GB2161852A

GB2161852A - Seal

Info

Publication number: GB2161852A
Application number: GB08418653A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Raymond Aston; Nanoo Patel
Original assignee: Ham Baker and Co Ltd
Current assignee: Ham Baker and Co Ltd
Priority date: 1984-07-21
Filing date: 1984-07-21
Publication date: 1986-01-22
Also published as: CA1233036A; GB2161852B; GB8418653D0

Abstract

A corrosion resistant sealing strip (16) of metal or plastics is fitted in a groove (11) formed in a cast iron sluice gate (10) together with a steel element (20) which is received between limbs of the bronze strip in the groove. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Structure comprising a grooved body and member seated in the groove and method of mounting an elongate member on a body Description of Invention From a first aspect, the present invention relates to a structure comprising a body defining an undercut groove and an elongate member seated in the groove. An example of such a structure is a sluice gate, wherein the main body of a door of the gate is formed as a casting of iron and strips of other material, for example bronze, are seated in grooves formed in the cast body. The strips co-operate with strips on a frame of the sluice gate to seal the main body to the frame when the sluice gate is closed.

It is known to form in the cast body of a sluice gate door a groove which is undercut at both of its opposite longitudinal margins and to fit in the groove a sealing strip of a corrosion resistant alloy by introducing into the groove a part of the strip which is sufficiently narrow to pass through the mouth of the groove and then deforming the strip until it occupies the groove entirely and the part of the strip occupying the groove has the form of a dovetail.

According to a first aspect of the invention, there is provided a structure comprising a body defining an undercut groove and an elongate member seated in the groove, wherein the cross-section of said member in a transverse plane includes an outer part which lies at least partly outside the groove and an inner part disposed in the groove, and wherein the inner part includes a limb having a dimension measured in the direction of the width of the groove and in a longitudinal plane perpendicular to said transverse plane which is less than the width of the groove measured in the same longitudinal plane.

The limb can be seated in the groove with less working of the elongate member than is necessary for seating of the known strip in a groove of the same size. During assembly of a structure according to this aspect of the invention, it is not necessary for the elongate member to be worked sufficiently to fill the groove entirely. In the completed structure, there may be a void in the groove. Additionally or alternatively, the groove may be partly occupied by a further element.

The inner part of the elongate member may include a second limb spaced from the firstmentioned limb in the direction of the width of the groove.

The groove may be undercut at one or both of its opposite margins.

In the preferred structure, both the second limb and said element are present in the groove.

The element which partly occupies the groove may be integral with the body but is preferably formed separately from both the body and the elongate member.

Said element is preferably hollow and elongate. The transverse cross-section of the element or of a part of the element is preferably U-shaped. As used herein, the expression "Ushaped" embraces shapes with tapered limbs and shapes with splayed limbs. Where a part of the element is U-shaped, there may be present a web which connects the limbs of the U-shaped part to form a tube. When present, the web is preferably concave, as viewed from outside the element, or otherwise non-flat to facilitate flexing of the web and movement of the limbs towards each other.

The element may be formed of a material selected to provide that the element is resiliently deformable to a significant degree. Variations in dimensions of the groove and of the elongate member can then be accommodated by resilient deformation of the element.

According to a second aspect of the invention, there is provided a method of mounting an elongate member on a body wherein an undercut groove is formed in the body, there is placed in the groove an element which occupies a part only of the width of the groove to leave a gap between the element and at least one margin of the groove, a limb of said member is introduced into the gap and is forced towards a base of the groove and wherein forcing of the limb into the gap towards the base of the groove necessarily deforms the member so that it becomes locked in the groove.

An example of a structure in accordance with the invention and which is made by a method according to the invention will now be described, with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein: Figures 1, 2 and 3 illustrate succeeding stages in assembly of the structure, a fragmentary cross-section of the structure being shown, and Fig. 3 illustrating the completed structure; Figure 4 is a view similar to Fig. 3 illustrating an alternative arrangement; Figure 5 also is a view similar to Fig. 3 illustrating a further alternative arrangement; and Figure 6 illustrates an alternative element for use in the arrangement of Fig. 3.

