US2952751A

US2952751A - Astragal with pressure switch

Info

Publication number: US2952751A
Application number: US712835A
Authority: US
Inventors: Jr Harold W Cookson; Wardlaw Russell
Original assignee: Cookson Co
Current assignee: Cookson Co
Priority date: 1958-02-03
Filing date: 1958-02-03
Publication date: 1960-09-13
Anticipated expiration: 1977-09-13

Description

SePf- 13 1960 Hgw. cooKsoN, JR.. ETAL 2,952,751

ASTRAGAI.. WITH PRESSURE SWITCH Fid Feb. 3, 195s 'Fll'.5 l

INVENTUM. Haro/d W Coo/fa/z/f ,QL/55e# Ward/aw United States Patent ce 2,952,751l Patented Sept. 13, 1960 ASTRAGAL WITH PRESSURE SWITCH Company, San Francisco, Calif., a corporation of Calif. fornia Filed Feb. '3, 1958, Ser. No. 712,835

8 Claims. (Cl. 200--61.43)

This invention relates generally to astragals and more particularly to astragals with pressure switches for use with rolling doors.

ln the past, astragals have been provided on doors and particularly on rolling doors but such astragals have not been completely satisfactory because they fail to form a good seal when the door is closed. Such astragals have also been unsatisfactory because means provided in conjunction with the astragal for causing the door to stop or revert to an open position when the astragal comes in contact with any object has not provided eifective positive control. Pressure switches utilized for this purpose have been difficult to calibrate and often operated improperly.

In general, it is an object of the present invention to provide an astragal which forms a good seal when the door is closed.

Another object of the invention is to provide an astragal of the above character in which the astragal is particularly adapted to forming a good seal on rough surfaces.

Another object of the invention is to provide an astragal of the above character with a pressure switch incorporated therein which completes an electrical circuit when the astragal comes in contact with any object.

Another object of the invention is to provide an astragal of the above character in which the pressure switch is mounted in the astragal in a particularly novel manner.

Another object of the invention is to provide an astragal of the above character which can be readily installed.

Additional objects and features of the invention will appear from the following description in which the preferred embodiment has been set forth in detail in conjunction with the accompanying drawing.

Referring to the drawing:

Figure l is a front elevational View of a portion of a rolling door incorporating the present invention.

Figure 2 is a cross-sectional View taken along the line 2-2 of Figure 1.

In general, the present invention consists of an astragal formed of resilient material and having a particularly novel shape and in which is mounted spring tempered conductors which serve as a pressure switch.

As shown in the drawing, the astragal 11 is formed of a suitable resilient material such as a vinyl or polyvinyl resin. The astragal as shown can be formed in any suitable manner such as by extruding or molding. The astragal consists of a central hollow body portion 12 which is substantially rectangular in crosssection as shown in Figure 2 and is provided with a substantially rectangular hole 13 which extends the length of the astragal. A pair of retaining lips 14 are situated within the hole 13 and form an integral part of the body portion 12. As shown, the lips extend a short distance from the side walls 16 forming the body portion 12 and extend in a plane substantially parallel to the plane of the bottom wall 17 and spaced a short distance from the bottom wall 17. A pair of

flaps

18 and 19 are formed integral with the body 12 and extend outwardly from the body at an angle with respect to the body. The inner sides of the

flaps

18 and 19 are tapered so that the flaps have a gradually increasing thickness towards the body portion 12. The extremities of the

aps

18 and 19 are provided with beads 21. The length of the

flaps

18 and 19 is such that the extremities of the flaps extend a substantial distance beyond the lower or outer wall 17 of the body portion 12 for a purpose hereinafter described.

The astragal also consists of a retaining portion 23 which is mounted on the wall 24 of the body portion 12 equidistant from the side edges of the wall 16 and extending at substantially right angles to the wall 24. The retaining portion 23 is provided with a slit 26 for a purpose hereinafter described.

A switch 28 of the continuous strip type is mounted Within the hole 13 in the body portion 12 adjacent the wall 17 and is held in place by the lips 14. The switch 28 can be of any suitable type well known to those skilled in the art. The switch 28 shown in the drawing consists of a pair of spring tempered conductors 29 and 30 which can be considered to be contact members. The conductors 29 and 30 have their side edges separated by insulating material (not shown) and are completely enclosed within a jacket 32 of insulating material. The jacket is provided to form side portions 33 which are adapted to readily seat in the space provided between the lips 14 and the wall 17.

An astragal with the switch 28 mounted therein is adapted to be secured to one or more edges of a door for forming a sealing means for the door and providing a safety device which will stop closing the door when the astragal comes in contact with an object. For example, as is shown in the drawing, the astragal may be mounted on the lower edge of a rolling door. Such a rolling door as shown in the drawing can consist of a plurality of slats 36, the lower one of which extends into the slit 26. The astragal may then be secured to the slat 36 by any Asuitable means such as the right angle members 38 which are secured together by bolts 39 to firmly clamp the astragal to the slats 36. As will be noted from the drawing, one leg of each of the `angle members 38 is adjacent the retaining portion 23 and the other leg extends in a plane which is coincident with the plane of the outer surface of the wall 24.

