Patent ID: 7523589
Filing Date: 2009-04-28
Classification: E06B

Abstract:
1. An adjustable flood-resistant barrier for installation in a window or door opening and of the type comprising: (a) a laterally adjustable frame comprised of opposite side rigid frame sections telescopically joined for lateral adjustment between telescopically expanded and contracted configurations, (b) a water-tight elastic envelope having front and back panels and bottom and side edges, enclosing said frame while elastically accommodating said expanding and contracting lateral adjustment thereof and forming therewith a barrier against floodwaters, (c) an expansion linkage positioned between and engaging said frame sections (d) a threaded shaft engaging said expansion linkage and operable to effect controlled lateral expansion and contraction of said frame, (e) said threaded shaft extending upward above said frame in a central region thereof, (f) said threaded shaft and said expansion linkage being positioned substantially centrally of said barrier, with the weight of said barrier being distributed substantially equally on opposite sides of said shaft, (g) a carry handle fixed to an upper end portion of said threaded shaft, above said frame sections and said elastic envelope, whereby said barrier may be lifted and carried by said carry handle in a substantially balanced manner, rotatable with said shaft for expanding and contracting said frame (h) said threaded shaft being rotatable by said carry handle for laterally expanding and contracting said frame, (i) said carry handle including a bracket portion secured to said threaded shaft and having portions extending outwardly and upwardly from opposite sides of said shaft and a hand-engageable gripping portion engaged at opposite ends by said bracket portion and positioned directly above said threaded shaft, whereby a user's hand gripping said gripping portion will be positioned directly above and aligned with the upper end portion of said threaded shaft (k) said water-tight elastic envelope being provided, along external side and bottom edges thereof, with an elongated extruded elastic sealing element formed of a closed cell elastomeric foam material and adhesively bonded to said side and bottom edges, and being adapted for resilient engagement with bottom and side edges of an opening in which said barrier is installed, (l) said elastic sealing element being comprised of side and bottom sealing strips formed with mitered corners, bonded together at respective lower corners of said elastic envelope, and said bottom sealing strip being elastically extendible with lateral expansion of said frame and said envelope, (m) said elastic sealing element being formed with spaced apart opposite side flanges extending inwardly with respect to edges of said elastic envelope and overlying marginal surface portions of said elastic envelope along the sides and bottoms thereof and being bonded to said marginal surface portions, and (n) said elastic sealing element comprising opposite side spaced apart and divergently related sealing flanges configured to contact surfaces to be sealed in spaced apart areas and so disposed and oriented as tending to initially splay divergently against said surfaces to be sealed upon application of compressive force thereto, such that pressure of water against the outer panel of the barrier panel will tend to cause an outer one of said divergently related sealing flanges to be pressed more tightly onto a surface against which it is initially compressed.