USRE19416E - Weather stbip - Google Patents

Description

Jan. 8, 1935- c. E. McCORMlCK I WEATHER STRIP Original Filed Jul xe 5, 1931 II I INVEINTORZ CA1 (he 5?. I11 Coisui Q3 Reissued Jan. s, 1935' .UNITED- STATES Wns'rmm s'rm Charles 1:. McCormick, Royal Oak, men.

Original No. 1309.100, mes Fe Serial No. 541,822, June a, 19:1. for reissue October 275, 1933, Serial brnary 28,1933,

Application No. 695,193

6 Claims. (oi. 290-44) This invention relates to a weather strip and more particularly to a device of this character especially adapted for use upon motor vehicle bodies and the like and more particularly in connection with the door and other openings thereof.

An object of the invention is to facilitate the application ofthe strip to the framing of the body or structure carrying the door or other closure, and to provide a strip having resilient' stiffening means therein forming a transversely curvedresilientfree edgeportiontospanthe crack or opening between the framing-and closureandarrangedtobefiexedlaterallybythe closing of the closure. A further object is to provide a weather strip construction wherein the strip is free to bend laterally in applying the same'to a curved opening for a closure, and is formed with hook-like members. along one edge to engage overa member ofthe framing to hold the stripjn place without the necessity for nailing or other rigid securing means, and whereby said strip may be rapidly and accurately applied,

With the above and other ends in view, the invention consists in providing the strip with a continuous, resilient reinforcing wire bent into tortuous shape to provide a plurality of resilient finger portions to reinforce an edge portion of the strip and with projecting hook members along the opposite edge of the strip, said wire reinforcement being enclosed by or embedded in the flexible material forming said strip, whereby said finger portions hold a projecting edge portion of the strip in form to be engaged by the closure and yieldingly force said edge into contact with said closm-e, and said projecting hook members are adapted to engage over a member of the framing surrounding. the closure opening therein and hold said strip in proper relation to said closure without-the necessity for permanent securing means. and so that said strip may be-applied. by simply sliding said hook members along said framing member, said strip with its wire reinforcement. bending freely in a lateral direction along curved portions of the opening with said hook guiding and holding the strip. j

The invention further consists in the matters hereinafter set forth and more particularly pointed'out in the appended claims, reference beinghadtothedrawinginwhich The figure thereof is ,a sectional perspective .view of a closure andthe framing surrounding said closure with a weather strip embodying the present invention applied to said framing and in operative relation to. the closure.

As illustrativeof'an application of the present invention, the was strip embodying said invention is shownas applied to the framing of an automobile body formed of sheet metal and showing a portion thereof adjacent a door opening in the body for a door but it will be understood that the same may be applied to other structures for closing the opening or crack between thev framing surrounding an opening and a swinging or otherwise movable closure of any suitable construction for closing :0

said opening.

As shown,-l indicates thesheet ofmetal forming the outer side ofthe automobile body wall,

and 2 the sheet forming the inner side thereof,

the edge portions of these sheets being bent to- 15 ward each other and overlapped at the edges of door.or other opening in the body to provide a framing wall 3 for said opening, and where, as shown, the door closure for this opening is also .formed of sheet metal and comprises an outer :0

sheet 4 and an inner sheet 5, with an edge portion of the inner sheet bent outwardly to meet the outer sheet and form-an end wall 6 and then turned laterally as at '1 to engage within an internal edge 8 of the outer with a door flange 9, an inset or groove 10 is provided in the body framing. to receive said door flange Preferablythewali 2 of the framing 3 for the door ly, forming a groove or channel 11 and the inturned edge portion of the wall 1 which overlaps the outturned edge portion of the wall 2. to form the framing wall 3 for the door opening, is extended part way across one end of said channel 11 and then beat laterally to form a flange 12 extending into andpart'way across said channel. As such automobilebodies are usually constructed, an inner sheathing 13 of fibrous maalso formed of sheet metal, s

opening is oifset outward l0 wallandformthereas terialissecuredtothewail2andpmvidedwith do a fabric covering l4, the edge portion of such sheathing overlapping and nearly closing the inner open side of the channel 11 with the edge 7 of said fabric carried around the projecting edge of said sheathing and secured thereto. A sub- '46 stantially "closed channel 11 is thus formed inthe framing of the door opening and is continuous along'those edges of said opening to which it -is desirable to apply a weather strip for making a tight "oint between this framing and the edge to or edges of thedoor at the inner side of the door.

The upper corner or corners of such automobile body door are often curved-instead of being square and where such doorsare used, the frame ing ofthe door opening iscorrespondingly curved, 66

such sheathing which is secured to the inner side of the door wall 5 with said edge substantially even with the end wall 6 of said door. D

The present weather strip, which is particularly adapted for use upon automobile bodies. constructed as above described but may be made ap-.

plicable to other constructions, comprises a body strip 1'7 formed in any suitable manner, of rubher or other suitable flexible material and of a length to extend along the entire length of the framing of the door to which it is who applied. This body is formed with a laterally extending securing flange 18 and an oppositely extending projecting flexible edge portion 19 to extend across the crack oropening between the door edgeand the framing .of the door opening, said flexible edge portion being curved in the direction'of its width so that it will yield readily when the door comes into contact with the free edge thereof, which edge is rounded and thickened to form acontact head 20 to engage the inside of the door. The-strip is adapted to be secured to the flange 18 by means hereinafter described, the body 17 of said strip which connects said flange 18 and flexible edge portion 19, being thickened to give added strength with its inner side forming a continuation of the outer surface of the wall 3 of the framing of the door opening. The opposite side of this body portion is formed to engage over the edge of the sheathing 13 and rest thereon when the strip is flexed by the closing of the door against the contact head 20 on the edge of the projecting flexible edge portion 19 of the strip.

