US2557827A

US2557827A - Sealing closure

Info

Publication number: US2557827A
Application number: US559954A
Authority: US
Inventors: Carroll P Krupp
Original assignee: BF Goodrich Corp
Current assignee: Goodrich Corp
Priority date: 1944-10-23
Filing date: 1944-10-23
Publication date: 1951-06-19
Anticipated expiration: 1968-06-19

Description

June l9,v 1951 KRupp 2,557,827

SEALING CLOSURE Filed 001;. 23, 1944 I small .P-Kzz u?! Petented June 19 1951 SEALING CLOSURE Carroll P. Krupp, Barberton,

Ohio, assignor to The B. F. Goodrich Company, New York, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application October 23, 1944, Serial No. 559,954 8 Claims. 24205.1)

The invention relates to closures for sealing adjacent margins and especially to sealing slide fastener structures.

This application is a continuation-in-part of my co-pending application for Sealing Closure, Serial No. 509,427, filed November 8, 1943, now matured into Patent No. 2,545,817, dated March 20, 1951.

Objects of the invention are to provide for closing and sealing effectively adjacent separable margins of a structure at a face thereof; to provide for maintaining the seal despite fiexure of the margins; to provide closure means including sealing elements having outwardly extending sealing portions at said face for sealing by lipaction of said portions; to provide protecting means for guarding against accidental breakage of the seal; to provide for assuring the positioning of the sealing elements in sealing relation with one another; to provide for resisting objectionable fiexure of the margins tending to separate such elements; and to provide simplicity of construction, convenience of manufacture and effectiveness of operation.

These and other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description.

In the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification. and in which like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout the same,

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a sealing closure constructed in accordance with and embodying the invention, parts being broken away and in section,

Fig. 2 is a sectional view of the respective components of the closure as such components are molded, the sealing margins being shown in separated condition, V

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the closure in cluding an end thereof mounted on the wall of a hollow article, parts being broken away and in section,

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of a modification of the sealing closure, parts being broken away and in section.

Fig. 5 is a view like Fig. 4, but showing a runner in engaging relation with parts of the closure, and

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of a further modification of the sealing closure, parts being broken away and in section.

In the embodiment of the invention illustrated in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, the sealing closure includes preferably a slide fastener structure III for detachably uniting adjacent margins II and I2 of an article I3 to be fastened, and includes sealing elements I4 and I5 of suitable elastic material such, for example, as resilient rubber or other rubber-like material, which overlie fastener elements I6 and I! of such structure.

The slide fastener structure In includes flexible margins or stringers I8 and I9 of suitable mate rial such, for example, as woven fabric of cotton, linen, silk, rayon or other suitable material, which stringers may be coated or impregnated with resilient rubber or other rubber-like material 20 and 2I for fluid-sealing purposes and for facilitating adhesively attaching the stringers to the separable margins II and I2 of an article I3, which may be a garment, container, tent or other structure as to which a sealing closure is desired.

Adjacent marginal edges of the stringers are provided with

beads

22 and 23 of cords of suitable filamentary material attached, as by sewing 24 at each face of the stringers and extending continuously along such edges. The spacedapart cooperating fastener elements I6 and I! are mounted in series upon each of the stringers at said marginal edges, engaging the material of the

beads

22 and 23 and the stringers I8 and I 9. The fastener elements include

engaging portions

25 and 26 and mounting portions 21 and 28 and may be of metal, plastic or other suitable stiff material having the desired strength characteristics. A slider or runner 29 of suitable known construction, including a top plate element 30, a channeled bottom plate element 3| and a pull tab 32, may be used for engaging and disengaging the opposing series of fastener elements I6 and H, the runner being slidable along the respective series of elements.

