AU662974B2

AU662974B2 - Door draught and weather excluder

Info

Publication number: AU662974B2
Application number: AU38782/93A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Ian Thomas Howe
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1992-05-29
Filing date: 1993-05-25
Publication date: 1995-09-21
Anticipated expiration: 2013-05-25
Also published as: AU3878293A; NZ242972A

Description

4*' AUSTAL 2 74 Patents Act 1990 P/00/ Regulation C. C

C

C.

CC C CC CC '.9 ft. C CC. C ft.

CC

4 C*C C C C

*C

COMPLETE SPECIFICATION FOR A STANDARD PATENT

ORIGINAL

NOTICE

1. The specification should descrbq the Invention in full and the best method of performing it known to the applicant 2. The specification should bI typed on as many shoots of good quality A4 International size paper as are necessary and Inserted Inside this form.

3. The claims defining the Livention must start on a new page. If there is insufficient space on this form for the claims, use separate zShoets of paper.

The words "The claims defining the invention are as follows should appear bfore claim 1. After the claims the date and the name of the applicant should appear In block letters.

4. This form must be accompanied by a true ari exact copy of tho description, claims and drawings (if any) and vb) an additional copy of the claims.

(see Pamphlets explaining formal requirsiments of spocificatins and drawings) TO BE COMPLETED BY APPLICANT Name of Applcnt:, P4AocQ A ctual Inventor(4q: O Invention Title: i t Details of Associated Provisional Applications: Nos: Nw~Q- O..1 ~2 The following statement Is a full description of this Invention, Including the best method of performing It known to me:- XM 045899 250593 DOOR DRAUGHT AND WEATHER EXCLUDER This invention relates to improvements in devices for restricting the passage of air and moisture through the gaps between doors and the the floor and in particular for restricting the passage of air and moisture through the gap between the door and the floor at the bottom of doors along the full width of the door.

Existing methods of restricting draught and weather at the gap at the bottom of doors take several forms. One common method involves the manual placement of a device such as a soft flexible tubular container filled with sand, cloth or other filling so that the device may be manually pushed against the gap so that the device takes up the shape of the gap and restricts draught through the gap. Such devices 15 are unsightly and cumbersome. Another common method is similar to the above method except that there is a minounting mechanism which must be screwed to the face of the door so that the tubular section moves with the door. Such devices V are bulky, unsightly and can foul with the cavity in cavity 20 -liding doors. Another common method involves the use of a n-anting strip containing a brush type material. The mounting strip must be fixed to the face of the door. This method is unsightly and can damage the face of the door.

Another common method is to provide a mounting strip which contains a hinging mechanism which houses a resilient gasket. Ihe hinge mechanism strike a biasing stop when the door is closed so that the gasket is forced toward the floor surface. This method is unsightly and limited to external hinged door use. Another common method is to provide a two part mechanism where one part is mounted to the underside of the door and the other part is mounted to .he surface of the floor. This method is limited to external hinged doors and can make the door more difficult to operate.

The present inv, ntion provides a device for simply and effectively excluding draught and weather from penetrating the gap at the base of a door. This invention also provides a device which is concealed beneath the underside of the door. It also provides a device which does not require fixing to the door by the use of screws or nails. It also provides a device which can be simply and effectively fixed to the door without removing the door.

It also provides a universal device for broad use. It "also provides a device which does not require fixing to the .face of the door. It also provides a single part device S: which seals a wide range of variation in a single gap, It also provides a device which does not reduce the ease with which a door can be opened or closed. It also provides a device which actively clamps down onto the floor surface without the need for complimentary devices such as biasing stops, It also provides a device which does not 25 require adjustment when used to seal a gap whose sides are not parallel along its length. It also provides a device which in use does not mar soft floor coverirn-s. It also provides a device which in use has no components which are subject to significant wear or deterioration. It also provides a device which is suited to sliding doors as well as hinged doors. It also provides a device which greatly reduces the operating forces on the fixing material when in use so that simple less strong fixing materi.als such as pads of double sided bonding tape may be successfully used to fix the device to the door. It also provides a device which may totally seal the door gap when the device is mounted to the underside of a door using small pads of bonding tape spaced widely apart, rather than requiring long lengths of bonding tape or similar fixing materials to the entire width of the door. It also provides a device which is able to actively climb and pass over significant obstacles above the floor surface. It also provides a 1} device which may provide a relatively tight seal or a relatively less tight seal in the same device. It also provides a device which does not require any complimentary devices to be fitted to the underside of a door and does not require any modification to the underside of a standard door edge.

t.

