GB2142209A

GB2142209A - Securing arrangement for a heating insert to be sealingly fitted into the wall of a container

Info

Publication number: GB2142209A
Application number: GB08413075A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Ingo Bleckmann; Hans Kerschbaum
Original assignee: ELPAG AG CHUR
Current assignee: ELPAG AG CHUR
Priority date: 1983-05-25
Filing date: 1984-05-22
Publication date: 1985-01-09
Also published as: DE3318998C2; GB2142209B; IT8404834A0; IT8404834A1; GB8413075D0; DE3318998A1; IT1199432B

Abstract

A securing arrangement for a heating insert such as a tubular heater which is to be sealingly fitted from the outside into a slot-shaped opening in the wall (6) of a container, wherein the connection ends (8,9) of the heating insert pass through a sealing member (5) fitted into the opening (1) in the container, comprises a flange plate (3) which bears against the outward side of the sealing member (5) and a bracing plate (10) which bears against the inward side of the sealing member 5. The inner and outer plates are tightened towards each other by a clamping screw (11). The opening (1) is surrounded by an outwardly projecting collar portion (2) over which a peripheral flange (4) on the flange plate (3) engages so that the flange (4) supports the collar portion (2). <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Securing arrangement for a heating insertto be sealingly fitted into the wall of a container The invention relates to a securing arrangement for securing a heating insert which isto be sealinglyfitted from the outside into an opening such as a slot in the wall of a container.

The heating insert may be for example a tubular heater or a device such as a thermostat sensor which may be mass-produced articles for use in an electrical apparatus such as heaters1 washing machines and other domestic appliances.

In regard to securing arrangementsforfixing for example tubular heaters in a container, various attempts have been made to provide inexpensive constructions which permitthe heating insert such as a tubular heater memberto be inserted from the outside into a slot-shaped opening in the wall of the container. That arrangement seeks to provide for ease of replacement ofthe heater member. The connection ends of the heater member are passed through an elastic sealing member such as of rubber, the cross-section of which is adapted to the shape of the siot-like opening.Afterthe heater member has been fitted into the opening in the container, the opening in the container is to be securely sealed and the heater member is to be firmly secured in position, by means of a clamping arrangement comprising a plate which bears against the outward side of the sealing member and a bracing plate which bears against the inward side of the sealing member, the two plates being tightened towards each other by for example a clamping screw member which extends through the two plates and the sealing member. In thatway, the sealing member is squeezed between the two plates and thus caused to press against the edges of the opening in the wall of the container.However, difficulties may occurwhen, with such an arrangement, the wall of the container, byvirtue of being relatively small thickness, affords an excessively small contact surface for the sealing member so that, when the outer plate and the inner bracing plate are tightened up,thewall ofthe containerfor example may cut into the sealing member at a number of locations thereon, so that there is no longer any guaranteethatthesealing member is subjected to a uniform pressing force. Similar difficulties arise in containers of plastics material.

According to the present invention, there is provided an arrangementfor securing a heating insert in an opening in the wall of a container, said opening having an outwardly projecting collar portion extending therearound, comprising a sealing memberto be fitted into said opening, with end portions of said heating insert passing therethrough, a plate which bears againstthe outward side ofthe sealing member and which has a flange extending therearound, to engage over said collar portion on the outward side thereof, a bracing plate which bears against the inward side of the sealing member, and a clamping means which passes through said sealing member, for tightening said plates towards each other, where- by in the tightened condition of said plates the surface ofthe flange that is inward relative to the opening bears against the outside surface of the collar portion and the sealing member is pressed againstthe inside surface ofthe collar portion and the opening.

The collar portion may be in one piece with the wall of the container, being formed as by moulding thereon, and may be rounded off at its upper or outer edge. The wall of the container and the collar portion may comprise plastics material.

An embodiment of an arrangement according to the invention will now be described byway of example with reference to the accompanying drawing in which: Figure lisa plan view of an opening in the wall of a container, Figure2 is a view in section taken along line ll-ll of Figure 1, Figure 3 shows the securing arrangement for a tubular heater, which is fitted into the opening in the container, Figure 4 is a side view of the securing arrangement shown in Figure 3, and Figure 5 is a plan view of the securing arrangement shown in Figures 3 and 4.

Referring now to the drawing, the case of the securing arrangementfora heating insert shown as a tubular heater, connections ends 8,9 of the tubular heater are disposed at a spacing from each other and parallel to each other, and are passed through an elastic sealing member5 such as of rubber (see Figures 3 and 5). The connection ends 8 and 9 are also passed through a flange plate 3 which bears against the outward side (relative to the container in which the heater is disposed) of the sealing member 5, and through a bracing or support plate 10 which bears against the inward side of the sealing member 5.The shape and the size of the sealing member 5 is so selected that incloses off an opening 1 in a wall 6 ofthe container byfitting therein, the opening 1 being shown in the form of an elongate opening or slot.