The assembly illustrated in Figs. 1, 2 and 3 comprises a body 10, which may be an iron casting, and in which there is formed a rectilinear groove 11 having a uniform depth. The groove is undercut at at least one, and preferably both as shown, opposite longitudinal margins so that the width of the groove at a base 1 2 thereof is greater than the width of the groove at a mouth of the groove defined in a face 1 3 of the body 10. The shape of the groove, in transverse cross-section, is preferably that of a symmetrical dovetail.The width of the groove, at its mouth, preferably exceeds the depth of the groove, that is the perpendicular distance between the base 1 2 of the groove and the plane containing the face 1 3. The width of the groove at the base 1 2 is preferably more than twice the depth of the groove.

The faces 14 and 1 5 of the body 10 which define opposite lateral margins of the groove 11 are preferably flat and may be inclined to the base 1 2 at an angle of approximately 80 .

The assembled structure comprises an elongate member 1 6 which is seated in the groove 11 and includes an outer part 1 7 which lies outside the groove and an inner part disposed in the groove. The inner part comprises two limbs 1 8 and 1 9 which are spaced apart in the direction of the width of the groove 11. Thus, the dimension of each limb which extends in the direction of the width of the groove is considerably less than the corresponding dimension of the groove.

Between the limbs 18 and 19, there is a hollow elongate element 20 having a generally U-shaped transverse cross-section which includes legs 21 and 22 and a web 26 connecting the legs together. The element 20 is arranged with its legs 21 and 22 resting on the base 1 2 of the groove 11 so that a void 23 is defined by the internal surface of the element 20 and the base 1 2. Each leg is tapered, the wider end being a free end.

The limbs 18 and 19 of the member 16 occupy respective gaps defined between the element 20, on the one hand, and the faces 14 and 1 5 of the body 10, on the other hand. The external faces of the legs 21 and 22, are flat and are mutually inclined at an angle which is somewhat larger than the angle included between the faces 14 and 1 5.

Thus, the gaps in which the limbs 1 8 and 1 9 are received are both tapered in a direction towards the base 1 2. Typically, the angle included between the external faces of the legs 21 and 22 exceeds the angle included between the faces 14 and 1 5 by at least 5 .

The difference between the included angles is preferably not greater than 20 , a difference within the range 10 to 12" being preferred.

The element 20 preferably occupies more than one half of the width of the groove 11, at the base 1 2 of the groove and at positions spaced from the base. More preferably, the element 20 occupies at least two thirds of the width of the groove 11. The height of the element 20, that is the dimension extending from the base 1 2 towards the mouth of the groove 11, preferably exceeds one half the width of the element at its widest part, i.e.

adjacent to the base 1 2. The height of the element is preferably within the range 75% to 130% of the width of the element.

The member 1 6 is formed of material which is more ductile than is the material of which the body 10 is formed and more ductile than the material of which the element 20 is formed. The member 1 6 may be formed of a non-ferrous alloy, for example a bronze. The member 1 6 is conveniently formed by extrusion. Each of the limbs 1 8 and 1 9 may initially be parallel sided.

The element 20 is formed of a material which has a higher elastic limit than does that of the member 1 6. The element 20 is preferably formed of a steel and also may be formed by extrusion.

In Fig. 6, there is illustrated an alternative element which may be substituted for the element 20. The element of Fig. 6 also may be formed by extrusion of steel and the transverse cross-section illustrated in Fig. 6 includes a generally U-shaped part comprising mutually divergent legs. The element shown in Fig. 6 differs from the element 20 in that the legs 121 and 122 are connected, at their more widely spaced ends, by a web 123 so that the element has the form of a tube. As viewed in a direction towards the element, the web 1 23 is concave and is therefore adapted to flex to accommodate movement of the legs 121 and 122 towards each other, upon flexing of the U-shaped part of the element.In use, the element of Fig. 6 is placed on the base 12 of the groove 11 with the web 123 facing towards the base so that there is a first void between the web and the base of the groove and a second void within the element of Fig. 6. The element of Fig. 6 is used in the same manner as is the element 20 of Fig. 1.

