GB2031491A - Door with weatherproof gasket - Google Patents

Abstract

A gasket arrangement is provided for fitting around a steel door which avoids the need for riveting the gasket to the door structure. The door has a peripheral lip 14 directed inwardly at right angles to the major face thereof. An elastomeric gasket 16 has a groove 18, 24 into which the lip 14 is a friction fit and has outwardly projecting ribs 20, 22 which seal against a frame member when the door is closed. A further rib 26 preferably also seals against the exposed face of the door, and the grove 18, 24 is preferably formed with serrations 28a, 28b disposed in a herring- bone pattern which retain the gasket 10 positively in position on the lip 14. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Door with weatherproof gasket The present invention relates to a door, especially for fitting in a door opening of an ISO container or of a semi-trailer van or similar vehicle, in which a peripheral elastomeric gasket makes a weatherproof seal against a frame structure for the door.

Weatherproof gaskets are fitted to doors of containers or vans in order to seal around the door opening. In normal practice the gasket is mounted to the door using a metal strip by means of rivets spaced at intervals, the rivets passing through the strip and the gasket and then into the door structure. Where steel doors are used, the door structure includes a surround fabricated from box sections or partially closed sections giving no access to the inner end of the rivet, and in such circumstances it is difficult to prevent corrosion of the surround in the regions thereof around the rivet holes.

An object of the invention is to provide a novel gasket arrangement for doors of the aforesaid kind in which the gasket is easier to fit and to replace in service, in which the need for rivets is dispensed with, and in which corrosion in the neighbourhood of the gasket is reduced.

Broadly stated, the invention provides a door comprising a facing pan having a peripheral lip directed substantially at right angles away from the normally exposed face thereof, and an elastomeric gasket having a groove into which the lip is a friction fit and having at least one rib projecting outwardly beyond the groove for sealing engagement against a frame member when the door is closed.

Other aspects of the invention will be apparent from the appended claims to which attention is hereby directed.

An embodiment of the invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a view in elevation of a door panel for fitting to a door opening of a semitrailer van or other similar goods vehicle; and Figure 2 is a view of the door in Fig. 1 in horizontal section on the line A-A illustrated in Fig. 1; and Figure 3 is a view in section of the gasket strip.

As is apparent from Figs. 1 and 2, the door to which the present gasket is intended to be fitted comprises a facing pan 10 whose periphery is reinforced by means of a surround 12 of steel box section welded thereto. The peripheral edge of the pan projects beyond the surround 12 and is formed with a rearwardly directed lip 14 at right angles to the major plane of the pan, onto which the gasket, generally denoted by reference numeral 16, is a friction fit.

The gasket 16, is a wire cored elastomeric extrusion and as is most clearly apparent from Fig. 3 comprises a base or web portion 18 from opposite ends of which project on one face of the web, first and second sealing ribs 20 and 22 for weather-resistant engagement with a door frame member (not shown) on the vehicle when said door is closed. From the other face of the web 18 project third and fourth ribs 24 and 26. The third rib 24 is turned inwardly to lie in spaced parallel relationship to the web 18 and to define therewith a slot into which the lip 14 may be engaged. The inner faces of rib 24 and the adjoining face of the web 18 are provided with respective series of serrations 28a and 28b which project obliquely into the slot and are disposed in a herring-bone arrangement.

The serrations 28a, 28b are deflected as the lip 14 is inserted into the slot but thereafter spring rightly against the side faces of the lip to hold the gasket positively in position. The fourth rib 26 seals against the front face of the door pan 10 inwardly of the lip 14.

1. A door comprising a facing pan having a peripheral lip directed substantially at right angles away from the normally exposed face thereof, and an elastomeric gasket having a groove into which the lip is a friction fit and having at least one rib projecting outwardly beyond the groove for sealing engagement against a frame member when the door is closed.

2. A door according to Claim 1, wherein the gasket comprises a web or base portion at the normally inner end of which is a forwardly directed rib in spaced parallel relationship thereto to define the groove.

3. A door according to Claim 2, wherein the adjoining faces of the web or base portion and of the rib are formed with serrations projecting obliquely into the groove and disposed in a herring-bone pattern.

