GB2038621A - Draught excluders for postal openings - Google Patents

Abstract

A draught excluder for fitting over the interior of a postal opening in a door comprises a rectangular frame 11 which has a longitudinal opening 13 therein normally closed by the bristles 20 of a pair of opposed brush strips 19 which are retained by support lugs 23 positioned along the upper and lower edges of the frame. Each brush strip comprises a plurality of brush fibres 20 looped around a wire core 21 and retained in a metallic backing channel 22. The draught excluder includes also a closure flap 27 which fits the opening 13 and which is pivotally mounted on hinges located in the ends of the frame at a position below the upper end support lugs 23. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Draught excluders for postal openings This invention relates to draught excluders for letter boxes and other postal openings. It has for its object to provide an improved draught excluder which can be fitted quickly and easily to the inside of the letter box or other postal opening so as to counterthe nuisance of draughts and the rattling of the letter boxes. A further object is to provide additionally a draught excluder which incorporates a pivoting closure flap and which acts not only as an additional security feature but provides also a more pleasing appearance to the exterior of the draught excluder when fitted to the letter box.

In its broadest aspect the invention provides a draught excluderforfitting to a letter or other post box opening, said draught excluder comprising a rectangular frame having a central opening which is normally closed by a pair of elongated strip brushes mounted in the frame in opposed relationship. Each sealing brush strip is detachably mounted in support channels moulded in the frame and the frame is additionally moulded with further channels or slots adjacent the upper sides of the opening so as to receive the hinge pins of a pivoting flap for closing the opening over the brush strips.

In the preferred embodiment the rectangular frame is moulded in one piece in a plastic material, but in alternative embodiments the frame may be assembled from separate parts. In one alternative embodiment separate end sections or caps may be provided which may support and locate the strip brushes and also pivotally support the closure flap.

The separate end caps enable the length of the longitudinal frame members to be varied so as to suit particular requirements.

In order that the invention may be clearly understood the preferred embodiments will now be described in greater detail with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a front perspective view of one embodiment of a draught excluder in accordance with the invention, Figure 2 is a section on the line 2-2 of Figure 1, Figure 3 is a rear view of the draught excluder of Figure 1 but with the strip brushes broken away at the right hand side of the Figure so as to show the construction and mounting of the closure flap, and Figure 4 is an exploded perspective view of the end portion of an alternative embodiment of draught excluder having separate end caps.

Referring now to Figures 1 to 3 of the drawings the embodiment of the draught excluder shown in these Figures comprises a rectangular frame 10 which includes longitudinal frame members 11 and end cap sections 12. In this embodiment the frame 10 is preferably moulded in one piece in a plastics material, such as polystyrene, with a central opening 13.

The end sections 12 of the frame 10 are formed with appropriate holes 14 for receiving screws 15 (as shown in Figure 3) to enable the draught excluder to be fitted over the inside of a letter or other post opening 16 provided, for example, in a door 17. The frame 10 is suitably shaped to provide an internal space 18 within the frame 10 when fitted to the door 17 and this space 18 is utilized to mount therein two opposed brush sealing strips 19 which act as a draught and noise excluder.

The brush sealing strips 19 are of elongated construction and they each comprise a plurality of brush fibres 20 which are looped over a wire core 21. Each assembly of brush fibres is locked into a metallic channel 22, for example, by cleating, so that shedding of the fibres is eliminated. The metallic channels 22 enable the strips 19 to be fitted detachably, yet positively, in carrier slots or grooves moulded in the frame 10. To this end the frame 10 is moulded internally with a plurality of support lugs 23, for example three, along the upper and lower longitudinal frame sections 11, each lug 23 having a slot 24 therein for receiving the backing channels 22 of the brush strips 19 which are thereby located one along the lower edge and one along the upper edge of the frame.The strip brushes 19 thereby extend in opposed relationship so that the ends of the bristles meet across the opening 13 of the frame 10 and under normal conditions the brush strips 19 provide an efficient draught excluder. The brushes 19 are preferably made of nylon fibres and are flexible enough to allow the easy passage of postal articles while being dense enough to close on the article during its passage through the opening 13 of the frame 10 so as to prevent ingress of air through the opening 16.