I.:

o *o o oo The present invention provides a draught and weather excluding device comprising a mounting web and a sealing web these webs being connected together in such a way so as to allow the sealing web to have a hinge action with the 25 mounting web so that the sealing web is simply and effectively able to close the gap between the underside of the bottom of a door and the top surface of a floor or floor covering. Due to the hinge action between the two main webs the device has the ability to seal a substantial range of gaps between doors and floors without the need to adjust the location or configuration of the device. The device need not be fitted differently to accommodate different gaps on different doors. Due to the hinge action between the two main webs the device has the ability to automatically alter its vertical reach so that in situations where the gap width alters as the door is rotated, the device retracts or extends vertically so as not to cause any significant friction between the door and the floor.

The sealing web may be of resilient material so that in situations where the gap width is different along its length the sealing web is able to extend and retract 15 vertically along its length so that an uneven gap may be effectively sealed.

The hinge position of the device may be located parallel to and at the furthermost edge of the underside of the door edge when viewed from within a room so that as the door is 20 rotated toward the closed position the sealing web is caused to be extended vertically downward so as to ensure that the gap is effectively sealed when the door reaches its closed position. That is to say that the line of contact and resulting small frictional force between the "25 sealing web and the floor is located at a distance from the axis of the hinge so that the sealing web experiences a rotational moment couple downwardly toward the floor.

Larger gaps producing a greater such moment action so that large gaps are effectively sealed when the door is in the closed position and the sealing web has not needed to rely soley on gravity forces or material resilience or hinge biasing or any spring action in order to remain in contact with the floor surface to establish an effective seal. W:o' the door is rotated in the opening direction the moment couple is reversed thus allowing the door to rotate totally freely in the opening direction.

The sealing web may be of suitable cross sectional shape such as a curved shape so that the floor surface makes contact with the sealing web at a tangent to the sealing web so that the sealing web is able to glide freely over the floor and actively climb obstacles on the floor so as S 15 to pass over them when the door is being opened or closed.

*5 *5

S

B

2 .r 5 25 In one possible form of the invention a ramped nose web may be included extending from the sealing web toward the underside of the door edge so that the sealing web may efficiently and effectively climb and pass over significant obstacles on the floor surface without significantly increasing the effort required to rotate the door when the door is being rotated in a direction away from the hinge or weakened section. A biasing web may also be included extending from the ramped nose web and toward the underside of the door edge so that such a biasing wtb will act resiliently or by a similar spring action irv contact with the underside of the door edge so as to ensure that web separation takes place so that the natural gravity force acting on the sealing web, or the frictional force between the underside of the sealing web and the floor surface causing the sealing web to separate downwardly away from the mounting web and toward the floor surface need not be relied upon in situations where a relatively tighter sieal is required below the door. The mounting web may be constructed so as to be torsionally flexible so that compression of the sealing section causes the mounting web to contact the underside of the door edge in the region between successive tape pads so that any gap between the top of the mounting web and the underside of the door edge is effectively sealed.

The present invention may be constructed from resilient flexible type materials such as plastics or similar materials which can be effectively fo,'med into the required croos sectional shape in lengths of approximately but not restricted to one metre.

20 To assist with understanding the invention, reference will now be made to the accompanying drawings which show two possible embodiments of the invention.

In the drawings: FIG. 1 shows an end view of one possible embodiment of the 25 draught and weather excluder according to this invention; FIG. 2 shows an end view of another possible embodiment of the draught and weather excluder according to this invention.

FIG. 3 shows the application of the draught and weather excluder of FIG. 1 to a relatively large door to floor gap width as may be the case with an internal door where only a draught is required to be sealed so that a desirably weak seal is created between the sealing web and the floor.

Also shown in FIG. 3 is the intended action of the ramped nose web as the sealing section approaches an obstacle such as a carpet to tile interface as the door is being rotated toward the obstacle in the direction of arrow A.

