Abstract: A method for making fluid seals with a mold which includes an outside diameter surface on a fixed part and a seal flange support surface on another portion of the fixed part. A seal casing with a shouldered mounting flange having major and minor out side diameters and a radial flange is positioned in the fixed mold part. A movable mold member includes an upper, outer cylindrical surface for engaging the inside surface of the casing major diameter to form a flash barrier which moves during mold closure. Both the fixed mold part and the movable mold part include inwardly directed surfaces defining the mold cavity; the flange support is apertured for the elastomer to flow from the seal body-forming part of the cavity to the gasket-forming part of the cavity. The heel-forming cavity part lies between the lower part of the insides surface of the mold and the outer surface of the casing minor diameter.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a composite seal assembly. A primary sealing ring in generally frustoconical form is cut from a cylindrical billet of a resinous fluorocarbon material so as to have first and second principal surfaces each inclined with respect to the axis of the billet. The ring thus formed is supported against movement by disposing a relatively rigid annular casing unit adjacent the ring, with the ring lying within the casing opening, and bonding the casing element to the seal ring by molding an elastomeric collar of thin cross-section between a portion of the second surface of the ring and a part of said casing.

Abstract: A seal having a primary seal element including a casing element of annular form made a relatively rigid material and having an at least partially elastomeric sealing lip body bonded thereto, and a single or one-piece wear sleeve and unitizing casing portion including a radial flange acting as an axially exterior protective element preventing relative axial movement of the associated primary seal in one direction, an axially extending wear sleeve portion having a cylindrical outer diameter surface facing toward and sealingly engaged with the seal band portion of the primary lip, and a second, unitizing or locking flange of reduced thickness and reduced diameter with respect to the protective flange and preventing axial removal of the primary seal unit in the other axial direction.

Abstract: A seal having an exterior seal casing which includes a mounting surface and a seal lip body bonded to a portion of the casing, with the seal lip body comprising annular surfaces defining the air and oil side portions of a primary lip which meet along a generally cylindrical locus of measurable axial extent to provide a primary seal band with a plurality of spaced apart hydrodynamic pumping elements located on this seal band. An auxiliary lip is defined by a pair of frusto-conical surfaces meeting along a generally circular locus to provide an auxiliary or excluder lip portion. Said primary and secondary lips are spaced apart by an annular region of generally V-shaped cross-section, and the primary lip dimension or the pumping elements serve to maintain the primary lip seal band spaced just apart from an associated shaft, at least in the regions of the elements. Said auxiliary lip is of reduced diameter in relation to said seal band dimension in the relaxed condition of the seal.

Abstract: A multipart mold assembly for removably receiving a casing unit and positioning the casing so as to form, in combination with at least one of the mold parts, a cavity having the shape of an element to be formed in the mold and bonded to the casing. One mold part has a surface defining part of the shape of said cavity, and a casing skirt support surface forms another part of the cavity. A flash barrier is formed along a part of the skirt casing when a clamping ring formed from a plurality of individual clamping ring elements engages the surface of said casing skirt and urges it into fluid-tight relation with the casing support surface.

Abstract: A fluid seal unit for high pressure sealing applications. The seal has a rigid casing and an annular elastomeric sealing lip body which includes a primary seal band contacting a shaft in sealing engagement when the fluid in the sealed region is under a first pressure. The air side surface of the lip body also has auxiliary sealing ribs and fluid retaining grooves of progressively increasing diameter. When the pressure in the sealed region increases, one or more additional ribs will contact the shaft to provide increased seal band contact area and to entrap additional fluid near the shaft.

Abstract: An oil or like fluid seal having a rigid exterior casing, a primary lip and an auxillary lip, with the primary or axially inner lip having a primary seal band surface which is generally cylindrical in its relaxed condition and which includes at least one hydrodynamic pumping element on its shaft contact surface, with the auxillary lip, in its relaxed condition, being of greater inside diameter than the primary lip, with the primary and secondary lips being spaced apart so as to define an intermediate annular groove of generally V-shaped cross-sections between them, with the pumping element acting to space portions of the primary lip apart from the associated shaft so as to provide initial venting of gas and vapors from the sealed cavity into the intermediate region and beneath the auxillary lip as cavity pressure increases so as avoid excessive pressure build up in the sealed region or sudden or erratic venting of such pressure.

Abstract: An oil seal unit including an elastomeric sealing lip portion and a casing portion made from a rigid material and having a mounting flange, a radially extending, offsetting flange, and an annular inner mounting bead formed by folding at least two thicknesses of the casing material upon each other so as to form first and second inclined flange portions connected to each other by a bight portion, one of the thicknesses terminating in an edge portion and with the bight portion presenting a rounded exterior surface portion directed generally toward the sealed region and the inner diameter of the seal, the sealing lip portion having air and oil side surfaces meeting each other along a circumferential locus to define a seal band, and having another portion bonded to and completely surrounding an inner margin of the radial casing flange and the exterior surfaces and edge portion of the material thicknesses forming the bead, to provide a bonded area adapted to resist failure under the application of high pressure.

Abstract: A pumping seal having an elastomeric hydrodynamic primary lip and a resinous fluorocarbon auxiliary lip. The auxiliary lip is of completely or partially frusto-conical form in at least one portion so as to provide desirable venting geometry. Said auxiliary lip is bonded to a portion of the primary seal lip adjacent the area at which the primary lip is bonded to the casing of the seal. The seal provides a strong pumping action without providing the potential for drawing a measurable vacuum in the inter-lip area.