Abstract: An intumescent material comprises expandible graphite in a polymeric binder. The binder may be a flexible or elastomeric binder or a formaldehyde resin. A suitable flexible binder is a polymer selected from vinyl acetate polymers, styrene polymers, vinyl chloride polymers, acrylic polymers, vinyl butyral polymers, melamine/urea/phenol formaldehyde resins, polyesters and phenolic resins. A suitable elastomeric binder is a rubber. A suitable formaldehyde resin is melamine formaldehyde resin, urea formaldehyde resin, phenol formaldehyde resin or resorcinol formaldehyde resin.

Abstract: An intumescent seal comprises a first body or mass of intumescent material (3) which provides a hard foam on heating and a second body or mass (4) of intumescent material which produces a soft foam on heating. An intumescent seal comprises at least one body of intumescent material (3) which produces a hard foam on heating and at least one body of intumescent material (4) which produces a soft foam on heating, the intumescent materials (3, 4) being carried by at least one of a pair of members or parts between which gap (24) is defined at least in a predetermined relative position of the two members or parts, the intumescent material being disposed so as to intumesce into the gap (24) on heating at least when the members or parts are in said predetermined position.

Abstract: A plastic composition which at least when hardened is resistant to fire comprises: a binder comprising a flexible film-forming adhesive polymer, such as polyvinylbutyral, in a volatile solvent, preferably a non-flammable volatile solvent such as trichloroethane, the binder having dispersed therein a fire retardant such as aluminium trihydrate, an exfoliatable mineral, such as vermiculite, and preferably also a thioxotripic agent such as precipitated silica.

Abstract: A ventilator device comprises a casing (2) having one or more openings (3) for passage of ventilation air therethrough, a shutter (7) within the casing and normally held retracted from said one or more openings, first means (15) for urging the shutter to a position to close the one or more openings, and second means (13) actuation of which releases the shutter to cause it to be moved by said first means to close said one or more openings.

Abstract: An intumescent putty or mastic is produced by admixing fine particles of solid intumescent material, polyvinyl butyral and a volatile solvent. The intumescent material can optionally be ground scrap intumescent door seals.

Abstract: An intumescent material comprises one or more organic polyhydroxy compounds, one or more organic polyamido compounds in free and/or combined form, an ammonium phosphate activator, an amino resin binder, and sodium silicate, the sodium silicate being present in sufficient amounts to prevent the material from totally intumescing quickly when subjected to elevated temperatures, the amounts of sodium silicate ranging from 3 to 12.7% by weight of the total composition but being present in at least 8.9% by weight of the ammonium phosphate activator.

Abstract: An intumescent rubber or elastomeric composition comprises a rubber or elastomer containing:(a) one or more organic polyhydroxy compounds as carbonific;(b) one or more organic polyamido compounds in free and/or combined forms as spumific;(c) an ammonium phosphate as activator for the carbonific; and(d) an amino resin as binder; and in addition to or instead of components (a) to (d),(e) sodium silicate as an intumescent material, components (a) to (d) when present being intermixed with one another.

Abstract: A structural bearing is disclosed which comprises a bearing unit, intumescent material spaced from at least one side of the bearing unit to be protected from fire, and expanded plastics material which is of low compression strength relative to the bearing unit, adjacent to the one side of the bearing unit and disposed between the one side of the bearing unit and at least part of the intumescent material, the intumescent material being adjacent to the expanded plastics material.

Abstract: A structural bearing comprising a bottom bearing plate and a top bearing plate, the bearing having sliding surfaces in mutual sliding contact and fixed against horizontal movement relative to the bottom bearing plate and the top bearing plate respectively, one of the bearing plates being provided with one or more spigots engaging in slots in the other bearing plate, the spigot(s) substantially preventing relative rotation of the bearing plates about a vertical axis and substantially preventing relative horizontal movement of the plates in one direction but allowing relative horizontal movement of the plate in a direction normal (i.e. at a right angle) thereto.

Abstract: A modular element for a bridge or structural bearing having metal plates encased within layers of vulcanized rubber is formed in a press including a lower member with at least one post or pin extending upwardly through corresponding holes in the metal plates. A vulcanized rubber plug is inserted and retained in each hole in the modular element after it is removed from the press.

