Abstract: A seal assembly includes a first plate or member having a recess with a bottom mating surface which receives sealing ring therein and a second plate or member having a sealing surface for contacting a metallic sealing ring. First and second plates or members are coupled together by a plurality of fasteners or bolts. By tightening the fasteners the sealing ring is loaded, and thus, compressed to plastically deform and create an annular seal between the first and second members. Metallic sealing ring has a first annular sealing surface, a second annular sealing surface, an annular inner surface and an annular outer surface. The first annular sealing surface faces in a first axial direction to contact sealing surface of first member for creating a first annular sealing dam therebetween.

Abstract: A brush seal device for sealing a high pressure area from a low pressure area. The brush seal device comprises a plurality of bristles arranged annularly. An annular back plate is positioned concentric to and on the low pressure side of the bristles, the back plate having a recess adapted to delay contact of the bristles with the back plate upon application of the pressure across the brush seal device. A flexible annular front plate is positioned adjacent to and concentric with the bristles on the high pressure side of the bristles. This combination of elements helps to reduce uneven wear of the bristles in a brush seal device and, therefore, helps to prolong the life of such a seal.

Abstract: A rotary seal assembly for preventing leakage of a fluid from a region of high pressure in a housing to a region of relatively lower pressure includes a first member mounted within the housing and having a central axis and an annular sealing face extending in a direction substantially radial the central axis, and a second member located in the housing and having an annular sealing face extending in a direction substantially radial to the central axis and opposing the first member sealing face. The second member sealing face has a first set of grooves and a second set of grooves arranged circularly thereabout, the second set of grooves being spaced radially inward of the first set of grooves. One of the first and second members is a rotor and the other is a stator. A stator holding assembly supports the stator within the housing, the rotor being rotatable about the central axis. The stator holding assembly secures the stator against rotation and urges the stator sealing face toward the rotor sealing face.

Abstract: A composite material comprising a matrix including chromium carbide particles, and a solid lubricant mixed with the matrix and including barium fluoride and calcium fluoride. The composite material is spray deposited onto a substrate using a high velocity oxy-fuel (HVOF) spray technique to provide an HVOF spray coating.

Abstract: A stationary assembly for use in a gas or liquid seal for sealing an interface between a machine body and a rotatable shaft. The stationary assembly includes an annular seal ring attached to the machine body and surrounding the shaft. An annular seal ring housing secures the seal ring and includes a plurality of bores. Each bore retains a spring. A circumferentially flexible "O" ring holder receives the springs. The "O" ring holder presses an "O" ring against a balance diameter surrounding the shaft and the seal ring to provide a seal. The "O" ring holder includes a plurality of slots formed therein and arranged to provide the circumferential flexibility.

Abstract: A compliant seal apparatus for sealing a high pressure area from a low pressure area. The compliant seal device comprises a housing including a first wall positioned proximate the high pressure area, and a second wall positioned proximate the low pressure area. A cavity is formed between an inner surface of the first wall and an inner surface of the second wall. A finger having a free end extends from proximate the first wall toward the low pressure area. A member extends from an upper surface of the finger into the cavity to form a sealing engagement with the second wall inner surface. This sealing engagement is located closer than the free end of the finger to the first wall inner surface.

Abstract: Split component to be held in a fixed position on a shaft includes a component member having at least two portions with opposite ends that mate together in sealing engagement, and a plurality of resilient holding segments positioned between the inner surface of the component member and the outer surface of the shaft for holding the component member in a fixed position on the shaft. By compression, the holding segments provide a resiliency-induced resistant force sufficient to prevent movement of the component member in an axial direction and in a circumferential direction relative to the shaft. In a preferred embodiment, each holding segment is a metal spring member extending less than 180.degree. circumferentially around the outer surface of the shaft and having a continuous concave surface directed toward the outer surface of the shaft with gripping edges along opposite sides of the concave surface.

Abstract: A brush seal device for sealing a high pressure area from a low pressure area. The brush seal device comprises an annular retaining plate having a first side facing the high pressure area and a second side opposite the first side, and an annular back plate having a first side facing the low pressure area and a second side opposite the first side, the second side of the back plate having an outer peripheral portion and an inner peripheral portion. A plurality of bristles are between the second side of the retaining plate and the outer peripheral portion of the second side of the back plate such that they extend inwardly from the outer peripheral portion of the second side of the back plate. The inner peripheral portion of the second side of the back plate has a recessed surface formed therein to inhibit the plurality of bristles from contacting the inner peripheral portion of the second side of the back plate.

Abstract: In a split mechanical face seal including means for biasing one split seal face against another, an annular, inwardly radially extending leaf spring, which may also be split, is mounted at an outer diameter thereof to the stationary seal housing. A radially inward end of the spring is received in a notch in the stationary seal ring axially remote from the sealing face. The spring end biases the seal face toward a non-resiliently mounted rotating face and retains the stationary sealing face against rotation. A tool in the form of a U-shaped collar is provided for holding two split ring seal halves for preventing grinding motion at their mating surfaces during installation.

Abstract: A compliant seal device for sealing a high pressure area from a low pressure area. The compliant seal device comprises a base member including an annular base wall, a first wall extending radially inward from the base wall proximate the high pressure area and a second wall extending radially inward from the base wall proximate the low pressure area, the base member having a cavity formed therein between the first wall and the second wall. The compliant seal device further comprises a plurality of flexible sheet members extending between the first wall and the second wall, each of the plurality of flexible sheet members having a base end fixed to the first wall and a moveable free end in sealing engagement with the second wall to substantially enclose the cavity with an adjustable pressure therein.

