Automatic door bottom

Claim 2

An automatic door bottom comprising an inverted U-shaped channel having facing longitudinal rib members formed internally thereof dividing the channel into upper and lower internal sections, with the upper section disposed along the closed portion of the U-shaped channel and the lower section along the open portion of the channel, a drop bar assembly including a flexible sealing element disposed within the lower of the internal sections, an adjustable length pushrod assembly mounted within the upper section of the channel and releasably held therein by a holding block, said assembly including a pushrod having first and second ends, the second of which extends out of one end of the upper section of the channel and is capable of sliding with respect thereto, and a spring means engaged with the first end of said pushrod and interconnected with the drop bar assembly forming a unitary assembly held in the channel by said holding block, said drop bar assembly and the flexible sealing element being forced partially out of the lower section of the channel whEn a force is applied to the second end of the pushrod driving it into the channel to actuate the spring means.

Claim 3

The door bottom of claim 1 wherein the first end of the pushrod is engaged with one end of a flexible leaf spring, and the center portion of the leaf spring projects from the first section of the channel member into the second section and is interconnected to the drop bar, whereby upon sliding of the second end of the pushrod into the channel the leaf spring is flexed to force the flexible sealing element partially out of the channel and into contact with the door sill.

Claim 4

The door bottom of claim 2 wherein the length of the pushrod is adjustable by means of an end cap which is locked against change of adjustment when the door bottom is assembled in operating condition.

Claim 5

The door bottom of claim 3 wherein the end cap comprises a multisided end cap screw threadedly carried by the second end of the pushrod, the end cap extends into the upper internal section of the channel when the door bottom is assembled in operating condition whereby the end cap is captured between the sides of the channel and prevented from rotating.

Claim 6

The automatic door bottom of claim 1, wherein said holding block is fixed to said spring means and is fixed in position in said channel by a single retaining screw inserted through the channel and into the same.

Claim 7

An automatic door bottom for sealing the gap between the bottom of a door and its adjacent sill comprising an inverted U-shaped channel member for mounting along the bottom of a door, said U-shaped portion having two rib members formed on the interior surface of the channel dividing it into upper and lower internal sections, a pushrod and spring assembly including first and second slide blocks disposed within the upper internal section, the first block being removably secured in the channel in a predetermined position, the second rectangular block being freely mounted within the upper internal section and slidable with respect to the first block, the two blocks being connected by a curved leaf spring having its central portion extending into the lower internal section of said channel, a pushrod connected to the slidable second rectangular block projecting away from the leaf spring and out of the end of the channel, a multisided shaped end cap threadedly carried on the pushrod and extending from the channel, said end cap being captured within the channel walls and prevented from rotating, a drop bar slidably disposed within the second internal section of said channel and having a flexible sealing element mounted therein, the drop bar being interconnected to the pushrod through the leaf spring by a pivot pin connection between the drop bar and the leaf spring, said spring formed to flex when a force is applied against the end cap whereby the end cap is driven into the channel forcing the leaf spring to project further into the lower internal section thereby forcing the flexible sealing element partially out of the lower internal section of the channel and into contact with the door sill.

Claim 8

An automatic door bottom for sealing the gap between the bottom of a door and its adjacent sill comprising an inverted U-shaped channel member for mounting along the bottom of a door, said U-shaped portion having two rib members formed on the interior surface of the channel dividing it into upper and lower internal sections, a pushrod and spring assembly including first and second slide blocks disposed within the upper internal section, the first block being removably secured in the channel in a predetermined position, the second rectangular block being freely mounted within the upper internal section and slidable with respect to the first block, the two blocks being connected by a curved leaf spring having its central portion extending into the lower internal section of said channel, a pushrod connected to the slidable second rectangular block projecting away from the leaf spring and out of the end of the channel, a multisided shaped end cap threadedly carried on the pushrod and extending from the channel, said end cap being captured within the channel walls and prevented from rotating, a drop bar slidably disposed within the second internal section of said channel and having a flexible sealing element mounted therein, the drop bar being interconnected to the pushrod through the leaf spring by a pivot pin connection between the drop bar and the leaf spring, said spring formed to flex when a force is applied against the end cap whereby the end cap is driven into the channel forcing the leaf spring to project further into the lower internal section thereby forcing the flexible sealing element partially out of the lower internal section of the channel and into contact with the door sill.

Claim 9

The door bottom of claim 6 including a bearing block mounted in the upper internal section of the channel to guide and position the pushrod.

Claim 10

An automatic door bottom comprising an inverted U-shaped channel having facing longitudinal rib members formed internally thereof dividing the channel into upper and lower internal sections with the upper section disposed along the closed portion of the U-shaped channel and the lower section along the open portion of the channel, a drop bar assembly including a flexible sealing element disposed within the lower internal section of the channel, a pushrod assembly mounted within the upper section of the channel, the pushrod having first and second ends the second of which extends out of one end of the upper section and capable of sliding with respect thereto, a multisided end cap threadedly carried by the second end of the pushrOd for adjusting the length of said pushrod, said end cap extending into the upper section of the channel when the door bottom is assembled in operating condition to prevent rotation of said end cap, and a flexible leaf spring engaged with the first end of said pushrod, the center portion of the leaf spring projecting from the upper section of the channel member into the lower section where it is interconnected to the drop bar assembly, whereby upon movement of the second end of the pushrod into the channel the leaf spring is flexed downward to force the flexible sealing element partially out of the channel and into contact with the door sill.

Claim 11

An automatic door bottom comprising an inverted U-shaped channel having facing longitudinal rib members formed internally thereof dividing the channel into upper and lower internal sections with the upper section disposed along the closed portion of the U-shaped channel and the lower section along the open portion of the channel, a drop bar assembly including a flexible sealing element disposed within the lower internal section of the channel, a pushrod assembly mounted within the upper section of the channel, the pushrod having first and second ends the second of which extends out of one end of the upper section and capable of sliding with respect thereto, a multisided end cap threadedly carried by the second end of the pushrOd for adjusting the length of said pushrod, said end cap extending into the upper section of the channel when the door bottom is assembled in operating condition to prevent rotation of said end cap, and a flexible leaf spring engaged with the first end of said pushrod, the center portion of the leaf spring projecting from the upper section of the channel member into the lower section where it is interconnected to the drop bar assembly, whereby upon movement of the second end of the pushrod into the channel the leaf spring is flexed downward to force the flexible sealing element partially out of the channel and into contact with the door sill.