FIG. 4 shows the draught and weather excluder of FIG. 1 in an application where the sealing web has mounted an obstacle such as an external door way raised tread by the action of the ramped nose web and subsequently a preferably 15 stronger weather seal has been created at the base of the o.

door by the action of the biasing web which now contacts *ee S, the underside of the door edge.

.o FIG. 5 shows the draught and weather excluder of FIG, 2 being used in the same application of FIG. 3.

5550 0 e FIG. 6 shows the draught and weather excluder of FIG. 2 being used in the same application as FIG. 4 FIG. 7 shows a plan view of a long portion of the draught and weather excluder of FIG. 1 when viewed in the direction of arrow B.

FIG. 8 shows a cross sectional view of the draught and weather excluder of FIG. 7 where the sectional view is taken through the centre of any tape pad and in the direction of arrow C. FIG. 8 also shows the sealing section of FIG. 7 being in a slightly compressed state. That is to say that, prior to fitting of the sealing section to the underside of the door edge 10, the overall vertical depth of the sealing section was larger than the vertical distance from the underside of the door edge 10 to the top of the floor surface 9 prior to mounting the device.

FIG. 9 shows a cross sectional view of the draught and weather excluder of FIG. 7 where the sectional view is taken at any position between any pair of consecutive tape pads and in the direction of arrow D. FIG. 9 also shows the sealing section being in a compressed state between the underside of the door edge 10 and the top of the floor surface 9 due to the same action as described in the description of FIG. 8. FIG.9 also shows the torsional rotation of the mounting web wherein the extremity of the mounting web furthest from the hinge or weakened section is 20 in contact with and firmly bearin:g against the underside of Sthe door edge b9 Referring to FIG, 1 it can be seen that the draught and weaither excluding device according to this invention comprises a mounting web 1, a sealing web 2, and a hinge or 25 weakened section 4.

The sealing web 2 being connected via a hinge or weakened section 4 to the mounting web 1. The sealing web 2 9 containing a ramped nose web 5 formed integral with the sealing web 2.

The ramped nose web 5 being an extension of the sealing web 2 and being incUlned at a suitable angle to the plane of the mounting web 1 so that the ramped nose web 5 may actively climb significant obstacles on the floor surface so as to raise up the sealing web 2 by rotation about the hinge or weakened section 4. The ramped nose web 5 further containing a biasing web 3 formed integral with and being a continuation of the ramped nose web The biasing web 3 being connected to the ramped nose web at the extremity of the nose web 5 furthest from the hinge or weakened section 4 and extending upwardly toward the underside of the door edge 10 and outwardly away from the 15 hinge or weakened section 4.

The pad of bonding tape 6 being attached to the top surface of the mounting web 1.

The upstand 7 being extended upwardly from the mounting web 1.

20 By referring to FIG. 2 it can be seen that the alternative possible embodiment of this invention is similar to the embodiment of FIG. 1. The biasing web 3 in this embodiment Sextending in a direction upwardly towards the underside of the door edge 10 and inwardly towards the hinge or weakened section 4.

By referring to FIG. 3 it can be seen that the embodiment of the sealing section of FIG. 1 is attached to the underside of a door edge 10 by the use of a pad of bonding tape 6. FIG. 3 also shows the inclined orientation of the ramped nose web 5 as the sealing section 2 approaches an obstacle 11 in the form of a raised surface having a face profile 8, such as may occur with a carpet to tile interff.ce, being not particularly complimentary to the incline of the ramped nose web 5 when the door edge 10 is rotated in the direction of arrow A. FIG. 3 also shows the region of contact between the sealing section 2 and the floor surface 9. It can also be seen that in this applicat.ion a preferably minimal amount of contact force is applied between the underside of the sealing section 2 and the top of the floor su-face 9, due to the lack of contact of the biasing web 3 with the underside of the door edge 10, so that the sealing web 2 does not mar the surface of the floor covering when in sliding contact with the floor surface. It can also be seen that the line of contact 20 between the floor surface 9 and the underside of the sealing section 2 is along a line which is significantly displaced in a direction fromr the hinge or weakened section

S.

