Patent Publication Number: US-6219979-B1

Title: Threshold assembly

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates generally to the field of thresholds. More specifically, it relates to a threshold assembly which substantially contributes to sealing capacity of the doors against water attempting to infiltrate from the outside area into the building. 
     2. Description of the Prior Art 
     The use of doors in conjunction with threshold assemblies is common in today&#39;s construction. External doors are usually mounted together with a threshold assembly, above which the door is located in its closed position. Basically, a threshold assembly comprises a sill facing outwardly from the building and a threshold facing inwardly towards the building. 
     It is known, that one of the major problems in house construction is that of preventing the leakage of water from the exterior of the house. Among other functions, thresholds accomplish the important function of barrier to moisture and water infiltration. 
     As it is known, threshold assemblies are attached to the jambs of door frames. During manufacture, transport, assembly with the door frame in buildings and use, a gap between each jamb and the sill appears. Moreover, since the sill is formed from aluminum and the threshold is formed from a plastic, such as polyvinyl chloride or any of a plurality of relatively rigid plastics, commonly known under the name “vinyl” their dilation and contraction characteristics are very different, and a gap due to the climatic changes appears. This gap enlarges the gap mentioned above. 
     From the prior art there are known sealing attachments which are joined to the doors to eliminate or at least substantially reduce only the passage of water beneath  10  the lower edge of the door frame. 
     Several U.S. and Canadian Patents have addressed the issue of sealing attachments to the doors. 
     The following disclosures relate to various types of known attachments: 
     Sowers (U.S. Pat. No. 5,642,588, issued Jul. 1, 1997); Biebuyck (U.S. Pat. No. 5,469,665, issued Nov. 28, 1995); Fulford (U.S. Pat. No. 5,361,552. issued Nov. 8, 1994); Biebuyck (U.S. Pat. No. 5,319,882, issued Jun. 14, 1994); Geoffrey (U.S. Pat. No. 5,230,181, issued Jul. 27, 1993); Woodruff (U.S. Pat. No. 5,214,880, issued Jun. 1, 1993); Knapp (U.S. Pat. No. 5,168,669, issued Dec. 8, 1992); Burnett (U.S. Pat. No. 5,150,544, issued Sep. 29, 1992); Shield (U.S. Pat. No. 5,022,206, issued Jun. 11, 1991); Heikkinen (U.S. Pat. No. 4,807,396, issued Feb. 28, 1989); and Opdyke (Canadian Appl. No. 2,203,482, publ. Oct. 26, 1997); Wilson (Canadian Appl. No. 2,132,741, publ. Sep. 30, 1993); Grimsdale (Canadian Pat. No. 2,072,909, issued Jul. 18, 1995); and Wicks (Canadian Pat. No. 2,034,320, issued Nov. 22, 1994). 
     The applicant believes that the cited disclosures, taken alone or in combination, neither anticipate or render obvious the present invention. The forgoing citations do not constitute an admission that such disclosures are relevant or material to the claims. Rather the disclosures are related to the field of the invention and are cited as constituting the closest art of which the applicant is aware. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     After substantial experimentation and testing, the inventor has reached the conclusion, that by using a threshold assembly for attachment to the lower exterior side of each of the two opposite jambs of a door frame, he eliminates or at least alleviates the leakage due to the disclosed gap. Thus, broadly described, the threshold assembly according to this invention comprises the combination of a sill with a pair of upwardly extending and oppositely facing lateral brackets. One of the lateral brackets of the pair is positioned perpendicularly at one end of the sill, to which it is firmly joined. The other lateral bracket is positioned and joined in the same manner, at the opposite end of the sill. Each of the lateral brackets is provided with holes for fastening means for attachment to the mentioned jambs. The sill and the lateral brackets form an unitary and continuous structure. In one aspect of the invention, each of said lateral brackets extends laterally beyond the sill, so that its length is commensurate with the width of the jamb. The holes are positioned at regular intervals to allow attachment to said jamb, on its whole width. 
     In another aspect of the invention, each of said lateral brackets is joined from its inside to the sill of their line of contact, by welding. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING 
     The features and use of the present invention will become understood by way of the following detailed description of the preferred embodiment with reference to the appended drawing in which: 
     FIG. 1 is a perspective partial view illustrating the sill and a lateral bracket; 
     FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a lateral bracket together with a sill and threshold; and 
     FIG. 3 is a perspective partial view of the threshold assembly attached to a jamb and a brickmould. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Reference is now made to the drawings wherein like features are designated by the same numerals. 
     Referring now to the drawings, the number  10  denotes the threshold assembly according to the present invention. Threshold assembly  10  comprises a sill  12  provided with a pair of upwardly extending and oppositely facing lateral brackets  14 . 
     Each lateral bracket  14  is positioned perpendicularly at one end of sill  12 , to which it is joined from the interior, at the line of contact sill-lateral bracket, by a welding seam  16 . Thus, an unitary and continuous structure is formed. Each lateral bracket  14  is provided with six holes  18  positioned at regular intervals. Each lateral bracket  14  extends laterally beyond sill  12 . Its length is commensurate with the width of a door jamb  20 . Screws  22  are used to attach lateral bracket  14  to jambs  20  on the whole width of each jamb  20 . 
     As can be seen, threshold assembly  10  as described above,  10  confers a structural rigidity, which before could not be attained by the use of a conventional connecting wood element (not shown), placed under sill  12  and a threshold  24 . A brickmould  26  is penetrated by lateral bracket  14  and by jamb  20  for attachment to the building.