Pressure sealing device for the gap between two coaxial cylindrical surfaces

A device for sealing the gap between a substantially cylindrical outer surface of a body and a coaxially surrounding and substantially cylindrical wall surface against a fluid pressure, particularly hydraulic liquid pressure, which pressure is greater on one side of the device than on the other, comprising a peripheral groove made in one of said cylindrical surfaces and into which is inserted at least one annular slotted sealing ring which has an outer edge surface that resiliently and sealingly engages a portion of the other cylindrical surface radially opposite to the peripheral groove to provide an axial seal between said edge surface and said portion of said other cylindrical surface, the said two cylindrical surfaces being rotatable relative to one another and also being capable of exhibiting radial play relative to one another, and an annular support ring mounted in radial sealing engagement with said slotted sealing ring at the low-pressure side of the slotted sealing ring, said support ring being non-slotted and being mounted with a small clearance between the outer edge surface of said support ring and said other cylindrical surface, each of said annular rings extending only partially into the peripheral groove in the one cylindrical surface whereby the inner edge surfaces of both annular rings are spaced from the bottom of said peripheral groove, the radial width of said support ring being greater than the radial width of said slotted sealing ring whereby the spacing between the inner edge surface of said slotted sealing ring and the peripheral groove bottom is greater than the spacing between the inner edge surface of said support ring and the peripheral groove bottom when said cylindrical surfaces are in coaxial relation to one another, said slotted sealing ring having significant play relative to the peripheral groove bottom related to the radial play between said cylindrical surfaces, and the radial surface of said support ring covering the slot in said slotted sealing ring at all positions of said play of said slotted sealing ring relative to the peripheral groove bottom.