Abstract: A method of making an intumescent seal comprises: providing a tubular holder having a longitudinal bore or interior chamber defined by a thickened longitudinally extending portion of the holder contiguous with a relatively thin wall of the holder; filling the bore of the holder with solid intumescent material; and thereafter removing a longitudinally extending part of said thickened portion thereby to leave part of said thickened portion as a baffle within the holder, the space left by said removed part forming a strait having a longitudinally extending opening to the exterior of the holder and a longitudinally extending opening to the bore of the holder. Preferably the thickened portion is square or rectangular and at a corner of the holder and the removal of said part of the thickened portion leaves two webs one of which constitutes the baffle and the other being at the exterior of the holder.

Abstract: An improvement in intumescent compositions is provided comprising, in part, melamine formaldehyde resin, a cross-linking agent, and a hydrophilic setting agent. The composition chemically absorbs water to yield an intumescent material with reduced cracking properties which decomposes into gas and a solid foam residue upon heating.

Abstract: A fire-resistant seal for application to a structure, comprising a holder for securing to the structure, the holder comprising a tubular portion, a fire-resistant barrier material which swells under fire-conditions being retained within the tubular portion of the holder, the tubular portion having an elongate actual or incipient opening extending therealong, the holder also comprising a lateral extension, the lateral extension and the tubular portion of the holder together forming a groove, the opening being in the side of the groove and the lateral extension constituting a guard for the opening. The guard may serve to conceal the opening from view and/or to obstruct the introduction of a straight probe into the opening by a tamperer. When the seal is exposed to hot smoke or flame, the fire resistant barrier material swells and exudes through the opening of the seal to form a fire-resistant barrier.

Abstract: The invention provides a composition for forming an intumescent material which upon heating decomposes into gas and a solid foam residue, comprising: a water-dispersible melamine formaldehyde resin which when cured is hydrophobic; a setting agent which hardens in the presence of water thereby to cause the composition to set; a cross-linking agent for curing the resin, the cross-linking agent being a polyamido compound; an ammonium phosphate; polyvinyl acetate; a solid polyhydroxy compound; and reinforcing fibrous material. To form the intumescent material, the composition is caused to set and the melamine resin is cured. The intumescent material has improved anti-cracking properties.

Abstract: A fire-resistant seal for application to a structure e.g. a door jamb, comprises a holder of substantially tubular form for securing to the structure, and a fire-barrier material, which swells under fire conditions, retained in the holder interior. To minimize dislodgment of the material by accident or tampering, the holder has a series of small external openings distributed therealong which communicate with its interior. The total flow area of the openings at the outer surface of the holder is less than the total imperforate area of the outer surface. The holder may be a hollow strip, and the openings confined to margins which extend along one face of the strip adjacent to opposite edges of the face, or the openings may be formed on opposite faces of the strip.

Abstract: A weather sealing arrangement for a gap between first and second elongate structural members of which a door equipped with a weatherboard, and a sill, are examples, in which the weatherboard supports an elongate seal therealong which has a resiliently supported protruding portion for sealing a gap between the weatherboard and the sill when the door is in a closed condition, and the sill provides a weather strip which extends along the sill and protrudes therefrom. During hingeing movement of the door from the closed condition to an open condition, the protruding seal passes through an intermediate condition in which the seal portion traverses the weather strip so that the whole length of the seal portion is wiped by the weather strip and rainwater will tend to be wiped off the seal portion and so be kept outdoors. The weather strip is in the form of a rib which may be elastomeric and removably secured to the sill, or formed on it and be moulded with the sill.

Abstract: There is disclosed a process for assembling weather stripping which comprises continuously gaping the flanged mouth of an elongated holder inserting therein succeeding lengths of a foot portion of an elongate piece of weather stripping and thereafter continuously closing the flanged mouth to retain the weather stripping while it is in a relaxed state.

Abstract: A fire-resistant seal for gaps between a door or window and adjacent structure, comprises a tubular holder which contains a fire-resistant barrier material and has a lengthwise opening through which the material can exude when the holder is subjected to hot smoke or fire. To protect the material against a tamperer who inserts a probe into the opening, a baffle surface, which is coextensive with the opening, is provided inside the holder. The baffle surface forms with adjacent surfaces of the holder a strait which extends between the opening and the interior of the holder where the material is retained. The holder may also support an elastomeric draught excluder.