Patent ID: 7428912

Claim:
A metal valve stem sealing system comprising: (a) a valve body; a metal valve stem housed within the valve body; (b) a bonnet member housed within the valve body; (c) a U-shaped metal stem gasket positioned between the metal valve stem and the bonnet member, wherein the gasket has a first lip member and a second lip member each having an interior surface and an exterior surface, wherein the first and second lip members have upper portions and lower portions, and wherein the lower portion of each lip member has an exterior sloped surface; (d) a metal wedge ring fitted between the interior surface of the first lip member and the interior surface of the second lip member; and (e) at least one metal energizing spring adjacent the wedge ring, wherein the metal energizing spring applies a sufficient force to the wedge ring to cause the wedge ring to apply a sufficient contact pressure to the first and second lip members such that the exterior sloped surfaces of the first and second lip members rotate outwardly to extend, respectively, a first airtight seal contact area between the first lip member and the metal valve stem and a second airtight seal contact area between the second lip member and the bonnet member.