ES2895188T3 - Device against drafts with delayed actuation - Google Patents

Abstract

Device against drafts (1) with delayed activation, adapted to be attached to the lower edge (B) of a door (P) hinged to a frame (T), device (1) comprising an enclosure (2) having in it : a seal (3) adapted to sealingly interact with a threshold (S) and actuating means (6) acting on said seal (3) to move it between a raised non-operative position and a lowered operative position; an actuator (15) associated with said drive means (6) to control their drive as a result of interaction with the frame (T) when the door (P) is closed; delay means (22) acting on said drive means (6) to delay their operation; wherein said drive means (6) comprise a slider (7) having an appendage (8) with an end edge (9) adapted to interact with said delay means (22) and operatively connected to said seal (3) ; wherein said delay means (22) comprise a movable element (23) having a substantially vertical first counter surface (24) which is adapted to act against the end edge (9) of said slider (7) when said seal ( 3) is in the raised non-operative position, and a second sliding surface (25) inclined with respect to said first counter surface (24) to cause a snap release of said moving element (23) with respect to said edge of end (9) of said slider (7) as well as a delayed sliding of the latter and a movement of said seal (3) towards said lowered operative position; wherein said end edge (9) is substantially flat and vertical; characterized in that said mobile element (23) is a pivoting lever (23') that pivots in said enclosure (2) about a substantially horizontal axis (X) and has a proximal end portion (26) with said first counter surface ( 24) and said second slider surface (25), said actuator (15) comprising a longitudinal elongated element (27) and said lever (23') comprising a substantially vertical stop element (28), said elongated element (27) being adapted ) to contact said stop element (28) by actuating said actuator (15) to cause said end edge (9) to move from said first counter surface (24) to said second sliding surface (25) when the door (P) is closed.

Description

DESCRIPTION

Device against drafts with delayed actuation

field of invention

The present invention finds application in general in the field of thermal and acoustic insulation devices, and in particular relates to an anti-draft device with delayed actuation and snap-in movement.

prior art

Draft devices are known to be applied to the lower edge of a frame-mounted door or window sash and are adapted to at least partially close any gaps present between the sash and the sill. Generally, these devices include a seal made of an elastically flexible material, which is adapted to sealingly interact with the sill to prevent air infiltration.

Furthermore, these anti-draft devices comprise drive means for moving the seal between a raised position above the ground and a lowered position in contact with the ground.

These devices also comprise an actuator protruding from the edge of the door and adapted to interact with the frame when the door is closed, to cause the seal to move from the raised position to the lowered position.

In some of these anti-draft devices, delay means are provided which act on the drive means to retard the downward movement of the seal when the door is closed.

However, one drawback of these known devices is that the delay means are also activated when the door is opened, thus causing the delayed lifting of the seal and its rubbing against the ground for a considerable amount of time.

This rubbing of the seal against the ground causes deformation and wear, and requires periodic replacement of the seal after repeated use.

Furthermore, such rubbing of the seal against the ground makes it difficult for the user to open and close the door.

In an attempt to at least partially avoid these drawbacks, anti-draft devices have been developed that comprise delay means adapted to act only on the drive means when the door is closed, to allow the seal to rise immediately when the door is opened. .

Document EP2924224 describes an anti-draft device comprising drive means actuated by the actuator and comprising a longitudinally sliding slider operatively associated with the seal.

In this known device, the slider can interact with the piston of a damper disposed downstream to retard the movement of the seal from the raised position to the lowered position which is actuated by the drive means when the door is closed.

Rather, as the door opens, the slider instantly separates from the damper piston so that the seal immediately rises.

However, this arrangement has the drawback of operating with inadequate response times when the door is partially opened and then closed again before the damper piston returns to its initial rest position.

Furthermore, a small interaction of the actuator with the fixed frame will overcome the counter force of the retarding means. Therefore, the delayed downward movement of the seal can begin before the door is fully closed.

The friction of the seal against the floor during the movement of the door is reduced to a limited extent due to the aforementioned drawbacks.

A further drawback of this arrangement is that this anti-draught device does not ensure an optimal sealing effect of the seal when it comes into contact with the sill.

A further drawback of this arrangement is that certain parts of the aforementioned anti-draft device are very sensitive to temperature changes and are expensive.

