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US 4,535,999 AGranted
Gasket assembly having a sealing member suspended in a clear-through opening and method of making same
AssigneeFelt Products Mfg. Co.
InventorRobert F. Locacius
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A head gasket assembly including a compressible sealing member, such as a grommet, and a method of assembling same. The sealing member is suspended in an opening in the main body of the head gasket as by tabs formed with the grommet and by eyelets which are disposed in openings in the main body and which eyelets have heel and overlap flanges which overlie and underlie the tabs. The eyelets are headed to provide the overlap portion during assembly of the components of the head gasket assembly. In a preferred form the grommet is suspended for vertical "floating" movement in the opening in the main body of the gasket.
Claims18
A gasket assembly adapted to be positioned between a pair of surfaces to be sealed and to be compressed therebetween, said gasket assembly comprising:
- a main gasket body comprising an expansive, flat central core, said main gasket body defining a plurality of openings, including a plurality of bolt openings in said main gasket body,
- a compressible sealing member positioned in at least one opening to be sealed, said sealing member comprising an insert having upper and lower surfaces and compressible material on each of said upper and lower surfaces of said
- and at least two suspending members secured to said main gasket body and each member having portions spaced overlying and underlying peripheral portions of said sealing member, said suspending members each having second portions overlying and underlying said main body portion adjacent said opening to be sealed, thereby to suspend said sealing member in said opening to be sealed.
A gasket assembly adapted to be positioned between a pair of surfaces to be sealed and to be compressed therebetween, said gasket assembly comprising:
- a main gasket body comprising an expansive, flat central metallic core, said main gasket body defining a plurality of openings, including a plurality of bolt openings in said main gasket body,
- a compressible sealing member positioned in at least one opening to be sealed, said sealing member comprising a metallic insert having upper and lower surfaces and compressible material on each of said upper and lower surfaces of said metallic insert, and
- suspending means secured to said main gasket body and having portions engaging spaced peripheral portions of said sealing member, thereby to suspend said sealing member in said opening to be sealed, and wherein said insert comprises at least a pair of spaced, outwardly projecting tabs which are integrally formed with said insert, and wherein said suspending means portions engaging peripheral portions of said sealing member comprise portions overlying and underlying said tabs, said portions confronting and being spaced from said tabs so that said sealing member may float vertically.
A gasket assembly adapted to be positioned between a pair of surfaces to be sealed and to be compressed therebetween, said gasket assembly comprising:
- a main gasket body comprising an expansive, flat central metallic core, said main gasket body defining a plurality of openings, including a plurality of bolt openings in said main gasket body,
- a compressible sealing member positioned in at least one opening to be sealed, and
- suspending means secured to said main gasket body and having portions engaging spaced peripheral portions of said sealing member, thereby to suspend said sealing member in said opening to be sealed, and wherein said suspending means comprises eyelets defining heel and overlap flanges engaging said spaced peripheral portions of said sealing member.
A gasket assembly adapted to be positioned between a head and a block of an internal combustion engine and to be compressed therebetween, said gasket assembly comprising:
- a main gasket body comprising an expansive, flat central metallic core, said main gasket body defining a plurality of openings,
- at least one combustion opening in said main gasket body,
- a fire ring disposed adjacent the edge of each combustion opening,
- at least one clear-through liquid opening in said main gasket body for permitting the passage of liquid between a head and a block,
- a plurality of bolt hole openings in said main gasket body,
- a compressible grommet positioned in at least one liquid opening, said grommet comprising a metallic insert having upper and lower surfaces and compressible material on each of said upper and lower surfaces of said metallic insert, and
- suspending means secured to said main gasket body and having portions engaging spaced peripheral portions of said grommet, thereby to suspend said grommet in said liquid opening, and wherein said insert comprises at least a pair of spaced, outwardly projecting tabs which are integrally formed with said insert, and wherein said suspending means portions engaging peripheral portions of said grommet comprise portions overlying and underlying said tabs, said portions confronting and being spaced from said tabs so that said grommet may float vertically in said liquid opening.
4 more elements
A gasket assembly adapted to be positioned between a head and a block of an internal combustion engine and to be compressed therebetween, said gasket assembly comprising:
- a main gasket body comprising an expansive, flat central metallic core, said main gasket body defining a plurality of openings,
- at least one combustion opening in said main gasket body,
- a fire ring disposed adjacent the edge of each combustion opening,
- at least one clear-through liquid opening in said main gasket body for permitting the passage of liquid between a head and a block,
- a plurality of bolt hole openings in said main gasket body,
- a compressible grommet positioned in at least one liquid opening, and
- suspending means secured to said main gasket body and having portions engaging spaced peripheral portions of said grommet, thereby to suspend said grommet in said liquid opening, and wherein said suspending means comprises eyelets defining heel and overlap flanges engaging said spaced peripheral portions of said grommet.
