GB2117677A

GB2117677A - Impregnating a gasket

Info

Publication number: GB2117677A
Application number: GB08304302A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Alan C Wesley
Original assignee: Ex-Cell-O Corp
Current assignee: Ex-Cell-O Corp
Priority date: 1982-04-01
Filing date: 1983-02-16
Publication date: 1983-10-19
Also published as: GB8304302D0; DE3311596A1

Abstract

To impregnate the peripheral edges and the areas adjacent thereto of selected openings formed in a cylinder head gasket (10), the latter is confined between a distribution manifold (22, 29, 30) and a plate (24). The manifold directs an impregnating fluid to the selected gasket openings (12 or 14 or 20). A dual manifold arrangement is also disclosed for impregnating selected solid portions of the gasket. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Method and apparatus for impregnating a gasket Technical Field This invention relates generally to cylinder head gaskets and, more particularly, to such gaskets impregnated in selected areas thereof with an impregnating fluid via applied pressure.

Background Art It is desirable for certain areas of typical cylinder head gaskets to be impregnated with a suitable fluid, for such purposes as improved sealability around particular openings, selectively varying the density and load or deflection characteristics of particular areas, or improving heat resistance in a critical area.

While impregnation of gaskets is generally known, heretofore such impregnation has normally been accomplished by applying a suitable impregnating agent to an entire gasket, such as by immersion, spraying or rolling, For example, see Victor et al Patent No.

2,040,348 and Stecher et al Patent No.

3,970,322. German Patent No. 1072032 discloses the broad idea of impregnating or reinforcing the area of certain openings of a cylinder head gasket with a soft rubber type of material to enhance the sealing quality or resistance around the openings. The patent suggests accomplishing this by means of a local saturation in a fluid containing the soft rubber material, i.e., a solution emulsion, latex or dispersion, and then applying heat and/or pressure and/or drying.

Disclosure of the Invention A general object of the invention is to provide an improved apparatus and method for selectively impregnating a cylinder head gasket to accomplish the above described purposes.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved apparatus and process by which selected solid sections of a cylinder head gasket are impregnated completely through the thickness thereof, and/or particular open ings in the gasket are impregnated around the peripheral edges thereof.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved apparatus for impregnating selected areas of a cylinder head gasket either around the edges of selected openings or through the thicknesses of selected solid portions of the gasket. I Still another object of the invention is to provide a process for impregnating the edge portions of selected openings in a cylinder head gasket, including the steps of (1) provid ing a distribution manifold having selected openings formed therein substantially the same diameter as the gasket openings, (2) providing a solid plate member, (3) confining the gasket between the manifold and the plate member and aligning the respective openings, and (4) applying a suitable impregnating fluid under pressure through the openings in the distribution manifold into the openings in the gasket, and against the solid plate member, to thus penetrate the edge portions around the gasket openings.

A still further object of the invention is to provide an efficient impregnation process wherein one or more gaskets are confined between two distribution manifolds, with a selected solid portion of the gasket extending across oppositely disposed openings in the manifolds, and impacting such solid gasket portion on both sides thereof with impregnating fluid under pressure.

These and other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent when reference is made to the following description and accompanying drawings.

Brief Description of the Drawings Figure 1 is a plan view of a typical gasket on which the present invention may be practised; Figures 2 and 3 are end views of an apparatus with which the invention may be practiced; Figures 4 and 6 are fragmentary crosssectional views of a portion of the Fig. 1 structure illustrating two versions of the inventive process; and Figure 5 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view of a portion of the Fig. 2 structure illustrating another version of the inventive process.

Best Mode of Carrying Out the Invention Referring now to the drawings in greater detail, Fig. 1 illustrates a typical gasket 10 embodying combustion area openings 12, coolant openings 14, a push rod cavity 16, a push rod rail 18, and bolt holes 20. In Fig. 2, the gasket 10 is confined between an upper or distribution manifold 22 and a lower plate 24, whereas Fig. 3 discloses three gaskets 10 in an aligned and stacked arrangement between the upper manifold 22 and a second lower manifold 26 in lieu of the plate 24. A feed line 28 communicates between each manifold 22 and 26 at either the top or side surfaces thereof and a source (not shown) of fluid under pressure. As shown, the entire surfaces of the manifolds 22 and 26 and the plate 24 which engage the gasket 10 are formed flat.