DE 3027678 A1 describes a further known anti-draft device.

technical problem

In view of the prior art, the technical problem addressed by the present invention consists in causing the delayed descent of the stamp only when the leaf is completely closed, in order to completely prevent the stamp from rubbing the ground.

Description of the invention

The object of the present invention is to avoid the above drawbacks by providing an improved anti-draft device with delayed actuation which is highly efficient and relatively cost-effective.

A particular object of the present invention is to provide an anti-draft device as described above, which can ensure delayed descent of the seal when the door is fully closed. Another object of the present invention is to provide an anti-draught device as described above, which completely prevents the seal from rubbing the ground.

Another particular object of the present invention is to provide an anti-draught device as described above, which ensures an optimal sealing effect of the sill seal.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an anti-draught device as described above, wherein the thrust of the actuator is entirely designed to maintain a constant pressure of the seal on the ground when the door is closed.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an anti-draught device which can be controllably moved and is easy to maintain.

Another additional object of the present invention is to provide an anti-draft device that can be moved in a controllable way that allows a very simple adjustment of the delay with which the flexible strip descends, said delay being constant in time.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an anti-draft device having parts less sensitive to temperature changes and lower costs.

These and other objects, as explained more clearly below, are obtained by means of a delayed actuation anti-draught device, designed to be attached to the lower edge of a door hinged to a frame, as defined in claim 1, the device comprising an enclosure with a seal therein for sealing an interaction with a threshold, actuating means acting on the seal to move it between a raised non-operative position and a lowered operative position, and an actuator associated with the actuating means for controlling its actuation through an interaction with the frame when the door is closed.

Furthermore, the anti-draft device comprises retarding means acting on the actuating means to retard their operation, comprising a slider having an appendage with an end edge adapted to interact with the retarding means and operatively connected to the seal.

The delay means comprise a movable member having a substantially vertical counter first surface which is adapted to act against the end edge of the slider when the seal is in the raised, inactive position, and a second slider surface inclined towards the first surface. to cause a snap release of the movable element with respect to the end edge of the slider, as well as a delayed sliding of the latter and a movement of the seal towards the lowered operative position.

According to the invention, the end edge is substantially flat and vertical and the movable element is a pivoting lever that pivots in the enclosure about a substantially horizontal axis and has a proximal end portion with the first counter surface and the second slide surface. . The actuator comprises an elongated longitudinal element and the lever comprises a substantially vertical stop element. Furthermore, the elongate member is adapted to contact the stop member upon actuation of the actuator to cause the end edge to move from the first counter surface to the second slider surface when the door is closed. As a result of these features, the delayed descent of the seal only occurs when the door is fully closed and increases the sealing effect of the seal in the operating position.

Furthermore, the delayed descent of the seal may be caused by a damper that is disposed downstream of the moving element and is adapted to interact with the distal end of the latter to retard its movement.

As the door opens, the moving element is readjusted both by the damper, which overcomes the thrust of the drive means when the actuator does not interact with the door frame, and by an elastic return element attached to the enclosure.

Advantageous embodiments of the invention are obtained according to the dependent claims.

Brief description of the drawings

Other features and advantages of the invention will become more apparent after reading the detailed description of some preferred and non-exclusive embodiments of a device against currents with delayed activation according to the invention, which is described as non-limiting examples with the help of the attached drawings. , in which: FIG. 1 is a sectional side view of the countercurrent device of the invention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged sectional side view of a first detail of the device of Fig. 1;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged sectional side view of a second detail of the device of Fig.1;

osición operativa; la FIG. 5 es una vista ampliada de un detalle de la Fig. 4;FIG. 4 is an enlarged sectional side view of a detail

operational position; FIG. 5 is an enlarged view of a detail of Fig. 4;

FIG. Fig. 6 is an enlarged sectional side view of a detail of Fig. 3 in a second operative position; FIG. 7 is a sectional side view of the second detail of the device in FIG. 1 according to an alternative embodiment;

FIG. 8 is a side view of a detail of the device of the invention according to an alternative embodiment;

FIGS. 9 to 11 are sectional side views of the anti-draught device in different operating configurations.

Detailed description of a preferred illustrative embodiment

The above figures show a draft-delay device, generally indicated with the number 1, which is designed to be attached to the lower edge B of a door P hinged to a frame T fixed to an opening formed in a wall.

