Abstract: A sealing gasket (9, FIG. 1 ) has a spiral wound element 10 secured to a surrounding locating plate 11 which is thinner than usual locating rings and may include bolt apertures 23.sub.1 etc. The plate 11 has a central aperture 22 which is surrounded by simple embossment 26 inclined to the longitudinal axis at an angle corresponding to the inclination of the ridge 21 presented by the outer turn of the spiral wound element. The aperture 22 receives the sealing face 18 of the element thereby and overlies the ridge 21 to which it is spot welded at a plurality of points. The plate has some resilience permitting the spiral wound element to compress properly under load, but being simple to fabricate and assemble.

Abstract: A spiral wound gasket comprises an annulus constituted by a plurality of superposed turns of a profiled metal strip wound upon itself to form a spiral and, interposed between at least some of said superposed turns, a number of turns of a relatively soft sealant material in strip form, the width of said metal strip being selected so that prior to use the wound metal spiral is essentially flush with the surface of an associated guide ring and the width of the strip of relatively soft sealant material being selected so that prior to use, it projects a significant distance on both sides of the gasket from said superposed metal turns axially of said annulus. The preferred relatively soft sealant material is exfoliated graphite foil or a fluorocarbon resin, unsintered PTFE being particularly preferred. The sealant material preferably projects from the metal spiral to define an overall gasket thickness on the order of 25 to 40 percent greater than that of the guide ring.

Abstract: A spiral wound gasket comprises an annulus constituted by a plurality of superposed turns of a profiled metal strip wound upon itself to form a spiral and, interposed between at least some of said superposed turns, a number of turns of a relatively soft sealant material in strip form, the thickness of said metal strip being selected so that prior to use the wound metal spiral is essentially flush with the surface of an associated guide ring and the thickness of the strip of relatively soft sealant material being selected so that prior to use, it projects a significant distance on both sides of the gasket from said superposed metal turns axially of said annulus. The preferred relatively soft sealant material is exfoliated graphite foil, which projects from the metal spiral to define an overall gasket thickness on the order of 25 to 40% greater than that of the guide ring.