GB2154638A - Sills - Google Patents

Abstract

A sill for a door 20 or window has an upwardly facing channel which is such that water can drain from it to the exterior of the building through at least one hole 28. To restrict wind from blowing water back through the hole or holes 28 a cover is provided which may be attachable 12 or in the form of a downward extension 23 of the external face 22 or the holes may be arranged substantially vertically (Fig. 5). <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Sills The invention relates to sills.

Several types of sill for mounting at the foot of a frame of a door, window or like device are designed to catch rainwater which has been blown through the gaps between the device and its frame and which then drains down the sides and interior face of the device.

Such sills are also commonly designed to catch any rainwater which runs down the exterior face of the device and manages to drain into the sill. These sills are provided with drain holes to allow rainwater which has managed to seep past the device to drain away back to the exterior. These holes have sometimes caused problems in high winds since air and water can be blown through the holes and make their way into the interior, casuing draughts and wet floors.

Although such sills have been in widespread use for many years, no-one has yet provided an effective solution to the problems encountered in areas which are subject to high winds.

I have now discovered that the problem can be eliminated, or at least considerably alleviated, by a surprisingly simple expedient.

According to the invention a sill for mounting at the foot of a frame of a door, window, or like device has external and internal faces, which, when the sill is mounted in a building, face the exterior and interior of the building respectively, an upwardly facing channel being defined between the external and internal faces, the channel being such that water can drain from it to the exterior of the building through at least one hole, the hole or holes being shrouded by a cover which allows water to drain to the exterior from the hole or holes but restricts wind from blowing into the hole or holes.

The cover may be formed separately from the sill, then attached to the sill.

The cover may be formed integrally with the sill.

The sill and/or cover may be formed by an extrusion process.

The drain hole or holes may be arranged to extend substantially vertically, thus reducing the tendency for wind to blow rain water back up the drain hole or holes.

The drain hole or holes may be formed through the base of the channel, there being a region under the base of the channel open to the exterior of the building such that water draining down into the region through the drain hole or holes can escape to the exterior of the building.

With such an arrangement the cover may comprise a flange which extends downwardly from the base of the channel in the region of the external face of the channel.

The flange may comprise a downward projection of the external face of the channel.

Substantially vertical drain holes may be used with advantage even without a cover and according to a second aspect of the invention, a sill for mounting at the foot of a frame of a door, window, or like device has external and internal faces which, when the sill is mounted in a building, face the exterior and interior of the building respectively, an upwardly facing channel being defined between the external and internal faces, the channel being such that water can drain from it to the exterior of the building through at least one hole, the sill being such that when in position at the foot of the frame the hole extends substantially vertically, thus reducing the likelihood of rain water being blown back up the hole.

By way of example, specific embodiments of the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view from one end of a sill according to one embodiment of the invention; Figure 2 is an end view of the sill shown in Fig. 1; Figure 3 is a perspective view from one end of a sill according to a second embodiment of the invention; Figure 4 is a perspective view from one end of a sill according to a third embodiment of the invention; and Figure 5 is a cross-section through a fourth embodiment of sill according to the invention.

Fig. 1 shows an aluminium sill 10, similar in many respects to that disclosed in my copending application No. 7917908. Such a sill is mounted, for example, at a threshold of a house, at the base of a door frame. When the door is closed a rubber strip 8 provides a weatherproof seal by pressing on the underside of the door. The sill collects any rainwater which is blown through gaps between the door and the frame and which runs down the side or interior face of the door, since when the door is closed the interior face of the door is positioned over the sill. The sill also collects rainwater which runs down the front face of the door and manages to drain into the sill. The sill is provided with drain holes, for example as at 14 and 16 to allow rainwater to drain to the exterior by means of gravity.The drain holes 14 and 16 are formed so as not to be in line with one another so that should a strong wind blow through hole 14, the draught and backwards flow of water through holes 16 will be minimised. However, in areas of strong or frequent winds it was possible for wind and water to be blown through hole 14 and hole 16.

causing a draught in the room and perhaps depositing water on the floor.

In order to prevent or at least reduce this problem, the sill according to the invention is provided with a dover 12 affixed over each exterior drain hole 14.