As is known per se, the frame T comprises a pair of vertical posts M, M', which are joined by a horizontal crossbar, and the door P can be hinged on one of the posts M to rotate about a pivot axis substantially vertical.

In its basic embodiment, as best shown in FIG. 1, the anti-draught device 1 of the invention comprises a box-shaped enclosure 2 which is designed to be inserted into a slot formed in the lower edge B of the door P and which defines a longitudinal axis L.

The box-shaped enclosure 2 comprises a seal 3 therein to interact with a sill or floor S to hermetically block the passage of air.

The seal 3 may be made of an elastically flexible material preferably selected from the group comprising elastomeric or polymeric materials and may have an upper part 4 with at least one lower appendage 5 extending therefrom to interact with the sill S.

Actuating means 6 are housed in the box-shaped enclosure 2 and act on the seal 3 to move it from a raised non-operative position, separated from the sill S, to a lowered operative position in contact with the sill S, and vice versa.

As explained below, the movement of the seal 3 from the raised position to the lowered position, caused by the drive means 6, is a snap-fit movement.

The drive means 6 comprise at least one slider 7, which is adapted to move in translation along a predetermined longitudinal path, is operatively connected to the seal 3 and has an appendage 8 with an end edge 9 substantially flat and vertical.

Furthermore, the drive means 6 may comprise a pair of connecting rods 10A, 10B, one of which 10a is adapted to connect the slider 7 to the seal 3.

In particular, in the embodiment of the figures, the device 1 may comprise a pair of connecting rods 11, 11' with one end 20, 20' articulated to the corresponding first and second anchoring elements 21, 21', which are designed to its removable connection to the upper part 4 of the seal 3.

The other end 13A of the connecting rod 10A is hinged to the slider 7, while the end 13B of the other connecting rod 10B is hinged to a fixed support 14.

This connection arrangement will allow to obtain a four-bar connection, the sides of which are formed by the slider 7, the connecting rod 10A, the seal 3 and the other connecting rod 10B, respectively.

An actuator 15 is also used, which is associated with the drive means 6 to control its drive by contacting the post M of the frame T when the door P is closed. Therefore, the drive means 6 are used to transfer motion from actuator 15 to seal 3 once door P has closed.

As shown in FIG. 1, the actuator 1 may comprise a tubular element 16 having a flat end portion 17 projecting from the enclosure 2 and adapted to interact with the post M of the frame T.

Actuator 15 is adapted to move longitudinally between an extended position, where it does not interact with post M when door P is open, and a retracted position, where it contacts post M when door P is closed.

In its retracted position, the actuator 15 will be adapted to interact with a longitudinal axis 18 also located in the enclosure 2 and having an end 19 rigidly attached to the slider 7.

In addition, a compression spring 20 is used, which is arranged between the actuator 15 and the slider 7 and is mounted on the longitudinal axis 18. In particular, the compression spring 20 has ends 20A, 20b that interact with the actuator 15 at the retracted position and the slider 7, respectively.

In its retracted position, actuator 15 can cause compression of compression spring 20. The latter can have an elastic modulus selected to transfer a predetermined longitudinal force to slider 7.

The force F ¹ applied by the compression spring 20 at the connection of four bars 24 through the slider 7 will cause the seal 3 to move downwards, while remaining substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis L.

Advantageously, each connecting rod 10A, 10B comprises a respective return spring 21 which can rotate and raise it, with the seal 3, when the door P is opened, that is, when the actuator 15 no longer acts on the slider 7 through of the compression spring 20.

Delay means 22 are further used, which act on the drive means 6 to delay the operation thereof and the movement of the seal 3 from the raised position to the lowered position.

In particular, the drive means 6 interacts with the delay means 22 through the end edge 9 of the tab 8 of the slider 7, as best shown in FIGS. 3 and 4.

The delay means 22 comprise a movable element 23 having a first substantially vertical counter surface 24 adapted to act against the end edge 9 of the appendix 8 of the slider 7 when the seal 3 is in the raised non-operative position and, therefore, Therefore, when the actuator 15 does not interact with the frame T of the door P. This operating state is shown in FIGS. 3 to 5.