4 and towards the extremity of the ramped nose web 5 so f* that at all angles of rotation of the sealing web 2 from 25 the plane of the underside of the door edge 10 to at least "ninety degrees rotation away from the plane of the undcrside of the door edge 10, the sealing web 2 is actively caused to slide freely over the floor surface 9 11 when the door is rotated in the direction or arrow A. It can also be seen that the sealing web 2 is also caused to actively rotate towards the floor surface 9 by the above displacement of the line of contact when the door is rotated in the direction of arrow A.

By referring to FIG. 4 it can be seen that the sealing section of FIG. 3 has mounted an obstacle such as an external doorway tread 12 so that sealing web 2 has been rotated upwards by the action of the ramped nose 5 so that now the biasing web 3 is in firm contact with the underside of the door edge 10 and is resiliently deformed somewhat so as to restrict th sealing web 2 being further rotated towards the mounting web 1 so as to provide a strong seal between the sealing web 2 and the doorway tread 12.

By referring to FIG. 5 it can be seen that the embodiment of FIG. 2 is attached to the underside of the door edge and is in the same application as that of FIG. 3.

*5 By referring to FIG. 6 it can be seen that the embodiment of FIG. 2 is shown as having mounted a doorway tread as in 20 the application of FIG. 4. Also shown in FIG. 6 is the action of the biasing web 3 whereby the extremity of the biasing web 3 makes contact with the underside of the mounting web 1, such action having a similar desired effect *o as the biasing web 3 of FIG. 4 By referring to FIG. 7 it can be seen I t the embodiments of FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 contain a mounting web 1 being of 12 sufficient width so as to accept pads of bonding tape 6 being attached to the top surface of the mounting web 1.

It can also be seen that the small portions of the mounting web 1 supporting the small tape pads 6 may be dislocated from the remaining portions of the mounting web 1 by the placement of slots 13 at either side of the tape pads 6.

By referring to FIG. 8 it can be seen that the device of FIG. 7 contains a mounting web 1 which may be relatively thin in wall thickness and may have relatively thick walled bonding tape pads 6 attached to it for the purpose of securing the mounting web to the underside of the door edge It can also be seen that in the region where the mounting web 1 is attached to the underside of the door edge 10 by the use of the bonding tape pad 6, the plane of the mounting web 1 and the plane of the bonding tape pads 6 are both parallel to the plane of the underside of the door edge 10. It can also be seen that the reaction force of the floor 9 in the direction of arrow D, causing the sealing section to be in a compressed state, has not caused 20 the plane of the mounting web 1 to be altered in the region C •where the mounting web 1 is attached to the underside of the door 10 by the tape pad 6.

g By referring to FIG. 9 it can be seen that the plane of the mounting web 1 has been altered by rotation of the 25 mounting web 1 about the hinge or weakened section 4 so that the extremity of the mounting web 1 furthest froli the hinge or weakened section 4 now makes firm and effective contact with the underside of the door edge 10 along the lengths of the portions of the mounting web 1 which are located between the consecutive tap pads 6. That is to say that the upward reaction force of the floor surface 9 upon the underside of the sealing web 2 is transformed into a moment force at the hinge or weakened section,, due to the small resilience retained within the hinge or weakened section 4, so that the mounting web 1 is caused to rotate upwardly and torsionally distort so as to twist and subsequently strike and bear against the underside of the door edge 10 in order to seal the gap between the underside of the door edge 10 and the top of the mounting web 1. That is to say that the sealing web 2 in contact with the floor surface 9 actively causes the mounting web 1 to torsionally distort so as to twist in the region between consecutive tape pads 6 and so close the gap formed by the tap pads. The tape pads 6 having downwardly displaced the mounting web 1 from the underside of the door edge 10 when the device is fitted to the underside of the door edge 20 The slotted mounting web 1 being able to rotate freely and upwardly toward the underside of the door edge in the region between consecutive tape pads 6 so that the gap formed by the tape pads is effectively sealed without any torsional resistance from the mounting web 1 The sealing web 2 being of generally deep convex shape shape so as to be able to glide smoothly over a floor surface where the convex surface makes contact with the top of the floor surface 9 and includes a nose ramp 5, so as to prevent any fouling between the sealing web 2 and the floor surface 9 when the sealing web is required to slide freely over the top of the floor surface 9.