For closing and sealing the separable margins I8 and I9 of the structure II), the sealing elements I4 and I5 may be mounted directly on the mounting portions 21 and 28 of the fastener elements I6 and I1 and are positioned in lip-sealing contact with one another at adjacent outwardly extending sealing portions 31 and 38 in the manner shown especially in Fig. 1. Since the sealing elements may be made of suitable rubber material, they may be molded directly upon and adhered by a vulcanized bond to the mounting portions 21 and 28 of the fastener elements and extend continuously along the beaded marginal edges of the stringers, bridging the spaced-apart fastener elements of the respective series at such edges and extending over the ends of the fastener elements into continuity with the rubber layers 20, 2I of the stringers. The rubber maments in alignment for facilitating and assuring coaction between the latter during the engaging anddisengaging operations of the sealing closure. I j The sealing elements l4 and I5 are generally L shape in section providing

base portions

33 and 34 positioned at the mounting portions 21 and 3813f the fastener elements and marginal portions'35 and 36 extending laterally from the base Qkp'ortions and,overlying the engaging portions 25 '26 of the fastener elements in separated relation thereto, thereby providing space for the fjre sliding movement of the top plate element 30 of the runner 29 along the faces of the respective series of engaging portions 25 and 28 of said fastener elements.

accordance with the invention, the marginal portions 35 and 36 include sealing portions 31 and 38- tapering to

edges

39 and 40 and extending generally normal to the face of the structure H) in position for sealing by lip-action of such edges against one another. The relative positions of the sealing elements in the as molded and non-flexed condition and before engagement of the fastener elements with one another are shown especially in Fig. 2, the margins or stringers I8 and I9 being in a separated condition.

The marginal portions 35 and 36 including the sealing portions 31 and 38 may terminate at or short of the ends of the fastener elements for facilitating flexing contact of such sealing portions with one another, especially at the region of the

edges

39 and 43 thereof. The adjacent faces of the sealing portions 31 and 38 may be substantially smooth sealing surfaces 4| and 42 extending outwardly in the generally on sub-- stantially normal direction to the face of the structure III, that is more nearly in the true normal direction than in the direction parallel to said face, which sealing surfaces may be angularly inclined relative to one another for promoting resilient lip-action sealing by the

edges

39 and 40 by virtue of the flexure of the tapered portions 31 and 38. The marginal portions 35 and 36 of the sealing elements also include protecting portions 43 and 44, preferably of generally rounded contour adjacent and spaced from the sealing portions 31 and 38, which portions 43 and 44 protrude outwardly to at least the height of the

edges

33 and 40 for guarding such edges against accidental separation thereof and breakage of the fluid-tight seal of the closure.

For closing in a detachable manner the separable margins II and I2 of an inflatable article l3, for example, having flexible wall portions of suitable impervious fabric material, the sealing closure may be attached to the flexible margins H and I2 such that the sealing elements l4 and |5 are positioned within the interior of such article for protection purposes and for functioning in cooperation with the internal pressure to further assure a fluid-tight seal. The fabric stringers l8 and I! of the slide fastener structure I0 may be attached to the margins H and II by means of a suitable adhesive 45 such, for example, as rubber cement, or by sewing 46, or both, such that the rubber coatings 20 and 2| on such stringers may be positioned against the fabric wall of the article.

The respective ends of the sealing closure may be sealed and closed in the manner shown especially in Fig. 3, and for purposes of description, since both ends may be identical, the construction at one end at 5| only will be described in detail. End portions 41 and 48 of the sealing elements M and I5 are arranged with the sealing surfaces 4| and 42 in contact and the sealing portions 31 and 38 at portions 41 and 48 are sccured together as by a suitable adhesive at such surfaces. A tape element 50 of suitable rubber material may be adhesively secured at the end at 5| to the wall of the article I3 and to the end portions 41 and 48, overlapping such wall and end portions and conforming smoothly to the extreme ends at 49 of such portions thereby completing the sealing of the closure at the end at 5|.