The first step in assembly of the structure shown in Fig. 3 is placing of the element 20 on the base 1 2 of the groove 11. The element is placed at least approximately centrally in the groove but is free to slide on the base 1 2. The member 1 6 is then applied so that the limbs 1 8 and 1 9 pass through the mouth of the groove and enter the gaps between the element 20 and the faces 14 and 1 5. As extruded, the limbs 18 and 1 9 have respective flat faces which are mutually parallel. The outer faces of the limbs are spaced apart by a distance which is no greater than the width of the groove 11 at its mouth and which may be slightly less than this width. Both faces of each limb may be parallel to the faces of the other limb. When the limbs are introduced into the gaps they come to rest on the element 20.

Pressure is exerted on the outer face 24 of the outer part 1 7 of the elongate member to drive that member towards the base 1 2 of the groove. Under this pressure, the limbs 1 8 and 1 9 deform so that they become mutually divergent, as shown in Fig. 2. The member 1 6 is stressed beyond the elastic limit. As the limbs are driven further down the gaps, they become compressed between the element 20 and the faces 14 and 1 5. The pressure exerted on the legs 21 and 22 by the limbs 19 and 18 respectively is sufficient to deform the element 20 resiliently but preferably not sufficient to deform the element 20 non-elastically. Thus, the limbs 18 and 1 9 are gripped between the element 20 and the faces 14 and 15.

It will be noted that the outer part 1 7 of the member 1 6 has a width exceeding the width of the groove 11 at the mouth thereof so that the outer part overlaps the face 1 3 of the body 10 adjacent to each of the longitudinal margins of the groove.The member 1 6 is urged towards the base 1 2 of the groove until the outer part 1 7 engages firmly with the face 1 3. There are then small clearances (exaggerated in the drawing) between the free ends of the limbs 18 and 19 and the base 12 and also between the web 22 and the outer part 1 7 of the member 1 6. It will be noted that, in the completed assembly, the element 20 is completely covered by the member 1 6. Recesses 25 are formed in the member 1 6 at the junctions between the outer part 1 7 and the limbs 1 8 and 19, to ensure that the outer part can seat firmly on the face 1 3.

Small variations in the dimensions of the groove 11, the elongate member 1 6 and the element 20 do not prevent resilient deformation of the element 20 and gripping of the limbs 18 an 19. The dimensions and material of the element 20 can be selected to provide that the elastic limit of the element 20 will not be exceeded when the limbs are driven into their respective gaps, so that the pressure exerted on the limbs will have a predetermined value.This pressure is sufficiently great to prevent movement of the member 1 6 relative to the body 10 during subsequent treatment of the assembly, for example machining of the member 16, and during the service life of the assembly, without requiring the application of excessive force to drive the member 1 6 into the groove 11 until the outer part 1 7 seats firmly on the face 1 3.

Force may be exerted on the face 24 of the member 1 6 by means of a roller to drive the limbs 1 8 and 1 9 into the groove 11. Alternatively, more than one roller, arranged one behind the other, may be used.

In a case where the body 10 is a door of a sluice gate, there may be four elongate members 1 6 arranged in a rectangle on one face of the door. Alternatively, the member 10 may be a frame of a sluice gate. The invention may be used in other structures where a facing of one material is required on a body formed of another material. Such facings are commonly provided in valves.

If replacement of the elongate member 1 6 is necessary, removal of the elongate member and of the element 20 from the groove can be made simple by cutting through the elongate member and the element 20 along the centre of the groove. The resulting pieces can then easily be removed from the groove.

In Fig. 4, there is illustrated a modification of the assembly shown in Fig. 3. Certain parts of the structure shown in Fig. 4 correspond to those of the structure hereinbefore described with reference to Figs. 1, 2 and 3. Such corresponding parts are indicated in Fig. 4 by like reference numerals with the prefix 1 and the preceding description is deemed to apply, except for the differences hereinafter mentioned.

The groove formed in the body 110 is undercut at one side only. The element 120 disposed in this groove engages the body 110 at one lateral margin of the groove and engages the limb 118 of the member 11 6.

