US4331336A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Head gaskets and method of making same
Assignee: Fel Pro Inc
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Filing: 1980-09-11
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Granted: 1982-05-25
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Expires: 2000-09-11
Abstract
Abstract A method of manufacturing a cylinder head gasket comprising the steps of preassembling a main gasket body and a fire ring and then precompressing the gasket to alter the characteristics of one of the gasket body and fire ring, so that a portion of the available design head load will be taken up by each of the gasket body and fire ring when the precompressed gasket is assembled in an engine at the available design head load. The precompressed gasket fire ring displays different thickness and compression characteristics resulting from the precompression of the preassembled gasket, enhancing the capacity of the gasket effectively and consistently to seal a head and block at the available design head load.
Inventors
- 👤 Daniel E. Czernik
- 👤 John C. Moerk, Jr.
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-26 06:29
CPC Classifications
F; F16; F16J; F16J15/00; F16J15/02; F16J15/06; F16J15/10; F16J15/12; F16J15/121; F16J15/122; F16J15/123; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S277/00; Y10S277/915; Y10S277/924; Y10T; Y10T29/00; Y10T29/49; Y10T29/49826; Y10T29/49863
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 24
Claim 1
Independent Claim
163 words
A method of manufacturing a cylinder head gasket assembly for use in sealing the head and block of an internal combustion engine comprising the steps of: providing a completed self-supporting unused gasket assembly having an expansive main gasket body comprising a compressible heat-resistant facing sheet and defining at least one combustion opening therein, and a fire ring at said combustion opening; then, prior to installation of said gasket assembly in an engine, in a press means applying a precompression load to said unused gasket assembly to compress said fire ring to alter the characteristics of said fire ring; and relieving said gasket assembly of said precompression load; and then removing said unused precompressed gasket assembly from said press means, whereby upon recompression of said gasket assembly in an engine at the available design head load, a portion of the head load will be taken up by each of the gasket body and fire ring to assure proper sealing by the head gasket assembly.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
163 words
A method of manufacturing a cylinder head gasket assembly for use in sealing the head and block of an internal combustion engine comprising the steps of: providing a completed self-supporting unused gasket assembly having an expansive main gasket body comprising a compressible heat-resistant facing sheet and defining at least one combustion opening therein, and a fire ring at said combustion opening; then, prior to installation of said gasket assembly in an engine, in a press means applying a precompression load to said unused gasket assembly to compress said fire ring to alter the characteristics of said fire ring; and relieving said gasket assembly of said precompression load; and then removing said unused precompressed gasket assembly from said press means, whereby upon recompression of said gasket assembly in an engine at the available design head load, a portion of the head load will be taken up by each of the gasket body and fire ring to assure proper sealing by the head gasket assembly.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
55 words
A method of manufacturing a cylinder head gasket assembly for use in sealing the head and block of an internal combustion engine in accordance with claim 1 wherein said precompression load applied is at least substantially equal to the available design head load for the internal combustion engine for which the gasket assembly was designed.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
45 words
A method of manufacturing a cylinder head gasket assembly for use in sealing the head and block of an internal combustion engine in accordance with claim 1 wherein said precompression load applied compresses the fire ring to a thickness less than the uncompressed body thickness.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
57 words
A method of manufacturing a cylinder head gasket assembly for use in sealing the head and block of an internal combustion engine in accordance with claim 1 wherein said gasket assembly comprises a main gasket body having a central metallic core and a pair of compressible heat-resistant facing sheets, one at each major surface of said core.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
49 words
A method of manufacturing a cylinder head gasket assembly for use in sealing the head and block of an internal combustion engine in accordance with claim 4 wherein said fire ring comprises a generally U-shaped metallic annulus enclosing a wire ring positioned at the periphery of said combustion opening.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
54 words
A method of manufacturing a cylinder head gasket assembly for use in sealing the head and block of an internal combustion engine in accordance with claim 5 wherein said precompression load is at least substantially equal to the available design head load for the internal combustion engine for which the gasket assembly was designed.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
39 words
A method of manufacturing a cylinder head gasket assembly for use in sealing the head and block of an internal combustion engine in accordance with claim 6 wherein said annulus substantially overlaps the peripheral edge of said combustion opening.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
40 words
A method of manufacturing a cylinder head gasket assembly for use in sealing the head and block of an internal combustion engine in accordance with claim 6 wherein said annulus is supported by said gasket assembly within the combustion opening.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
63 words
The method of claim 1 in which said fire ring is of a thickness greater than the uncompressed thickness of said body, and precompressing said fire ring to a thickness which is less than said uncompressed thickness at a precompression load which is in excess of the available design head load for the internal combustion engine for which the gasket assembly was designed.
Claim 11
Independent Claim
173 words
A method of manufacturing a cylinder head gasket assembly for use in sealing the head and block of an internal combustion engine comprising the steps of: providing a completed self-supporting unused gasket assembly having an expansive main gasket body comprising a compressible heat-resistant facing sheet and defining at least one combustion opening therein, and a fire ring at said combustion opening; then, prior to installation of said gasket assembly in an engine, in a press means applying a precompression load to said unused gasket assembly to compress each of said body and said fire ring to alter the characteristics of each of said body and said fire ring; and relieving said gasket assembly of said precompression load; and then removing said unused precompressed gasket assembly from said press means, whereby upon recompression of said gasket assembly in an engine at the available design head load, a portion of the head load will be taken up by each of the gasket body and fire ring to assure proper sealing by the head gasket assembly.
