AN IMPROVED MODE AND MEANS OF PREVENTING DRAUGHTS, OR THE INGRESS OF DUST OR RAIN UNDERNEATH DOORS
Year: 1877

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to James Cowan Morton, of Govan, in the County of Lanark,
North Britain, Foreman Joiner, for the Invention of "AN IMPROVED MODE
AND MEANS OF PREVENTING DRAUGHTS, OR THE INGRESS OF DUST OR RAIN
UNDERNEATH DOORS."
Sealed the 1st June 1877, and dated the 27th March 1877.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said James Cowan Morton at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 27th March 1877.
JAMES COWAN MORTON, of Govan, in the County of Lanark, North Britain,
Foreman Joiner. "AN IMPROVED MODE AND MEANS OF PREVENTING DRAUGHTS,
OR THE INGRESS OF DUST OR RAIN UNDERNEATH DOORS."
"
This Invention consists generally in a new or improved arrangement of a movable
valve and fittings, to be secured at the under edges of doors, to lift or close up as the
doors open, and, vice versa, open down by the automatic action of closing the door,
to prevent draughts of air, and dust or rain passing underneath doors fitted with
these improvements.
And the nature of the Invention consists under one modification, in fitting within
a groove formed right across the under edge of the door, a flat oscillating valve,
formed of a strip of sheet vulcanized india-rubber, with a rather narrower plate or
bar of iron or other metal on each side of it, rivetted through and swivelling by end
journals near the back edged in bearings carrying plates sunk into the lower side
edges of the door, with a blade or other spring, always keeping the valve up hori-
zontal with the lower edge of the door when that is opened a little," but having a
crank or eccentric pin, projecting sufficiently at one or both ends of the stronger
plate or its axis, to take into a stationary curved or cam grooved plate or "hasp'
piece sunk into the lower edge part of the door frame, so that as the door closed, the
projecting pins would be forced down the inclined cam groove or surface, and so tilt
the valve plate on its axis as to cause the front edge part of the india-rubber pro-
jecting beyond the plates to be pressed down close on the irregular surface of the
floor, and the corresponding back edge up against the back or inner edge of the
groove or recess in which the valve works along the bottom of the door, and thus

page_text: prevent cither air, dust, or water from passing in at these close joints of the valve
when the door is closed.
Although an oscillating valve has been described, it will be evident that a valve
and bar sliding in a groove in the lower edge of the door could do nearly as well,
and that the inner or one edge might be nailed air-tight to the under end of the
door, the india-rubber or other elastic material used acting as a hinge when desired.
And although not preferred, this valvular strip of india-rubber with its moving bar
might work in an equivalent slit formed in the door or door sill, and act all other-
wise as described, the plates for moving and closing the valve in this case being
sunk into the lower edge of the door.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said James Cowan Morton in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 27th
September 1877.
JAMES COWAN MORTON, of Govan, in the County of Lanark, North Britain,
Foreman Joiner. "AN IMPROVED MODE AND MEANS OF PREVENTING DRAUGHTS,
OR THE INGRESS OF DUST OR RAIN UNDERNEATH DOORS."
My said Invention consists generally in a new or improved arrangement of a
movable valve and fittings to be secured at the outer edges of doors, to lift or close
up as the doors open, and vice versa, open down by the automatic action of closing
the door, to prevent the draughts of air and dust or rain passing underneath doors
fitted with these improvements.
And in order that the nature, novelty, and mode of performing my said Invention
may be properly understood, I now proceed to describe the several Figures upon the
accompanying Sheet of Drawings which I have hereunto appended, for the purpose
of showing the best modes and means I am at present aware of for putting the same
into practice, reference being had to the letters and figures marked thereon, that is
to say,
Figure 1 is a front view of the lower half of a door, partly in section, with wood
broken away, to show the connection and arrangement of the automatic valvular
appliance; Figure 2 is an edge view of the same, and Figure 3 is an under side view
of the door frame showing the valve in its closed position. While Figures 4 and 5
are full sized sections of the door and valve, the former showing the valve in both
the open and closed positions, and Figures 6 and 7 are full sized detailed views of
the hinge part of the valve; and Figures 8 and 9 are full size detail views of
the cam groove plate L.
Referring to these Figures, my said Invention consists under one modification, in
fitting within the groove A, formed right across the under edge B, of the door C, a
flat automatic oscillating valve D, formed of a strip of sheet vulcanised india-rubber
E, with a rather narrower plate or bar of iron or other metal, or rigid material F, F,
rivetted on each side of it, the back plate F¹ swivelling by end journals G near the
back edge of the door C, in bearing or carrying plates H, H', sunk into the lower
side edges of the door C, with a blade or other spring I rivetted at its upper end
to a projecting lug on the plate H (seen particularly in Figure 6), which always
keeps the valve up horizontal and flush with the lower edge of the door C, when
open, as seen dotted in at J in Figure 4; a crank or eccentric pin K projecting
sufficiently, preferably on one end of the stronger back plate F¹ or its axis, taking
into a stationary curved or cam grooved plate, or "hasp" piece L, sunk into the
lower edge part of the door frame or post M, so that as the door closes, the projecting
pin K is forced down the inclined cam groove or surface L', and so automatically
tilts the valve D on to its axis as the door is closed, so as to cause the front edge
part E' of the india-rubber E, projecting beyond the plates, to be pressed down close
to the surface of the floor N, as seen particularly in Figures 1, 2, and 4, and the

page_text: corresponding back edge Ell up against the back or inner edge of the groove or
recess A, in which the valve works along the bottom of the door C, and thus
prevents either air, dust, or water from passing in at these close joints of the valve,
when the door is closed.
Although an oscillating valve has been described, it will be evident that a valve
and bar sliding in a groove in the lower edge of the door could do nearly as well,
and that the inner or one edge might be nailed air-tight to the under end of the
door, the india-rubber or other elastic material used acting as a hinge when desired.
And although not preferred, this valvular strip of india-rubber with its moving bar
might work in an equivalent slit formed in the floor or door sill, and act all other-
wise as described, the plates for moving and closing the valve in this case being
sunk into the lower edge of the door.
Having now described the nature of my said Invention, and the manner of per-
forming the same, I have to state that I no not confine myself to the precise details
herein described or delineated, but what I consider novel and original, and therefore
claim as the Invention secured to me by the herein-before in part recited Letters
Patent is, the general arrangement and combination of automatic oscillating
valves and connections, and their application to doors for excluding air, rain, or
dust, substantially as herein described, in reference to, and shown in the accompany-
ing Drawings, or any mere modification thereof.
In witness whereof, I, the said James Cowan Morton, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twenty-sixth day of September, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and seventy-seven.