In the operation of changing the sealing closure from the closed condition shown especially in Fig. 1 to the open condition shown especially in Fig. 3, the slider or runner 29 is manipulated along the fastener elements lfi-and H in the direction, for example, away from the end at 5|. Such movement of the runner disengages the fastener elements coincidental with separating the sealing elements l4 and I5 and positioning the latter elements in spaced-apart relation to one another by virtue of their transverse movement with respect to the longitudinal center line of the slide fastener structure, since such sealing elements are mounted directly upon the fastener elements l6 and I1. In this manner the sealing portions 31 and 38 are separated and permitted to flex and resume the as molded" position, as shown especially in Fig. 2, the

edges

39 and 40 thereof being no longer in contact for sealing by lip-action. With sealing closure in the open condition, a body or material may be admitted into or removed from the hollow article |3 through the opening defined by the separated margins H and I2 and stringers l3 and IS.

The sealing closure is returned to the closed condition by moving the runner 29 in the direction toward the end at 5|, which movement of the runner re-engages the fastener elements and draws together the sealing elements H and I5. This drawing action brings the sealing portions 31 and 38 into flexing contact with one another, whereby the

edges

39 and 40 contact one another and the sealing surfaces 4| and 42 wholly or partially contact one another substantially throughout their entire extent in the outward direction, as shown especially in Fig. 1. In this manner the separable margins H and I2 of the article l3 and the stringers l8 and N of the slide fastener structure H) are closed and sealed fluidtight by the lip-action of the sealing elements. Pressure within the article further assists in maintaining such seal by the pressing action of such pressure upon the exposed surfaces of the sealing elements, especially at the region of the

edges

39 and 40. By virtue of its construction and arrangement, the sealing closure maintains its sealed condition despite flexure and twisting to a reasonable extent of the margins thereof; since the sealing portions 31 and 38 may move relative to one another and the

edges

39 and 40 thereof may move likewise against and along the respective surfaces 4| and 42, thereby maintaining lip-sealing contact with such surfaces throughout the flexing and twisting of the closure.

The modified construction 55 shown in Figs. 4 and 5 is, in some of its aspects, like the sealing closure shown in Figs. 1 to 3, inclusive, especially with respect to sealing by lip-action. The modified construction 55 includes a slide fastener structure 56 including

separable stringers

51 and 58 of suitable fabric material and

fastener elements

59 and 60 attached along adjacent margins of such stringers, which margins have beads 6| and 62 suitably attached to such margins, the beads being of suitable cord material. A runner 63 substantially like the runner 29 provides for engaging and disengaging the cooperating

fastener elements

59 and 66.

Sealing elements 64 and 65 of suitable resilient rubber material are positioned at a face of the slide fastener structure 56, which elements may be mounted directly upon the

stringers

51 and 58 instead of upon the fastener elements, as in the construction shown in Fig. l. The sealing elements 64 and 65 are separated from the

fastener elements

59 and 60 to provide space for receiving the runner 59 without binding against such runner, the sealing elements being desirably generally L-shaped in section. Such sealing elements include sealing

portions

66 and 61 tapering in section to edges 68 and 69 and extending generally on substantially normal to the face of the structure 56 in position for sealing by lip-action of said edges against one another. The

sealing portions

66 and 61 may be provided with substantially smooth sealing surfaces 18 and 1| extending outwardly in the generally on substantially normal direction to the face of the struc-- ture 56, which sealing surfaces may be angularly inclined relative to one another for promoting lip-action sealing by the edges 68 and 69 of the

sealing portions

66 and 61. The sealing elements also include protecting portions 12 and 13, preferably of generally rounded contour adjacent and spaced from the sealing

portions

66 and 61, which portions 12 and 13 protrude outwardly to at least the height of the edges 68 and 69 for guarding such edges against accidental separation thereof and breakage of the fluid-tight seal of the closure.

For the as molded" condition, the sealing elements 64 and 65 including sealing

portions

66 and 61 extend to or short of the ends of the respective

slide fastener elements

59 and 68.