Operation of our astragal with the pressure switch may now be briefly described as follows: Let it be assumed that the switch 28 has been connected to the electrical motor for operating the rolling door and the connection is such that when the conductors or Contact members 29 and 30 are urged into engagement with each other, the motor is either de-energized or caused to reverse. Also let it be assumed that t..e rolling door is being lowered and as it is being lowered, the astragal strikes an object before the door reaches a closed position. As soon as the astragal strikes the object, the body portion 12 will be deformed to cause inward movement of the continuous strip electrical switch 28 and to cause the conductors 29 and 30 to engage each other to complete an electrical circuit or contact. This electrical circuit or contact then depending upon the connecting circuitry will either stop the motor driving the rolling door or will cause the motor to reverse to return the door to its fully open position. Thus, the door cannot be closed until the object being contacted is removed.

Since the continuous strip electrical switch extends the entire length of the astragal, it is readily apparent that any time any section of the body portion 12 of the astragal strikes an object, an electrical circuit will be completed. l

The circuitry is also arranged so that the switch 28 has no effect when the door is moved to a completely closed position. As the door is moving to the closed position, the flaps first engage the surface against which the door closes and are then spread apart as the door is gradually closed. The flaps serve to provide a good seal over very rough surfaces. When the bottom surface 17 ofthe central body portion 12 engages the surface which the door is closed against, an additional seal is provided to protect against rain, wind and dust.

It is readily apparent that instead of being mounted on the lower edge of a rolling door, our astragal with pressure switch may also be mounted on the side edge of a side coiling partition or door. It is also readily apparent that such an astragal with pressure switch may also be mounted on other types of doors.

It is apparent from the foregoing that we have provided a new and improved astragal with a pressure switch incorporated therein. It is obviousthat the safety device is not limited to use with an astragal of the particular type described herein. It is also obvious that the astragal may be utilized without the pressure switch if desired.`

We claim:

l. In an astragal of the type adapted for use with a door mounted in a frame, the astragal being formed of a resilient material and comprising a hollow body, and a pair of aps extending at an angle from opposite sides of the body a distance beyond the outer portion of the body so that the flaps come into engagement with the frame before the body, said body being adapted to be secured to one edge ofthe door.

2. In the combination of an astragal with a pressure switch, the astragal being formed of resilient material and being adapted to be mounted on one edge of a door, the astragal comprising a hollow body with a substantially flat outermost wall, and a pair of lips secured within said body, the pressure switch comprising a pair of strip-like conductors mounted within said body, the side edges of the strip-like conductors being insulated from each other and secured together to form a unitary assembly, one of the strip-like conductors being bowed to normally prevent contact between the strip-like conductors, said switch being disposed between said lips and the outermost wall of the body whereby when the resilient body portion engages an object deformation of the resilient body portion causes the conductors to be urged into engagement with each other to establish contact between the conductors.

3. In the combination of an astragal with a pressure switch wherein the astragal is of a type adapted for use with a door, the astragal comprising a resilient body adapted to be mounted on an edge of thedoor, and liaps of a resilient material secured to the resilient body and extending at an angle away from said body a distance beyond the outer portion of the body, the pressure switch comprising a pair of contact members carried within the resilient body, said contact members being urged into engagement with each other by deformation of the resilient body when the resilient body strikes an object.

4. In the combination of an astragal with a pressure switch, the astragal being formed of resilient material and being adapted to be mounted on one edge of a door, the astragal comprising a hollow body with substantially flat outermost wall, a pair of resilient flaps secured to opposite sides of the body and extending away from the body at an angle with respect to the body and having their lower extremities extending beyond the outer portion of the body, and a pair of lips secured within said body, the pressure switch comprising a pair of conductors mounted within said body and disposed between said lips and the outermost wall of the body whereby when the resilient body portion engages an object deformation of the resilient body portion causes the conductors to be urged into engagement with each other to establish contact between the conductors.

5. In the combination of an astragal with a pressure switch, the astragal being formed of a resilient material and being adapted to be mounted on one edge of a door, the astragal comprising a hollow body and a pair of resilient flaps secured to opposite sides of the body and extending away from the body at an angle with respect to the body, the ilaps having their lower `extremities extending beyond the -lower portion of the body, the pressure switch comprising a pair of conductors mounted within said body and disposed adjacent the outermost wall of the body whereby when the resilient body portion engages an object, deformation of the resilient body causes the conductors to be urged into engagement with each other to establish contact between the conductors.

6. In an astragal of the type adapted for use with a rolling door, the astragal being formed of a resilient material and comprising a central hollow body having at least one substantially iiat wall, a pair of aps integral with the opposite sides of the body and extending away from the body at an angle with respect to the body, said flaps being of such a length that they extend beyond the outer portion of the body, and a retaining portion secured to said body and adapted to be fastened to an edge of said door, said retaining portion being provided with a slit.

7. An astragal as in claim 6 wherein said body is provided with a pair of retaining lips secured within the body and lying in a plane substantially parallel to and spaced from the at wall of the body.

8. An lastragal as in claim 6 wherein said retaining portion extends at substantially right angles to the flat wall of the body.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,511,055v Entwistle Oct. 7, 1924 2,663,057 Uphotf Dec. 22, 1953 2,740,856 Doeg Apr. 3, 1956 2,796,484 Wolf .Tune 18, 1957 2,796,488 Cooper June 18, 1957