Threshold And Sill Assembly

Abstract

A threshold and sill arrangement including an upwardly open elongated channel sectioned part with parallel spaced side wall portions for receiving a channel sectioned member with depending parallel spaced side flanges there within, and having adjustment screws to raise and lower the one relative to the other, locking screws to fix the adjusted portions, suitable seals between the relatively adjustable parts, and a downwardly sloping sill section formed integral with one side and/or connected thereto.

Parent Case Text

This is a continuation, of application Ser. No. 2,851 filed Jan. 14, 1970 now abandoned.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Aluminum threshold and sill arrangements under entrance doors offer many advantages.

They are attractive in appearance, light weight for shipping and handling ease, unaffected by bad weather, relatively wear resistant, easy to cut and fit, if necessary, and are vertually care-free when it comes to service or maintainance. However, there are also a lot of problems in providing really good ones.

The weather seal under an entrance door, for example, is very important. If weather stripping is provided on the bottom of the door or standing up over the threshold, either it or a part engaging it must be adjustable to compensate for variations that arise. This includes changes that may be necessary long after installation and which must be made by the owner.

It is also important to provide a thermal barrier or separation in a metal threshold assembly that serves at an entrance way, because of different temperatures to which different sides are exposed. Without some such protection there will be moisture problems due to condensation and damage to rugs and floors.

Another problem in all threshold arrangements, whether of metal or not, is to provide an adequate run-off for rain water and melted snow so that there is no accumulation of water in or around an entrance way that may cause mildew, rot or other water damage.

Heretofore, prefabricated aluminum threshold assemblies have failed in one respect or another to serve these and other needs. Consequently, a new and better arrangement is needed, that is more simple in construction, to minimize production costs, and includes improvements that will enable greater ease of adjustment, when and as required.

SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT INVENTION

The present invention is directed to a new and improved threshold and sill arrangement, of aluminum, and one that is particularly suited for entrance way use.

The assembly includes two parts which are relatively simple shapes that can be extruded. One includes the sill with an inverted channel section at one end and the other is a relatively simple channel section that fits in the first, forms a box section with it, and is adjustable by shoulder screws disposed between the two.

By a combination of adjustment screws and lock screws, both of which are readily accessible, the actual threshold part can be raised or lowered to seal against weather stripping on the bottom of the door.

The two parts are formed to include a thermal separation between them and, in addition, have seals provided to avoid water accumulation problems and further minimize the temperature change problem.

These and other objects and advantages will best be understood and appreciated in the detailed description of the invention which follows hereinafter.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a door and frame assembly mounted in a wall and using the threshold member of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged top plan view of one end of the threshold member, as seen in the plane of line 2--2 in the first drawing figure.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the threshold member as seen in the plane of line 3--3 in the first drawing figure.

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of part of the threshold member, as seen in the plane of line 4-4 in the second drawing figure.

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of another form of threshold member.

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of still another form of threshold member.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE ILLUSTRATED EMBODIMENTS

A threshold and sill arrangement according to the present invention is shown in the first drawing figure and is identified as 10.

It is provided between the side rails 12 and 14 of a door frame and immediately under a door 16 which is hung in the frame to swing into a building space therebehind.

As best shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the threshold and sill assembly 10 includes two separately extruded aluminum parts 18 and 20. The one part, 18, is intended to be fastened between the two frame side rails and to the floor while the other part, 20, is the relatively adjustable threshold part that is intended to provide weather sealing engagement with suitable weather stripping, such as 22, on the bottom edge of the door 16.

The extruded part 18 is square-cut at its ends to fit between the frame rails 12 and 14, and under the door stop part 24 of the frame rails, as best shown in FIG. 2. It includes screw bosses 26 and 28 for fastening it to the frame rails, and suitable adhesive mastic is used to fasten it to the floor, when and as desired.

The part 18 includes a laterally disposed and downwardly inclined section 30 that serves as the sill and which includes threads 32 for some traction and added safety. The incline is for run-off purposes, of course, and is intended to be on the outside of the doorway in which installed. Other sill structures that are shorter and are more serviceable for inside doors will be discussed later.

The sill section 30 includes a return flange 34, at floor level, at its extended end, which cooperates with a shoulder flange 36, at its higher end, to retain an insert 38 of plywood or the like. The insert serves to stiffen or reinforce the sill section and is used instead of ribs or rails formed in the course of extruding the part 18.

Immediately under where the door 16 will be, there is an upwardly open channel-like recess 40. It has side wall portions 42 and 44 and a center rib or rail 46 that stands between them and is shown with one of the screw bosses 28 provided on its side. A poly pile fabric seal 48 is provided in the sill wall 42 and the opposite wall 44 is formed to accommodate a vinyl seal and trim strip 50 which is both decorative and functional, as will be described.