Sealing coatings

14 and 15 of suitable resilient rubber-like material in continuation of the sealing elements 64 and 65 may be provided on the

stringers

51 and 58 at said face of the slide fastener structure 16. The sealing elements and the coatings may be secured to the fabric stringers 51 and 58 as by a vulcanized bond and molded and vulcanized under heat and pressure.

For bracing and supporting the sealing elements 64 and 65 to prevent and further guard against accidental breakage of the lip seal under objectionable relatively severe twisting and flexing of the slide fastener structure 56, there is provided at the opposite face of the structure 56 a pair of bracing elements 16 and 11 of suitable resilient rubber-like material. The bracing elements 16 and 11 may be generally L-shape in section providing

base portions

18 and 19 and marginal portions 80 and 8| extending laterally from the base portions, the marginal portions and 8| having desirably flat sealing surfaces extending generally normal to said opposite face of the slide fastener structure 56 and adapted for abutting relation with one another.

portions

18 and 19 are positioned closely ad- The base jacent the ends of the

fastener elements

59 and 60, as shown especially in Fig. 4, and such base portions are positioned opposite the corresponding base portions of the sealing elements 64 and 65.

Sealing coatings

82 and 83 of suitable rubber-like material in continuation of the bracing elements 16 and 11 may be provided on the

stringers

51 and 58 at said opposite face of the slide fastener structure, and

such coatings

82 and 63 and the bracing elements 16 and 11 may be secured thereto as by a vulcanized bond and molded and vulcanized under heat and pressure.

The bracing elements 16 and 11 are so constructed and arranged that, for the closed condition of the closure 55, the marginal portions and 8| are in abutting contact with one another at the sealing surfaces; and the bracing elements present a continuous truss-like wall extending between the base portion of the sealing element 64 and the base portion of the sealing element 65, whereby such bracing elements support the

stringers

51 and 58 and the sealing elements 64 and 65 to prevent separation of the latter under objectionable bending and twisting of the sealing closure.

In the sealing closure 55 of Figs. 4 and 5 the runner 63 has a channeled top plate element 84 positioned for engaging the

fastener elements

59 and 68 and positioned within the space defined by the sealing elements 64 and 65 overlying such fastener elements. The runner 63 has a flat bottom plate element 85 positioned adjacent the fastener elements and within the space defined by the bracing elements 16 and 11, which bottom element includes an outwardly projecting portion 86 extending between the abutting surfaces of the marginal portions 80 and 8|, as shown especially in Fig. 5. A pull tab 81 is in engaging and pivoting relation with the projecting portion 86 of the runner, whereby the runner may be manipulated from said opposite face of the slide fastener structure 56.

The sealing closure 55 may be positioned on the separable margins of the article l3 substantially in the same manner as described hereinabove for the construction shown in Figs. 1 to 3, inclusive, the sealing elements 64 and 65 being at the interior and the bracing elements being at the exterior of the article. This arrangement permits sealing effectively the opening in the wall of the article while protecting the sealing elements, including the sealing portions thereof, against breakage of the lip-seal and. while permitting conveniently operating the closure from the exterior of the bag. The bracing elements 16 and 11, in addition to functioning as bracing means for the sealing elements, also function advantageously to protect the faster elements against the entrance, for example, of objectionable dirt and fluid.

In the operation of opening the sealing closure 55, the runner 63is manipulated along the

fastener elements

59 and 66 in a direction such that the fastener elements are disengaged, for example, and the

stringers

51 and 58 are spread apart. coincidental with the spreading action of the stringers, the sealing elements 64 and 65 and the bracing elements 16 and 11 are separated or moved transversely relative to one another. breaking the seal of the closure, the edges 68 and 69 of the sealing elements 64 and 65 no longer being in contact with one another and the sealing

portions

66 and 61 assuming the poof the structure 9I 7 sltion of as molded. In manipulating the runner 68, the portion 85 thereof extending between the bracing elements 16 and 11 slides along such elements between their abutting surfaces.

