Radially coacting ring seal

A ring seal apparatus and axial support structure for high temperature sealing of a circumferential gap between a pair of components for use with a case housing having an axial retention abutment and an inner diameter, the ring seal apparatus comprising:

• a first ring including a pair of radial faces, a ring portion and an outer diameter, wherein the ring portion and the axial retention abutment are in circumferential sealing contact and the outer diameter of the first ring and the inner diameter of the case housing are in circumferential sealing contact;
• a second ring including a second pair of radial faces substantially parallel to the first pair of radial faces, the second ring adapted to coact with the first ring;
• the support structure comprising a pair of axially spaced abutments adapted to axially retain the first and second rings;
• the first and second rings together defining a pair of coacting mating faces, wherein the mating faces are obliquely angled relative to the radial faces, such that each of the mating faces is adapted to slide at an angle relative to the radial faces;
• wherein the pair of coacting rings is adapted to seal the circumferential gap between the components, and wherein the abutments are fixed to one of the aligned components.

A method of sealing a circumferential gap between components with a case housing having an axial retention abutment and an inner diameter, the method comprising:

• forming a ring seal apparatus including a first ring having a pair of radial faces, a ring portion and an outer diameter, wherein the ring portion and the axial retention abutment are in circumferential scaling contact and the outer diameter of the first ring and the inner diameter of the case housing are in circumferential sealing contact;
• forming a second ring having a second pair of radial faces substantially parallel to the first pair of radial faces, and providing that the second ring is adapted to coact with the first ring;
• forming an obliquely angled face in each of the first and second rings to define a pair of coacting mating faces relative to the radial faces of each ring, such that each of the mating faces is adapted to slide at an angle relative to the radial faces;
• juxtaposing the first and second rings axially side-by-side so that their coacting mating faces are adapted to seal a circumferential gap between asymmetrically aligned components.