Patents Examined by John L. Beres
  • Patent number: 6092811
    Abstract: A hybrid gasket includes a core defining an aperture therein, the core having an outer edge portion and an inner edge portion immediately surrounding the aperture. The gasket further includes a chemically resistant material encapsulating the inner edge portion, and an expanded graphite material encapsulating the outer edge portion. A method of sealing two substantially parallel surfaces includes the steps of interposing between the surfaces a gasket, and securing the surfaces to one another. The gasket including a core defining an aperture therein, the core having an outer edge portion and an inner edge portion immediately surrounding the aperture. The gasket further including a chemically resistant material encapsulating the inner edge portion and an expanded graphite material encapsulating the outer edge portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 1997
    Date of Patent: July 25, 2000
    Assignees: Jamco Products, LLC, Exxon Research and Engineering Co.
    Inventors: Raphael M. Bojarczuk, Roger Dean Paulson
  • Patent number: 6089573
    Abstract: A metal gasket of the invention is used for an internal combustion engine. The gasket is basically formed of one metal plate extending substantially throughout an entire area of the engine to be sealed. The gasket includes a plurality of cylinder bores and a plurality of liquid holes. At least one corrugated bead is formed in the metal plate to be located around at least one of the liquid holes without forming corrugated beads around all of the liquid holes. The corrugated bead is formed at a portion where a surface pressure sufficient to seal around a liquid hole is not obtained.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 1998
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2000
    Assignee: Ishikawa Gasket Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Tsunekazu Udagawa
  • Patent number: 6089572
    Abstract: An improved three layer metal gasket is disclosed incorporating both primary and secondary combustion seals for increased combustion seal area durability. The gasket has three plates, a first plate, a second plate, and a third plate. The first and third plates have opposed sealing beads that form the secondary combustion seal. The first and second plates cooperate to position the primary combustion seal and the secondary combustion seal along a central axis such that in operation the opposed sealing beads compress equally, thereby further improving the durability of the combustion area of the gasket. The gasket may further include a fluid seal. Specialized coatings may be used to enhance the sealability of both primary and secondary combustion seals and the fluid seal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 1998
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2000
    Assignee: Dana Corporation
    Inventor: Tom P. Plunkett
  • Patent number: 6089576
    Abstract: The present invention is an improved gasket for use in a wide variety of sealing applications. The gasket comprises a sheet of expanded polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) that is helically wrapped around itself and sealed in that orientation. This construction produces a gasket that has significant tensile strength in both its longitudinal and transverse axes. As such, the gasket of the present invention retains all of the operational advantages of PTFE while being quite resistant to creep.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 1996
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2000
    Assignee: W. L. Gore & Associates, Inc.
    Inventors: Donald L. Hollenbaugh, Jr., Gordon L. McGregor, Raymond B. Minor
  • Patent number: 6076835
    Abstract: A sealing member for sealing between static members, for example between static members of a gas turbine engine. The seal includes a first annular sealing member which includes a first sealing portion and a flange portion. The first sealing member seals a passageway between static members. The flange portion clamps around a flange of a static member, and also seals a portion of circumferential gaps. The first sealing member cooperates with a second sealing member to seal a passageway. Attached to another leg of the flange portion is a ring.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 1997
    Date of Patent: June 20, 2000
    Assignee: Allison Advanced Development Company
    Inventors: Robert Anthony Ress, Brian Michael Davis
  • Patent number: 6065755
    Abstract: A two-piece interlocked labyrinth seal device for providing a seal between a housing and a shaft formed of two ring members connected to each other by outwardly deforming a connecting portion of the radially inwardly positioned member. The inwardly positioned member further includes a plurality of slingers to assist in slinging fluid out of the seal device and back into the housing. The system can be accurately assembled, with the ring members located very close to each other. The system has improved oil retention and water exclusion properties.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 1997
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2000
    Assignee: JM Clipper Corporation
    Inventor: George Fedorovich
  • Patent number: 6059294
    Abstract: The invention relates to a windscreen wiper mechanism cf the kind having a shaft for driving a windscreen wiper arm which passes through an aperture in the vehicle body with the interposition of a guiding and sealing device, and an outer and inner annular sealing joint. According to the invention, the outer annular sealing joint is produced in one piece with the inner annular sealing joint, and said one-piece sealing joint is adapted to be inserted axially through the aperture prior to the axial clamping of the assembly by means of the clamping nut.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 1996
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2000
    Assignee: Valeo Systems d'Essuyage
    Inventor: Stephane Gorce
  • Patent number: 6056295
    Abstract: A metal laminate gasket of the invention is installed in an internal combustion engine having at least one hole therein. The gasket includes a first metal plate with a base section, and a second metal plate situated above the base section of the first metal plate. The first plate includes a first hole to be sealed, and a flange situated above the base portion around the first hole to form a solid portion. The second plate has a second hole, and an inclined portion around the second hole. The diameter of the second hole is substantially the same as the diameter of the outer edge of the flange. When the first and second plates are assembled, the flange is located inside the second hole. When the gasket is tightened, the flange non-resiliently seals around the hole, and the inclined portion resiliently seals outside the flange.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 1997
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2000
    Assignee: Ishikawa Gasket Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Tsunekazu Udagawa
  • Patent number: 6056293
    Abstract: A sealing assembly for a pump shaft, having a metal supporting structure, and a sealing ring in turn having a main sealing lip and a secondary lip, which extend axially in opposite directions and define an annular cavity together with a lateral surface of the shaft. When undeformed, the diameters of the two lips are such as to respectively determine a predetermined amount of interference and a radial clearance with the shaft. The sealing ring is so formed as to be deformed elastically by the interference fit between the main lip and the shaft, so as to cause the secondary lip to cooperate with the shaft with substantially no interference.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 1997
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2000
    Assignee: RFT S.p.A.