In the enlarged, fragmentary cross-sectional view of Fig. 4, it may be noted that openings 30 formed in the manifold 22 are substantially the same size as selected openings in the gasket 10, such as any or all of the combustion area openings 12, the coolant openings 14, and the bolt holes 20. Suitable passageways 29 (Fig. 2) serve to communicate between the feed line 28 and the respective openings 30. A suitable plug 31 is used to seal off a portion of the feed line 28. The gasket 10 is confined between the manifold and the lower plate 24. Once the gasket 10 is confined in this manner, a suitable fluid under pressure is injected via the manifold openings 30, against the lower plate 24, and thence into the peripheral edge of each opening 12, 14 and/or 20 of the gasket. Suitable fluids include silicones, phenolics, polybutadienes, plastic resins, and epoxies.

When one or more gaskets 10 are confined between upper and lower manifolds 22 and 26, openings 30 and 32, respectively (Fig. 5) are formed in the manifolds so as to be disposed on opposite sides of a particular section, such as the push rod rail 1 8 of the gasket wherein impregnation is desired. Passageways 33 formed in the manifold 26 are similar to the passageways 29. The particular sections exposed in openings 32 formed in the respective manifolds and immediately adjacent thereto are thus subjected to the impregnating fluid under pressure from both sides, to thereby increase the density for better gasket loading.

Referring now to Fig. 6, there is illustrated a distribution manifold 22 and lower plate 24 arrangement wherein the opening 34 in the manifold is larger than an opening, such as the combustion area opening 12, in the gasket 10. There results a combination of fluid being injected under pressure both into the peripheral edges and through the surface of the gasket material, thereby changing material characteristics in order to accommodate cylinder head movement or improve heat resistance, for example.

Industrial Applicability It should be apparent that the invention provides an apparatus and method for impregnating any selected solid section or the peripheral edge of any selected opening of a cylinder head gasket to modify the characteristics thereof with respect to improving fluid sealability, resistance to load and/or heat. It may be desirable in some instances to further modify the initial impregnated characteristics by subsequent heating or chemical curing.

While three general arrangements of the invention have been shown and described, other modifications thereof are possible.

Claims

CLAIMS The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows:

1. For use with a source of impregnating fluid under pressure, an apparatus for impregnating a gasket having a plurality of openings formed therein, said apparatus comprising a pair of flat surfaced members confining said gasket therebetween, at least one of said flat surfaced members being a distribution manifold having at least one opening formed therein adjacent a portion of said gasket selected to be impregnated, a feed line communicating between said source and said opening in said distribution manifold for directing said impregnating fluid into said selected portion of said gasket to thereby impregnate same.

2. The apparatus described in claim 1, wherein said other flat surfaced member is a plate member, and said portion of said gasket is an opening therein that the impregnating fluid is directed into the peripheral edge thereof.

3. The apparatus described in claim 1, wherein both of said flat surfaced members are distribution members each having at least one opening formed therein, said portion of said gasket is a solid section, and said openings in said distribution members being axially aligned on opposite sides of said solid section of said gasket.

4. The apparatus described in claim 2, wherein said opening in said distribution manifold is substantially the same diameter as said opening in said gasket.

5. The apparatus described in claim 2, wherein said opening in said distribution manifold is larger than said opening in said gasket.

6. For use with a source of impregnating fluid under pressure, a method for impregnating a gasket having a plurality of openings formed therein, said method comprising the following steps: a. Forming a pair of flat surfaced members; b. Forming at least one opening in one of said flat surfaced members; c. Confining said gasket between said pair of flat surfaced members; d. Connecting said source to said at least one opening in said one of said flat surfaced members for communicating said imrpegnating fluid to said at least one opening and thence to the portion of said gasket adjacent said at least one opening.

7. The method described in claim 6, wherein the portion of said gasket adjacent said at least one opening is one of said plurality of openings in said gasket.

8. The method described in claim 6, and forming at least one opening in the other of said flat surfaced members for alignment with said at least one opening in said one of said flat surfaced members, and wherein the portion of said gasket adjacent said aligned openings is a solid gasket section.

9. The method described in claim 7, wherein said at least one opening is substantially the same diameter as said opening in said gasket.

10. The method described in claim 7, wherein said at least one opening is larger than said opening in said gasket.