Referring back to the two extruded parts 18 and 20, which make up the sill and threshold assembly of the present invention, the second part 20 is shown in the drawings as a relatively long channel sectioned member with parallel spaced and downwardly disposed side flanges 52 and 54 that are received within the open channel-like recess 40, in the sill part 18. The web wall 56 is intended to engage and seal against the weather stripping 22 on the bottom of the door, as previously mentioned, and the side flanges of what is the vertically adjustable part of the threshold are received in weather sealing engagement with seals 48 and 50.

Vertical adjustment of the part 20 is obtained by means of screws 58 that are in threaded engagement with the rib rail 46 and include a shoulder flange 60 that engages the underside of the web wall 56 to lift it up as the screw is turned out and allows it to be lowered when it is turned down. Each adjustment screw has a slotted end or head 62 that extends into a hole 64 in the web wall so that it can be turned up or down, as necessary, without taking the two parts of the assembly apart, as has always been necessary before.

Flat headed screws 66 are used to fasten the adjustable part 20 in whatever adjusted position is selected for it. The screws are received through cone seated holes 68 in the web wall 56 and into threaded engagement with the rib rail 46. They may even be self-tapping screws, if desired.

To raise or lower the threshold part 20, the lock screws 66 are loosened and the adjustment screws are turned out, or down. Then, the lock screws are tightened again to fix the channel sectioned part in its new position.

It is very simple. Anyone can do it.

VARIATIONS AND REFINEMENTS

The vinyl seal and trim strip 50, shown in FIG. 3, is made to include a rolled edge 70 that is received in a groove 72 in the side wall portion 44 of the sill part. It also has a lip 74 that extends out and down, to simulate a piece of trim molding, and which can be flexed, as shown, in order to install tile or other floor coverings under it.

Normally, vinyl seals are advisable on only one side of two members that are adjustable relative to each other, because of the high friction and shear forces that are developed. However, they can be on either side and FIG. 5 shows a different sill and threshold arrangement 100 with the vinyl seal on the sill side.

The actual sill section 130 is shaped differently in cross-section and includes a structural reinforcement leg or rib 138 rather than a plywood or like stiffener 38.

The channel-like recess area 140 is very much like before but the side wall 142 is a combination connector and seal, of vinyl and the fabric seal 148 is on the opposite side.

The use of two screw bosses 126 and 127 assures the fixed location of the sill part when installed.

The sill section 230 shown in FIG. 6 is for indoor use and consequently has no side wall seals. It includes the screw bosses 226 and 228 on the short sill part and outer walls formed to provide a downward taper, as at 250, somewhat like trim molding.

The threshold part 220, as in the other variations, is essentially the same .

Claims

I claim:

1. A threshold assembly for use within a doorway opening under the lower edge of a door for closing the same and adapted to be fixed to the floor and relatively located between the side rails framing such opening, and comprising; an extruded member formed to include an upwardly open trough having relatively spaced side walls on each side thereof and an inverted channel sectioned rib provided within said trough between said side walls and extending the full length thereof, a channel sectioned member open downwardly and received within said trough over said rib for telecopic adjustment therewithin and relatively over said rib, and separate means provided in pairs at least near opposite ends of said extruded and adjustable members as telecopically received together for providing relative adjustment therebetween and fixing said members in selected adjusted positions, said separate means being each received in threaded engagement directly with said rib and each pair including an adjustable stop engaging the underside of said adjustable member and accessible therethrough for fixing the relative height of said adjustable member in said trough and a headed member closely next adjacent said adjustable stop received through and engaging the upperside of said adjustable member for holding the latter in positive engagement on said stop.

2. The threshold assembly of claim 1, said adjustable stop including a flange surface engaging the underside of said adjustable member and said headed member being in sufficiently close proximity for holding said adjustable member in rattle-free frictional engagement on said stop for precluding independent self adjustment thereof.

3. The threshold assembly of claim 1, including sealing means provided and obscured within the space between the side walls of said trough and of said channel sectioned member and retained in engagement within one thereof.

4. The threshold assembly of claim 3, including a laterally disposed and downwardly sloping part providing a sill section on one side of said extruded member, said sill section having an end wall common with one of the side walls of said trough, and said sealing means being received and retained within said common wall.

5. The threshold assembly of claim 1, including a decorative and functionally protective molding strip disposed externally next adjacent said extruded member and having one edge curled over and received in retained engagement within a trough side wall and for providing sealing means with respect to said adjustable member.