The biasing web 3 acts resiliently so as to separate the mounting web 1 and the sealing web 2 by producing a separating moment couple about the hinge 4.

The ramped nose web 5 having a suitable incline to the floor surface 9 so as to ensure that the sealing web 2 will glide smoothly over the floor surface where the floor surface may be rough or contain significant obstacles.

By referring to FIG. 3 it can be seen that the mounting web 1 is flush mountable to the door underside 10 and that the sealing web 2 in contact with the top of the 99 S" 15 surface of the floor 9 at a tangent to the curve of the 99 surface of the underside of the sealing web 2. It can be seen that the sealing web 2 will, by the action of gravity forces, remain in contact with the floor surface 9 for a very significantly large range of gaps. It can also be seen 20 that as the door is being closed in the direction of arrow S,9 A, the sealing web will be actively pulled downwardly and rotated toward the top of the floor surface due to the small frictional moment caused by the floor surface 9 in contact with the sealing web 2 in conjunction with the vertical distance of this contact point from the plane of the mounting web 1 so that the sealing force between the sealing web 2 and the floor surface 9 is actively and preferably increased as the door is closed. Conversely it can also be seen that as the door is being opened in a direction opposite to arrow A, the above moment is reversed thus allowing unrestricted rotation of the door.

The fixing material comprising small pads of double sided bonding tape 6. Due to the action of the device in use as described above, the fixing material experiences forces which are restricted to relatively small forces which are restricted to shear forces only so that simple fixing materials such as small pads of bonding tape are efficiently usable with the device.

The hinge or weakened section 4 is provided such that the sealing web 2 may rotate freely at its connection point to the mounting web 1. The hinge or weakened section 4 being 15 positioned on the mounting web 1 so that when the door is being rotated in either direction there are no resultant rotational forces on the fixing material so that the fixing material experiences only compression or shear force only.

The ramped nose web 5 being so proportioned and of 20 sufficient expanse so as to provide a machine which will actively climb an obstacle 11 extending a significant distance above the top of the floor surface 9 by virtue of the combined action of the ramped nose web 5 and the hinge Sor weakened section 4 when the door is rotated in the direction of arrow A. The obstacle 11 having a concave vertical face profile 8 not being particularly complimentary to the intended action of the ramped nose web 5. Since the ramped nose web 5 is a continuation of the general shape of the sealing web 2, the entire sealing web will climb and pass over the obstacle 11 as further rotation occurs.

By referring to FIG. 4 it can be seen that the free edge of the biasing web 3 is free to slide along the underside of the door edge 10 so that the convex shape of the sealing web 2 may be resiliently flattened out as the sealing web 2 is compressed between the underside of the door edge 10 and the top of the floor surface 9. In this configuration resulting from the small size of the gap between the underside of the door edge 10 and the top of the floor surface 9, the sealing web 2 is caused to make significantly firm contact with the top of the floor S 15 surface 9.

By referring to FIG. 9 it can be seen that the mounting web 1 is able to torsionally flex between successive tape pads a.* when the sealing web 2 is biased in an upward direction due to the reaction of the floor surface 9 so that the gaps S 20 between the top of the mounting web 1 and the underside of a. the door edge 10 are effectively sealed.

C By the use of draught and weather excluders of this type, draughts and moisture penetration through the gap which generally exists at the base of a door may be simply and effectively sealed without damage to the door and without removal of the door and without the draught and weather excluder being generally visible and without the restriction of having a floor surface which is free of obstacles. By the use of draught and wrather excluders of this type, a large range of gap widths below a large range of door types may be simply and effectively sealed without modifying or adding to any visible part of the existing door structure or associated structures. Excluders of this type do not impinge upon the original intended opera se of the door and do not impinge upon or foul with any part of the door or its associated structures. By the use of draught and weather excluders of this type, door gaps which are not constant in width along their length and/or are not of constant width vertically to the plane of the floor may be simply and effectively sealed. Draught and weather excluders of this type may be fixed to the underside of a door edge using small pads of bonding tape without resulting in gaps between the top of the mounting web and the underside of the door edge in the regions between successive tap pads.

