US 4,362,676 AGranted

Seal for heated enclosure

AssigneeManville Service Corporation

InventorsJames A. Swaidner, Wendell C. Holzhauer

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Abstract

This invention relates to the sealing of heated enclosures wherein the enclosure is provided with an opening (16) allowing access to the interior of the enclosure. A means for heating the enclosure and a means for closing (22) the access opening (16) are also provided. A compliant sealing material (26) disposed about the periphery of the access opening (16) is between the enclosure (10) and the closing means (22). A thermosetting material is intermixed with the sealing material (26) such that when the heating means heats the enclosure (10) the thermosetting material allows the sealing material (26) to be permanently molded to the shape of the closing means (18). A method of sealing a heatable enclosure (10) having an access opening (16) and a door (18) closing the enclosure (10) is also provided.

Claims3

Dependent claims

A method of providing a seal between a planar surface surrounding an access opening of a heated enclosure and a non-planar peripheral edge of a door which closes said access opening and is subject to repeated openings and closings, comprising:

securing a resilient fibrous insulating material about the periphery of said access opening to said planar surface;
intermixing an uncured, but curable, thermosetting material with said fibrous insulating material;
forcing the non-planar peripheral edge of said door into contact with said fibrous insulating material causing the latter to adopt a configuration compatible with the former;
subjecting said fibrous insulating material and intermixed thermosetting material to sufficient heat to cure said thermosetting material, such that said fibrous insulating material permanently adopts said configuration which is compatible with the non-planar peripheral edge of the door so that a seal is formed between said planar surface and said non-planar peripheral edge of the door each time said door is closed, following said repeated openings.

1 more element

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.