Sealing ring

Claim 2

A seal especially adapted for confining fluids at high temperatures and pressures, and comprising a sealing ring in the form of an integral piece of resilient sheet metal of approximately E-shape in radial cross section, the outer arms of the E having a sinuous configuration and including continuous raised portions at the outer and inner ends thereof which are outwardly convex and a continuous portion intermediate said raised portions which is outwardly concave, the central arm of the E having two elongated portions which extend in generally parallel, spaced, side-by-side relation and are interconnected at the inner end of said central arm by a 180* bend, said outer arms of the E being of essentially equal length and the portions of said outer arms which project inwardly beyond said inner end of the central arm being from 1.5 to 3.5 times as long as said central arm, said outer arms of the E diverging from the periphery of the ring outwardly when the ring is in its normal relaxed condition.

Claim 3

The combination as defined in claim 1 wherein the metal sealing ring is coated with a material selected from the group consisting of gold, silver, lead or indium and mixtures thereof.

Claim 4

A seal especially adapted for confining fluids at high temperatures and pressures, and comprising a sealing ring in the form of an integral piece of resilient sheet metal of approximately E-shape in radial cross section, the outer arms of the E having a sinuous configuration and including continuous raised portions at the outer and inner ends thereof which are outwardly convex and a continuous portion intermediate said raised portions which is outwardly concave, the central arm of the E having two elongated portions which extend in generally parallel, spaced, side-by-side relation and are interconnected at the inner end of said central arm by a 180* bend, said outer arms of the E being of essentially equal length and the portions of said outer arms which project inwardly beyond said inner end of the central arm being from 1.5 to 3.5 times as long as said central arm, said outer arms of the E diverging from the periphery of the ring outwardly when the ring is in its normal relaxed condition, said continuous outwardly concave portion intermediate of said raised portions lying radially inwardly of a line perpendicular to the inner end of said central arm defined by said 180* bend.

Claim 5

A seal especially adapted for confining fluids at high temperatures and pressures, and comprising a sealing ring in the form of an integral piece of resilient sheet metal of approximately E-shape in radial cross section, the outer arms of the E having a sinuous configuration and including continuous raised portions at the outer and inner ends thereof which are outwardly convex and a continuous portion intermediate said raised portions which is outwardly concave, the central arm of the E having two elongated portions which extend in generally parallel, spaced, side-by-side relation and are interconnected at the inner end of said central arm by a 180* bend, said outer arms of the E being of essentially equal length and the portions of said outer arms which project inwardly beyond said inner end of the central arm being from 1.5 to 3.5 times as long as said central arm, said outer arms of the E diverging from the periphery of the ring outwardly when the ring is in its normal relaxed condition, said continuous outwardly concave portion intermediate of said raised portions lying radially inwardly of a line perpendicular to the inner end of said central arm defined by said 180* bend.

Claim 6

The combination of the sealing ring defined in claim 3 with a pair of adjustable compression members which define a cavity in which high pressures are encountered and means for compressing said compression members.

Claim 7

The combination as defined in claim 4 wherein said compression members comprise a pair of flanges having forward, rearward and annular peripheral end surfaces, said flanges being disposed in forward face toward forward face relationship, said annular peripheral end surface intersecting said forward and rearward surfaces, said cavity being formed by grooves in the forward faces of said flanges, and said means for compressing said compression members comprising a V-band constrictor circumscribing said flanges and means on said constrictor for tightening it radially inwardly around the flanges.