4.

Although particularly described for sealing gaps below 20 doors the sealing section may be useful for sealing of gaps between other structures, for example the sealing of gaps between the corresponding vertical jambs of sliding doors.

us* 5 It is to be understood that various alterations, modifications and/or additions may be made to the features 25 of the possible and preferred embodiments of the invention as herein described without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the following claims.

Claims

1. A gap sealing section for sealing gaps between the underside of the bottom of side hinged rotating doors and the top of floor surfaces, the gap sealing section having a mounting web on one side to allow direct flush mounting of the section to the underside of a door edge using simple fixing materials such as bonding tapes between the top surface of the mounting web and the underside cf a door edge without removing the door and without requiring holding cradles or modifications to the door edge, the gap sealing section having a sealing web at its opposite side for making contact with and freely and smoothly sliding Sa laterally over floor surfaces containing depressions or V raised obstacles and including soft floor coverings such as epo 15 carpet without jamming with the same when the door is "t rotated in either direction; the two webs being flexibly connected at one extremity along a line through their length and being movable by relative rotation about this line of their connection, the sealing web bearing against the fZoor V 20 surface along a line which is generally below the area defined by the surface of the underside of a door edge.

2. A gap sealing section as claimed in claim 1 wherein the flexible connection consists of a weakened section or hinge allowing the webs to come together or to separate by their relative rotation about the flexible connection, rotational forces applied to either the mounting web or the sealing web resulting in relative rotation of the webs Sabout the flexible connection only, no significant 19 distortion of the shape of either the mounting web or the sealing web occurring.

3. A gap sealing section as claimed in any one of the above claims wherein the sealing web is of generally curved cross sectional shape, the sealing web making contact with a floor surface at a tangent to such curve in use the sealing web gliding freely over floor surfaces including soft floor coverings without jamming with the same along a line where the floor surface makes contact at a tangent to the underside of the sealing web when the door is rotated in either direction. S4. A gap sealing section as claimed in any one of the above claims wherein the sealing web contains a ramped nose web along its edge opposite to the flexible connection, 15 obstacles of a significant height above the plane of the floor surface such as a carpet mat or a carpet to tile interface and the like are effectively mounted by the sealing web by the action of the ramped nose web when the door is being rotated in a direction away from the 20 flexible connection. 0 A gap sealing section as claimed in any one of the above claims wherein the mounting web contains an upstand in a direction toward the underside of the door edge so that no gaps occur between the top of the mountinc web and the surface of the underside of the door edge when widely spaced bonding tapes are used to secure the mounting web to the I- y underside of a door. o 6. A gap sealing section as claimed in any one of the above claims wherein the flexcible connection contains a residual resilience such that the sealing and mounting webs are biased apart when the gap sealing section is inperted into a gap which is less in overall vertical depth than the overall depth of the gap sealing section prior to its insertion into such gap, the mounting web in use being actively pushed up toward the underside of the door edge to compress the fixing materials between the top surface of the mounting web and the' underside of the door edge so that simple less strong fixing materials such as tension weak bonding tape" are effective in securing the gap sealing section to the underside of a door edge, such fixing *materials not being subjected to forces tending to downwardly separate the moantirg web from the surface of the 15 underside of the door edge, in use such fixing materials being continuously subjected to compression forces.

7. A gap sealing section as claimed in any one of the above laims wherein the flexible connection is substantially weok 00 0in r~esisting rotation, rotation of the sealing web not :0 20 transmitting any significant moment couple to the mounting web via its connection thereto, the mounting web so attached to the sealing web, not transmitting any significant rotational forces to the fixing materials, such fixing materioLls in use experiencing compression and shear forces only, the mounting web being simply and effectively seourable to the undezxside of a door edge using less strong fixing materials such as tension weak bonding tapes, stronger fixing materials such as nails or screws or 21 mechanically fixed mating parts or modifications to the underside of the door edge not being required.

8. A gap sealing section as claimed in any one of the above claims wherein the sealing web cross sectional shape is a deep convex shape at its line of contact with a floor surface, the sealing web providing a substantial area of contact when the gap sealing section is in use with a soft floor covering such as carpet, the sealing web actively opposing any tendency to become lodged in or to jam with such floor surfaces during rotation of the door in either direction, the sealing web actively exiting any depressions in such floor surfaces during rotation of the door in either :09 direction by virtue of its convex shape and flexible 0 connection to the mounting web, the sealing web rotating 00 15 upward towards the mounting web via its flexible connection thereto.

