Panel frame assembly

Claim 2

In a panel frame assembly comprising a stile and a rail perpendicularly disposed to form a corner, each said stile and rail having a channel facing inwardly relative to said corner and being adapted to receive respective edges of a corner of a rectangular panel therein, said stile having another channel disposed along its said channel, a unitary corner connector having an upright portion disposed in said other channel, said connector having a laterally extending portion and another upright portion spaced from said upright portion and extending in the same direction with respect to said upright portion, said rail having an opening therethrough laterally spaced with respect to said channel of said rail and spaced from said stile, said other upright portion of said connector being disposed in said opening whereby said stile and rail are connected together by said unitary corner connector.

Claim 3

In the panel frame assembly as defined in claim 1 further comprising means between said other channel and said upright portion for affixing said connector to said other channel.

Claim 4

In the panel frame assembly as defined in claim 1 further comprising means between said other upright portion and said rail for affixing said other upright portion to said rail.

Claim 5

In the panel frame assembly as defined in claim 1 wherein said upright portion of said unitary corner connector includes a shoulder and wherein said other channel includes a shoulder, said shoulders being in engagement when said upright portion is fully inserted into said other channel whereby said corner and stile are self-locked together.

Claim 6

In the panel frame assembly as defined in claim 1 wherein said other upright portion of said unitary corner connector includes a shoulder spaced below said laterally extending portion, said shoulder engaging a shoulder defining said opening in said rail whereby said corner and rail are self-locked together.

Claim 7

In the panel frame assembly as defined in claim 1 further comprising another stile and another rail disposed to form three additional corners, said other stile and other rail being identical respectively to said stile and rail, three additional corner connectors identical with said corner connector disposed in respective said additional corners thereby completing said panel frame assembly.

Claim 8

In the panel frame assembly as defined in claim 1 wherein said corner is an upper corner, a member connected to said other upright portion and extending above said lateral portion for suspending said stile and rail and corner connector to an upper track to be disposed spacedly above and along said rail.

Claim 9

In the panel frame assembly as defined in claim 7 further comprising means connected to said other Upright portion for adjusting the vertical extent of said member.

Claim 10

In the panel frame assembly as defined in claim 8 wherein said means includes an upright elongated screw rotatably connected to said other upright portion, said member being threadedly connected to said screw within said other upright portion, said member including means cooperatively associated with said other upright portion for maintaining said member in non-rotative relationship whereby rotation of said screw movably adjusts the extension and retraction of said member solely in a vertical and rectilinear direction.

Claim 11

In the panel frame assembly as defined in claim 1 wherein said corner is an upper corner, said corner connector other portion including a vertical passageway therethrough, said other portion having a lower end with an opening in alignment with and communicating with said passageway, said opening being smaller in cross section than the cross section of said passageway, an elongated screw having a shank positioned through said opening and extending into said passageway, said screw having a head exposed outwardly of said other upright portion, said shank having an enlarged shoulder spaced from said head and disposed in said passageway, each of said head and enlarged shoulder with shank being larger in cross section than said opening whereby said screw is rotatably connected to said other upright portion, an upright hanger element threadedly engaged with said screw within said passageway, said element including means cooperatively associated with said other upright portion for maintaining said element in non-rotative relationship whereby rotation of said head movably adjusts the extension and retraction of said element solely in a vertical and rectilinear direction, said hanger element extending above said lateral portion for suspending said stile and rail and corner connector to an upper track to be disposed spacedly above and along said rail.

Claim 12

In the panel frame assembly as defined in claim 10, wherein said other upright portion is resiliently expandable, said opening being temporarily expandable for insertion of said shoulder therethrough to properly position said shoulder within said passageway.

Claim 13

In the panel frame assembly as defined in claim 11 wherein said other upright portion includes a slit therethrough communicating with said opening and passageway.

Claim 14

In the panel frame assembly as defined in claim 12 wherein said other upright portion includes a pair of spaced upright slits each communicating with said opening and passageway.

Claim 15

In the panel frame assembly as defined in claim 1 wherein said corner is a lower corner, said other upright portion including a vertical passageway, an elongated guide element positioned in said passageway and freely movable upwardly and downwardly therein, said guide element including means adapted to engage a lower track disposed spacedly below and along said rail for preventing inadvertent removal of said guide element from the lower track.

Claim 16

In the panel frame assembly as defined in claim 1 wherein said corner is a lower corner, said other upright portion including a vertical passageway, an elongated guide element positioned in said passageway and freely movable upwardly and downwardly therein, said guide element including means cooperatively associated with said other upright portion for maintaining said guide element in a non-rotative relationship, said guide element including means for slidably guiding said element in a lower track to be disposed spacedly below and along said rail.

Claim 17

In the panel frame assembly as defined in claim 15, wherein said guide element includes a first upright tongue terminating in a laterally extending foot which is adapted to engage beneath a laterally extending shoulder of the lower track.

Claim 18

In the panel frame assembly as defined in claim 16 wherein said means for slidably guiding said element includes a pair of spaced upright tongues positioned respectively on opposite sides of said fiRst tongue.

