Sealing Strips

Abstract

A unitary sealing strip for sealing the openings between the surfaces of laterally spaced wall members. The sealing device is made of a resilient material and is adapted to be forced into the space created by raised, prefabricated wall members, the device sealing the opening. Flanges with associated anchoring ribs prevent inadvertent dislodgement of the sealing strip. A securing member enables the sealing strip to be permanently secured in position when the wall members are joined into an integrated unit.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

This invention relates generally to that class of devices adapted to be inserted into the opening between two wall members and, more specifically, to devices used to seal the openings created by raised, prefabricated concrete wall sections commonly known as tilt slab construction.

2. Description of the Prior Art

The devices disclosed by the prior art have been designed and adapted to seal openings created between wall members, but these devices have failed to resolve certain problems. When walls are to be joined by conventional adhesives, typically mortar, there are no provisions whereby the devices can be permanently held in place. Several of the devices disclosed have rib structures which functionally engage the wall members, but all of the disclosed devices can intentionally or unintentionally become dislodged.

The present invention sealing strip solves this heretofore unresolved problem by providing a securing member which will be securely held by any adhesive means used to join wall members.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is an object of the present invention to provide a sealing strip adapted for the sealing of openings between wall members.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a sealing strip which will be securely held by conventional wall-joining adhesives.

It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a sealing strip which can be directly mounted in joints created by raised, prefabricated wall members.

It is still yet another object of the present invention to provide a unitary sealing strip which is inexpensive and easily installed.

Although the prior art discloses several devices which can be used to seal the openings between wall sections, the prior art fails to disclose any device which is adapted to be used for sealing joints between prefabricated concrete wall members wherein the device will be securely held in position after the wall members have been joined. The problem that must be solved is the prevention of the intentional or unintentional dislodgement of the sealing strip.

The present invention sealing strip has a central web section from which are extended the requisite functional features. A covering flanged member is extended across and substantially perpendicular to the web member, the covering member forming a T section with the web member and enclosing the opening between the wall members upon insertion of the present invention sealing strip. A pair of flanges extend upwardly and outwardly from a portion of the web member below the covering flanges. The angle between the flanges and the lateral distance between the outer edges of the flanges will determine the size of the opening into which the present invention sealing strip can be inserted. The bottom surfaces of the flanges possess extended anchoring ribs. The anchoring ribs functionally engage the wall members upon insertion of the sealing strip, the engagement preventing an inadvertent removal of the sealing strip.

The lower extremity of the web member is expanded into a securing member. The securing member is typically cylindrical, the cylinder having a diameter which is substantially greater than the lateral distance between the sides of the web member adjacent the securing member. This feature of the present invention sealing strip provides assurance that the strip cannot be removed once the wall members are joined. If mortar is used to join prefabricated wall sections, the mortar will fully encompass the extended securing member and abut the side surfaces of the web member. Once the mortar solidifies, the present invention sealing strip cannot be removed.

The novel features which are believed to be characteristic of the invention, both as to its organization and method of operation, together with further objects and advantages thereof will be better understood from the following description considered in connection with the accompanying drawing in which a presently preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated by way of example. It is to be expressly understood, however, that the drawing is for the purpose of illustration and description only, and not intended as a definition of the limits of the invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a sealing strip made in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view transversely through a pair of wall members, the opening sealed with a sealing strip fabricated in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view of joined wall members, the joint sealed in accordance with the present invention; and

FIG. 4 is a sectional view of a mounted alternative embodiment of the present invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PRESENTLY PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The details of a first preferred embodiment of the present invention can be best seen by reference to FIG. 1. The present invention sealing strip 10 is fabricated from a resilient material such as synthetic rubber or plastic. The manner in which the sealing strip 10 is fabricated can be by conventional methods such as molding or extrusion. The central portion of the sealing strip 10 is the web 13. The web 13 has a pair of longitudinal side surfaces 20. The web 13 can be tapered to increase the strength of the sealing strip 10, the maximum distance between the longitudinal side surfaces 20 being at the point where the web 13 adjoins the covering member 11. The covering member 11 is perpendicular to and extended from the upper body portion of the web 13. The covering member 11 comprises a pair of flanges 12, the flanges 12 to extend beyond the edges of a pair of wall members thereby sealing the opening between the subject wall members.