Claim 8

A seal especially adapted for confining fluids at high temperatures and pressures, and comprising a sealing ring in the form of an integral piece of resilient sheet metal of approximately E-shape in radial cross section, the outer arms of the E having a sinuous configuration and including continuous raised portions at the outer and inner ends thereof which are outwardly convex and a continuous portion intermediate said raised portions which is outwardly concave, the central arm of the E having two elongated portions which extend in generally parallel, spaced, side-by-side relation and are interconnected at the inner end of said central arm by a 180* bend, said outer arms of the E being of essentially equal length and the portions of said outer arms which project inwardly beyond said inner end of the central arm being from 1.5 to 3.5 times as long as said central arm, said outer arms of the E diverging from the periphery of the ring outwardly when the ring is in its normal relaxed condition, said inner outwardly convex continuous raised portions at the inner ends of said outer arms presenting inwardly concave surfaces facing each other; said seal further including means to enhance the sealing of said raised portions at the inner ends of the outer arms, said means comprising a ring in the from of an integral piece of resilient sheet metal of approximately C-shape in radial cross section, said C-ring being coaxial with said seal ring and having a thickness equal to the distance between said inwardly concave surfaces and engaging said surface, the open portion of said C-ring facing generally inwardly, and vent means formed in said seal ring to place the region outwardly of said C-ring in fluid communication with the region inwardly of the C-ring.

Claim 9

A seal especially adapted for confining fluids at high temperatures and pressures, and comprising a sealing ring in the form of an integral piece of resilient sheet metal of approximately E-shape in radial cross section, the outer arms of the E having a sinuous configuration and including continuous raised portions at the outer and inner ends thereof which are outwardly convex and a continuous portion intermediate said raised portions which is outwardly concave, the central arm of the E having two elongated portions which extend in generally parallel, spaced, side-by-side relation and are interconnected at the inner end of said central arm by a 180* bend, said outer arms of the E being of essentially equal length and the portions of said outer arms which project inwardly beyond said inner end of the central arm being from 1.5 to 3.5 times as long as said central arm, said outer arms of the E diverging from the periphery of the ring outwardly when the ring is in its normal relaxed condition, said inner outwardly convex continuous raised portions at the inner ends of said outer arms presenting inwardly concave surfaces facing each other; said seal further including means to enhance the sealing of said raised portions at the inner ends of the outer arms, said means comprising a ring in the from of an integral piece of resilient sheet metal of approximately C-shape in radial cross section, said C-ring being coaxial with said seal ring and having a thickness equal to the distance between said inwardly concave surfaces and engaging said surface, the open portion of said C-ring facing generally inwardly, and vent means formed in said seal ring to place the region outwardly of said C-ring in fluid communication with the region inwardly of the C-ring.

Claim 10

The combination of the sealing ring defined in claim 6 with a pair of adjustable compression members which define a cavity in which high pressures are encountered and means for compressing said compression members.

Claim 11

The combination as defined in claim 7 wherein said compression members comprise a pair of flanges having forward, rearward and annular peripheral end surfaces, said flanges being disposed in forward face toward forward face relationship, said annular peripheral end surface intersecting said forward and rearward surfaces, said cavity being formed by grooves in the forward faces of said flanges, and said means for compressing said compression members comprising a V-band constrictor circumscribing said flanges and means on said constrictor for tightening it radially inwardly around the flange.

Claim 12

A seal especially adapted for confining fluids at high temperatures and pressures, and comprising a sealing ring in the form of an integral piece of resilient sheet metal of approximately E-shape in radial cross section, the outer arms of the E having a sinuous configuration and including continuous raised portions at the outer and inner ends thereof which are outwardly convex and a continuous portion intermediate said raised portions which is outwardly concave, the central arm of the E having two elongated portions which extend in generally parallel, spaced, side-by-side relation and are interconnected at the inner end of said central arm by a 180* bend, said outer arms of the E being of essentially equal length and the portions of said outer arms which project inwardly beyond said inner end of the central arm being from 1.5 to 3.5 times as long as said central arm, said outer arms of the E diverging from the periphery of the ring outwardly when the ring is in its normal relaxed condition, the inner ends of said outer arms being curved over and forming a 180* bend, each of said outer arms defining lip portions which are opposed to each other and are in engaging relationship, said lips of said end portions of said outer arms including repetitive portions which are displaced axially of the seal away from the plane of engagement of said lips, corresponding ones of said repetitive portions being mutually opposed to define openings between said lips via which the pressure fluid can enter the space between said outer arms to energize the seal.

