Abstract: Advantageous seal systems are provided that include a barrier member movable relative to a shaft to allow sequential engagement of resilient seal members, e.g., lip seals, with the shaft. Movement of the barrier member may be effected manually or through introduction of pressurized fluid to effect piston-like movement. The disclosed seal assemblies may include an automatic leak detector and may utilize such leak detection to effectuate automatic movement of the barrier member. The barrier member may be moved relative to the shaft while the shaft is in movement, e.g., rotating or reciprocating, thereby permitting seal maintenance without interruption in operation. As seal members are sequentially brought into sealing engagement with the shaft, the previously engaged seal members contribute to the sealing performance of the seal assembly, although no longer effective to establish a stand-alone seal with the shaft. Front and rear bushings may be provided within the seal system.

Abstract: A secondary seal is provided for an internal combustion engine having a piston, cylinder bore, ring seal, secondary seal, and leak path. Forces are applied from the combustion side of the piston through a cylinder gap and a leak path to the secondary seal. The secondary seal, seated on the piston and ring seal, transmits the forces generally axially to the piston and ring seal, thereby controllably limiting the radial force between the ring seal and cylinder bore.

Abstract: A seal assembly for a machinery housing includes a seal ring having a micro heat exchanger and a gland plate for securing the seal ring to the machinery housing. The gland plate includes a cooling fluid port in communication with the micro heat exchanger.

Abstract: This invention relates to a seal cartridge comprising at least two back-to-back lip seals. A first, generally L-shaped sleeve is applied against the back wall of the seal ring such that its axially extending cylindrical surface retracts the lip portion of the outboard seal into a non-deployed position. A second, generally L-shaped sleeve is fitted up against the back of the first sleeve so as to place the lip end of the inboard seal in a similarly raised or retracted position. Upon installation of the seal ring about the shaft and in the shaft housing, the second, innermost sleeve is removed, such that the inboard lip seal is deployed against the surface of the shaft. Upon detection of leakage past the inboard seal, the first sleeve is retracted to thus deploy the remaining outboard lip seal.

Abstract: A unitary sleeve lip seal can be used to provide permanently lubricated sealed bearings in severe service conditions such as the track pins of track-driven vehicles and agricultural equipment. The seal has a labyrinthine exclusion path and multiple dust lips contacting the sleeve in addition to the main sealing lip. A garter spring encircling the main sealing lip may enable the seal to operate at moderately elevated pressures. The sleeve has a radial flange at the outermost end. Elastomeric lips extend between the sleeve flange and a faceplate that terminates the outside end of the seal housing. The seal is packed with water-resistant grease and can, when installed in association with grease-packed bearings can create a permanently lubricated bearing/shaft assembly that requires no re-greasing. Resilient coatings both protect the sleeve and case and also improve leak resistance, especially when the seal is retrofitted onto shafts that have been damaged.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a resilient, annular, metallic seal member having a generally “j” shaped cross-section. The annular, metallic seal member includes a first end portion having a first distal end, a generally curled second end portion that extends to a second distal end, and a central body portion between and contiguous with the first and second end portions. The annular, metallic seal member has a first side and an opposite second side. The second end portion curls in a first direction in accordance with a predetermined radius such that the second distal end is located across from the first side of the annular, metallic seal member and the first and second distal ends do not face each other.

Abstract: An apparatus and method are provided for sealing an outer surface 170 of a shaft 175 to an inner surface 165 of a hub 160. The seal includes a magnet 155, with top and bottom pole pieces 260, 265, and a ferrofluid 270 magnetically held in a gap 275 between the pole pieces 260, 265, and the hub 160 or the shaft 175. The top pole piece 260 has a cross-section that is L-shaped, with a horizontal portion 260a parallel to the magnet 155 and a shorter vertical portion 260b facing the shaft 175. In one version, the vertical portion 260b or the portion of the shaft 175 facing it is contoured to provide a flux gradient that axially concentrates the ferrofluid 270 in the gap 275. In another aspect, a catcher 335 is provided to reduce loss of ferrofluid 270 when the ferrofluidic seal 185 used to form an outside seal. In yet another aspect, a stationary ferrofluidic seal 345 is provided for sealing a stationary shaft 350 to a rotating hub 355.

Abstract: The shaft seal structure is based on a leaf seal that includes springs, disposed between the stator blades and the leaf seal ring, to force the leaf seal ring away from the rotation shaft, and pressure guiding grooves for guiding the fluid pressure, through a boundary of planar plates, to a space between the outer peripheral surface of the leaf seal ring and the inner peripheral surface of the stator blade. Also, a turbine may be provided with the leaf seal so as to reduce gas leakage from the high-pressure-region to the low-pressure-region as well as to control the frictional wear between the planar plates and the rotation shaft.

Abstract: A multi-layered cylinder head gasket for positioning between a cylinder head and a cylinder block of an engine includes upper and lower compression layers and a stopper layer. The compression layers and stopper layer all include apertures that mate together to define a peripheral edge. The stopper layer further includes a folded portion and a main body portion. The folded portion has a plurality of waves that contact the main body portion of the stopper layer to form a stopper when folded over. The stopper is positioned at the peripheral edge of the mated aperture. The waves deform under high compression loads generated by the joining of the cylinder head and the cylinder block. The deformation balances the stresses generated by the compression loads around the mated aperture.

Abstract: A process for forming the ball and socket joint with bellows seal (10), a bellows seal (10) and a ball and socket joint with bellows seal (10) is provided including a ball pivot pin (36, 38) with a connection piece (40). The sealing bellows is provided with an annular engagement surface (16) with a cavity (20). The connection piece with a sealing face is connected to the ball pivot pin. Lubricant (22) is disposed in the cavity prior to assembly of the ball and socket joint. The annular engagement surface (16) is provided in contact with the sealing face upon assembly to cause an amount of lubricant (22) to be squeezed out of the cavity (20).

