US2625718A

US2625718A - Draft preventing attachment for doors

Info

Publication number: US2625718A
Application number: US112356A
Authority: US
Inventors: Charles E Ketcham
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1949-08-25
Filing date: 1949-08-25
Publication date: 1953-01-20
Anticipated expiration: 1970-01-20

Description

Jan. 20, 1953 c. E. KETCHAM DRAFT PREVENTING ATTACHMENT FOR DOORS Filed' Aug. 25, 1949 Inventor Charles E. Kare/ram I Patented Jan. 20, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE DRAFT PREVENTING ATTACHMENT FOR DOORS Charles E. Ketcham, South Gate, Calif. Application August 25, 1949, Serial No. 112,356

This invention comprises novel and useful improvements in a draft preventing attachment for doors and more specifically pertains to a sealing strip pivotally mounted upon the lower portion of a door and automatically moved to. a closed position upon closing of the door for sealing the space beneath the bottom edge of a door.

The principal object of this invention is to provide means for eliminating drafts through the spaces customarily provided beneath the lower edges of doors.

A further object of the invention is to provide a draft preventing attachment for the lower edges of doors which will automatically assume a raised, non-sealing position while the door is open and will be automatically urged to a door-sealing position when the door is closed.

A still further object of the invention is to provide an improved construction of draft-preventing attachment for doors in conformity with the foregoing objects which shall be of simple and inexpensive construction, easily and unobtrusively applied to conventional doors, and yet is highly efficient for the purposes intended.

These, together with various ancillary features and objects of the invention which will later become apparent as the following description proceeds, are attained by the present invention, a preferred embodiment of which has been illustrated by way of example only in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary perspective view of the lower portion of a door and door frame showing the attachment forming the present invention applied thereto, the door being indicated in its closed 05151 1 1 Figure 2 is a fragmentary detail perspective view of the actuating end of the door sealing means in accordance with this invention, the same being shown in its normal position when the door is open;

Figure 3 is a fragmentary perspective view similar to Figure 2 but showing the attachment in its fully raised position to illustrate the mounting and construction of the same;

Figure 4 is a vertical transverse sectional view taken upon an enlarged scale substantially upon the plane of the section line 4-4 of Figure 1;

Figure 5 is a fragmentary vertical transverse sectional detail view taken substantially upon the plane of the section line 55 of Figure 1 and upon an enlarged scale;

Figure 6 is a plan view of the flexible blade of the sealing attachment of the invention; and

Figure '7 is a plan view, parts being broken 1 Claim. (01. 20-67) away, of a metal blank from which a portion of the present invention is formed.

Referring now more specifically to the accompanying drawings, wherein like numerals designate similar parts throughout the various views, it will be seen that the numeral l0 designates a portion of a door of any conventional form which is mounted in a suitable door frame which includes a vertical member l2.

As is well known, it is customary to leave a certain minimum clearance beneath the edges of the doors when the same are in their closed position, in order to eliminate any danger of the door scraping the floor or a rug when the door is moved to its open position. This clearance is, however, objectionable in that it permits and causes drafts to occur beneath the door, which thereby render the floor an unsafe place for children to play, as well as being objectionable for other reasons.

In accordance with the present invention, a door sealing means is pivotally mounted upon the door and so constructed as to automatically close or seal the space when the door is in its closed position, and to be automatically opened to thereby not prevent movement of the door when the same is in its open position, as will be hereinafter set forth. 4

This sealing strip conveniently comprises a metallic strip which extends substantially throughout the length of the door, and which is folded upon its medial longitudinal axis as at 13 in Figure 7 to provide front and back web portions [4 and I6, connected by a cylindrically curved intermediate portion I8 adapted to embrace a transversely extending pin 20 forming a hinge or pivot pin for the wing member. A pliable sheet of material such as rubber or the like, and indicated at 22 in Figure 6, is adapted to be positioned between the front and rear portions 14 and I6, and to be retained therein as by indentations 2| struck from the back plate ltforwardly toward the front plate [4 for crimping and securely anchoring the rubber blade therebetween. This blade is provided at its upper edge with notched or cutout portions 24 which are adapted to accommodate the hinge plates of the attachment, and a cutout portion 25, referred to hereinafter.

Referring now more specifically to Figure '7, it will be seen that the entire wing member of the attachment may be conveniently formed from a single stamping or sheet metal blank, indicated generally by the numeral 26 as being of elongated, rectangular shape, this blank being provided with a convex cam surface 40 by'meansonwhich-the device is automatically pivotally moved, as set forth hereinafter.

The blank 25 is then foldedllponjts,longitudinal medial axis 13 to provide thethinge portion I8 and the two front and rear plates l lgandz I6; as set forth hereinbefore, this folding movement p-thus producingnotches corresponding to thecutout portions 2 8. Between these notchealthecon- ..necting -portions thus ,provide .theabove men- -.-tione.d cylindrical. hingaportions l8.