4. A door according to Claim 3, wherein the normally outer end of the gasket is formed with a further rib which seals against the exposed face of the door pan at a position inwardly of the peripheral lip.

5. A door having a peripheral gasket of elastomeric material, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to, and as illustrated in, the accompanying drawings.

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims (5)

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. SPECIFICATION Door with weatherproof gasket The present invention relates to a door, especially for fitting in a door opening of an ISO container or of a semi-trailer van or similar vehicle, in which a peripheral elastomeric gasket makes a weatherproof seal against a frame structure for the door. Weatherproof gaskets are fitted to doors of containers or vans in order to seal around the door opening. In normal practice the gasket is mounted to the door using a metal strip by means of rivets spaced at intervals, the rivets passing through the strip and the gasket and then into the door structure. Where steel doors are used, the door structure includes a surround fabricated from box sections or partially closed sections giving no access to the inner end of the rivet, and in such circumstances it is difficult to prevent corrosion of the surround in the regions thereof around the rivet holes. An object of the invention is to provide a novel gasket arrangement for doors of the aforesaid kind in which the gasket is easier to fit and to replace in service, in which the need for rivets is dispensed with, and in which corrosion in the neighbourhood of the gasket is reduced. Broadly stated, the invention provides a door comprising a facing pan having a peripheral lip directed substantially at right angles away from the normally exposed face thereof, and an elastomeric gasket having a groove into which the lip is a friction fit and having at least one rib projecting outwardly beyond the groove for sealing engagement against a frame member when the door is closed. Other aspects of the invention will be apparent from the appended claims to which attention is hereby directed. An embodiment of the invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a view in elevation of a door panel for fitting to a door opening of a semitrailer van or other similar goods vehicle; and Figure 2 is a view of the door in Fig. 1 in horizontal section on the line A-A illustrated in Fig. 1; and Figure 3 is a view in section of the gasket strip. As is apparent from Figs. 1 and 2, the door to which the present gasket is intended to be fitted comprises a facing pan 10 whose periphery is reinforced by means of a surround 12 of steel box section welded thereto. The peripheral edge of the pan projects beyond the surround 12 and is formed with a rearwardly directed lip 14 at right angles to the major plane of the pan, onto which the gasket, generally denoted by reference numeral 16, is a friction fit. The gasket 16, is a wire cored elastomeric extrusion and as is most clearly apparent from Fig. 3 comprises a base or web portion 18 from opposite ends of which project on one face of the web, first and second sealing ribs 20 and 22 for weather-resistant engagement with a door frame member (not shown) on the vehicle when said door is closed. From the other face of the web 18 project third and fourth ribs 24 and 26. The third rib 24 is turned inwardly to lie in spaced parallel relationship to the web 18 and to define therewith a slot into which the lip 14 may be engaged. The inner faces of rib 24 and the adjoining face of the web 18 are provided with respective series of serrations 28a and 28b which project obliquely into the slot and are disposed in a herring-bone arrangement. The serrations 28a, 28b are deflected as the lip 14 is inserted into the slot but thereafter spring rightly against the side faces of the lip to hold the gasket positively in position. The fourth rib 26 seals against the front face of the door pan 10 inwardly of the lip 14. CLAIMS

1. A door comprising a facing pan having a peripheral lip directed substantially at right angles away from the normally exposed face thereof, and an elastomeric gasket having a groove into which the lip is a friction fit and having at least one rib projecting outwardly beyond the groove for sealing engagement against a frame member when the door is closed.

2. A door according to Claim 1, wherein the gasket comprises a web or base portion at the normally inner end of which is a forwardly directed rib in spaced parallel relationship thereto to define the groove.

3. A door according to Claim 2, wherein the adjoining faces of the web or base portion and of the rib are formed with serrations projecting obliquely into the groove and disposed in a herring-bone pattern.

4. A door according to Claim 3, wherein the normally outer end of the gasket is formed with a further rib which seals against the exposed face of the door pan at a position inwardly of the peripheral lip.

5. A door having a peripheral gasket of elastomeric material, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to, and as illustrated in, the accompanying drawings.