To provide additional security the end sections 12 of the frame are furthermore moulded with additional supports 25 providing channels or grooves adapted to pivotally receive the hinge pins 26 of a moulded closure flap 27 which when fitted to the frame 10 closes the inner opening 13 of the frame over the brush strips 19. The addition of the flap 27 further enhances the appearance of the draught excluder and prevents peering through the letter box opening 16 which is a security feature.

The supports 25 in the frame are located closely adjacent the top of the side edges of the opening 13 and the extending hinge pins 26 of the flap 27 snap fit into the channels or grooves in the supports so as to maintain the flap pivotally in position. The flap 27 normally fits snugly into the opening 13 of the frame but to prevent excess inward movement of the flap the frame 10 is furthermore moulded with a finger 28 (Figure 3) or other projection upstanding from the edge of the lower frame member 11. The flap 27 is suitably shaped so as to merge with the outer contour of the frame 10 of the draught excluder and is formed additionally along its lower edge with a thickened portion 29 to facilitate the opening of the flap 27 and the entry by the user to the postal opening 16 covered by the draught excluder.The flap 27 is also preferably moulded in a plastics material and is provided with vertical strengthening ribs 30 (Figure 3).

In the alternative embodiment of the draught excluderasshown in Figure4theframe 10 is moulded or extruded in separate parts so as to reduce tooling costs in the production of draught excluders ofvarying lengths. This embodiment as in the case of the previous embodiment is preferably moulded in a plastics material but it may be made from metal or other similar materials. The end sections or caps 12 are made separately from the longitudinal frame members 11 which may be of varying length so as to fit common end caps.

In this embodiment the brush strips 19 may be mounted in grooves or slots 31 formed in the frame members 11. The frame members are furthermore slotted as at 32 for receiving lugs 33 on the end caps 12 when the draught excluder is assembled, the parts being then retained in the assembled condition when fitted to the door by means ofthe screws positioned in the holes 14 in the end sections 12.

Other methods of assembly and mounting of the brush strips may of course be utilized. In this embodiment an alternative mounting for the closure flap 27 is also shown, the flap being pivotally supported by means of moulded hinge pins 34 extending from the edge of the end caps 12 and which engage holes 35 in the top of the edges of the closure flap 27.

The draught excluders as described above are easy and simple to fit on any existing postal opening. The nylon brush strips provide efficient draught exclusion during postal use and they additionally prevent the egress of heat through the postal opening. The provision of the flap enhances the internal appearance of the draught excluder and also provides.additional security.

Claims (7)

1. A draught excluderforfitting over the interior of a postal opening in a door or like structure, said draught excluder comprising a rectangular frame having an opening therein, said frame being shaped to provide a space within said frame between said opening and said door or like structure when the draught excluder is fitted thereto, support means in said frame positioned along the upper and lower longitudinal edges thereof, a pair of elongated brush strips, said strips being mounted in the upper and lower support means respectively so that the bristles of said brush strips extend in opposed relationship across the opening in said frame, hinge means located within said frame in the end sections thereof adjacentthe upper support means, and a closure flap pivotally mounted on said hinge means for closing the opening in said frame, said closure flap being adapted to pivot outwardly from the opening in said frame to allow the passage therethrough of postal articles.

2. A draught excluder as claimed in Claim 1, wherein the frame is moulded in one piece with integral support and hinge means.

3. A draught excluder as claimed in Claim 1, wherein the frame comprises separate end cap sections fitting longitudinal upper and lower frame members each of a predetermined length.

4. A draught excluder as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the brush strips each comprise a plurality of brush fibres looped around a wire core and locked in a longitudinal channel member.

5. A draught excluder as claimed in Claim 4, wherein the upper and lower support means each comprise a plurality of support lugs extending from the frame each lug having a groove of slottherein adapted to receive the backing channel member of a corresponding brush strip.

6. A draught excluder as claimed in any one of the proceeding claims, wherein a stop means for the closure flap is located on the lower longitudinal frame member.

7. A draught excluder for fitting over the interior of a postal opening said draught excluder being substantially as described and as shown in Figures 1 to 3 or as modified by Figure 4 of the accompanying drawings.