-When :the ,member 132 lhas been folded upon itselfhthe projection. 34 isthus disposed inwardly rofgthe seam,..ancl ,is. disposed between .the folded plates 1.4 and '16 .to reinforce and anchor the lever 38, the projectionibeing receivedinthecutout,portion 25in. the. rubber ibladel22.

.-A toeplate di-issecuredlto thedoor frame .as; by :fasteriing. screws I46, ,and constitutes an v,almtment A or -toe plate which .is adapted to be cengagedbythe .cam, member 48 .on. the arm T38 whenlthe-jdoor .is. closed. vPreferably, this toe ,plateisprovided with downwardly struck progiections which mayibeengagedin the door frame 12 Wherebythe platemay bepressed ,into the 'door ;frame or: driven therein as by. a hammer and held in place until the screwsJlfiare inserted; .Therhinge, pin. .20 extending through the, hinge ,portionsAZ :and ;l-.8 is likewise embraced by. conventional .brackets 4.8,.-,as shown, inl-T'igures.v 3. and which, brackets m y have. inturned sharpened ,prQlectionsiOadapted to begembedded intothe wood of :the door I I 9 .for mounting the brackets lin:pl-ace until-fastening means,:- such asscrews 52, may be inserted. The screwse52are-countersunk rso asltor leave-iarsmooth or fiushsurfaceupon the .bracket 48 which thus will permit the device ;to gfold; downwardlyiflat. against the door, as shown lin'rFig-ures4.

.eAbeut reach .of "the :hinges .48, thereare ,prowided suitable spring meanslconsisting ofrhelieal -.coils.-;54eembracingythe:hinse; pin initheinotches :ifqnmed :lay ;.the cutout, portions .128, thesei prings s'hayinga,arms 56and;58 Which.='res p.ectively abut i-theldoor .--and ;the;under; surf-ace: or ,the rearsurgfaceqof thaplate [6. These springs: are of such rstrength and proportions as -;to normally ;pivot athegsealingqattachment 'to ,a ;,position of about i W e s.- .as' shown-in Figure. ;2,- with respect ttoithe door,-so.asto thereby-prevent the attach- .nmentjrom dragging the floor when the door is :indtsopen.position. However, the arm 3011880 ,positioned that-whenthesdoor is closed, thecam surfacedfl willabutlthe abutment plate 44 and 4 thereby rotate the attachment to door-closing position.

From the foregoing, it will be seen that there has been provided an attachment which will effectively completely close or seal the space beneath a door, thus preventing drafts therethrough when the door is in its closed position; and will be automatically .elevatedmutof contact with the Lfioor when the'doorisl'openedithe device being of a simple construction, quickly and easily in- .rstalled, unobtrusively mounted, and highly effective for the purposes intended.

Fromthe-foregoing, the construction and op- "eration will be readily understood and further cexplanation;is::believed to be unnecessary. However, sincenumerous modifications and changes will readilyoccur to those skilled in the art after ;a;.consideration of the foregoing specification and accompanying drawings, it is not desired to limit .the invention to the exact construction ,shown ,.and..described,lbut all, suitable modifications. and

equivalentsmay be resortedto, falling Withinthe scope ofthe appended claim.

,Having. thus. disclosed and described the invention, what. is. claimed as new is as'follows:

A door seal comprising a blade of'flexiblelma- .terial, a blade holder secured .to said'blade, a hingepin .pivotally securing said holder tonthe .vertical. surface ofa dooradjacent the lower end thereof, said blade beingpositionedzfor en agement with the .floor andfor closing-the space between the door andfioor,resilientmeansintereposedbetween said holder and door and. surrounding said hingepin and urgingsaid'blade holder and blade into a raised position,,an integral arm on said holderfor engagementwiththe door, frame to .ur-gesaid .holderand blade, into their lowered position whenlsaid door is closed,

.said. holder comprising .an elon ated .,sheet of metal folded on its medial longitudinal. axis sto ,rorm ;curve,d .hinge ,portions, said sheet ,having longitudinally -.sp.aced openings on ,said .medial longitudinal axis forming notches when .said

.sheet is,f01ded,.the. folded portions of said sheet embracing said-blade,.brackets supporting said pinfromsaid door, said..notches receiving said bracketsrsaid sheet having a longitudinallyextending laterally enlarged portion folded along a medial transverse line toform said arm.

CHARLES E. KETCHAM.

.REEERENCESLCITED ;Thezfollowingrreferencesiare ;of :recordrin ..=the

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,488,652 Scrabic ,Apr. ,1, .l924 ,1,805,512 Chandler May 19,. 1931 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country ;,Date

20,057 France Dec. 14,1915 203,437 Great Britain Sept. 13, 1923 476,654 Great Britain Mar. 4, 1936