The cover comprises a short piece of aluminium extrusion, comprising a flat section by which the guard is riveted to the front surface of sill by rivets 18 and a curved section which covers the hole 14. As can best be seen in Fig. 2, the bootom of the cover does not touch the sill, and water can thus drain freely from the hole 14. The guard prevetns wind from blowing directly through hole 14 and so prevents water from being blown back through holes 14 and 16.

In a second emboiment, shown in Fig. 3, the sill is generally similar to that described in the first embodiment, but the cover 12a is formed integrally with the sill and extends along the whole length of the sill. The shape of the cover may be any shape which allows free drainage of water and covers a drain hole.

In a third embodiment, shown in Fig. 4, the sill is again generally similar in principle to that of the first embodiment and its drain hole cover 12b is formed separately and then attached with rivets 18 to the sill. However, the cover is provided with an exterior-facing foot 13, the end of which is only slightly above the level of the base of the sill 10, thus providing even better exclusion of winds.

Turning now to Fig. 5, there is shown an embodiment of the invention which in some respects is similar to the embodiment shown in Fig. 3. However instead of utilising a rubber strip 8, the sill utilises a brush-type sealing strip 1 9, for example as described in my co-pending U.K. Patent Application No.

8304586, which presses against the underside of the door 20 when the door is closed.

In addition, the base 21 of the upwardly facing channel is arranged to meet the serpentine front 22 of the sill at a point 23 which is raised, so as to leave a region 24 under the base of the channel at the front of the sill. The front of the sill is supported by a semi-circular serrated portion 25 arranged to receive sealing mastic.

The arrangement is such that when the sill is positioned on a horizontal surface 26 as shown in Fig. 5, there is a small gap 27 between the surface 26 and the lower end of the serpentine front 22.

Adjacent to the serpentine front 22 there is at least one drain hole 28 extending through the base of the channel in a substantially vertical direction.

Because the or each drain hole 28 is substantially vertical gravity is more effective in draining water out of the channel. Any water drained out of the channel enters the region 24 and can then drain to the exterior of the building through the gap 27.

Furthermore, the lower portion of the serpentine front 22 acts as a cover which protects the or each hole 28 from wind pressure.

The invention is not restricted to the details of the foregoing embodiments. For example a vertical drain hole may be used advantageously without a cover or wind shield.

Claims (10)

1. A sill for mounting at the foot of a frame of a door, window or like device, the sill having external and internal faces, which, when the sill is mounted in a building, face the exterior and interior of the building respectively, an upwardly facing channel being defined between the external and internal faces, the channel being such that water can drain from it to the exterior of the building through at least one hole, the hole or holes being shrouded by a cover which allows water to drain to the exterior from the hole or holes but restricts wind from blowing into the hole or holes.

2. A sill as claimed in claim 1, in which the cover is formed separately from the sill, and is then attached to the sill.

3. A sill as claimed in claim 1, in which the cover is formed integrally with the sill.

4. A sill as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, in which the sill and/or cover is formed by an extrusion process.

5. A sill as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, in which the drain hole or holes are arranged to extend substantially vertically, thus reducing the tendency for wind to blow rain water back up the drain hole or holes.

6. A sill as claimed in claim 5, in which the drain hole or holes are formed through the base of the channel, there being a region under the base of the channel open to the exterior of the building such that water draining down into the region through the drain hole or holes can escape to the exterior of the building.

7. A sill as claimed in claim 6, in which the cover comprises a flange which extends downwardly from the base of the channel in the region of the external face of the channel.

8. A sill as claimed in claim 7, in which the flange comprises a downward projection of the external face of the channel.

9. A sill for monting at the foot of a frame of a door, window, or like device, the sill having external and internal faces which, when the sill is mounted in a building, face the exterior and interior of the building respectively, an upwardly facing channel being defined between the external and internal faces, the channel being such that water can drain from it to the exterior of the building through at least one hole, the sill being such that when in position at the foot of the frame the hole extends substantially vertically, thus reducing the likelihood of rain water being blown back up the hole.

10. A sill constructed and arranged sub stantially as herein described, with reference to Figs. 1 and 2, or Fig. 3, or Fig. 4, or Fig.

5, of the accompanying drawings.