Strip

Claim 2

Wall panel construction as set forth in claim 2 characterized in that the clearance provided between said shank portion and said shoulder means is sufficient to permit passage of said head portion through said throat entrance into said frame channel on said lateral lips being forced against said shank portion.

Claim 3

Wall panel construction as set forth in claim 3 characterized in that the side of said head opposite said shank is wedge shaped in its non-deformed condition to wedgingly force said lips against said shank portion on said head being forced through said throat entrance, said lips being adapted to resume their natural position after passing through said throat entrance to engage said shoulder means.

Claim 4

A wall panel construction wherein a panel member is sealingLy supported in a frame member by an elongated elastomeric sealing member having a generally H-shaped cross-section comprising generally parallel portions connected by a web portion and forming oppositely disposed inner and outer channels on either side of said web portion, said inner channel sealingly engaging said panel member and said outer channel sealingly engaging said frame member, said frame member having a channel therein opening toward said panel member through a reduced width throat entrance formed by laterally directed shoulder means, said sealing member comprising an elongated tongue portion projecting from said web portion into said outer channel and insertable through said throat for engagement with said frame member channel resisting both lateral movement and pull out of said sealing member relative to said frame member, the cross-section of said tongue portion comprising a head portion connected to said web portion by a shank portion, the width of said head portion being greater than the width of said throat entrance and the width of said shank portion being less than the width of said throat entrance.

Claim 5

Wall panel construction as set forth in claim 5 characterized in that said head portion is provided with oppositely directed lateral lips and in that a clearance is provided between said shank portion and said shoulder means permitting passage of said head portion through said throat entrance into said frame channel on said lateral lips being forced against said shank portion.

Claim 6

Wall panel construction as set forth in claim 6 characterized in that the side of said head opposite said shank is wedge shaped in its natural position to wedgingly force said lips against said shank portion on said head being forced through said throat entrance, said lips being adapted to resume their natural position after passing through said throat entrance.

Claim 7

A wall panel construction wherein a panel member is sealingly supported in a frame member by an elongated elastomeric sealing member having a multichanneled body portion, comprising generally parallel portions connected by a web portion forming at least one of said channels, one of said channels sealingly receiving said panel member, and another of said channels sealingly receiving said frame member, said frame member having a channel therein opening toward said web portion through a reduced width throat entrance formed by laterally directed shoulders, said sealing member comprising an elongated tongue portion projecting from said web portion into said other channel and non-engagingly disposed within said frame member channel, the cross-section of said tongue portion comprising a head portion connected to said web portion by a shank portion, the width of said head portion being greater than the width of said throat entrance and the width of said shank portion being less than the width of said throat entrance.

Claim 8

A wall panel construction according to claim 8 wherein said head portion is spaced away from said web portion a distance substantially greater than the thickness of said shoulders of said frame member whereby a clearance is normally provided between said head portion and said shoulders.

Claim 9

A wall panel construction according to claim 9 wherein said head portion comprises resilient projections extending outwardly from said shank portion, said projections being collapsible against said shank portion, said head portion being wedge-shaped in its uncollapsed position, said shank portion having a thickness substantially less than the width of said throat entrance, the combined thickness of said head portion in the collapsed position and of said shank portion being less than the width of said throat entrance, and said head portion returning to its uncollapsed position after insertion to resist removal of said tongue portion from said frame member channel.

Claim 10

A wall panel construction comprising: a panel member, a frame member around said panel member, and an elongated elastomeric sealing strip for sealing engatement between said panel member and said frame member, said frame member having a channel therein with a reduced width throat entrance formed by laterally directed shoulders, said sealing member comprising two generally parallel sides connected by a web, said sides and web forming an upper channel to support said panel member and a lower channel to engage said frame member, said sides each having laterally directed sealing lips on their ends projecting inwardly of said upper and lower channels to sealingly engage with said panel member and said frame member, a longitudinal recess in one of said sides substantially along the axis of said web, a wedge of a material harder than that of said sealing strip disposed in said longitudinal recess, an elongated tongue projecting from said web into said lower channel, said tongue having a shank and a head, said head comprising resilient projections extending outwardly from the end of said shank, said projections being collapsible against said shank, said head being wedge-shaped in its uncollapsed position, said head being insertable through said throat entrance of said frame member into said frame channel, said head having a width substantially greater than the width of said throat entrance, the combined thickness of said head in the collapsed position and of said shank being less than the width of said throat entrance, said projections being spaced away from said web a distance substantially greater than the thickness of said shoulders of said frame, whereby a clearance is normally provided between said projections and said shoulders.