Movable or removable closures – Threshold – Adjustable
Reexamination Certificate
1999-08-06
2001-02-13
Stodola, Daniel P. (Department: 3634)
Movable or removable closures
Threshold
Adjustable
C049S469000, C052S204510, C411S043000, C411S183000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06185870
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The invention is in the field of adjustable threshold assemblies for use in a doorways. A cap strip is adjustable with respect to a wood base. The adjustment accommodates the fit of the door which is hung immediately adjacent to and above the cap strip. Adjustments are necessitated because the material dimensions and manufacturing tolerances vary. Settling of structures in which the doors are used is also common which changes the position of the door relative to the cap strip thus necessitating adjustment. The invention is a one-piece wood rivet which is affixed to the cap strip such that the rivet may rotate allowing threads on the rivet to mate with threads in a t-nut. A space between the cap strip and the wood base is thus controlled by the degree of mating between the wood rivet and the t-nut.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
U.S. Pat. No. 5,517,788 to McGough et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,638,641 to Joffe et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,524,391 to Joffe, et al., and U.S. Pat. No. 5,010,690 to Geoffrey disclose wood cap strips, sometimes referred to as rail members, in conjunction with wood base members. Each of these patents discloses structure which accomplishes an adjustment in the distance between the wood cap strip and the wood base member. Each of these patents employ a two piece screw assembly which is pressed together. Other two-piece designs exist and are essentially a screw which passes through the cap strip and threadingly engages a washer which acts as a flange. U.S. Pat. No. 5,230,181 to Geoffrey et al. discloses a one piece screw which resides in a slot in a rail member made of aluminum.
There has long been a need for an adjustable threshold wherein two pieces of wood are adjustably and securely positioned with respect to each other. The one-piece wood rivet of the invention is deformed and securely fastens the wood rivet to the cap strip while permitting rotation of the wood rivet relative to the cap strip. The related art employs two-piece screws which may become separated or loose. Additionally, the fit of the two piece screws sometimes leaves a gap between the flange and the bottom of the cap strip. This gap creates play which results in the cap strip being slightly depressed when a person steps on it. This may, after time, result in permanent deformation of the strip which negates the intended adjustable feature of the cap strip. More importantly, however, the fit of the door relative to the cap strip is compromised.
The one-piece wood rivet of the instant invention is securely deformed into the wood cap strip while capturing the wood cap strip between the flange and the head of the wood rivet. Similarly, the one-piece wood rivet of the instant invention may be deformed into material other than wood. It is envisioned that the rivet of the instant invention may be made from many different materials so that it may be used with substrates of all types. By substrates it is meant wood, plastic or polymeric material and/or metals.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
A one-piece rivet comprising a first upper portion and a second lower portion is disclosed. The first upper portion includes a flange and a head. The head of the upper portion includes a lip. Threads are located on the exterior of the second lower portion. The head of the upper portion of the rivet includes at least one groove for receiving a screw driver. A Phillips head screw driver is typically used and the head necessarily contains two grooves. The one-piece rivet is typically used in conjunction with a wood cap strip or other substrate having a countersunk bore therein. The principal bore extends through the wood piece or other substrate. The countersunk bore is generally a truncated and inverted conical shape which is filled by the head of the upper portion of the rivet when it is deformed by an orbital riveter. The deformation process results in the head of the rivet being shoved into and slightly compressing the wood cap strip but not so much as to prohibit the rotation of the rivet under the urging of a screw driver. Typically, the screw driver will be mechanically driven as the cap strip is preliminarily adjusted during assembly at the factory prior to being shipped to the construction site. At the construction site the cap strip is adjusted again relative to the wood base member and the door.
A process for adjustably securing a first piece of wood relative to a second piece of wood is disclosed using a one-piece wood rivet having a head, a flange and threads on the exterior thereof and a nut comprising the steps of: boring a first diameter hole into and through said first piece of wood; countersinking a second diameter hole in said first piece of wood; inserting said one-piece wood rivet into said first diameter hole in said first piece of wood until said flange of said rivet abuts said first piece of wood; deforming said head of said one-piece wood rivet such that said head occupies said countersunk bore; boring a hole into and through said second piece of wood; affixing a nut capable of receiving said threads of said wood rivet into said hole of said second piece of wood; and, threading said threads of said rivet into said nut adjustably securing said first piece of wood relative to said second piece of wood. Instead of using wood, some other substrate could be used such as plastic or metal.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a rivet which is securely fastened to a first substrate while still permitting the rivet to rotate with respect to the first substrate. The rivet rotates under the urging of a tool such as a screw driver.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a wood base member which includes a t-nut mounted in a bore and which has a strip affixed thereto. The t-nut includes interior threads which coact with threads on the lower (shank) portion of the rivet.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a rivet whose flange engages one side of a substrate and whose head is deformed so as to engage a countersunk bore in the opposite side of the substrate while still permitting the rivet to rotate with respect to the first substrate.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a plurality of rivets which are securely fastened to a first substrate and which engage a respective plurality of t-nuts so as to control the spacing between the first and second substrates.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a wood rivet which is secure to the substrate, be it wood or some other material, such that there is no translational (axial) movement of the rivet with respect to the first substrate.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a t-nut having a flared mouth for receiving a threaded shank or lower portion of the rivet.
REFERENCES:
patent: 3235917 (1966-02-01), Skubic
patent: 4352258 (1982-10-01), Bursk et al.
patent: 4913609 (1990-04-01), Mauer
patent: 5010690 (1991-04-01), Geoffrey
patent: 5230181 (1993-07-01), Geoffrey et al.
patent: 5517788 (1996-05-01), McGough et al.
patent: 5524391 (1996-06-01), Joffe et al.
patent: 5618144 (1997-04-01), Leistner
patent: 5638641 (1997-06-01), Joffe et al.
Cohen Curtis A.
Stafast Products Inc.
Stodola Daniel P.
Woodling Krost & Rust
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