Patent attributes
A composite seal for sealing in high temperature applications includes an inner spring for controlling the sealing load or the spring rate, and an outer jacket for providing a sealing surface. In one embodiment, the inner spring, which be made from cast blade alloys, includes a plurality of flexible fingers which are inclined with respect to a longitudinal axis of the outer jacket having a continuous outer sealing surface. The spring rate of the jacket is preferably at least about 50% less than the spring rate of the spring in order to achieve desired sealing. In one embodiment, one or more of the flexible fingers a single crystal construction and are supported by a holding ring. The axis of the finger may preferably be positioned parallel to a softer crystallographic direction of the blade alloy of the finger.