9. A gap sealing section as claimed in any one of the above claims wherein the sealing web cross sectional shape i proportioned such that in use its line of contact with a 20 floor surface is located downwardly from the mounting web see and is always located away from the flexible connection, rotation of the door away from the flexible connection S causing the sealing web to actively clamp down onto a floor surface due to the moment couple caused by small friction between the floor surface and the sealing web about the flexible connection, the sealing web actively releasing such clamp action when the door is rotated towards the flexible =taa^, connection. 22 A gap sealing section as claimed in any one of the above claims wherein the sealing web is of an arcuate cross sectional shape and is of sufficiently flexible and resilient material such that the arcuate shape of the cross section is easily deformed toward the plane of the underside of a door by compression forces exerted to the sealin, web between the underside of a door edge and the top of a f.oor surface, the original shape of the sealing web being resiliently restored on removal of such compression forces.

11. A gap sealing section as claimed in any one of the above claims wherein the sealing web cross sectional chape *0 is sufficiently and uniformly curved such that at all angles of rotation of the sealing web relative to the fixed horizontal mounting web from a horizontal orientation to a 15 vertical orientation the sealing web makes contact with a floor surface at a relatively tangential aspect to the curvature of the underside of the sealing web along a line which is always dcsnlaced from the vertical plane of the '0 flexible connection, the sealing web gliding freely and 20 smoothly over a floor surface and n.,.ving easily with the door for all such angles of rotation of the sealing web and C during rotation of the door in either direction and notably in the direction of door rotation away from the flexible connection. 12 A gap sealing section as claimed in any one of the above claims wherein the sealing web contains a ramped nose web extending from its exeremity opposite the flexible Sconnection and for the length of the sealing web, the ramped nose web providingr to the sealing web a significantly raised and inclined surface extending above the level of a floor surface when underside of the sealing web is in contact with the top of a floor surface, the ramped nose web being a general continuation of the sealing web, and being of sufficient height abcve the surface of a floor and being of significant expanse and being suitably proportioned to provide an efficient and effective ramp, the general plane of the ramp being upwardly inclined to the plane of the frloor s iface, the ramped nose web raising the sealing web vertically when the ramped nose web makes with obstacles of a significlant height above the flror surface whilst the door is being rotated in a direcotion -,way from the flexible ~*connection, continued vertical motion of the raitped. nose web in contact with such obstacles during door rotation causing a yet higher ramp surface to occur by virtue of the ramped nose web being a continuation of the sealing web, the extremi.y of the bealing web in the region of the ramped 1 0 nose web being caused to be raised to the full height of 20 s~ich obstacles raising the lower extremity of the sealing web to the full height of such obstacles allowing the sealing web to easily pass over such obstacles during 9 continued rotation of the door in a direction away from the flexible connection, the extremity of the ramped nose web being of sufficient height above the surface of a floor and thus not bein~g less effective when the face profile of an obstacle is not complimentary to the shape or intended action of the ramped nose web. 24

13. A gap sealing section as claimed in any one of the above claims wherein the sealing web contains an outwardly directed biasing web which extends from the extremity of the ramped nose web furthest from the flexible connection and extends upwardly towards the underside of a door edge and outwardly away from the flexible connection, the biasing web being a general extension of the ramped nose web and being formed integral with it, the biasing web extending sufficiently upward and making contact with the underside of a door edge when the sealing web is rotated significantly upward toward the underside of a door edge, the biasing web in such contact with the underside of a door edge being o• subsequently caused to slide along the same when the sealing web is further rotated upwardly towards the door edge, the 15 biasing web when in contact with the underside of the door edge being resiliently deformed to provide a biasing force to the sealing web downwardly and away from the door edge, the biasing web transmitting an increased sealing force to o the top of the floor surface in contact with the underside 20 of the sealing web, the biasing web not being in contact o ofe with the underside of a door edge when the sealing web is V. rotated sufficiently downward away from the door edge.

