# US 4,399,840 A · Closure member

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- Number: US 4,399,840 A
- Document ID: US4399840A
- Status: Granted
- Kind: A
- Application number: 06/371,928
- Filed: 1982-04-26
- Granted: 1983-08-23
- Earliest claimed: 1982-04-26
- Assignees: Morris M. Lee; Corina M. Lee; Walter F. Wessendorf, Jr.
- Inventors: Morris M. Lee
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US4399840A

## CPC

- H02G 15/1813: {Wraparound or slotted sleeves}
- B29C 61/10: by bending plates or sheets {(in general B29C53/36)}
- F16L 47/22: using shrink-down material
- Y10S 174/08: Shrinkable tubes
- Y10S 428/913: Material designed to be responsive to temperature, light, moisture
- H02G: INSTALLATION OF ELECTRIC CABLES OR LINES, OR OF COMBINED OPTICAL AND ELECTRIC CABLES OR LINES
- B29C: SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING (making preforms B29B11/00; making laminated products by combining previously unconnected layers which become one product whose layers will remain together B32B37/00 - B32B41/00)
- F16L: PIPES; JOINTS OR FITTINGS FOR PIPES; SUPPORTS FOR PIPES, CABLES OR PROTECTIVE TUBING; MEANS FOR THERMAL INSULATION IN GENERAL
- Y10S: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS

## Abstract

Disclosed is a closure member for insulating, sealing, waterproofing and otherwise protecting an object from the elements. The closure member is of integral, one-piece construction, is of heat-shrinkable material, has a main body for enveloping the object and easily hand-assembled hooks, formed from material-sandwiched, angled and articulated inserts, interfoldable to define a joint and form thereby an enveloping tubular member. The hooks have on their ends small projections defining detents that are mechanically imbeddable for positive joint closure and seal, while affording a wide range of alignment in the interfolded and sandwiched assembly of the hook.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A closure member insulating, sealing, waterproofing and otherwise protecting an object from the elements; said closure member being of integral, one-piece construction, said closure member being of synthetic resinous heat recoverable material, said closure member having a main-body wall enveloping and wrapping-around said object, said main-body wall having two hooks interconnected and assembled as a mechanical interlocked joint effecting positive mechanical closure and seal of said joint without depending upon fusion for joint integrity, each of said hooks having a metal insert imbedded therein having the configuration of its respective hook, said joint forming with said main-body wall an enveloping tubular member, said hooks having ends, said ends of said hooks having small projections defining detents, said two hooks being a first hook and a second hook, said first hook having a main body, upper leg, knee and lower leg, said upper leg of said first hook having an interior surface, said second hook having a main body and leg, said leg of said second hook having an interior surface; in assembly: said leg of said second hook being mechanically interposed, interfolded and sandwiched between said upper and lower legs of said first hook, said lower leg of said first hook being mechanically interposed, interfolded and sandwiched between said leg of said second hook and said main body of said second hook, said detent of said second hook being mechanically imbedded in said interior surface of said upper leg of said first hook, said detent of said first hook being mechanically imbedded in said interior surface of said leg of said second hook, said upper leg and said lower leg of said first hook defining a corner, said leg and main body of said second hook defining a corner, said corner of said first hook, and said detent of said first hook imbedded in said leg of said second hook, defining and affording a first assembly range or "window" of detent imbedment in said second hook within which range of detent imbedment in said second hook said joint can be misaligned without loss or joint integrity, said corner of said second hook, and said detent of said second hook imbedded in said upper leg of said first hook, defining and affording a second assembly range or "window" of detent imbedment in said first hook within which range of detent imbedment in said first hook said joint can be misaligned without loss of joint integrity; joint integrity being said detent of said first hook remaining sandwiched between said leg and main body of said second hook with said detent of said first hook imbedded in said leg of said second hook, and said detent of said second hook remaining sandwiched between said upper leg and lower leg of said first hook with said detent of said second hook imbedded in said upper leg of said first hook; and said joint retaining its said joint integrity so long as said detent of said first hook remains sandwiched between said leg and main body of said second hook and said detent of said first hook remains imbedded in said leg of said second hook, and so long as said detent of said second hook remains sandwiched between said upper leg and lower leg of said first hook and said detent of said second hook remains imbedded in said upper leg of said first hook, and such mechanical imbedments of said detents with said respective hooks effecting such positive mechanical closure and seal of said joint.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

A closure member in accordance with claim 1, wherein said hooks are suitably angled and articulated to facilitate their field assembly by hand.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

A closure member in accordance with claim 1, wherein said closure member has a run-out of said material and said main body of said second hook has an inner facing surface, and wherein, upon assembly of said hooks, said run-out effects positive mechanical seal and closure of said joint by engaged abutment of said run-out against said inner facing surface of said main body of said second hook.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

A closure member in accordance with claim 1, wherein said material sandwiches therebetween said inserts to form and define said hooks.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

A closure member in accordance with claim 1, wherein prior to recovery said upper leg of said first hook is angled upwardly, and wherein said lower leg of said first hook is angled downwardly and backwardly.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

A closure member in accordance with claim 1, wherein prior to recovery said upper leg of said second hook is angled upwardly.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

A closure member in accordance with claim 1, wherein prior to recovery said upper leg of said first hook is angled upwardly, wherein said lower leg of said first hook is angled downwardly and backwardly, and wherein said upper leg of said second hook is angled upwardly.

### Claim 8 (depends on 2)

A closure member in accordance with claim 2, wherein said closure member has a run-out of said material and said main body of said second hook has an inner facing surface, and wherein, upon assembly of said hooks, said run-out effects positive mechanical closure and seal of said joint by engaged abutment of said run-out against said inner facing surface of said main body of said second hook.

### Claim 9 (depends on 2)

A closure member in accordance with claim 2, wherein said material sandwiches therebetween said inserts to define said hooks.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

A closure member in accordance with claim 1, wherein said material sandwiches therebetween said inserts to form and define said hooks, wherein said hooks are suitably angled and articulated to facilitate their field assembly by hand, wherein said upper leg of said firt hook is angled upwardly, wherein said lower leg of said first hook is angled downwardly and backwardly, wherein said upper leg of said second hook is angled upwardly, wherein said closure member has a run-out of said material and said main body of said second hook has an inner facing surface, and wherein, upon assembly of said hooks, said run-out effects positive mechanical closure and seal of said joint by engaged abutment of said runout against said inner facing surface of said main body of said second hook.