US2023917A

US2023917A - Refrigerator gasket

Info

Publication number: US2023917A
Authority: US
Inventors: Leonard H Darbyshire
Original assignee: Borg Warner Corp
Current assignee: Borg Warner Corp
Priority date: 1931-01-21
Filing date: 1931-01-21
Publication date: 1935-12-10
Anticipated expiration: 1952-12-10

Description

. c. 10, 1935. H. DARBYSHIRE 2,023,917

REFRIGERATOR GASKET Filed Jan. 21, 1951 2. Sheets-Sheet l Dec. 10, 1935. L. H. DARBYSHIRE 2,023,917

REFRIGERATOR GASKET Filed Jan. 21, 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 III/I/II/II/Im Patented Dec. 10, 1935 UNITED STATES REFRIGERATOR GASKET Leonard H. Darbyshire, Detroit, Mich, assignor,

by mesne assignments, to Borg-Warner Corporation, a corporation of Illinois Application January 21, 1931, Serial No. 510,132

4Claims.

This invention relates to a flexible sealing means for closures and has special reference to sealing the doors of refrigerators and the like wherein an air leak will have detrimental effects due to wastage of the cold air within the refrigerator and the infiltration of warm air from the room. 7

It is an object of this-invention to provide an improved door seal for the purposes described adapted to bridge the gap or clearance necessarily provided when mounting a metal sheathed door on a similar cabinet, the seal at the same timecovering the adjacent edges of the inner and outer casings to give a finished appearance to the door. The present invention is, therefore, an improvement on the various forms of flexible weather stripping and serves a dual purpose in its special field. The principal form of this invention is made of rubberized fabric wrapped overa soft and easily deformed elastic core to provide the desired seal and further wrapped over a second and stiffer core which can be bent away from the plate of the base mounting to extend over the edge of the door lining which laps over the base mounting. In a second form of the invention, a rubber stock is vulcanized to form. resilient air cushions which perform the work of the previously mentioned cores. In a third form of the invention a hollow rubber bead is supported by a series of rubber bridges which give resiliency to the bead and simplify the formation and vulcanizing of the sealing strip.

It is also an object of this invention to provide an improved and attractive door trim for lipped doors that wig sealingly engage the face of the door frame which also serves to conceal the seam or adjacent edges of the covering material in the case of metal clad doors.

Another important object of the present invention resides in the provision of an improved form of gasket which is so constructed as to eliminate direct fastening or other retaining means aside from the metal door covering which itself acts to hold the gasket in position.

Other and further important objects of this invention will be apparent-from the disclosures iigg the specification and the accompanying draw- This invention (in a preferred form) is illustrated in the drawings and hereinafter more fully described:-

Figure 1 is a front view of a refrigerator cabinet, which figure is provided to identify the sec- Figure 2 is a fragmentary enlarged section on the line 11-11 of Figure 1 showing the application of the principal form of this invention to the door and the sealing action thereof against the door frame.

Figure 3 is an enlarged cross section of the sealing strip embodying the principal form of this invention.

Figm'e 4 is a fragmentary section similar to Figm'e 2 showing the application of a second 10 form of this invention.

Figure 5 is an enlarged cross section of the second form of sealing strip.

Figure 6 is a fragmentary section similar to Figure 2 and showing a third form of this in- 15 vention.

Figure 7 is an oblique bottom view of the third form of sealing strip.

The domestic refrigerator cabinet l0 chosen for illustrative purposes includes a refrigerating 20 chamber I I, closed by a door I! and a machinery compartment covered by a panel 13. As shown in the detail sections, the cabinet is formed with frame or comer post it covered by a casing i5 and the refrigerant chamber is formed with a 25 lining l6 which forms the inner wall of the cabinet. The edges of the casing I5 and lining l6 terminate in the door opening and are covered with a-removable beveled throat lining l1. The door is formed with a frame work It covered by 30 an outer casing IS the edges 20 of which are turned over to form a lip overlapping the door opening, the inner face of the door being covered by a dished panel 2| which enters the door opening but has ample clearance from the throat lining il. Such clearance is especially necessary if the various metal coverings are of enameled steel, for example, due to possible damage thereto or variations in manufacture due to the firing of the enamel coats after the forming of the linings or panels.

