US 4,100,710 · Granted 1978-07-18

The Interlocking Joint That Sealed Up Building Construction

Imagine two pieces of material—like panels or boards—that need to lock together perfectly with no gaps. This patent describes a tongue-and-groove connection with a built-in seal: one piece has a notch (the groove), the other has a protruding tab (the tongue), and a special sealing band fills any remaining space so water and air can't leak through.

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The plain-English version

What it protects

The claim covers a mechanical joint system where a groove in one member interlocks with a tongue on another member, with a sealing band positioned between them to close gaps. What's protected here is the specific combination: the design of the groove and tongue shapes, the interlocking engagement mechanism, the placement of the sealing band, and the screw fastening method that holds both members together while maintaining the seal. The guiding surfaces that help align the tongue during assembly are also part of the protected design.

Why it matters

This patent represents a foundational approach to weather-tight construction joints. By combining mechanical interlocking with an integrated seal, the design eliminates the need for separate gasket installation steps on job sites, potentially reducing assembly time and human error in building panel systems. The screw connection that works through the interlocked joint makes installation faster and more reliable than alternatives requiring separate fastening and sealing steps.

Real-world use

You'd see this type of connection in exterior wall panels, metal roofing systems, or prefabricated building facades where sections must fit together tightly without letting wind or water penetrate the seams.

Original USPTO abstract

A tongue-groove connection which includes: a first member having an end face with a groove therein, and a second member having an end face with a part thereof forming a tongue, and engaging the groove of the first member while defining a gap therebetween. Each of the first and second members has cover layer means with a core layer therebetween, while a sealing band is sealingly interposed between the first and second members so as to seal the gap therebetween. The tongue-groove connection also comprises a screw connection by means of which the first member and due to the interlocking engagement of its groove with the tongue of the second member also the latter are connectable to a contruction onto which the tongue-groove connection is to be fastened. The tongue has a guiding surface which during the assembly of the tongue in the groove cooperates with an abutment edge on the groove forming first members for guiding the tongue into the groove. The width of the groove is less than the total width of the tongue in non-assembled condition of the latter.

Patent details

Publication number: US 4,100,710
Filing date: 1975-12-23
Grant date: 1978-07-18
Assignee: Hoesch Werke Aktiengesellschaft
Inventor(s): KOWALLIK; JOSEF
CPC class: E04F13/12

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