Improved Self Adjusting Strips for Excluding Draughts from the Bottoms of Doors.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 9th Feb., 1891-Accepted, 14th Mar., 1891
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improved Self Adjusting Strips for Excluding Draughts from the
Bottoms of Doors.
I, JOHN FREDERIC GOLDING, of No. 12, North Road, Bishopston, Bristol,
Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention, and in what
manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement :-
This invention relates to the application of a strip or shutter to the bottoms
of doors in such a manner and with such mechanical appliances that when the door
is closed, the strip will fit closely on the floor, and so prevent any draught from
coming into a room through the space which is usually found between the bottom
of a door and the floor; and when the door is opened, the strip will be raised, so
that the door may pass easily over the floor without dragging on the carpet or
matting.
With most contrivances that are adopted for excluding draughts, the material is
fixed to the door, and when the door is opened, the shutter, roller, sand-bag or
other protector is dragged or pushed along the floor, thereby raising dust and
sometimes preventing the door from being opened, but by my invention a strip
closely fitting on the floor when the door is shut, is so adjusted, that by opening
the door, the strip is automatically raised, so that it passes without difficulty over
the carpet or any slight irregularity or obstruction on the floor.
My invention consists in employing a strip made of wood or other suitable
material, cut of the required length to fit between the jambs of the door, and of
any desired width and thickness; suitably about 2 or 3 inches wide and half an
inch thick this strip may be covered with felt or other textile material, to give
it an appearance of warmth and comfort, or may be painted to match the door;
the end of the strip which comes against the jamb on which the door swings has
a piece of rubber fastened to it, to enable it to be more readily actuated by the
jamb when the door is opened as hereinafter described two or more pieces of
metal, about 4 inches long and one inch wide, with a screw hole in each end, are
also employed, these pieces of metal I call swivel plates; I also use pieces of
wood of the same thickness as the strips, preferably D shaped, on which the
swivel plates are fitted, these pieces of wood serve as stop washers; a spring of
metal or rubber is also provided, which is attached to staples or screw eyes, onc
in the top of the strip and the other on the top, or near to, one of the stop
washers. The various articles described being provided, they are applied to the
door in the manner following: the swivel plates are attached to the strip by a
short screw in one end of each plate, the other ends of the plates are also fastened
by screws to the stop washers, the spring is then attached to the top of the strip
and to the top of one of the stop washers, and it is ready for fixing to the door,
which is done by placing the strip on the floor when the door is shut, and then
having ascertained the extent of the opening below the door which the strip is
desired to cover, the stop washers are put a corresponding distance above the top
of the strip, and the screws already partly inserted through the swivel plates and
washers are driven into the door, and the fixing is complete; the action of the
strip is as follows; the spring will be constantly drawing the strip backwards and
upwards, but as the end of it is against the jamb the swivel plates will keep it
down while the door is shut, but as soon as the door is opened, this pressure is
relaxed and the spring will draw it upwards until it touches the stop washer, and
then it passes freely over the floor, and when the door is again closed, the rubber
tipped end of the strip is pushed forward by the jamb, and the action of the
swivel plate overcomes the tension of the spring and forces the strip on the floor.
n

page_text: My invention will be more readily understood by reference to the accompanying
sheet of drawings, in which
Fig. represents the lower part of a door to which the self adjusting strip is
fitted, the strip is shown raised, there being no jamb to prevent the spring exerting
its full power, the dotted lines indicate the position of the strip below the door
when it is closed;
Fig. 2 is a horizontal sectional plan showing the mode of fixing and the action
.of the strip against the door jamb, the door is shown closed and half way open;
Fig. 3 is a view of the jambs and a door partly open, showing the strip raised
and the space between it and the floor; and
Fig. 4 is a similar view with the door closed and the strip pressed on the floor,
the space between the door and floor which is covered by the strip is indicated by
the dotted line.
A is the strip, which as before stated may be covered by any textile material,
or the bottom of it may have a piece of felt fastened to it; and to prevent friction
and noise, a piece of rubber a is fixed to the end of the strip, so that it may be
more readily actuated when it comes into contact with the jamb; B are the swivel
plates which carry the strip and regulate its action when pressed by the jamb or
drawn by the spring; C are stop washers, preferably D shaped, through which the
screws are placed which attach the swivel plates to the door; D is a spring, one
end of which is attached to a screw eye d' on or near the top of one of the stop
washers, and the other end is attached to a staple or screw eye d' on the top edge
of the strip.
The various parts of my self adjusting strips for doors being arranged as
described, they can be fixed to any door in the following manner the door being
closed, the strip is cut of the required length, and placed on the floor outside the
room, the space between the floor and the bottom of the door which the strip is
required to cover is ascertained, and the stop washers are placed with the straight
edges at a corresponding distance from the top of the strip, the screws through
the swivel plates and stop washers are driven into the door, and the strip is fixed
ready for action; as soon as the door is opened, the strip will be drawn by the
spring in the direction of the arrow (Fig. 4), and the swivel plates will raise the
strip until it comes in contact with the stop washers, which prevent its further
elevation; the door being again fastened, the rubber tipped end of the strip is
pushed against the jamb, and forced forward and downward until it rests on the
Hoor and excludes all draught.
The advantages of my draught excluding strip are, that it may be easily
attached to any door, two or three screws to fasten it being all that is required,
so that it may be readily removed in the summer months and replaced during the
winter and it will pass easily over the floor without any noise or friction, and
effectually exclude all draught.
i
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is
The construction of a self adjusting strip or shutter for preventing draught from
coming under the bottoms of doors, substantially as and for the purpose herein
described, and shown and illustrated in the accompanying sheet of drawings.
Dated thin 7th d f al
1001
J. G. WESTLAKE,
2, John Street, Bristol, Applicant's Agent.