    Inventor: Alberto Visconti
  • Patent number: 6053500
    Abstract: The invention concerns a seal housing for a mechanical seal device. The seal device is arranged within a cavity (6) provided with a spiral notch (11) at its mantle surface for feeding particles in the liquid in a direction away from the seal means (7) and toward an impeller. The spiral notch opening axially toward the impeller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 1996
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2000
    Assignee: ITT Flygt AB
    Inventor: Johan Fondelius
  • Patent number: 6050572
    Abstract: A rotary cartridge seal is provided which includes a cold flowable plastic ring having a body for sealably engaging the housing bore and a lip for sealably engaging a shaft rotating within the housing bore. A separable metal retainer is provided for fixing the plastic ring within the housing bore and around the shaft with the separable metal retainer having a surface of revolution with a rear portion having a radius suitable for press fitting into the housing bore and a front portion of lesser diameter ending therein. An internal groove is provided into the plastic ring body for engaging the ring therein in order to latch the plastic ring and the metal retainer together with residual stress in both the axial and radial directions within the plastic ring due to groove and ring dimensions and shape.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 1998
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2000
    Assignee: Bal Seal Engineering Company, Inc.
    Inventors: Peter J. Balsells, John Schroeder
  • Patent number: 6050570
    Abstract: A seal for separating a viscous lubricant, such as grease, from contaminants in the surrounding environment, includes case having axial and radial walls, a shield located in the case and also having axial and radial walls, a primary seal element attached to the radial wall of the case and establishing two fluid barriers along the axial wall of the shield, and a secondary seal element attached to the radial wall of the shield and establishing another fluid barrier along the axial wall of the case. The primary seal element includes a labyrinth which is spaced slightly away from the axial wall of the shield and contains pumping cavities which drive the lubricant away from the primary seal element when relative rotation exists between the primary seal element and the shield. The primary seal element also has a contact lip provided with inside and outside beveled surfaces which converge toward a band along which the contact lip bears against the axial wall of the shield.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 1998
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2000
    Assignee: The Timken Company
    Inventor: Dennis L. Otto
  • Patent number: 6045137
    Abstract: A radial seal arrangement is disclosed and adapted for use in providing a sealed surface with a shaft. The radial seal arrangement includes an elastomeric member and a metal support member bonded thereto. The elastomeric member includes a first sealing portion that is defined by a lip portion and a second sealing portion defined by a first surface extending at an acute angle from a perpendicular radial surface and a second surface that extends from and is generally perpendicular with the first surface. The metal support member includes a first leg that extends in a linear direction with respect to a reference axis of the seal arrangement and a second leg that extends generally along the perpendicular radial surface. The second leg of the metal support member terminating at a location generally adjacent to the first surface of the second sealing portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 16, 1998
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2000
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: Anthony D. Friend, Joseph M. Vanecko
  • Patent number: 6045133
    Abstract: A sealing arrangement which includes a sealing ring with a support ring extending substantially in the radial direction and is joined in the radial direction on one end to a first sealing element that lies in sealing contact with a first machine element nonrotatably with respect thereto and in a statically sealing manner, and is joined in the radial direction on another end to a second sealing element that is placed against a second machine element rotatably with respect thereto and in a dynamically sealing manner. The first and second sealing elements are each made of an elastomeric material, and the sealing ring has, in order to sense rotational movements of the first machine element about its axis, at least one auxiliary device that can move past a rotational speed sensor. The auxiliary device may be a multipole ring, rotatable together with the first machine element about its axis, that is made of a magnetizable material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 1996
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2000
    Assignee: Firma Carl Freudenberg
    Inventors: Berthold Lannert, Hans-Gerd Eckel, Horst Kober, Stefan Burger
  • Patent number: 6042119
    Abstract: A seal is provided between relatively moving parts 12, 14 and includes plural layers 24 of woven material such as metal, polymer or ceramic materials. The layers are secured to one another and to a first part 22 of the relatively moving first and second parts and extend freely from that first part into engagement with the second part. The woven material layers accommodate shape variations between the parts. In a further form, bristles 38 are disposed between layers of woven material and secured at one end to one part. The free ends of the bristles and the free marginal portion of the woven material project toward the second part in sealing engagement therewith.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 1997
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2000
    Assignee: General Electric Co.