As shown,- the exposed surface of the weather strip will usually be covered by a fabric strip 26 mainly for appearance sake, one edge of such fabric strip being carried around the head 20 and the opposite edge into the curved side of the body 17 beneath the projecting edge of the body sheathing 13, and this fabric cemented or otherwise secured flat upon the surface of the head 20, edge-portion 19 rnd body 1'7 to which it is applied. In so applying this fabric, the head 20 provides a rounded edge to facilitate the application of .the fabric and prevent it from To' reinforce the weather strip, and provide attaching means therefor and add resistance to flexureof the flexible edge portion 19 thereof, a

wire isbent into-a series of loops and this wire is embedded inthe rubber-- strip when said strip is molded or otherwise formed, with one series of spring loops 21 extended into edge portion 19of the strip and curved toconform substantially to the lateral curvature of saidcdgeportiomandaserlesof oppositelyextending loops 22 with-one run of each loop embedded in the flange12 and the othm' nm 23 ex-' tending substantially parallel with said flange andspaced therefrom to engage over the metal flange 18 with the runs 23 preferably yieldingly the winner side surface of saidflange and extending intotbe channel Il -of the'framing of'the'dooropening, to attach theweatherstrip,

thereto, theinner end of each'rlm 23 being bent laterally andformedinto loops 24toconnect with alikenmbelqw, these loopsMbeingofalmgth to engage the end wall of the channel 11 and hold the-body of the weather strip accurately .and securely in place.

The spring fingers or loops 21 being curved laterally of the edge portion 19 of the strip with wire which connect the loops 21 and' 22, are embedded in that portion 17 of the body which connects thesecuring flange 18 with flexible edge portion 19 and lend strength to the strip.

Weather strips formed'entirely of rubber or of fabric covered rubber, soon become hard and disintegrated, and it is diflicult to secure them evenly and securely in proper relation to the door to form a tight joint which will remain tight after extended use. By providing the strip with a large number of attaching loops 24 to engage over the metal flange 12 of the framing, the strip may be attached by simply engaging some .or all of these loops over the flange and the attach- --ing'operatio'n may be facilitated by moving the strip endwise of the flange, bringing the succeeding loops into position to embrace said flange, the loops sliding onto said flange and along the same. If the framing is curved at a corner of the door opening, said flange 12 is also curved, and the strip being flexible, will follow this curve and pass around the corner. Application of the weather strip tothe framing is thus greatly facilitated as no nailing or separate fastening means is required and the loops 24 engaging the end wall of the framing channel 11, accurately ,position the strip relative to said wall and the door, insuring evenness and proper positioning,

Obviously this weather strip may be applied to other than sheet metal structures, and may be used in connection withsliding as well as swingparticular construction and arrangement of the weather strip itself without departing from the spirit of the invention.

.Iclaim: F

1. Aweather strip comprising a relatively thick body portion formed of flexible material and with an attaching flange integral therewith and extending laterally therefrom adjacent the inner edge thereof and an integral 'yieldabie edge p rtion extending laterally-fromsaid body adjacent theouterendedgeofsaidbodyandinadirection opposite tbs-tin which said flange extends, said body extending, in cross-section of said strip, at subaanfially rightangles to'said flange and edge portion, whereby said-edge portion is oifset outwardly from the plane of said flange.

2. a weather strip epmprising abody portion formed of flexible material andhaving an attaching flange integral therewith and extending laterally therefrom adjacent the inner edge thereof to seat. upon a structure-to which the strip is to be attached, and a 'yieldable edge portion extending laterally'from theside of said body oppositettntprovidedwithsaidflangeandintegml with said body-adjacent the outer edgeof said body, said body being formed witha longitudinalgrooveinits'sirboutwardl'y of andadjacent mldflangetoreceivetheedgeof'sheathingtobe appli d to said struchire.

3.-A weather strip anattaching "flange adapted to seat upon a member to which sald'strlp is to be attached, a flexible body integral with said flange along the inner edge of said body and extending outwardly-therefrom, a transversely curved flexible closure engaging edge portion extending laterally from said body and integral with the outer portion of said body and lying in a plane oflfset outwardly by said body from the plane of the width of said flange, said body forming a relative thick portion connecting said flange and edg portion and extending at substantially right angles to the planes of the width of said flange and edge portion, and a reinforclng wire formed with loops embedded in said edge portion and loops embedded in said flange with portions connecting said loops and embedded in said body portion.

4. In an automobile body having metal framing Iorming an outer jamb face and carrying a flanged member in rear of said face, and a trim panel mounted on the body, a molding strip comprising metallic means adapted to releasably hook over said member in rear of said jamb face for attaching the strip in position and also comprising a rubber strip provided with a body portion having a longitudinal channel at one lateral side to confine the edge of the trim panel and a longitudinal yieldable edge portion projecting from its opposite lateral side.

5. A molding or finishing strip for a vehicle body having a trim panel, comprising as a unit an integrally formed flexible rubber member and metallic means for attaching the strip to the body, said strip extending along and abutting the free edge of the panel and provided at one lateral side with a channel formed in. part by said integral rubber member and adapted to receive said' edge, said rubber member having a yieldable free edge portion projecting laterally from the opposite side thereof.

6. A combined molding and weather strip for the framing of an opening in a vehicle body provided with a closure for the opening, comprising a base of resilient material laterally flanged 'for releasable attachment along the edge of said framing, said base having an integral flexible flange projecting into the opening and adapted to overlie the closure and also having a projecting edge portion at its side remote therefrom to overlie the edge of a trim panel.

CHARLES E. McCORMICK.

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