4 more elements
A gasket assembly adapted to be positioned between a head and a block of an internal combustion engine and to be compressed therebetween, said gasket assembly comprising:
- a main gasket body comprising an expansive, flat central metallic core, said main gasket body defining a plurality of openings,
- at least one combustion opening in said main gasket body,
- a fire ring disposed adjacent the edge of each combustion opening,
- at least one clear-through liquid opening in said main gasket body for permitting the passage of liquid between a head and a block,
- a plurality of bolt hole openings in said main gasket body,
- a compressible grommet positioned in at least one liquid opening, and
- suspending means secured to said main gasket body and having portions engaging spaced peripheral portions of said grommet, thereby to suspend said grommet in said liquid opening, and wherein said main gasket body comprises a pair of compressible facing layers laminated to said core, one on each side of said core, wherein said grommet comprises a metallic insert having upper and lower surfaces and compressible material on each of said upper and lower surfaces of said metallic insert, and wherein said suspending means portions comprises eyelets having flanges overlying and underlying said grommet and said main body portion to suspend said grommet in said liquid opening.
4 more elements
The method of making a gasket assembly adapted to be positioned between a head and a block of an internal combustion engine and to be compressed therebetween, comprising the steps of
- providing a gasket having a main gasket body comprising an expansive, flat central metallic core, said main gasket body defining a plurality of openings including at least one combustion opening in said main gasket body, a plurality of bolt openings in said main gasket body, and at least one clear-through opening in said main gasket body,
- providing a generally flat compressible sealing member to be suspended in at least one clear-through opening,
- providing means for suspending said sealing member in said clear-through opening and for securing said suspending means to said main body portion, and
- suspending said sealing member in said clear-through opening by securing spaced peripheral portions of said sealing member with said suspending means to said main body portion,
- said sealing member comprising a metallic insert having upper and lower surfaces and compressible material on each of said upper and lower surfaces, and wherein said main gasket body defining additional openings,
- and comprising the further steps of securing said suspending means in said additional openings and deforming said suspending means to overlie and underlie said spaced peripheral portions, thereby to support said sealing member in said clear-through opening, and wherein said sealing member is formed with at least two outwardly projecting tabs, and wherein said deforming step comprises deforming said suspending means to overlie and underlie said tabs.
3 more elements
The method of making a gasket assembly adapted to be positioned between a head and a block of an internal combustion engine and to be compressed therebetween, comprising the steps of
- providing a gasket having a main gasket body comprising an expansive, flat central metallic core, said main gasket body defining a plurality of openings including at least one combustion opening in said main gasket body, a plurality of bolt openings in said main gasket body, and at least one clear-through opening in said main gasket body,
- providing a generally flat compressible sealing member to be suspended in at least one clear-through opening,
- providing means for suspending said sealing member in said clear-through opening and for securing said suspending means to said main body portion, and
- suspending said sealing member in said clear-through opening by securing spaced peripheral portions of said sealing member with said suspending means to said main body portion,
- said sealing member comprising a metallic insert having upper and lower surfaces and compressible material on each of said upper and lower surfaces, and wherein said main gasket body defining additional openings,
- and comprising the further steps of securing said suspending means in said additional openings and deforming said suspending means to overlie and underlie said spaced peripheral portions, thereby to support said sealing member in said clear-through opening, and wherein said suspending means comprises an eyelet, and said deforming step comprises deforming a portion of said eyelet to form an overlap flange.
3 more elements
The method of making a gasket assembly adapted to be positioned between a head and a block of an internal combustion engine and to be compressed therebetween, comprising the steps of
- providing a gasket having a main gasket body comprising an expansive, flat central core, said main gasket body defining a plurality of openings including at least one combustion opening in said main gasket body, a plurality of bolt openings in said main gasket body, and at least one clear-through opening in said main gasket body,
- providing a generally flat compressible sealing member to be suspended in at least one clear-through opening,
- providing means for suspending said sealing member in said clear-through opening and for securing said suspending means to said main body portion, and
- suspending said sealing member in said clear-through opening by securing spaced peripheral portions of said sealing member with said suspending means to said main body portion,
- said sealing member comprising an insert having upper and lower surfaces and compressible material on each of said upper and lower surfaces, and wherein said main gasket body defining additional openings,
- and comprising the further steps of securing said suspending means in said additional openings and deforming said suspending means to overlie and underlie said spaced peripheral portions, thereby to support said sealing member in said clear-through opening, and wherein the deforming step comprises deforming a portion of said suspending means to overlie and underlie said main body portion adjacent said additional openings as well as at said spaced peripheral portions of said sealing member.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.