Furthermore, the mobile element 23 comprises a second slider surface 25 inclined with respect to the first surface 24 to cause a snap release of the mobile element 23 with respect to the end edge 9 of the slider 7, as shown in Fig. FIG. 6.

The release of the mobile element 23 causes a delayed longitudinal sliding movement of the slider, which was previously blocked by the mobile element, under the thrust of the actuator 15 and the compression spring 20, as well as a delayed movement of the seal 3 towards its position operational descent.

This arrangement only causes delayed movement of seal 3 when door P is completely closed, which will prevent seal 3 from rubbing.

Furthermore, in the operative position, the slider 7 is no longer retained by the mobile element 23 and can complete its longitudinal translation as shown in FIGS. 6 and 11, so that the force exerted by the compression spring 20 will be fully discharged on the seal 3 through the slider 7, which will improve the sealing effect at the threshold S.

According to the invention, the mobile element 23 consists of a pivoting lever 23', which pivots in the box-shaped enclosure 2 about a substantially horizontal and transverse axis X. Therefore, the snap release described above is produced by the downward pivoting movement of lever 23 about axis X.

Lever 23' comprises a proximal end portion 26 with first counter surface 24 and second slider surface 25.

Advantageously, as shown in FIGS. 3, 6 and 8, the actuator 15 comprises an elongated longitudinal element 27 and the lever 23' comprises a substantially vertical stop element 28.

Elongated member 27 comprises a fixing base mounted between actuator 15 and compression spring 20 and is adapted to contact stop member 28 when actuating actuator 15.

The contact of the elongated element 27 with the stop element 28 first causes the end edge 9 of the slider 7 to move from the first counter surface 24 to the second slider surface 25 when the door P is closed, as shown in FIG. 9, and then causes a snap release of end edge 9 relative to second slider surface 25 by pivoting movement of lever 23', as shown in FIG. 10.

First counter surface 24 may be formed at proximal end portion 26 below and may be adjacent to second slider surface 25 to form a predetermined rake angle α, as shown in FIG. 5.

By changing the elastic modulus of the compression spring 20 and the inclination a between the first counter surface 24 and the second slider surface 25, the timing of the delay for the downward movement of the seal 3 can be adjusted.

It will be appreciated that the longitudinal translation path allowed by appendix 8 due to compression spring 20 is smaller than or equal to the longitudinal translation path of elongated element 27 due to the action of actuator 15.

In an alternate embodiment of the invention, as shown in FIG. 8, the elongated element 27 can also be replaced by an equivalent element that is adapted to come into contact with the stop element 28.

In this alternative embodiment, the elongated element 27 may consist of a longitudinal rod 27' having a beveled end to interact with the stop element 28.

As shown in the figures, the retarding means 22 may further comprise a well known oil hydraulic damper 29 having a longitudinally sliding piston 31 housed in a support element 30 which is rigidly attached to the enclosure 2 and is located downstream with relative to lever 23'.

Piston 31 of damper 29 is adapted to interact with a distal end portion 32 of lever 23' to retard release of the snap fit by pivoting it from end edge 9 of slider 7.

That is, the piston 31 interacts with the distal end portion 32 of the lever 23' through a counter member 33 that is hinged on the support 30 of the damper 29 and is disposed between the lever 23 and the damper 29.

Conveniently, counter element 33 may comprise a first wall 34 facing damper 29 and having a seat 35 for receiving rod 36 of piston 31 and a second wall 37 facing lever 23' and adapted to interact with its distal end portion 32.

The second wall 37 comprises a flat outer surface, while the distal end 32 of the lever 23' comprises a rounded edge which interacts with the flat surface and rotates there as a result of the pivotal movement of the lever 23' about the axis X.

In an alternative embodiment, the retarding means 22 may comprise a retarding spring 22A instead of the hydraulic oil damper 29, as best shown in FIG. 7.

Compared to the damper 29, the retarding spring 22A has the advantage of being lower in cost and less sensitive to temperature changes.

Preferably, the retarding spring 22A is of the conical type and may comprise a longitudinally sliding rod 22B, the movement of which is similar to that of the piston 31 of the shock absorber 29.

Furthermore, the retarding spring 22a is also housed in a support element 30 which is rigidly attached to the enclosure 2 and is located downstream with respect to the lever 23'. In this configuration, spring 22A may have end 22c connected to transverse wall 30A of support member 30.