In order to secure the present invention sealing strip 10 in an opening between laterally spaced wall member, flanges 14 are provided. The flanges 14 extend upwardly and outwardly from the longitudinal side surfaces 20 of the web 13, the top and bottom surfaces of the flanges 14 converging into substantially sharp edges 21. The lateral distance between the edges 21 of the flanges 14 will be greater than the contemplated lateral distance between the wall members. The salient angle 16 measured between the bottom surfaces of the flanges 14 will typically approximate a right angle, the centerline of the web 13 bisecting the salient angle 16. The combination of (1) the distance from the longitudinal side surface 20 to the flange edge 21, and (2 ) the salient angle 16 will determine the size of the opening into which the present invention sealing strip can be inserted. The two elements can be varied to fit the application.

To prevent the present invention sealing strip 10 from being inadvertently dislodged from the opening between the laterally spaced wall members, anchoring ribs 15 protrude from the bottom surface from the flanges 14. As the sealing strip 10 is forced between the wall members, the flanges 14 will be compressed along the top surface of the flanges 14. The pressure exerted by the compressed flanges 14 will force the anchoring ribs 15 against the wall surfaces. The anchoring ribs 15 have a concave top surface 18 and convex bottom surface 19 which laterally converge into a substantially sharp edge. The anchoring ribs 15 will be compressed against the wall member, the rib edges frictionally engaging the surface of the wall member. The anchoring ribs 15 will inhibit inadvertent dislodgement of the sealing strip 10 when the wall members are being adhesively joined, typically by poured concrete.

An object of the present invention is to provide a sealing strip 10 which will be firmly secured in an opening between wall members after an adhesive has been inserted between the wall members to join the wall members into an integrated unit. To accomplish this objective, an extension 18 is provided adjacent the lower end 17 of the web 13. The extension 18 shown in FIG. 1 is a cylinder, but the geometrical shape can be any conventional shape. Once the adhesive is disposed between the wall members, it will encircle the cylindrical extension 18 thereby preventing dislodgement of the sealing strip 10. To insure the effectiveness of the cylindrical extension 18, the diameter of the cylindrical extension 18 will be substantially greater than the lateral distance between the longitudinal side surfaces 20 immediately adjacent the cylindrical extension 18. Substantially greater will be understood to mean approximately twice as great.

The manner in which the present invention sealing strip is utilized can be best seen by reference to FIG. 2. The sealing strip 10 is forced between the laterally spaced wall members 30. The wall members 30 can be any conventional wall material, the wall members and materials, therefore, not being a part of the present invention. The wall members 30 illustrated have bevelled edges typical of prefabricated concrete tilt wall sections. When the sealing strip 10 is forced between the wall members 30, the flanges 12 of the covering member 11 fully enclose the openings. The lateral distance 31 between the wall surfaces 32 of the wall members 30 must not exceed the span of the uncompressed flanges 14. A typical lateral distance 31 is from one-fourth inch to 1 inch with the variation being a function of the accuracy of the wall sections. Thus, the sealing strips can accommodate or alter some margin of error, assuming that the preferably ideal spacing to be approximately one-half inch. The flanges 14 will be compressed along the top surfaces of the flanges 14, the force of the compression holding the sealing strip 10 in place against the wall surfaces 32. As the flanges 14 are compressed, the salient angle 16 between the bottom surfaces of flanges 14 will be decreased enabling the anchoring ribs 15 to make contact with the wall surfaces 32. The anchoring ribs 15 will prevent the sealing strip 10 from becoming inadvertently dislodged.

Use of the present invention sealing strip 10 with concrete wall members can be best seen by reference to FIG. 3. A pair of sealing strips 10 are shown inserted into an opening between prefabricated wall sections 40. Sealing strips 10 are secured in place in a manner consistent with that described with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2. To join the wall sections 40, mortar 41 or any other conventional adhesive is disposed into the orifice bounded by the wall sections 40 and the sealing strips 10. The mortar 41 will fill the orifice and surround the cylindrical member 18. Since the diameter of the cylindrical member 18 is substantially greater than the lateral distance between the longitudinal side surfaces 42, the mortar 41 will provide an enveloping means to secure the sealing strips 10 thereby preventing removal of the sealing strips 10 after the mortar 41 has solidified.