Abstract: A brush seal device for sealing a high pressure area from a low pressure area. The brush seal device comprises an annular sideplate having a first side facing the high pressure area and a second side opposite the first side, an annular backplate having a first side facing the low pressure area and a second side opposite the first side, and a plurality of bristles between the second side of the sideplate and the second side of the backplate. The backplate is moveable in a radial direction relative to the annular sideplate and the plurality of bristles extend inwardly from an outer peripheral edge of the sideplate. The brush seal device further comprises a retaining washer between the first side of the backplate and the low pressure area, wherein the retaining washer includes a cavity proximate the first side of the backplate, the cavity having an adjustable pressure therein.

Abstract: A spring centering device for centering two annular bodies relative to one another. The device including a spring (22) with a central spine (20) and multiple fingers (24) extending from the spine (20). Alternatively, the device includes a spring with a central axis including axially oriented elements (34) parallel to but displaced from the central axis, and connecting elements (24) structurally contiguous with an axial element on each side of the central axis.

Abstract: A dry-running gas seal includes a stationery seal ring carrier holding a stationary seal ring, a rotary seal ring carrier holding a rotary seal ring facing the stationary seal ring, scoops radially outside and extending toward the rotary seal ring carrier, and a heat exchanger in fluid communication with the scoops, whereby the portion of the gas is trapped by the scoops and transferred to and cooled by the heat exchanger and returned to and the high pressure area adjacent to the seal.

Abstract: A bi-directional seal for sealing, from the ambient, a pressurized fluid in the interior of a housing fitted with a rotatable shaft. The seal is a non-contact seal which balances hydrostatic and hydrodynamic forces to form a predetermined proper gap between the annular sealing faces of the rotor and the stator. The hydrodynamic forces are primarily a result of the size and configuration of the radial grooves formed in the sealing faces of either the rotor or the stator.

Abstract: A drained seal for sealing, from the ambient, a pressurized fluid in the interior of a housing fitted with a rotatable shaft and for eliminating fluid leakage along the shaft. The seal is a drained face seal that minimizes or eliminates leakage from between the sealing faces and onto the shaft. The seal includes a drain cavity formed in the stator, a drain port formed in the seal cup, a sealing dam adjacent to the drain cavity, and a tapered rotor which cooperate to prevent fluid leakage.

Abstract: A seal for inhibiting the flowing of a gas or liquid in the stream along a shaft within a machine housing, the shaft having an axis of rotation in a predetermined radius, the seal comprising a seal housing attached to the machine housing, and a plurality of fingers extending axially upstream from the seal housing the fingers annularly surrounding the shaft and circumferentially spaced from each other, the fingers extending to contract the shaft when the shaft is not rotating, and the fingers curved in the same direction as the shaft, the radius of curvature of the fingers being greater than the radius of curvature of the shaft. The fingers may be angled away from the direction of rotation, have pockets in the radially inner surface of the fingers, and/or have a plurality of strips extending from the housing radially outside of the fingers and annularly surrounding the shaft, the strips covering the circumferential space between the fingers.

Abstract: A segmented carbon seal assembly for mounting into a machined housing around an application runner includes a segmented carbon seal ring, and an annular outer shell radially outside and surrounding the segmented seal, an annular retainer plate retained by the outer shell, drive lugs formed in the outer diameter of the outer shell for mating with the machine and fingers extending from the outer shell into the segmented seal and springs extending from the seal ring and pressing against the retainer plate.

Abstract: A hydrostatic seal includes a high pressure cavity in one of two opposed sealing faces between a shaft and housing for supplying a pressurized barrier fluid between the opposed sealing faces, and an arrangement for preventing passage of the barrier fluid into the interior of the housing and for preventing the passage of machine fluid from the housing into the high pressure cavity. The arrangement includes a first circumferential dam for providing a narrow gap between the high pressure cavity and the interior of the housing and a system for maintaining the pressure of the barrier fluid in the high pressure cavity substantially equal to the pressure of the machine fluid in the housing. A discharge cavity is provided in one of the sealing faces for discharging barrier fluid from between the opposed barrier faces and preventing barrier fluid from leaking between the housing and the shaft to the ambient.

Abstract: A balanced seal ring assembly includes an annular seal ring insert having a sealing face and a rear face opposite the sealing face, an annular retainer pressingly engaging a portion of the outer periphery of the seal ring insert and thereby retaining the seal ring insert, and a distortion compensating ring pressingly engaging another portion of the outer periphery of the ring insert. The retainer and the distortion compensating ring are spaced from each other and combine to reduce the twisting distortion of the seal ring insert. A complete balanced seal assembly comprises a stationary balanced seal ring assembly fixed to the housing and a rotary balanced seal ring assembly fixed to the shaft so that the seal faces of the assemblies are in contact.

Abstract: A dry running gas seal includes a stationary seal ring carrier attached to the machine body wherein the stationary seal ring carrier has an annular pocket, a stationary seal ring held in the pocket, a rotary seal ring carrier fixedly attached to the shaft wherein the rotary ring carrier has an annular pocket, a rotary seal ring held in the pocket wherein the rotary seal ring has a sealing face held adjacent to the stationary seal ring and grooves formed on the sealing face of the rotary seal ring wherein the grooves have an average angle of 5 to 15 degrees. The seal further comprises: an annular notch formed in a portion of the stationary seal ring axially away from the rotary seal ring, a "T" shaped insert extending into the notch, and an "O" ring disposed between the insert and the inner walls of the pocket in the stationary seal ring carrier. The seal further includes an annular groove formed in the radially inner wall of the rotary seal ring carrier, and a finger spring disposed in the groove.