Stem 22B of spring 22A is adapted to interact with distal end portion 32 of lever 23' to retard snap release by pivoting it from end edge 9 of slider 7.

That is, the stem 22B interacts with the distal end portion 32 of the lever 23' through the counter member 33 as described above, which is disposed between the lever 23 and the spring 22A.

Device 1 comprises an elastic return element 38 having a first end 38A associated with enclosure 2 and a second end 38B associated with proximal end portion 26 of lever 23'.

This elastic element 38 acts on the lever 23' to pull it upwards, so as to keep the first counter surface 24 in contact with the end edge 9 of the slider 7 when the door P is open.

Furthermore, the elastic return element 38 cooperates with the damper 29 or with the retarding spring 22A, to move the lever 23' back to the operative position with the first counter surface 24 in contact with the end edge 9 of the appendage 8 when the door P is opened and the slider 7 moves longitudinally in the opposite direction.

This configuration allows the seal 3 to move from the lowered position to the raised position, while limiting its movement from rubbing on the ground when the door P is opened.

Next, a sequence of operation of the anti-draught device when a door P is closed/opened will be described, with particular reference to FIGS. 1 and 9 to 11.

That is, when the door P is open, the actuator 15 is in the extended position and the seal 3 assumes the raised position, at a distance from the threshold S, as shown in FIG. 1.

In this operating state, the end edge 9 of the appendage 8 of the slider 7 rests on the first counter surface 24 of the lever 23' and the elongated element 27 is separated from the stop element 28.

Furthermore, the piston 31 of the shock absorber 29, or the rod 22B of the spring 22A, acts on the counter element 33 pushing it outwards and the elastic element 38 pulls the lever 23' upwards.

When the door P is closed, the end portion 17 of the actuator 15 contacts the post M and this contact will cause a longitudinal translational movement of the actuator 15 to a predetermined maximum extent, to its retracted position.

The movement of the actuator 15 will cause the compression spring 20 to compress and the force F ¹ will be transferred to the slider 7 and appendage 8.

However, in this particular state, the force ^F1 is initially counteracted and balanced by a counterforce ^F2 exerted by the piston 31 of the damper 29, or by the stem 22B of the spring 22B, which acts on the lever 23' through of the opposite element 33.

When the pushing force F ¹ overcomes the counter force F ² , firstly, the end edge 9 of the slider 7 moves from the first counter surface 24 to the second slider surface 25, as shown in FIG. 9. Then, the proximal end part 26 of the lever 23' is snap-released with respect to the end edge 9 of the slider 7 and the lever 23' pivots downward about the axis X.

As shown in FIG. 10, the downward pivoting movement of the lever 23' causes the rounded edge of the distal end portion 32 to rotate in the second wall 37 of the counter member 33.

This movement forces the opposing element 33 to rotate upwards and, as a result, the piston 31 moves in translation towards the damper 29, thus compressing the fluid therein.

In the alternate embodiment shown in FIG. 7, stem 22B moves longitudinally inward and compresses retard spring 22A.

In this state, the slider 7 is no longer blocked by the counter surface 24 of the lever 23' and will move longitudinally in the same direction as the force F ¹ , thus causing the connecting rod 10A to rotate and the seal 3 to descend. progressively to make contact with the threshold S.

Therefore, as shown in FIG. 11, in this operating state, the slider 7 is located above the proximal end part 26 of the lever 23' and the latter makes contact with the lower face 39 of the appendix 8.

Therefore, despite the action of the elastic return element 38, the complete pivoting movement of the lever 23' in the direction opposite to that described above is prevented at least as long as the slider 7 remains above the proximal end portion. 26 of lever 23' due to the action of compression spring 20 and actuator 15.

Then, as door P opens, compression from compression spring 20 will be relieved on actuator 15, thus causing it to move back to its extended position.

The actuator 15 will move the shaft 18 outwards and the latter will cause the instant displacement of the slider 7 and the end edge 26 of the appendix 8.

The backward movement of the slider 7 allows the lever 23' to be pulled upwards by rotating the elastic return element 38, so that the end edge 9 of the appendage 8 will rest again on the first opposite surface 24.