Abstract: A bassinet support unit receives a tub-shaped bassinet. C-shaped hook elements mounted on the respective ends the bassinet are each configured to receive a corresponding elongate support rod that extends across a respective end of the bassinet support unit. The selected C-shaped hook element receives the corresponding support rod and thus inclines the bassinet with respect to a flat substantially horizontal planar top piece of the bassinet support unit. When an at least partially upward force is applied to the bassinet a lower end portion of the C-shaped hook element then receives a part of the support rod. The lower end portion then prevents upward movement of the bassinet and/or limits rotative movement of the bassinet about a longitudinal axis thereof. In some embodiments a pair of J-shaped hook element having openings facing each other can be utilized.

Abstract: A brush seal is provided between static components of a turbine. The turbine flowpath has an inlet spaced from another the inner web of the first stage nozzle. A brush seal is disposed between the two static components to minimize leakage flow to the packing casing region. The bristles of the brush seal are preloaded to fill any gap between the static components caused by distortion or out-of-roundness of the opposed surfaces being sealed. A side plate may contact the opposed sealing surface, increasing the pressure capability of the brush seal and minimizing overall seal leakage by providing the minimum possible flow area restricted solely by the bristles.

Abstract: A seal assembly with an accumulator ring for protecting a seal from explosive decompression is disclosed. The accumulator ring and the seal are contained within a seal gland. The seal is made of a material that is susceptible to damage from explosive decompression. When exposed to a high-pressure fluid environment, the accumulator ring fills with a quantity of high-pressure fluid, either by permeation if it is solid or by permeation and/or vents and/or channels leading to a void if it is hollow. During an explosive decompression event, the accumulator ring expands to fill the remaining volume of the seal gland. Then, the accumulator ring exerts an axial compressive or supporting force on the seal for a sufficient amount of time to allow the seal to expel fluid contained in it and minimize the effects of explosive decompression thereto.

Abstract: The invention relates to a gasket having at least one metallic layer, in which at least one gasket opening and at least one bead are formed, and in and/or adjacent to the bead a coating is applied as a deformation limiter, which comprises at least one filler and one bonding agent, the mass proportion of the filler being greater than the bonding agent and the filler being present in particle form, and the individual spherical particles having a small surface in relation to the volume of the particle.

Abstract: The invention relates to a sealing connecting element, a sealing end piece and a seal. In practice different seals are known which are produced as three dimensional structures and then given to the customer. The production, wherein profile strips are ready-made by cutting and adhesion to form the three dimensional structures or wherein the three dimensional structure is obtained by means of corner injection molding, is very costly. In order to simplify the production of seals, it is provided in accordance with the invention that sealing connecting elements and/or sealing end pieces are to be produced as separate molded parts made of a thermoplastic elastomer and these molded parts to be connected, shortly before the installation of a seal, to sealing profile strips to form a complete seal.

Abstract: An apparatus and method to enhance the overall performance of mechanical seals in one of the following ways: by reducing seal face wear, by reducing the contact surface temperature, or by increasing the life span of mechanical seals. The apparatus is a mechanical seal (e.g., single mechanical seals, double mechanical seals, tandem mechanical seals, bellows, pusher mechanical seals, and all types of rotating and reciprocating machines) comprising a rotating ring and a double-tier mating ring. In a preferred embodiment, the double-tier mating ring comprises a first and a second stationary ring that together form an agitation-inducing, guided flow channel to allow for the removal of heat generated at the seal face of the mating ring by channeling a coolant entering the mating ring to a position adjacent to and in close proximity with the interior surface area of the seal face of the mating ring.

Abstract: The present invention provides a combination metal gasket that is formed by fitting a ring-shaped metal base elastic structure in at least one trough portion of two trough portions of a ring-shaped metal gasket that has an S-shaped longitudinal cross section. The combination metal gasket does not demonstrate the plastic deformation even when a large compressive load is applied and is not likely to be destroyed even when a pressure of a fluid being sealed is high; that is, stable sealing properties are exhibited.

Abstract: A shaft sealing device includes a shaft tube, a main body, a fixed sealing ring, a positioning ring and a retaining ring. The shaft tube is provided with an outer flange and a rotary ring mounted thereto. The main body has an axial hole for supporting the shaft tube which is rotatably extended therethrough. The fixed sealing ring and the retaining ring are inserted in the axial hole of the main body while the positioning ring being mounted in the axial hole. The fixed sealing ring, the retaining ring and the positioning ring are disposed on the shaft tube in loose fit manner to allow for rotation. The fixed sealing ring has a first side to abut against the rotary ring, and a second side to connect to the retaining ring. The positioning ring is provided with elastic members adapted to bias the retaining ring against the fixed sealing ring.

Abstract: A method of installing a gaiter (10) around a joint defined between joint members of joints of vehicles, such as steering joints and constant velocity joints. The method provides a range of gaiters for use with a range of joints of different dimensions, the range of joints being greater than the range of gaiters and at least some of the gaiters (10) in the said gaiter range being stretchable to fit two or more joints of the said joint range so the said joint range can be accommodated by the range of gaiters wherein a gaiter is selected from the gaiter range to fit a particular joint.

Abstract: Even high viscosity fluid or slurry-contained fluid can be securely sealed without deficiency of a liquid sealing device. The sealing liquid device includes an annular packing made of rubber-like elastic material, the annular packing having a secured section fitted with fluid tight to one retaining surface between the first stationary seal ring and the seal flange and having a seal lip section fitting to the other contact face for sealing.