Flexible non-planar graphite sealing ring

Abstract

A flexible non-planar graphite sealing ring is used to control leakage in a fluid handling device that is caused by a shaft extending through the wall of the device. The flexible graphite sealing ring comprises a chevron-shaped non-planar cross section having approximately complementary inner and outer end faces that are made from laminating sheets of graphite foil in layers transverse to the ring's axis. A plurality of flexible graphite rings are inserted over the shaft and into the stuffing box, occupying the space area between the shaft and the stuffing box. The flexible graphite sealing rings are oriented so that each ring's inner end face adjoins the outer end face of another ring. Upon application of a compressive force, either by internal pressure or by externally applied mechanical loading, the interaction between the dissimilar end faces cause an enhanced interference fit between the shaft and the stuffing box forming a seal.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.