    Inventors: Bharat S. Bagepalli, Robert H. Cromer, Osman S. Dinc, James Maynard
  • Patent number: 6039320
    Abstract: An adjustable sealing device for sealing between rotatable drive shaft, such as a propeller drive shaft, and the aperture in a structure, such as the hull or bulkhead of a vessel, through which the shaft passes. The device is generally rigid and is comprised of an adapter ring, a slide ring, a diaphragm positioned between the adapter ring and the slide ring, a friction ring having one end positioned in the adapter ring and a seal surface engageable with the seal surface of a seal ring rotatable with the shaft, biasing means positioned between the slide ring and the friction ring for urging the seal surfaces together, and a spring cover acting as a seal redundant to the diaphragm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 1997
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2000
    Assignee: Duramax Marine, LLC
    Inventor: George MacDonald
  • Patent number: 6033108
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for sensing temperature within a broad temperature range, includes a fiber optic having an etalon at one end for reflecting light supplied at an opposite end by a pair of light sources operating at different wavelengths. The light sources are either applied to the optical fiber at different times for discriminating between the wavelengths and producing a temperature signal based on the two wavelengths, or the light is simultaneously applied to the optical fiber from both sources and thereafter divided into its component wavelengths before reflected and reference light detectors detect light signals at the different wavelengths. Known etalon/optical fiber based temperature sensors having a usual maximum temperature range of 500.degree. C. are thus modified to increase their range to as much as double this range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 1994
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2000
    Assignee: McDermott Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: John W. Berthold, Larry A. Jeffers
  • Patent number: 6022038
    Abstract: A protector has been invented for positioning in a space between two vehicles, one positioned behind the other the protector including a protective member configured to fit into and substantially fill the space between the two vehicles, and movement apparatus connected to the protective member for accommodating relative movement between the two vehicles. In one aspect the protector is formed of flexible material such as screening, mesh, metal foil, cloth, canvas, fencing, fiberglass, nylon and plastic. In another aspect the protector has a sub-member formed of or secured to the protective member and positioned to protect the protective member from effects of a vehicle exhaust adjacent the protective member when the protector is emplaced between two vehicles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 1998
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2000
    Inventors: Boyce A. Maxwell, Shirley A. Maxwell, D. Diane Nicholas, Sherrill D. Young
  • Patent number: 6017037
    Abstract: A labyrinth seal device formed of a rotor and a stator connected together by an annular protrusion located within a recess. The rotor has a slinger located on the housing side of the rotor/stator interface. The stator has a plurality of alternating annular ridges and grooves which, together with an axial groove, direct fluid back into the housing to which the stator is attached. One of the ridges is positioned within the slinger recess, such that fluid traveling along a shaft to which the rotor is attached is slung off the slinger into the annular groove.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 1997
    Date of Patent: January 25, 2000
    Assignee: J.M. Clipper Corporation
    Inventor: George Fedorovich
  • Patent number: 6007069
    Abstract: A mechanical end face seal for sealing between a housing and a relatively rotating shaft which seal includes a pair of relatively rotating annular rings having seal faces in sealing contact with each other to define a seal interface, with one of the rings adapted to be secured to said shaft for rotation therewith, and the other fixed relative to the housing and one being axially movable toward the other. A generally annular flexible metal diaphragm secured between the axially movable ring and either the housing or shaft includes a generally radial disc-like central portion which defines a plurality of annular convolutions formed by protrusions extending in opposite axial directions. The diaphragm is pressed onto a cylindrical surface on the ring at about the center of mass of the ring. The surface includes a coating of a compound including PTFE, grit and a binder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 1997
    Date of Patent: December 28, 1999
    Assignee: John Crane Inc.
    Inventor: Richard P. Sadowski