14. A gap sealing section as claimed in any one of the above claims wherein an inwardly directed biasing web is included, the biasing web extending from the extremity of the ramped nose web furthest from the flexible connection Sand extending upwardly toward the underside of a door edge and inwardly toward the flexible connection. A gap sealing section as claimed in any one of the above claims wherein the mounting web 1s torsionally flexible and in use supports bonding tapes spaced along its length to secure the mounting web to the underside of a door edge, the torsionally flexible mounting web being easily twisted by small torsional forces applied to It about an axis parallel to its length, the sealing web transferring a moment couple to the mounting web when the gap sealing section is inserted into a door to floor gap which is less in over all vertical depth than the over all depth of the gap sealing section prior to its insertion into such gap, 6* the moment couple causing the free extremity of the mounting web to rotate upwardly towards the underside of the door edge in the regions between consecutive bonding tapes so as to strike the underside of a door edge and bear against the same along a line parallel to the length of the mounting web to effectively seal the gaps between the top of the mounting web and the underside of the door edge resulting from the thickness of the spaced bonding tapes; the portions of the S 20 mounting web attached to the bonding tapes remaining in the plane of the underside of the door edge, the torsional flexibility of the mounting web allowing significant torsional rotation of the mounting web along approximately the entire length of the mounting web portions between consecutive bonding tapes.

16. A gap sealing section as claimed in any one of the Sabove claims wherein the mounting web is segmented and in LU use supports bonding tapes spaced along its length to secure the mounting web to the underside of a door edge, the mounting web being segmented by c' or slots through its width, the cuts or slots being located at either or both sides of the bonding tapes, the regions of the mounting web supporting the bonding tapes being dislocated from the remaining portions of the mounting web, the cuts extending from the free extremity of the mounting web and extending towards the flexible connection; the segmented mounting web allowing the portions of the mounting web between consecutive bonding tapes to rotate about the flexible connection independently of the portions of the mounting web supporting the bonding tapes, the portions of the mounting web between consecutive bonding tapes thus not being 0• subjected to any significant torsional restraint by the 15 action of the bonding tapes in fixed contact with the underside of a door edge; the segmented mounting web allowing the sealing web to transfer a small moment couple the mounting web portions between consecutive bonding tapes via the flexible connection when the gap sealing section is inserted into a door to floor gap which is less in over all vertical depth than the over all depth of the gap sealing section prior to its insertion into such gap, s ee the moment couple causing the free extremity of the mounting web portions between consecutive bonding tapes to rotate upwardly and towards the underside of the door edge and to strike the underside of the door edge and bear against the Ssame along a line parallel to the length of the mounting web I to effectively teal the gaps between the top of the mounting web and the underside of the door edge caused by the thickness of the spaced bonding tapes; the portions of the mounting web attached to the bonding tapes remaining in the plane of the underside of the door edge.

17. A gap sealing section substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings. 9 9 9* *i 9 9* 9* 9. 'ZnT ABSTRACT A draught and weather excluder comprising a gap sealing section which enables simple, fast and effective closure of gaps below hinged and sliding doors is disclosed. The sealing section may be simply fitted to a door using small pads of bonding tape spaced widely apart along the mounting web and without the need to remove the door. The sealing section comprises two main webs, a mounting web and a sealing web, which are connected together along the length of the section by a hinged or weakened section. The mounting web consisting of a generally thin flat torsionally flexible or slotted web for attachment of the sealing section to the underside of a door edge and also enabling torsional rotation of the mounting web for closing the gap caused by ,S o, the pads of bonding tape between the top of the mounting web and the underside of a door edge. The sealing web consists of a generally deep convex constant cross section for making S sliding contact with soft floor surfaces such as carpet. The sealing web contains a ramped nose web extending from the free extremity of the sealing web so as to allow the sealing web to mount and glide over obstacles as the door is rotated particularly in a direction away from the hinge. The ramped nose web contains a biasing web extending from its free i extremity and extending upwardly and outwardly away from the hinge. The biasing web being able to make sliding contact with the underside of a door edge during upward rotation of the sealing web. The sealing section has a generally constant cross section and may be produced in long lengths of resilient materials such as plastic.