Apparatus and method of sealing a valve against increasing fluid pressure

A seal for use in a valve housing containing a rotatable valve element and having an internal annular groove for receiving the seal, the groove having a bottom wall and first and second opposing sidewalls with a groove volume therebetween and with circular slots formed into the first and second sidewalls, the seal comprising:

• an annular first lobe having an annular interior surface surrounding a center opening of the first lobe, an annular exterior surface surrounding a periphery of the first lobe, an inside wall extending between the interior surface and the exterior surface and an outside wall extending between the interior surface and the exterior surface on an opposite side of the first lobe from the inside wall;
• an annular second lobe having an annular interior surface surrounding a center opening of the second lobe, an annular exterior surface surrounding a periphery of the second lobe, an inside wall extending between the interior surface and the exterior surface and an outside wall extending between the interior surface and the exterior surface on an opposite side of the second lobe from the inside wall;
• the first lobe and the second lobe each having a width dimension that enables insertion of the first lobe and the second lobe into the internal annular groove with the inside walls of the first and second lobes opposing each other with a portion of the groove volume therebetween;
• and
• the outside walls of the first and second lobes having circular ridges with configurations to fit into the circular slots of the first and second sidewalls when the first and second lobes are inserted into the internal annular groove.

A method for sealing a rotatable-type valve having a valve housing with an internal annular groove, the method comprising the steps of:

• providing a first annular lobe having an annular interior surface, an annular exterior surface and opposite annular inside and outside walls, the first annular lobe outside wall having serrations;
• providing a second annular lobe having an annular interior surface, an annular exterior surface and opposite annular inside and outside walls, the second annular lobe outside wall having serrations;
• configuring the outside walls of each lobe to engage a side of the internal annular groove when the first and second annular lobes are inserted into the internal annular groove;
• configuring the inside walls of each lobe to partially engage with each other with areas of the inside walls opposing and spaced from each other when the first and second annular lobes are inserted into the internal annular groove;
• and inserting the first and second annular lobes into the internal annular groove.