Claim 13

A seal especially adapted for confining fluids at high temperatures and pressures, and comprising a sealing ring in the form of an integral piece of resilient sheet metal of approximately E-shape in radial cross section, the outer arms of the E having a sinuous configuration and including continuous raised portions at the outer and inner ends thereof which are outwardly convex and a continuous portion intermediate said raised portions which is outwardly concave, the central arm of the E having two elongated portions which extend in generally parallel, spaced, side-by-side relation and are interconnected at the inner end of said central arm by a 180* bend, said outer arms of the E being of essentially equal length and the portions of said outer arms which project inwardly beyond said inner end of the central arm being from 1.5 to 3.5 times as long as said central arm, said outer arms of the E diverging from the periphery of the ring outwardly when the ring is in its normal relaxed condition, the inner ends of said outer arms being curved over and forming a 180* bend, each of said outer arms defining lip portions which are opposed to each other and are in engaging relationship, said lips of said end portions of said outer arms including repetitive portions which are displaced axially of the seal away from the plane of engagement of said lips, corresponding ones of said repetitive portions being mutually opposed to define openings between said lips via which the pressure fluid can enter the space between said outer arms to energize the seal.

Claim 14

The combination of the sealing ring defined in claim 9 with a pair of adjustable compression members which define a cavity in which high pressures are encountered and means for compressing said compression members.

Claim 15

The combination as defined in claim 10 wherein said compression members comprise a pair of flanges having forward, rearward and annular peripheral end surfaces, said flanges being disposed in forward face toward forward face relationship, said annular peripheral end surface intersecting said forward and rearward surfaces, said cavity being formed by grooves in the forward faces of said flanges, and said means for compressing said compression members comprising a V-band constrictor circumscribing said flanges and means on said constrictor for tightening it radially inwardly around the flanges.

Claim 16

In combination with a pair of adjustable compression members which define a cavity in which high pressures are encountered and means for compressing said compression members, a sealing ring in the form of an integral piece of resilient sheet metal of approximately E-shape in radial cross section, the outer arms of the E having a sinuous configuration and including continuous raised portions at the outer and inner ends thereof which are outwardly convex and a continuous portion intermediate said raised portionS which is outwardly concave, the central arm of the E having two elongated portions which extend in generally parallel, spaced, side-by-side relation and are interconnected at the inner end of said central arm by a 180* bend, said outer arms of the E being of essentially equal length and the portions of said outer arms which project inwardly beyond said inner end of the central arm being from 1.5 to 3.5 times as long as said central arm, said outer arms of the E diverging from the periphery of the ring outwardly when the ring is in its normal relaxed condition.

Claim 17

In combination with a pair of adjustable compression members which define a cavity in which high pressures are encountered and means for compressing said compression members, a sealing ring in the form of an integral piece of resilient sheet metal of approximately E-shape in radial cross section, the outer arms of the E having a sinuous configuration and including continuous raised portions at the outer and inner ends thereof which are outwardly convex and a continuous portion intermediate said raised portionS which is outwardly concave, the central arm of the E having two elongated portions which extend in generally parallel, spaced, side-by-side relation and are interconnected at the inner end of said central arm by a 180* bend, said outer arms of the E being of essentially equal length and the portions of said outer arms which project inwardly beyond said inner end of the central arm being from 1.5 to 3.5 times as long as said central arm, said outer arms of the E diverging from the periphery of the ring outwardly when the ring is in its normal relaxed condition.

Claim 18

The combination as defined in claim 12 wherein said compression members comprise a pair of flanges having forward, rearward and annular peripheral end surfaces, said flanges being disposed in forward face toward forward face relationship, said annular peripheral end surface intersecting said forward and rearward surfaces, said cavity being formed by grooves in the forward faces of said flanges, and said means for compressing said compression members comprising a V-band constrictor circumscribing said flanges and means on said constrictor for tightening it radially inwardly around the flanges.