For returning the sealing closure to the closed condition, the runner 83 is manipulated in the opposite direction, thereby engaging the fastener elements and drawing together the sealing elements 64 and 65 and the bracing elements 18 and 11 such that the bracing elements resume their abutting relation at the adjacent ends of the marginal portions 80 and 8I and the sealing portions 58 and 81 flex into lip-sealing contact at the edges 68 and 69 thereof. The bracing elements 18 and 11 assure the proper positioning of the sealing elements for resumption of their sealing relation by lip-sealing action. Since the marginal portions of the bracing elements 16 and 11 press against one another at their adjacent ends, they likewise may press against and substantially conform to the projec'ting portion 86 of the runner, substantially sealing thereagainst by virtue of the resiliency of the rubber material of such elements. In this manner the sealing closure 55 closes elfectively the adjacent margins despite a pressure differential at such margins, and effectively protects against accidental breakage of the seal, and also protects the fastener elements of the slide fastener structure 56 against objectionable exposure to the weather and entrance of materials such, for example, as water and dirt.

The modified construction 90 of the sealing closure shown in Fig. 6 is, in some of its aspects, substantially like the sealing closure 55, and includes a slide fastener structure 9| comprising stringers i2 and 93 of suitable fabric material,

beads

94 and 95 on adjacent margins thereof, and cooperating fastener elements 96 and 91 suitably secured in series at such margins. The fastener elements are engaged and disengaged bya suitable runner 98, which is substantially thesame as the runner 63 except as to channeled top and bottom plate elements. The

stringers

92 and 93 may be provided with impervious coatings 98, 99, I00, MI and I02 of suitable rubberlike material.

Sealing elements 104 and I05 of suitable resilient rubber-like material are positioned at a face for closing the adjacent stringers by lip-action sealing. The sealing elements I04-and I05 may be generally L-shape in section providing base portions I06 and I01 on the stringers and marginal portions I08 and I09 extending laterally from the base portions and overlying the fastener elements 98 and 91. The sealing elements are separated from the fastener elements, whereby space is provided for the top plate element I I of the runner 98.

The marginal portion I09 of the sealing element I includes a sealing surface III extending generally on substantially normal to said face of the structure 9|, and such marginal portion I09 also includes a generally rounded protecting portion II2 adjacent the sealing surface III. 'The marginal portion I08 of the sealing element I04 includes a sealing portion I I3 tapering to an edge I I4 and extending generally or substantially normal to said face of the structure -9I in position for sealing bylip-action of the edge I I4 against the sealing surface I I I. The marginal portion I08 also includes a protecting portion II5 of generally rounded contour adjacent and spaced from the sealing portion H3 for guarding such edge and preventing accidental ing portion H3 is flexed such that the edge H4 is resiliently held in lip-sealing contact with the sealing surface I I I, while opposing areas H6 and II1 trailing such edge may be in contact with Y one another or may be maintained in separated relation, as shown especially in Fig. 6.

At the opposite face of the slide fastener structure 9|, bracing elements H8 and H9 are positionedsubstantially in the manner as described for the sealing closure 55, except that such bracing elements are um-spaced relation throughout their extent with the fastener elements 96 and 91 and base portions I20 and I2I thereof may be positioned directly opposite the corresponding base portions I05 and I01 of the sealing elements I04 and I05. The marginal portions I22 and I23 of the bracing elements H8 and H9 are adapted for abutting relation throughout their extent and press against one another in substantially sealing contact. The runner 98 has a projecting portion substantially like the projecting portion 86 of the runner 63, which projecting portion of the runner 98 extends between the bracing elements H8 and H9 as described hereinabove for the closure 55.

