Inventors:
Steven Scavo - Mason OH
Darrell G. Senile - Fairfield OH
Assignee:
General Electric Company - Cincinnati OH
International Classification:
F16J 1502
Abstract:
An elastic seal includes a longitudinally extending elastomeric seal member with a continuous sealing surface and a longitudinally extending structural support member having at least one section with fingers extending transversely from the section with slots between the fingers. Each of the fingers is entirely embedded within the elastomeric seal member near the continuous elastomeric sealing surface. The fingers are preferably articulated downward in a direction normal to the sealing surface and together with the rest of the support member are preferably made of a spring material such as a flexible material such as a springy sheet metal. The elastomeric seal and structural members may be continuous bands with continuous metallic band with the fingers extending transversely from the metallic band. The continuous metallic and elastomeric bands may be annular, rectangular, ellipsoid, or have some other shaped cross-section.