Claim 19

In the panel frame assembly as defined in claim 17 wherein said first tongue includes a vertical surface from which said foot extends, said pair of tongues having vertical surfaces remote from said first tongue surface, said first tongue surface and said surfaces of said pair of tongues respectively being adapted and arranged to engage opposite slot edges of the lower track.

Claim 20

In the panel frame assembly as defined in claim 18 wherein said first tongue is laterally offset from said pair of tongues whereby said pair of tongues engage one slot edge of the lower track and said first tongue engages only the other slot edge of the lower track.

Claim 21

In a panel frame assembly comprising a stile and a rail perpendicularly disposed to form an upper corner, said stile having an inwardly facing channel adjacent said upper corner, a unitary corner connector having an upright portion disposed in said channel, said connector having a laterally extending portion and another upright portion spaced from said upright portion and extending in the same direction with respect to said upright portion, said rail having an opening therethrough spaced from said stile, said other upright portion of said connector being disposed in said opening whereby said stile and rail are connected together by said unitary corner connector, and a member connected to said other upright portion and extending above said lateral portion for suspending said stile and rail and corner connector to an upper track adapted to be disposed spacedly above and along said rail.

Claim 22

In a panel frame assembly comprising a stile and a rail perpendicularly disposed to form an upper corner, said stile having an inwardly facing channel adjacent said upper corner, a unitary corner connector having an upright portion disposed in said channel, said connector having a laterally extending portion and another upright portion spaced from said upright portion and extending in the same direction with respect to said upright portion, said rail having an opening therethrough spaced from said stile, said other upright portion of said connector being disposed in said opening whereby said stile and rail are connected together by said unitary corner connector, and a member connected to said other upright portion and extending above said lateral portion for suspending said stile and rail and corner connector to an upper track adapted to be disposed spacedly above and along said rail.

Claim 23

In the panel frame assembly as defined in claim 20 further comprising means connected to said other upright portion for adjusting the vertical extent of said member.

Claim 24

In the panel frame assembly as defined in claim 21 wherein said means includes an upright elongated screw rotatably connected to said other upright portion, said member being threadedly connected to said screw within said other upright portion.

Claim 25

In the panel frame assembly as defined in claim 22 wherein said member includes means cooperatively associated with said other upright portion for maintaining said member in nonrotative relationship whereby rotation of said screw movably adjusts the extension and retraction of said member generally only in a vertical and rectilinear direction.

Claim 26

In a panel frame assembly comprising a stile and a rail perpendicularly disposed to form a lower corner, said stile having an inwardly facing channel adjacent said lower corner, a unitary corner connector having an upright portion disposed in said channel, said connector having a laterally extending portion and another upright portion spaced from said upright portion and extending in the same direction with respect to said upright portion, said rail having an opening therethrough spaced from said stile, said other upright portion of said connector being disposed in said opening whereby said stile and rail are connected together by said unitary corner connector, said other upright portion including a vertical passageway, an elongated guide element positioned in said passageway and freely movable upwardly and downwardly therein.

Claim 27

In a panel frame assembly comprising a stile and a rail perpendicularly disposed to form a lower corner, said stile having an inwardly facing channel adjacent said lower corner, a unitary corner connector having an upright portion disposed in said channel, said connector having a laterally extending portion and another upright portion spaced from said upright portion and extending in the same direction with respect to said upright portion, said rail having an opening therethrough spaced from said stile, said other upright portion of said connector being disposed in said opening whereby said stile and rail are connected together by said unitary corner connector, said other upright portion including a vertical passageway, an elongated guide element positioned in said passageway and freely movable upwardly and downwardly therein.

Claim 28

In the panel frame assembly as defined in claim 24 wherein said guide element includes means adapted to engage a lower track disposed spacedly below and along said rail for preventing inadvertent removal of said guide element from the lower track.

Claim 29

In the panel frame assembly as defined in claim 24 wherein said guide element includes means cooperatively associated with said other upright portion for maintaining said guide element in a non-rotative relationship, said guide element including means adapted to engage a lower track disposed spacedly below and along said rail for slidably guiding said guide element along the lower track.

Claim 30

In the panel frame assembly as defined in claim 26 wherein said guide element includes a first upright tongue terminating in a laterally extending foot which is adapted to engage beneath a Laterally extending shoulder of the lower track.

Claim 31

In the panel frame assembly as defined in claim 27 wherein said means for slidably guiding said element includes a pair of spaced upright tongues positioned respectively on opposite sides of said first tongue.

Claim 32

In the panel frame assembly as defined in claim 28 wherein said first tongue includes a vertical surface from which said foot extends, said pair of tongues having vertical surfaces remote from said first tongue surface, said first tongue surface and said surfaces of said pair of tongues respectively being adapted and arranged to engage opposite slot edges of the lower track.

Claim 33

In the panel frame assembly as defined in claim 29 wherein said first tongue is laterally offset from said pair of tongues whereby said pair of tongues engage one slot edge of the lower track and said first tongue engages only the other slot edge of the lower track.