GB2418448A

GB2418448A - Protective threshold cover strip

Info

Publication number: GB2418448A
Application number: GB0421018A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Martin John Allmand-Smith
Original assignee: ALLMAND SMITH Ltd
Current assignee: ALLMAND SMITH Ltd
Priority date: 2004-09-22
Filing date: 2004-09-22
Publication date: 2006-03-29
Also published as: GB0421018D0

Abstract

A protective cover strip for a door or window threshold or cill comprises a cover part 21 adapted to overlie at least a part of the cill and retaining parts for removably attaching the cover to the cill. The retaining means may include a tongue 23 on one edge of the strip for insertion into a groove 18 of the cill and a hooked formation 24 on the opposed edge of the strip which may be wrapped around the nose 16 of the cill. The cover strip is suitable for protecting the cill temporarily during transit or installation, or may be a permanent cover.

Description

24 1 8448

A PROTECTIVE STRIP

This invention concerns door or window threshold sills and in particular a protective strip which may be temporarily attached to such a sill to prevent damage, for example, during constructing work.

It is common, particularly on exterior doors to houses, to use an extruded aluminium threshold sill which is a profiled strip laid with mastic and/or screws, onto the threshold of a door opening to provide a stop against which a door will close, and having an outer part ramped. Sills of this kind are often anodised and finished with a colour for aesthetic purposes and are usually installed before construction work on a building is completed so that the surface of the sill may become damaged.

While it is common practice to protect sills of this kind using selfadhesive protection tapes or sheet materials loosely laid over the sill, such materials tend to wear out quickly or move either to the extent of uncovering the sill or creating a trip hazard.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a protective strip which will remain firmly in place on a sill and have heavy duty wear protection until it is required to be moved.

According to the present invention there is provided a protective strip for attachment to a door or window threshold sill, the strip comprising a cover part adapted to overlie at least a portion of such a sir], and a retaining part for removable attachmcut to the sill.

The retaining part may extend along opposed side edges of the strip thus to be attached to the sill along its edges.

The retaining part may include a tongue for insertion into a groove in the sill.

The retaining part may include a hooked formation to be wrapped around a longitudinal edge of the sill.

The strip may be of metal and substantially rigid.

The strip may be of a flexible and resilient material.

The strip may be produced by co-extrusion of two or more different plastics.

The strip may 1lave one or more longitudinally directed grooves to provide lateral flexibility.

The or each longitudinal groove may be disposed to coincide, in use, with a longitudinally directed rib on such a sill.

The strip may have such properties as to be a stretch fit on such a sill.

An embodiment of the invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Fig. 1 is a cross-sectional view of a protective strip made in accordance with the invention; and Fig. 2 is a reduced cross-sectional view showing such a strip partially installed upon a threshold sill.

Referring now to the drawings and in particular to Fig. 2, a threshold sill may typically comprise an extruded aluminium profile having upper and lower faces 10, 11 respectively. The face 11 is fixed down to a floor surface across the threshold of a doorway and may be attached by mastic and/or screws. The upper face 10 comprises a region 12 to lie beneath the door 13 when closed, a face 14 against which the door will close in use and a ramped part 15 forming an inclined surface outside ofthe door when closed and terminating in a nose 16 at its outermost longitudinal edge. The upper surface of the ramped part 15 typically includes longitudinally directed ribs 17 to provide both an aesthetic finish and also to ensure a degree of anti-slip property for personnel crossing the threshold.

In the face 14 of the sill there is a longitudinal groove 18 which, in the finished sill, will receive a strip (not shown) of brush seal or the like to provide weather protection for the door and to prevent the ingress of draught and moisture to the part 12 of the sill. A further weather seal strip may be introduced into a further groove 19 on the inner part of the sill.

Typically, drain holes 20 will be provided to allow any moisture to drain to the outside.

For temporary attachment to the sill, in accordance with the invention, there is provided a protective strip 21 which typically will be of a width in the region of 71mm and of a length similar to the width of the door opening and thus the length of the sill (typically 762mrn). The strip is illustrated in Fig. 1 as having a generally upright portion 22 along one edge of the strip, from which portion extends a tongue 23. The strip is preferably of a resilient and flexible plastics material and the tongue 23 may be of a similar material to the remainder of the strip of may be co-extruded therewith as a more rigid material. Along the edge of the strip remote from the portion 22 is a hooked formation 24, preferably of the same material as the remainder of the strip save for the tongue 23.

Longitudinally extending parallel grooves 25 are provided on the underside of the strip and one or more grooves 26 are similarly provided on the upper side.

The strip is thus generally of a flexible and resilient nature thus to be slightly stretchable, and as can be seen from Fig. ], is attached to the sill by initially introducing the tongue 23 into the groove 18 in the sill and then stretching the strip across the sill whereby the hooked formation 24 may be placed around the nose 16 of the sill. The grooves 25 may be generally complementary to the ribs 17 on the sill.

Thus with the protective strip in place and substantially immovably attached to the sill, the upper surface of the sill will be protected from damaged caused by personnel and equipment passing over the sill.

When all work is completed, the hooked formation 24 can be released from the nose 16 of the sill and the entire strip removed for disposal. The tongue 23 is then replaced in the groove 18 by a weather strip in the usual way.

Typical materials for the strip are rubberised plastics, polypropylene, nylon and pvc. Alternatively, the strip could be made of metal and be generally rigid, in which case it need only be attached along one edge, the opposite edge remaining in place by virtue of the rigid properties of the metallic strip.

If required, a further protective strip, appropriately configured, may be applied to the inner part of the upper surface of the sill.

In use, a threshold sill may be supplied with a protective strip already installed. Also, such a strip may be applied to an already damaged sill to provide an improved appearance, and may have a brush strip or the like against which the door will close.

It is not intended to limit the invention to the details described herein, many variations being possible within the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

Claims

1. A protective strip for attachment to a door or window threshold sill, the strip comprising a cover part adapted to overlie at least a portion of such a sill, and a retaining part for removable attachment to the sill.

2. A protective strip according to claim 1 wherein the retaining part extends along opposed side edges of the strip thus to be attached to the sill along its edges.

3. A protective strip according to claim 1 or claim 2 wherein the retaining part includes a tongue for insertion into a groove in the sill.

4. A protective strip according to any preceding claim wherein the retaining part includes a hooked formation to be wrapped around a longitudinal edge of the 1 5 sill.

5. A protective strip according to any preceding claim wherein the strip is of metal and substantially rigid.

6. A protective strip according to any one of claims 1 to 4 wherein the strip is of a flexible and resilient material.

7. A protective strip according to any one of claims 1 to 4 or claim 6 wherein the strip is produced by co-extrusion of two or more different plastics.

8. A protective strip according to claim 6 or claim 7 having one or more longitudinally directed grooves to provide lateral flexibility.

9. A protective according to claim 8 wherein the or each longitudinal groove is disposed to coincide, in use, with a longitudinally directed rib on a sill.

10. A protective strip according to any one of claim 1 to 4 or 6 to 9, wherein the strip has such properties as to be a stretch fit on such a sill.