As shown in Fig. 4, the element 1 20 may be solid. The element may be formed of metal or of a plastics material. The plastics material may be resiliently deformable, as compared with the material of the body 110 and the material of the member 116. Alternatively, the element 1 20 may be hollow, for example generally U-shaped. In this case, the element may be formed of steel.

A further modification of the structure of Fig. 3 is illustrated in Fig. 5. In Fig. 5, parts which correspond to those hereinbefore described to reference to Figs. 1, 2 and 3 are indicated by like reference numerals with the prefix 2 and the preceding description is deemed to apply, except for the differences hereinafter mentioned.

In the structure of Fig. 5, the element 220 which lies between the limbs 218 and 219 is an integral part of the body 210. The groove defined by the body 210 is undercut along both margins.

The features disclosed in the foregoing description, or the following claims, or the accompanying drawings, expressed in their specific forms or in terms of a means for performing the disclosed function, or a method or process for attaining the disclosed result, as appropriate, may, separately or any combination of such features, be utilised for realising the invention in diverse forms thereof.

Claims

1. A structure comprising a body defining an undercut groove and an elongate member seated in the groove, wherein the cross-section of said member in a transverse plane includes an outer part which lies at least partly outside the groove and an inner part disposed in the groove, and wherein the inner part includes a limb having a dimension measured in the direction of the width of the groove and in a longitudinal plane perpendicular to said transverse plane which is less than the width of the groove measured in the same longitudinal plane.

2. A structure according to Claim 1 wherein the groove further contains an element which is formed separately from the elongate member.

3. A structure according to Claim 2 wherein said element is formed separately from both of the body and the elongate member.

4. A structure according to Claim 2 or Claim 3 wherein said element is hollow.

5. A structure according to Claim 4 wherein said element is generally U-shaped, the free ends of the legs of the U resting on the base of said groove.

6. A structure according to Claim 4 wherein said element is tubular.

7. A structure according to any preceding claim wherein the inner part of said member includes a second limb spaced from said firstmentioned limb in the direction of the width of the groove.

8. A structure according to Claim 2 or according to any of Claims 3 to 7 as appendant to Claim 2 wherein said element is resiliently deformable relative to the body.

9. A structure according to Claim 2 or according to any one of Claims 3 to 8 as appendant to Claim 2 wherein said elongate member is formed of material which is more ductile than is the material of which said element is formed.

10. A structure according to Claim 2 or according to any one of Claims 3 to 9 as appendant to Claim 2 wherein said element occupies more than one half the width of the groove.

11. A structure according to Claim 10 wherein said element is spaced from both opposite margins of the groove.

1 2. A structure according to Claim 11 wherein both of the gaps between said element and the opposite margins of the groove are tapered.

1 3. A structure according to Claim 2 or according to any one of Claims 3 to 12 as appendant to Claim 2 wherein said element has a height which exceeds half the width of the element.

1 4. A structure according to Claim 2 or according to any one of Claims 3 to 1 3 as appendant to Claim 2 wherein said elongate member covers said element.

1 5. A sluice gate according to any preceding claim.

1 6. A method of mounting an elongate member on a body wherein an undercut groove is formed in the body, there is placed in the groove an element which occupies a part only of the width of the groove to leave a gap between the element and at least one margin of the groove, a limb of said member is introduced into the gap and is forced towards the base of the groove and wherein forcing of the limb into the gap towards the base of the groove necessarily deforms the member so that it becomes locked in the groove.

1 7. A method according to Claim 16 wherein during forcing of the limb into the gap, said element is stressed to its elastic limit.

18. A method according to Claim 1 6 or Claim 1 7 wherein said gap is tapered.

1 9. A method according to any one of Claims 1 5 to 1 7 wherein force is exerted on the elongate member by means of a roller.

20. A method according to Claim 1 9 wherein force is exerted on the elongate member by means of a plurality of rollers concurrently, the rollers having respective axes which are spaced apart along the elongate member.

21. A structure substantially as herein described with reference to Figs. 1 to 3 of the accompanying drawings.

22. A structure according to Claim 21 modified substantially as herein described with reference to Fig. 6 of the accompanying drawings.

23. A method substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

24. Any novel feature or novel combination of features disclosed herein or in the accompanying drawings.