The principal form of this invention is shown inFigures2and3. InFlgure3thenumeral22 represents a fabric coated with a layer of rubber 23, the fabric being cut into strips of suitable width and one edge 24 folded about a filler member 25 which may be composed of Kapok, live or sponge rubber, cotton, or the like, this. material being required to have sufficient e or 50 resiliency to exert a slight but continued sealing pressure whendeformed as shown in Figure 2. The folded over edge 24 is then folded over a second and smaller filler 26 wherein stiifness is desirable aswell asresiliency orlife since the function of this filler is to form a bead not particularly subject to intermittent deformation. This filler may also be made of rubber, or of cord material, for example. The edge of the material is then disposed beneath the previous fold and the three layers of rubberized fabric are secured by one or more rows of stitches 21. As shown in Figure 3, two rows of stitches are provided, the right hand row serving as a hinge about which the second or smaller bead may be bent to allow the insertion of the edge of the inner door covering or panel 2|, after which the elasticity of the rubberized fabric causes the head 26 to slightly overlap and conceal the edge of the panel. The free or remaining edge 28 of the rubberized fabric is tacked to the lip of the door before the inner lining or panel 2i is applied so that the edge of the panel overlaps the free edge 28 of the fabric and is in turn concealed by the bead 26.

r The second form of this invention as shown in Figures 4-and5 differs from the foregoing in the material and method of construction. This form is'molded from rubber in an integral structure wherein

hollow beads

29 and 30 are molded on an integral base and the second or smaller head is then undercut as indicated by the line 32 so that this head is displaceable or hinged as indicated by its dotted line, positions in Figure 5.

A small bead 3| is formed on the base and is adapted to be clamped between the door framework l8 and the dished panel 2| to retain the gasket in position. In this construction the closed form of the hollow beads imparts the necessary resiliency thereto so that the head 29 recovers its initial form after being deformed as indicated in Figure 4 by the closing of the door.

The third illustrated form of the invention is a modification of the second form and. while shown as a single bead is equally applicable to the double bead form. In this form a base member 33 is molded along one edge into an open bottomed dome or hollow bead 34. The bead is caused to retain its initial shape by" means of a plurality of cross partitions or bridges 35. The single bead thus not only seals against the door frame but also serves to conceal the edge of the door lining because of the square shoulder provided between the bead and the base member.

It will be noted that the various embodiments of this invention all provide means whereby visible fastening means for the gasket or strip are 5 eliminated. This desirable feature is accomplished by having the free edges of the gaskets extend underneath the door panels where they are tacked or otherwise secured, the securing means being concealed by the panels when in normal position.

It will thus be seen that I have invented an improved sealing strip for the purposes described that will be eflicient as a seal and also serve as a trim for concealing unfinished edges of the 010- sure.

I am aware that many changes may be made and numerous details of construction may be varied through a wide range without departing from the principles of this invention, and I, therefore, do not purpose limiting the patent granted hereon otherwise than necessitated by the priorart.

I claim as my invention:

1. As an article of manufacture, a sealing strip including a rubber base strip having spaced hollow beads formed integral therewith, one of said beads being partially separated from the base strip to permit angular displacement thereof relative to the base strip.

2. As an article of manufacture, a sealing strip comprising rubber stock formed into a flat strip with a hollow bead formed along one edge, the bead portion'being supported by a plurality of elastic transverse bridges.

3. As an article of manufacture, a sealing strip comprising rubber stock formed into a deformable hollow head, the bead being supported by a plurality of elastic transverse bridges.

4. A gasket for refrigerators and the like com- 40 prising an elongated, flexible, substantially flat strip having formed integrally therewith along one edge thereof, an arcuate bridge, said bridge comprising spaced supporting portions terminating in the plane of said strip substantially 5 in perpendicular relation thereto.

LEONARD H. DARBYSHIRE.