The sealing closure 90 is placed in the open and the closed conditions, respectively, substantially in the same manner described for the sealing closure 55, by manipulation of the runner 98, first in one direction and then in the opposite direction, to engage and disengage the fastener elements 98 and 91, thereby separating and engaging the bracing elements and the sealing elements, respectively.

Variations may be made without departing from the scope of the invention as it is defined in the following claims.

I claim:

l. A sealing closure comprising a slide fastener structure having a pair of stringers and cooperating fastener elements at the margins of said stringers, and a pair of sealing elements generally L-shape in section providing base portions mounted at said fastener elements and free portions extending laterally from said base portions toward each other and overlying said fastener elements at a face of said structure, one of said free portions having a sealing surface extending substantially normal to said face and the other of said free portions having a marginal portion tapering to an edge and said other free portion presenting a second sealing surface extending substantially normal to said face and continuing to said edge, said sealing element being disposable with said sealing surfaces substantially in opposition and in position for sealing by lipaction of said edge against the first said surface, and means for bracing said sealing elements against separation from one another, said means comprising elements generally L- shape in section providing base portions on said stringers at the other face of said structure and portions extending laterally from said base portions toward each other and adapted to cooperate in abutting relation with one another for resisting flexure of said stringers tending to separate said sealing elements at said sealing surfaces.

2. A sealing closure comprising a slide fastener structure having a pair of stringers and cooperating fastener elements at the margins of said stringers, a pair of sealing elements gen- 9 erally L-shape in section providing base portions mounted on said stringers at said fastener elements and free portions extending laterally from said base portions toward each other and overlying said fastener elements at a face of said structure, said free portions tapering to edges and presenting sealing surfaces extending substantially normal to said face and continuing to said edges, said sealing elements being disposable with said sealing surfaces substantially in opposition and in position for sealing by lip-action of said edges and having protecting portions adjacent said sealing surfaces for guarding said edges, and means for bracing said sealing elements against separation from one another, said means comprising elements on said stringers at the opposite face of said structure adapted to cooperate in abutting relation with one another for resisting flexure of said stringers tending to separate said sealing elements at said sealing surfaces.

3. A sealing closure comprising a structure having a pair of separable margins, both of which are subject to flexure, separable fastener elements at said margins interengaging one another and detachably uniting the margins in the closed condition of the closure, a flexible element on one of said margins at a face of the margins presenting a sealing surface extending substantially normal to said face, a flexible sealing element on the other of said margins at said face having a marginal portion overlying said fastener elements and tapering to an edge in the direction away from and substantially normal to said face and said sealing element presenting a second sealing surface extending substantially normal to said face and continuing to said edge, said sealing element being disposable with said sealing surfaces substantially in opposition and inclined toward one another in the open condition in position for sealing by lip-action of said edge against the first said sealing surface in the closed condition, and means at the other face of said margins and additional to said fastener elements for bracing said sealing element against separation from the first said sealing surface under flexure of said margins.

4. A sealing closure comprising a structure having a pair of separable margins, slide fastener means including fastener elements for detachably uniting said margins, sealing elements mounted directly on said fastener elements at a face of the margins for closing the latter, said sealing elements having marginal portions tapering to edges and said sealing elements presenting sealing surfaces extending substantially normal to said face and continuing to said edges said sealing elements being disposable with said sealing surfaces substantially in opposition and in position for sealing by lip-action of said edges, and means at the other face of said margins additional to said fastener elements for bracing said margins against flexure tending to separate said edges from one another.

5. In a slide fastener structure comprising a pair of stringers and cooperating fastener elements at the margins of said stringers, in combination, a pair of sealing elements each mounted at said fastener elements of a stringer and overlying said fastener elements at a face of said structure, said sealing elements having free portions overlying said fastener elements and projecting laterally of said structure toward one another, said free portions tapering to edges remote from said fastener elements in the direction normal to said face and presenting substantially flat sealing surfaces extending substantially normal to said face and continuing to said edges with said sealing surfaces substantially in opposition and in contact with one another at portions thereof immediately adjacent said edges and the remaining portions of said sealing surfaces in spaced-apart relation to one another in the closed condition of the fastener, and bracing elements at the other face of said structure adapted to cooperate in abutting relation with one another for bracing said sealing elements against separation.