Claim 12
Independent Claim
173 words
A method of manufacturing a cylinder head gasket assembly for use in sealing the head and block of an internal combustion engine comprising the steps of: providing a completed self-supporting unused gasket assembly having an expansive main gasket body comprising a compressible heat-resistant facing sheet and defining at least one combustion opening therein, and a fire ring at said combustion opening; then, prior to installation of said gasket assembly in an engine, in a press means applying a precompression load to said unused gasket assembly to compress each of said body and said fire ring to alter the characteristics of each of said body and said fire ring; and relieving said gasket assembly of said precompression load; and then removing said unused precompressed gasket assembly from said press means, whereby upon recompression of said gasket assembly in an engine at the available design head load, a portion of the head load will be taken up by each of the gasket body and fire ring to assure proper sealing by the head gasket assembly.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
55 words
A method of manufacturing a cylinder head gasket assembly for use in sealing the head and block of an internal combustion engine in accordance with claim 10 wherein said precompression load applied is at least substantially equal to the available design head load for the internal combustion engine for which the gasket assembly was designed.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
78 words
A method of manufacturing a cylinder head gasket assembly for use in sealing the head and block of an internal combustion engine in accordance with claim 11 wherein said gasket assembly comprises a main gasket body having a central metallic core and a pair of compressible heat-resistant facing sheets, one at each major surface of said core, said fire ring comprising a generally U-shaped metallic annulus enclosing a wire ring positioned at the periphery of said combustion opening.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
27 words
A method in accordance with claim 10 wherein said precompression load precompresses said fire ring to a thickness less than the uncompressed thickness of said gasket body.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
120 words
An unused head gasket assembly comprising a self-supporting assembled head gasket assembly comprising an expansive main gasket body having an expensive core having a pair of major surfaces and at least one compressible heat resistant facing sheet secured to a said major surface and together defining a clear-through combustion opening and a fire ring at said combustion opening, said fire ring having been of first thickness and compression characteristics when initially assembled, the improvement comprising said fire ring displaying second different thickness and compression characteristics resulting from the precompression of said unused self-supporting assembled head gasket assembly at a precompression load at least sufficient to precompress said fire ring to a thickness less than the uncompressed thickness of said body.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
120 words
An unused head gasket assembly comprising a self-supporting assembled head gasket assembly comprising an expansive main gasket body having an expensive core having a pair of major surfaces and at least one compressible heat resistant facing sheet secured to a said major surface and together defining a clear-through combustion opening and a fire ring at said combustion opening, said fire ring having been of first thickness and compression characteristics when initially assembled, the improvement comprising said fire ring displaying second different thickness and compression characteristics resulting from the precompression of said unused self-supporting assembled head gasket assembly at a precompression load at least sufficient to precompress said fire ring to a thickness less than the uncompressed thickness of said body.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
29 words
An unused head gasket assembly in accordance with claim 14 wherein said gasket assembly comprises a compressible heat resistant facing sheet secured to each major surface of said core.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
37 words
An unused head gasket assembly in accordance with claim 15 wherein said gasket assembly comprises a fire ring having a generally U-shaped metallic annulus enclosing a wire ring and positioned at the periphery of said combustion opening.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
32 words
An unused head gasket assembly in accordance with claim 14 wherein said assembled head gasket assembly has been precompressed at a precompression load at least substantially equal to the available head load.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
137 words
An unused head gasket assembly comprising a self-supporting assembled head gasket assembly comprising an expansive main gasket body having an expansive core having a pair of major surfaces and at least one compressible heat resistant facing sheet secured to a said major surface and together defining a clear-through combustion opening and a fire ring suspended in said combustion opening, each of said main gasket body and said fire ring having had first thicknesses and compression characteristics when initially assembled, the improvement comprising said main gasket body and said fire ring each displaying second different compression characteristics and said fire ring having a different lesser thickness resulting from the precompression of said unused self-supporting assembled head gasket assembly at a precompression load at least sufficient to precompress said fire ring to a thickness less than the first thickness.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
137 words
An unused head gasket assembly comprising a self-supporting assembled head gasket assembly comprising an expansive main gasket body having an expansive core having a pair of major surfaces and at least one compressible heat resistant facing sheet secured to a said major surface and together defining a clear-through combustion opening and a fire ring suspended in said combustion opening, each of said main gasket body and said fire ring having had first thicknesses and compression characteristics when initially assembled, the improvement comprising said main gasket body and said fire ring each displaying second different compression characteristics and said fire ring having a different lesser thickness resulting from the precompression of said unused self-supporting assembled head gasket assembly at a precompression load at least sufficient to precompress said fire ring to a thickness less than the first thickness.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
52 words
An unused head gasket assembly in accordance with claim 18 wherein said gasket assembly comprises a compressible heat resistant facing sheet secured to each major surface of said core, and said fire ring comprises a generally U-shaped metallic annulus enclosing a wire ring and positioned at the periphery of said combustion opening.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
31 words
An unused head gasket assembly in accordance with claim 19 wherein said assembled head gasket assembly has been precompressed at a precompression load at least equal to the available head load.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1985-05-24 | 1985-11-23 | 1986-05-25 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1989-05-24 | 1989-11-23 | 1990-05-25 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1993-05-24 | 1993-11-23 | 1994-05-25 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |