Patent ID: 7241526

Claim:
A fuel cell stack comprising: a plurality of contiguous fuel cells compressed between pressure plates by tie rods; at least one pair of manifolds for directing at least reactant gas into and out of said fuel cells, said at least one pair of manifolds being disposed on opposite sides of said fuel cell stack, said manifolds each having an end with an end surface adjacent to one of said pressure plates, said manifolds being held in gas sealing relationship to edges of said fuel cells and said pressure plates by means of seal materials and load cables under tension; at least one pin disposed in the end surface of each of said manifolds, said at least one pin extending outwardly from the end surface of the corresponding manifold; and a cable extending in a closed loop about said pins, said cable under tension, thereby drawing the pins and therefore the manifolds toward each other, whereby to overcome gas leakage through the seals at the interface of the manifolds with the pressure plates.