Penetration limiting gland and metal gasket

Claim 1

A sealing device for engaging a gasket in a fluid path to prevent leakage of fluid past said gasket, comprising: a gasket comprising an annular disk formed with a central opening and with an annular flange thicker than said disk, integral with the central opening edge of said disk and extending from both sides of said disk; and a pair of bases, each in the form of an annulus, the circumferences thereof defining cylindrical surfaces, each base having an integral annular ridge on a face surface adjacent its cylindrical surface, at least one of said ridges defining in cross-section an acute angle terminating in a sharp edge formed to penetrate a surface of said gasket; the respective ridges and face surfaces of said bases being directly opposite each other in confronting relationship whereby to define a receptacle for enclosing opposite sides of the flange of said gasket whereby to limit and control the extent of penetration by said ridges while enabling radially outward disk portions of said gasket to extend beyond the circumferences of the bases.