6. A sealing closure comprising a structure having a pair of separable adjacent margins both of which are subject to flexure and detachably united in the closed condition of the closure, sealing elements of flexible material on said margins at a face of the structure, said sealing elements having elastic marginal portions extending laterally toward each other and tapering to edges remote from said margins in the direction away from and substantially normal to said face and said sealing elements presenting sealing surfaces extending substantially normal to said face and continuing to said edges, said sealing elements being disposable with said sealing surfaces substantially opposite and inclined toward one another in the open condition in position for sealing by lip-action flexure of said edges in the closed condition, and means for bracing said sealing elements against separation from one another, said means comprising elements of flexible material on said margins disposed wholly at the opposite face of said structure and having lateral portions adapted to cooperate in abutting relation with one another for resisting flexure of said margins tending to separate said sealing elements at said sealing surfaces.

7. A sealing closure comprising a structure having a pair of separable adjacent margins both of which are subject to flexure and detachably united in the closed condition of the closure, separable fastener elements at the adjacent edges of said margins interengaging one another and detachably uniting the margins in the closed condition of the closure, a flexible element on one of said margins at a face of the structure and presenting a sealing surface extending substantially normal to said face, a sealing element of resilient rubber-like material generally L-shaped in section providing a base portion on the other of said margins at said face of the structure and a free portion extending laterally from said base portion toward said flexible element and overlying said fastener elements, said free portion tapering to an edge remote from said fastener elements'in the direction away from and substantially normal to said face and presenting a second sealing surface extending substantially normal to said face and continuing to said edge, said sealing element being disposable with said sealing surfaces substantially opposite and relatively inclined toward one another in the open condition in position for sealing by lip-action flexure of said edge of the sealing element against the first said sealing surface in the closed condition, and means comprising flexible material addi tional to said margins and said fastener elements at the other face of said structure for bracing said sealing element against separation from the first said sealing surface under flexure of said margins.

8. In a slide fastener structure comprising a pair of flexible stringers and cooperating teeth 11 at the adjacent margins of said stringers, in combination, a pair of sealing elements of resilient rubber-like material on said stringers adjacent said teeth at a face of said structure, said sealing elements having free portions overlying said teeth in spaced-apart relation thereto and projecting laterally of said structure toward one an other, said free portions tapering to edges remote from said teeth in the direction away from and substantially normal to said face and presenting sealing surfaces extending substantially normal to said face and continuing to said edges, said sealing surfaces being substantially opposite and inclined toward one another in the open condition of the closure and being in contact with one another at least at portions thereof im mediately adjacent said edges in the closed condition, and bracing elements of resilient rubberlike material generally L-shaped in section providlng base portions on said stringers at the other face of said structure and portions extending laterally from said base portions toward each other and adapted to cooperate in the closed condition in abutting relation to one another for resisting flexure of said stringers tending to separate said sealing elements at said sealing surfaces.

CARROLL P. KRUPP.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,385,816 Krupp Oct. 2, 1945 Certificate of (Jerrection I Patent No. 2,557,827 4 June 19, 1951 CARROLL P. KRUPP It is hereby certified that error appears in the printed specification of the above numbered patent requiring correction as follows:

Column 1, line 38, after in insert a; column 3,'line 48, column 5,

lines

29 and 30, 35, and column 7, line 62, for generally on read generally or; column 9, line 57, after edges insert a comma;

and that the said Letters Patent should be read as corrected above, so that the same may conform to the record of the case in the Patent Ofilce.

Signed and sealed this 4th day of March, A. D. 1952.

[SEAL] THOMAS F. MURPHY,

Assistant Commissioner of Patents.