buffer contact point B, wherein:—
 the point T is a point on the wall-facing surface of the trim, at or near the top of the trim profile, and on the wall, at which forceful contact occurs; 
 the point H is a point on the wall-facing hook-face of the hook, and on the room-facing hook-engaging surface of the trim, at which forceful contact occurs; and 
 the point B is a point on the wall-facing back surface of the trim, and on the room-facing buffer surface of the buffer, at which forceful contact occurs; 
   the point T lies above the point H, and the point B lies below the point H; and   the effect of the forceful contacts is such that the said at least one of the hook or the buffer undergoes an elastic deflection.   
   
   
       25 . As in  claim 24 , wherein:
 the hook-clip profile includes a ledge;   the trim profile includes a nose; and   the nose and the ledge are so located in their respective profiles that the trim can be lowered down onto the hook-clips until the nose comes to rest on the ledge.   
   
   
       26 . As in  claim 24 , wherein:
 the profile of the trim includes a hook-slot, one side of which comprises the room-facing hook-engaging surface of the trim profile, and the other side comprises a hook-slot wall-facing surface of the trim profile;   the sides of the hook-slot in the trim profile are substantially parallel;   the hook is slightly thicker than the width apart of the sides of the hook-slot, to the extent that the hook interferes with the hook-slot;   the surface of the hook is rippled, thereby limiting the interference grip of the hook in the hook-slot;   whereby the interference provides a controlled retention force, which resists removal of the trim from the hook-clips.   
   
   
       27 . As in  claim 24 , wherein:
 the profile of the trim is so shaped, as a whole profile, that it can be cut in a profile cutting machine;   being a machine in which the trim passes through along a work-line, and the profile is cut by saws or cutters which rotate about respective axes; and   each axis forms a right angle to the work-line when viewed from above and from the side of the work-line.   
   
   
       28 . As in  claim 24 , wherein:
 the profile of the trim and the profile of the hook-clip are so configured that, when the trim is assembled to the hook-clips, the trim is capable of rotating or rocking about the hook as a fulcrum;   whereby, during installation, when the trim is touching the hook at the point H, and is touching the buffer at the point B, the said elastic deflection urges the trim profile to rotate, about the hook, in the sense to move the top of the trim towards the wall;   thereby creating the said forceful contact between the top of the trim and the wall at the point T.   
   
   
       29 . As in  claim 24 , wherein:
 all the said surfaces are vertical or have a substantial vertical component; whereby:—
 forces created by the forceful contact at the points T, H, and B are all horizontal or have a substantial horizontal component; and 
 the horizontal contact force at the point H is reacted by the sum of the horizontal forces at the points T and B. 
   
   
   
       30 . As in  claim 24 , wherein each hook-clip is of a unitary structure, the hook and the buffer being formed together in the profile thereof. 
   
   
       31 . As in  claim 24 , wherein:
 the trim profile is relieved at locations between the contact-points, to the extent that contact with the wall of the room occurs only at point T, and contact with the buffer occurs only at point B;   the point T is at the very top of the trim profile, in that substantially no portion of the trim profile protrudes above the point T; and   the point T lies at the junction between an upwards-facing top surface of, and a wall-facing back surface of, the profile of the trim.   
   
   
       32 . Procedure for attaching an inside jamb-frame and trim to an outside jamb-frame of an existing doorframe or window frame, by the following procedure:
 providing a profiled moulding, the profile of which is formed with an internal angle;   where the internal angle is dimensioned to fit over and engage with a corner of an the edge face of the existing outside-jamb;   fixing the profiled moulding to the existing outside-jamb;   where the profile of the profiled moulding includes a slot, and where a key engages the slot, and thereby locates or positions the inside jamb-frame with respect to the profiled moulding, and thereby with respect to the outside jamb-frame;   attaching an inside set of spline-clips to an edge face of the outside frame;   positioning the inside frame, with the inside spline-clips attached, such that the inside spline-clips lie flat against the inside wall;   driving fasteners through the webs of the inside spline-clips, to secure the inside spline-clips, and   thereby the inside jamb-frame, to the wall;   then applying wood trim to the inside spline-clips.   
   
   
       33 . As in  claim 32  wherein the key is separable from the inside jamb-frame.