An alternative embodiment of the present invention sealing strip 62 is shown in FIG. 4. The wall members 60 and 61 shown therein form a corner section, the joint between the wall members 60 and 61 being sealed by the alternative embodiment of the sealing strip 62. It is understood that nothing herein precludes the use of the sealing strip 10, as described with reference to FIGS. 1, 2 and 3, to seal the corner joint between wall members 60 and 61. The covering member 65 is comprised of a pair of flanges 63 and 64 extending perpendicular to the web 66 as in the prior embodiment. In this embodiment of the present invention, the flange 64 has been extended to provide the required additional coverage of the surface of the wall member 61. The flanges 67 with the accompanying anchoring ribs and the web extension 68 perform the same function as that described with reference to FIGS. 1, 2 and 3.

Claims

I claim:

1. A sealing strip of resilient material for sealing an opening between joined wall members comprising:

a. a covering member, portions thereof adapted for cooperatively engaging portions of said wall members;

b. a unitary web member having longitudinal surfaces extending perpendicularly from a portion of said covering member;

c. flanges extending outwardly and upwardly from portions of said longitudinal surfaces of said web member, said flanges engaging said longitudinal surfaces at a given acute angle;

d. anchoring ribs projecting from portions of said flanges; and

e. an anchoring member extensibly protruding from a portion of said web member securing said sealing strip to means for joining said wall members.

2. A sealing strip of resilient material for sealing an opening between laterally spaced concrete wall members joined by mortar comprising:

a. a laterally tapered unitary web member having a pair of longitudinal side surfaces, said web member adapted to be inserted between the concrete wall members;

b. a covering member extending from and approximately perpendicular to said web member, said covering member having adjacent bottom surface portions each substantially abutting one of said longitudinal side surfaces;

c. a pair of flanges comprising:

1. a top and bottom surface projecting upwardly and outwardly from portions of said web member, said top and bottom surface laterally converging into a substantially sharp edge, said edge cooperatively engaging the laterally spaced concrete wall members whereby the opening is sealed when said sealing strip is forcefully inserted into said opening;

2. an anchoring rib extending from a portion of said bottom surface of said flange, said anchoring rib having a concave top surface and a convex bottom surface, said concave top surface and convex bottom surface converging laterally into a substantially sharp edge, said sharp edge frictionally engaging the laterally spaced wall member when said sealing strip is forcefully inserted into the opening; and

d. securing means extended from a given portion of said web member for securing said sealing strip to mortar joining the wall members.

3. A sealing strip as in claim 2, wherein said securing means comprises a cylindrical extension of said web member, the diameter of said cylindrical extension being substantially greater than the lateral distance between said longitudinal side surfaces of said portion of said web member immediately adjacent said cylindrical extension.

4. A sealing strip of resilient material for sealing an opening between prefabricated laterally spaced concrete wall members joined by mortar comprising:

a. a laterally tapered unitary web member having a pair of longitudinal side surfaces, said web member being adapted to be inserted between said concrete wall members;

b. a covering member extending from and approximately perpendicular to said tapered web member, said covering member having adjacent bottom surface portions each substantially abutting one of said longitudinal side surfaces;

c. first and second flanges each having a top and bottom surface, said flanges projecting upwardly and outwardly from said web member, said top and bottom surfaces converging laterally into a substantially sharp edge;

d. an anchoring rib projecting from the bottom surface of said flanges, said anchoring rib having a concave top surface and convex bottom surface, said top and bottom surfaces converging laterally into a substantially sharp edge; and

e. means extended from a given portion of said web member for securing said sealing strip to the mortar joining the concrete wall members.

5. A sealing strip of resilient material for sealing an opening between prefabricated laterally spaced concrete wall members joined by mortar comprising:

a. a laterally tapered unitary web member having a pair of longitudinal side surfaces, said web member being adapted to be inserted between said concrete wall members;

b. a covering member extending from and approximately perpendicular to said tapered web member, said covering member having adjacent bottom surface portions each substantially abutting one of said longitudinal side surfaces;

c. means projecting upwardly and outwardly from portions of said longitudinal side surfaces for securing said sealing strip to the laterally spaced concrete wall members; and

d. a cylindrical extension depending from said web member, the diameter of said cylindrical extension being substantially greater than the lateral distance between said longitudinal side surfaces of said portion of said web member immediately adjacent said cylindrical extension.