Abstract: A circumferential seal for sealing between a rotating shaft and a stationary housing circumscribing the shaft. The seal comprises a stator mounted to said housing and having a radially inward facing carbon portion and a rotor with a ceramic sealing member having a radially outward facing surface in rubbing contact with said carbon portion. The rotor also includes a metal clamping means for mounting the ceramic sealing member to the shaft. The clamping means includes an axial flexible clamping member, and a radial flexible clamping member that together clamp onto a mounting flange of the ceramic sealing member when exposed to the compressive force of a lockup assembly.

Abstract: An all-ceramic rolling element ball bearing assembly utilizes the superior compressive strength and hardness of ceramic materials over bearing steels to provide a point contact load bearing interface between the bearing balls and races that has no relative motion in the ball/race contact zone. Without the frictional heating of a curved-line contact bearing design, the all-ceramic bearing does not require the use of a friction reducing lubricant.

Abstract: Wire feed rollers made of ceramic material which virtually eliminate wire feed roller wear enabling continuous wire feed to the welding tip without discernable weld wire slippage. Adjacent ceramic wire feed rollers are used in sets where one roller includes a groove on a side surface while the second roller has no grooves. The ceramic wire feed rollers require relatively light clamping (contact) loads to effectively feed the wire to the weld tip enabling decreased wire feed roller drive torque requirements and reduced wear to drive gears and support bearings.