Sealing gasket

Claim 3

A method as defined in claim 1, wherein the binder of said mica mat is situated at least between edge zones of superposed mica scales.

Claim 4

A method as defined in claim 1, wherein a substantial proportion of said binder comprises a synthetic resin.

Claim 5

A method as defined in claim 3, wherein said binder is a silicone resin with functional groups.

Claim 6

A method as defined in claim 4, wherein said silicone resin with functional groups is a reactive silanol-functional phenyl-methyl-silicone resin.

Claim 7

A method as defined in claim 1, further mica scales are phlogopite mica.

Claim 8

A method as defined in claim 1, further comprising a carrier component embedded in the mica mat between two layers of said mica scales; said carrier component extending essentially parallel to said opposite surfaces.

Claim 9

A method as defined in claim 1, wherein said thickness increase reaches, at 600° C., at least 10% relative to the thickness at 20° C.

Claim 10

A method as defined in claim 1, wherein said thickness increase reaches, at 500° C., at least 30% relative to the thickness at 20° C. and wherein said thickness increase is continued at least in the temperature range from 500° C. to 800° C.

Claim 11

In a high-temperature resistant sealing gasket having opposite surfaces and a plurality of apertures; the gasket being adapted to be clamped between flanged pipe ends for service in a static environment; the improvement wherein the gasket comprises a flat mica mat including, in a superposed relationship, a great number of mica scales, each formed of a plurality of stacked, extremely thin mica platelets held together by natural cohesion; said scales being oriented, with their largest opposite faces, essentially parallel to the opposite gasket surfaces; said mica mat further including a binder situated between overlapping zones of immediately superposed scales; particular materials for said scales and said binder being selected such that the mica mat, in a non-installed state, has the property of undergoing, when heated, a thickness increase in a direction perpendicular to the largest scale faces; said thickness increase starting at a temperature of about 500° C. and reaching, at 800° C., at least 100% relative to the thickness at 20° C.; one of said apertures being a central opening arranged for passage by a fluid in an installed state of the sealing gasket; the other of said apertures being additional openings arranged for passage by tightening elements in an installed state of the sealing gasket; each said additional opening having, along a peripheral portion oriented away from said central opening, two semicircular sheet metal ring members arranged face-to-face with respective said opposite surfaces; the two semicircular sheet metal ring members of each said additional opening being connected to one another, at a radially outer periphery thereof, by an integral sheet metal strip extending around an outer periphery of said mica mat, whereby the two semicircular sheet metal ring members form a one-piece unit.

Claim 12

In a high-temperature resistant sealing gasket having opposite surfaces and a plurality of apertures; the gasket being adapted to be clamped between flanged pipe ends for service in a static environment; the improvement wherein the gasket comprises a flat mica mat including, in a superposed relationship, a great number of mica scales, each formed of a plurality of stacked, extremely thin mica platelets held together by natural cohesion; said scales being oriented, with their largest opposite faces, essentially parallel to the opposite gasket surfaces; said mica mat further including a binder situated between overlapping zones of immediately superposed scales; particular materials for said scales and said binder being selected such that the mica mat, in a non-installed state, has the property of undergoing, when heated, a thickness increase in a direction perpendicular to the largest scale faces; said thickness increase starting at a temperature of about 500° C. and reaching, at 800° C., at least 100% relative to the thickness at 20° C.; one of said apertures being a central opening arranged for passage by a fluid in an installed state of the sealing gasket; the other of said apertures being additional openings arranged for passage by tightening elements in an installed state of the sealing gasket; each said additional opening having, along a peripheral portion oriented away from said central opening, two semicircular sheet metal ring members arranged face-to-face with respective said opposite surfaces; the two semicircular sheet metal ring members of each said additional opening being connected to one another, at a radially outer periphery thereof, by an integral sheet metal strip extending around an outer periphery of said mica mat, whereby the two semicircular sheet metal ring members form a one-piece unit.