The piston 31 of the shock absorber 29, or the rod 22B of the spring 22B, which was loaded by the upward movement of the counter member 33, is also released and causes the counter member 33 to rotate downwards and the lever 23' to pivot upwards by acting on the rounded distal end portion 32.

All the details of the present description may be replaced by other technically equivalent parts, and the materials may vary depending on different needs, without departing from the scope of the invention, as defined in the appended claims.

industrial applicability

The present invention can find application in industry, because it can be produced on an industrial scale by factories in the field of thermal and acoustic insulation devices for doors and windows and can be used for various applications, e.g. e.g. for commercial, industrial and private purposes.

Claims (10)

1. Device against drafts (1) with delayed activation, adapted to be attached to the lower edge (B) of a door (P) hinged to a frame (T), device (1) comprising an enclosure (2) having in the same: a seal (3) adapted to sealingly interact with a sill (S) and actuating means (6) acting on said seal (3) to move it between a raised non-operative position and a lowered operative position; an actuator (15) associated with said drive means (6) to control its drive as a result of interaction with the frame (T) when the door (P) is closed; delay means (22) acting on said drive means (6) to delay their operation; wherein said drive means (6) comprise a slider (7) having an appendage (8) with an end edge (9) adapted to interact with said delay means (22) and operatively connected to said seal (3) ; wherein said delay means (22) comprise a movable element (23) having a substantially vertical first counter surface (24) which is adapted to act against the end edge (9) of said slider (7) when said seal ( 3) is in the raised non-operative position, and a second sliding surface (25) inclined with respect to said first counter surface (24) to cause a snap release of said moving element (23) with respect to said edge of end (9) of said slider (7) as well as a delayed sliding of the latter and a movement of said seal (3) towards said lowered operative position; wherein said end edge (9) is substantially flat and vertical; characterized by what said moving element (23) is a pivoting lever (23') that pivots in said enclosure (2) around a substantially horizontal axis (X) and has a proximal end portion (26) with said first counter surface (24) and said second slider surface (25), said actuator (15) comprising a longitudinal elongated element (27) and said lever (23') comprising a substantially vertical stop element (28), said elongated element (27) being adapted to contact with said stop element (28) by actuating said actuator (15) to cause said end edge (9) to move from said first counter surface (24) to said second slide surface (25) when the door (P) is closed. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that it comprises an elastic return element (38) that acts on said lever (23') to pull it upwards, in order to keep said first counter surface (24) in contact with said end edge (9) of said slider (7) when the door (P) is open. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that said first counter surface (24) is formed at said proximal end portion (26) below said second slider surface (25). Device according to claim 3, characterized in that said first counter surface (24) is adjacent to said second slider surface (25) and forms a predetermined angle of inclination (a) with respect to the latter. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that said lever (23') comprises a distal end portion (32) that is adapted to interact with a damper (29) that has a longitudinally sliding piston (31), said being adapted damper (29) for retarding the pivotal snap-fit release of said lever (23') with respect to the end edge (9) of said slider (7). Device according to claim 5, characterized in that it comprises a support element (30) that is rigidly attached to said enclosure (2) and is adapted to house said damper (29), with a counter element (33) being arranged, which it is articulated to said support element (30) and is disposed between said piston (31) and the distal end (32) of said lever (23'). Device according to claim 5, characterized in that said distal end (32) comprises a rounded edge adapted to interact with a substantially flat surface of said counter element (33). Device according to claim 1, characterized in that said delay means (22) comprise a delay spring (22A) connected to a sliding rod (22B) and housed in a support element (30) that is rigidly attached to said enclosure (2), said stem (22B) being adapted to interact with a distal end portion (32) of said lever (23') to retard its release from pivotal snap-fit with respect to the end edge (9) of said slider (7). Device according to claim 1, characterized in that it comprises a compression spring (12) arranged between said actuator (15) and said slider (7). Device according to claim 1, characterized in that said driving means (6) comprise a pair of connecting rods (10A, 10B), one of said connecting rods (10A) having a first end (11A) articulated to said slider (7) and a corresponding second end (13A) articulated to a first anchoring element (12A) that is removably connected to said seal (3), the other of said connecting rods (10B) having a first end ( 11B) connected to a fixed support (14) and a corresponding second end (13B) articulated to a second anchoring element (12B) removably connected to said seal (3) to form a four-bar connection.