Coupling with leak detecting means and sealing ring therefor

Claim 1

A SEALING COUPLING COMPRISING FIRST AND SECOND ANNULAR PARTS OF HARD METAL OR THE LIKE HAVING ANNULAR END SURFACES PRESENTED TOWARD ONE ANOTHER TO BE CONNECTED TOGETHER AND SEALED AGAINST A FLUID UNDER PRESSURE WITHIN SAID PARTS, ONE OF SAID PARTS HAVING OUTWARDLY TAPERING ANNULAR SEALING SURFACE MEANS ADJACENT THE END SURFACE OF THE PART EXTENDING AT AN ACUTE ANGLE WITH RESPECT TO THE LONGITUDINAL AXIS OF THE PART, THE OTHER OF SAID PARTS HAVING FLEXIBLE LIP MEANS ADJACENT THE END SURFACE THEREOF, SAID FLEXIBLE LIP MEANS HAVING SEALING SURFACE MEANS ARRANGED TO ENGAGE AND BE DEFLECTED BY AND TO SEAL WITH THE SEALING SURFACE MEANS OF SAID ONE PART WHEN THE END SURFACES OF SAID PARTS ARE DRAWN TOWARD ONE ANOTHER, SAID SEALING SURFACE MEANS INTERENGAGING EACH OTHER AT SPACED ANNULAR POSITIONS WHEN THE END SURFACES OF SAID PARTS ARE DRAWN TOWARD ONE ANOTHER, SAID PARTS BETWEEN SAID POSITIONS DEFINING AN ANNULAR FLUID TIGHT CHAMBER, MEANS FOR COMMUNICATING SAID CHAMBER EXTERIORLY OF SAID PARTS, THE END SURFACES OF SAID PARTS HAVING ABUTTING PORTIONS ENGAGEABLE WITH EACH OTHER IN RESPONSE TO THE MOVEMENT OF THE END SURFACES OF SAID PARTS TOWARD ONE ANOTHER TO LIMIT THE DEGREE OF SUCH MOVEMENT, AND MEANS FOR DRAWING THE END SURFACES OF SAID PARTS TOWARD ONE ANOTHER TO SUCH LIMIT TO EFFECT THE SEAL; A PRESSURE GAUGE, MEANS COMMUNICATING SAID GAUGE WITH SAID CHAMBER THROUGH SAID EXTERIOR COMMUNICATING MEANS AND MEANS FOR COMMUNICATING A FLUID PRESSURE TO SAID CHAMBER THROUGH SAID EXTERIOR COMMUNICATING MEANS.