Sealing gasket with elongated internal stiffner

Claim 1

Sealing means comprising an elongated member defined by integrally connected cross and stem portions connected to each other in angular relationship, said stem portion being formed by angularly related portions at least one of which is formed by spaced wall portions and at least one elongated integral flange extending acutely angularly outwardly from a side surface of the stem portion toward the cross portion and at an intermediate location on the stem portion, said flange being movable toward the stem portion when the sealing means are installed to form spaces along the stem portion adjacent to said flange, and an elongated strip of a material that is stiffer, harder, less resilient and less compressible than said elongated member, said strip being positioned inside of the stem portion at an intermediate location between spaced stem wall portions and extending the length thereof, the material forming said strip having coefficients of thermal expansion and contraction that are less than the corresponding coefficients of the material in the stem portion, and said strip having a greater dimension in the plane of the stem portion than transversely thereof and said strip having a thickness that is relatively large in relation to the thickness of the stem portions on opposite sides thereof to be able to substantially neutralize effects of expansion and contraction of the said stem portion due to changes in temperature.