US2779070A

US2779070A - Threshold

Info

Publication number: US2779070A
Application number: US528403A
Authority: US
Inventors: Henry A Keller
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1955-08-15
Filing date: 1955-08-15
Publication date: 1957-01-29
Anticipated expiration: 1974-01-29

Description

H. A. KELLER Jan. 29, 1957 THRESHOLD Filed Aug. 15, 1955 INVENTOR HIMIIIHI s:

MI I I I IHI I I IHHI HUHHHHHHHHHUWHHHH lllll i I I I l I 1 I I l I I I I I l ATTORNEY nited States Patent 2,719,010 THRESHOLD Henry A. Keller, Hialeah, Fla. Application August 15, 1955 Serial No. 528,403

6 Claims. (Cl. 20 -454) This invention relates to thresholds of the type which coact with a door, when closed, to form a weather-tight seal between the bottom of the door and the floor.

I-leretofore, thresholds of this general type were provided with a head or groove which was adapted to engage with a lateral flange on the bottom of the door to form a seal. Both the head or groove on the threshold and the flange on the door were formed of metal, or, possibly, spring metal, to resiliently engage each other. However, these metal flanges eventually tended to be bent out of shape so that they were constantly in need of repair in order to maintain their efficiency. Furthermore, during movement of the door, the flange would, in time, tend to contact the floor during its movement so that it would scrape the floor and be, itself, bent out of shape as well as scratching the floor. This would especially occur in instances where dirt, grit or other foreign particles would be caught between the flange and the floor. These particles would act as abrasive bodies when pulled over the floor by the projecting flange.

In addition to the above, once the flange on'the door did engage with the appropriate part of the threshold, the engagement was rarely tight enough between the metal parts to effect a sufficient weather-tight seal. This would be especially the case if either the door, the threshold or the flange should warp in even the slightest degree or be bent out of shape in any manner.

It is, therefore, one object of the present invention to overcome the above, as well as other disadvantages of the prior types of thresholds by providing an eflicient sealing means on the threshold itself.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a sealing means on the threshold which is not easily worn out by frictional contact.

Other objects of the present invention are to provide an improved threshold, of the character described, that is easily and economically produced, which is sturdy in construction, and which is highly eificient in operation.

With the above and related objects in view, this invention consists in the details of construction and combination of parts, as will be more fully understood from the following description, when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawing in which:

Fig. 1 is a top plan view of a threshold embodying the present invention.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged, fragmentary, detailed view of an end portion of the threshold shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a side elevational view of the threshold of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged, fragmentary, cross-sectional view of the fore portion of the threshold, as shown in Fig. 3.

Referring now in greater detail to the drawing wherein similar reference characters refer to similar parts, there is shown a bar 10, preferably constructed of extruded aluminum or the like. The bar has a convexly curved top wall 12, as best shown in Fig. 3. The top wall is provided with ribs 14 throughout its length; these ribs 14 serving their usual function of acting as strengthening ice 2 means as well as acting as scraping means for the feet. At the rear edge of the wall 12, on the under-surface thereof, there is provided a relatively small foot or enlargement 16 which is grooved on its lower surface, as at 18, to form a friction contact means with the floor.

Slightly spaced from the front edge of the wall 12, there is provided an integral, depending flange 20. This flange 20 is spaced sufficiently from the front edge 22 of the wall to form an undercut shoulder 24. The rear portion of the flange 20 is curved, as at 26, and is undercut to form a vertical shoulder 28.

At the front of the flange 20, there is provided a groove 30 which is round in cross-section. This groove extends the full length of the flange 20 which, in turn, extends the full length of the bar 10. This groove 30 is open at its front end and the edges defining this front opening or slot are beveled, as at 32. A relatively wide, forwardly extending foot 34 extends out from the bottom of the flange 20; this foot 34 being provided with ribs 36 on the under surface thereof.

Positioned between the undercut shoulder 24 and the top surface of the foot 34, adjacent the front surface of the flange 20, is a resilient plastic or rubber sealing strip 38 extending the full length of the bar. This strip 38 is held in place by means of a cross-sectionally round rib 40, integral therewith and frictionally engaged within the groove 30. The rib 40 is tubular for greater resilience, and is, therefore, formed with a central bore 42. Extending forwardly from the front face of the strip 38 are two

flanges

44 and 46. These flanges extend the full length of the strip.

A plurality of holes 48 are provided in the top wall 12 of the bar adjacent the flange 20. These holes are adapted to receive screws 50 for connecting the threshold to the floor. The

ribs

18 and 36 on the

feet

16 and 34 act to frictionally engage the floor under pressure of the screws.

The above-described threshold can be used in either of two ways. In one way, it can be used with doors of the same type as heretofore used wherein the doors have laterally extending metal flanges on the underside thereof. In such cases, the flange on the door will engage between the two

flanges

44 and 46 of the sealing strip. These sealing

flanges

44 and 46, being constructed of a resilient material such as plastic or rubber, will more firmly and sealingly engage with the door flange than could be the case where a mere groove as metal bead is provided on the threshold. If the door flange should be somewhat warped or bent out of shape, an efiicient seal will still be effected because the resiliency of the sealing flanges will make up for any misalignment of the door flange.

On the other hand, the threshold of the present in vention may be used in conjunction with a door having no flange at all. When such a door is closed against the threshold, the portion of the door adjacent the lower edge presses against the

flanges

44 and 46. These flanges form two line-contact engagements with the door and, thereby, effect a highly eflicient seal therewith. When the door is opened, it is pulled back from the

flanges

44 and 46 so that no retarding friction is ever present to prevent easy opening of the door. Furthermore, since the sealing strip 38 and its

flanges

44 and 46 are stationary, they are not subject to rapid wear as would be the case of a strip movable with the door.

Although this invention has been described in considerable detail, such description is intended as being illustrative rather than limiting, since the invention may be variously embodied, and the scope of the invention is to be determined as claimed.

Having thus set forth and disclosed the nature of this invention, what is claimed is:

l. A threshold unit comprising an elongated bar having two spaced apart elongated edges, means for connecting said bar to a floor surface with one elongated edge in contact therewith, a depending flange adjacent but spaced from the other elongated edge of said bar, a floor surface contacting foot extending laterally from the lower edge of said flange, and a sealing strip positioned on the outer face of said flange between said other edge of said bar and said foot, said sealing strip having a plurality of laterally projecting sealing flanges extending out from the outer face thereof.

2. The device of claim 1 wherein said sealing strip is positioned between an undercut shoulder, formed between said other elongated edge of said bar and said depending flange, and said foot, there being a groove in the outer face of said depending flange lockingly engaging a rib on the rear face of said sealing strip.

3. The device of claim 1 wherein said elongated bar is provided with a plurality of spaced, serrated ribs extending longitudinally of the upper surface thereof.

4. A threshold unit comprising an elongated bar having a front and rear edge, said bar being convexly curved downward from said front edge to said rear edge, a flange depending from said bar adjacent said front edge but spaced rearwardly therefrom, the lower end of said flange being positioned in a common plane with the rear edge of said bar, a forwardly extending lateral foot on the lower end of said flange, and a ribbed resilient, sealing strip positioned adjacent the front face of said flange between the front edge of said bar and said foot.

5. The device of claim 4 wherein said flange is provided with a longitudinal groove in the front face thereof, and wherein said sealing strip is provided with a longitudinal rib on the rear face thereof to frictionally engage within said groove.

6. The device of claim 5 wherein the ribs on said sealing strip form a plurality of line-contact sealing flanges.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,881,661 Kelly Oct. 11, 1932