The wall 6 of the container is provided with an outwardly projecting collar or rim portion 2 which surrounds the opening 1 in the container (see Figures 1 and 2). The inside surface of the collar portion 2, together with the inside surface of the opening 1 in the container, form a continuous smoothinside surface againstwhich the sealing member 5 bears in the installed condition of the securing arrangement (Figure 3), the sealing member 5 being pressed against the smooth inside surface referred to above, when the flange plate3 istightened towards the bracing plate 10. That configuration provides a contact surface of relatively large area forthe sealing member 5 atthe peripheral surface thereof.

The collar portion 2 is effectively prevented from flexing in a radially outward direction, with respect to the opening 1 in the container, by a flange 4 on the flange plate 3 engaging overthe outside of the collar portion 2, as can be seen in particular from Figure 3. In that way, the outside surface of the collar 2 bears againstthe inside peripheral surface oftheflange 4.

That supporting action by the flange 4 provides for a uniform contact pressure of the sealing member over the entire internal surface ofthe opening 1 of the container and also in the region of the colar portion 2.

In order to facilitate fitting the sealing member 5 into the opening 1 in the container, the collar portion 2 is provided with a rounded-off upper edge 7.

In the illustrated embodiment, the thickness of the wall 6 ofthe containeris about6 mm,the height ofthe collar portion 2 is about 5 mm, and the thickness ofthe collar portion 2 is about2 mm. As already mentioned, the wall 6 of the container may comprise plastics material. In that case, with the illustrated embodiment ofthe securing arrangement, a good sealing action is still achieved atthe contact surface between the sealing member 5 and the inside surface of the opening 1 in the container and the inside surface ofthe collar portion 2.

The illustrated embodiment of the securing arrangement has a clamping means in the form of a central clamping screw mernber 11 which passes through the flange plate 3, the sealing member 5 and the bracing plate 10.

Instead ofthe singletubular heater illustrated, it is also possible fortwo or more tubular heaters, or a thermostat sensor, or other device to be mounted in the securing arrangement. Instead ofthesingle clamping screw member 11, the clamping means may also have a plurality of clamping screw members, or may be in otherforms.

Afurther advantage of the illustrated arrangement is that there is no need forthe additional holding clip, which is otherwise required, for holding the tubular heater8, 9, in the interiorofthe container.

Itwill be seen from theforegoing thatthe sealing member 5 which comprises for example rubber is pressed over a large area againstthe inside ofthe collar portion 2 and the opening 1 in the container, the pressure being produced when the flange plate 3 and the bracing plate 10 are tightened together. In that way, the sealing member 5 can be pressed with a uniform pressing force against the inside of the opening 1 in the container and the collar portion 2 even when the wall 6 ofthe container is relatively thin, for example 6 mm in thickness, and/or comprises plastics material. Outward flexing ofthe collar portion 2, which can also be extremely thin, beingforexample of the order of magnitude of a third of the thickness of the wall 6 of the container, is prevented bythe peripheral flange 4 of the flange plate 3 engaging over the collar portion 2 andforming asupportmeansfor sealing member5which is pressed against the inside of the collar portion 2.

Various modifications and alterations may be made in the above-described arrangement without thereby departing from the scope ofthe invention as defined bythe appended claims.

Claims

1. An arrangementforsecuring a heating insert in an opening in the wall of a container, said opening having an outwardly projecting collar portion extending therearound, comprising a sealing memberto be fitted into said opening, with end portions of said heating insert passing therethrough, a plate which bears againstthe outward side of the sealing member and which has a flange extending therearound, to engage over said collar portion on the outward side thereof,abracing platewhich bearsagainstthe inward side of the sealing member, and a clamping means which passes through said sealing member, for tightening said plates towards each other whereby in the tightened condition of said plates the surface of the flange that is inward relative to the opening bears againstthe outside surface ofthe collar portion and the sealing member is pressed against the inside surface ofthe collar portion and the opening.

2. A securing arrangement according to claim 1 wherein said opening is of an elongate configuration.

3. A securing arrangement according to claim 1 or claim 2 wherein the collar portion isformed in one piece with the wall ofthecontainer.

4. Asecuringarrangementaccordingtoclaim 1, claim 2 or claim 3 wherein the collar portion is rounded off at its free edge.

5. Securing arrangement according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the wall of the container and the collar portion comprise plastics material.

6. A securing arrangement substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

7. Apparatus comprising a securing arrangement according to any one ofthe preceding claims wherein the heating insert is a tubular heater.