Patents Examined by Robert S. Ward, Jr.
  • Patent number: 4413831
    Abstract: A shaft seal device for inhibiting any fluid flow through between two relatively rotating faces, for example, between a casing or the like stationary member and a rotary shaft or the like rotating member extending through the casing or the like stationary member. A cylindrical seal ring member made of elastomeric material is disposed between a rotary ring fluidtightly fitted onto the rotating member and a stationary ring fluidtightly fitted into the stationary member in such a manner that both the end faces thereof come in contact with the corresponding faces of the stationary member and the rotating member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 6, 1983
    Date of Patent: November 8, 1983
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Arai Seisakusho
    Inventors: Akira Washida, Yuji Nakauchi
  • Patent number: 4412684
    Abstract: An arrangement for sealingly closing an opening of a reaction vessel includes a frame member which bounds the opening and a closing member which is movable between a closing position in juxtaposition with, and an opening position at a spacing from the frame member, as well as a sealing arrangement for sealing the gap between these members in the closing position of the closing member. The sealing arrangement includes an inner seal and an outer seal which define a sealing space filled with a preferably inert gaseous medium. The outer seal includes two sealing elements which extend across the gap in the closing position and define between themselves a confining space, and a liquid seal confined in this confining space. At the upper region, the liquid seal may be confined in an upwardly open horizontal channel and at the lower region it may be contained in a trough-shaped receptacle. The sealing liquid of the liquid seal is preferably circulated through the confining space to act as a cooling medium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 1981
    Date of Patent: November 1, 1983
    Assignee: Bergwerksverband GmbH
    Inventor: Hans-Josef Giertz
  • Patent number: 4412683
    Abstract: Apparatus for supplying fluid to a rotary tube uncontaminated with ambient air comprises an end cap having an open ended bore in which an end portion of the tube may be rotatably positioned, a first conduit extending into the end cap through which fluid may be fed into the rotary tube, and a second conduit communicating with the end cap bore through which a purge fluid may be fed into and at least partially through the bore to the exterior of the end cap.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 1982
    Date of Patent: November 1, 1983
    Assignee: Western Electric Company, Inc.
    Inventors: Eugene A. Haney, Fred P. Partus
  • Patent number: 4411439
    Abstract: A sealing member for sealing between a member movable relative to a body or housing. An elastomeric material is mounted in a space formed between the movable member and the housing. The elastomer serves as an initial primary seal at lower pressure differentials, while structure is provided with the sealing member to inhibit elastomer creep or extrusion at increased pressures.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 1982
    Date of Patent: October 25, 1983
    Assignee: Jim Ray Company, Inc.
    Inventors: Paul L. Couvillion, James E. Ray
  • Patent number: 4411436
    Abstract: Spring loaded seals comprised of two resting rings positioned in an annular groove of a piston that are pressed against the upper and lower shoulders of the groove by a corrugated spring fitted therebetween. Each resting ring has at least one free-floating sealing wedge, preferably made of ceramic material, which overlaps the outer peripheral edge thereof for sliding along the cylinder wall wherein the sealing wedges frictionally press against the cylinder wall during the stroke of the piston in one direction and release to more freely slide along the cylinder wall in the other direction. The resting rings and sealing wedges form dry seals, i.e. unlubricated sliding seals, for use in compressor devices which operate at either high or low temperatures.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 1982
    Date of Patent: October 25, 1983
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Army
    Inventor: Peter Durenec
  • Patent number: 4411437
    Abstract: A clearance seal for rotating shafts adapted for use with pillow blocks and the like, in which a series of washers is disposed in a housing of U-shaped cross sectional configuration. The washers are of thin metal and are stacked in face-to-face contact with one another and held in the housing in firm contact by a resilient member such as a wave spring washer. Clearance is provided between the inside diameter of the sealing washers and an inner race, shaft or similar rotating element, and the washers are adapted to move radially relative to one another to adjust to shaft misalignment. The seal is so constructed and arranged that the bearing can be readily purged by the flow of grease through the clearance provided by the seal to provide optimum performance over an extended period of time without interference from contamination.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 1982
    Date of Patent: October 25, 1983
    Assignee: Reliance Electric Company
    Inventor: Roger C. Conti
  • Patent number: 4410189
    Abstract: A ring seal (11) adapted for installation in an annular recess (13) between a housing (15) and a rotating or reciprocating shaft (17). The seal (11) consists of a resilient ring cup member (19) having a ring wedge member (21) inserted in the center recess (25) of the cup member (19) to wedge the opposing lips (29) and (31) of the the cup member (19) outwardly into a sealing relationship. A spring (23) maintains the force against the wedge member (29).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 13, 1982
    Date of Patent: October 18, 1983
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration
    Inventors: William N. Myers, Leopold A. Hein
  • Patent number: 4410190
    Abstract: A moulded seal for a fluid seal arrangement which requires no trimming of the sealing which comprises an elastomeric frusto-conical body part having a sealing lip at its inner face in spaced disposition relative to the lesser diameter end thereof. In use, the space between the sealing lip and the adjacent free end of the body is subjected to an hydrodynamic pumping action away from the lip on displacement of the shaft to reduce fluid pressure in the region of the lip and hence discourage leakage. Various seal arrangements embodying the moulded seal are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 1980
    Date of Patent: October 18, 1983
    Assignee: J. H. Fenner & Co. Ltd.
    Inventor: Charles W. Potter
  • Patent number: 4410188
    Abstract: A double mechanical split seal for easy repair or replacement and with low leakage in hard duty slurry service including two pairs of seal ring assemblies - one stationary and the other rotating - urged together about a shaft by a biasing spring, a drive for the rotating pair, a housing assembly for the seal ring assemblies having fluid pressurizing apparatus so that the tapered seal ring inserts are urged into sealing relation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 1982
    Date of Patent: October 18, 1983
    Inventor: John C. Copes
  • Patent number: 4408769
    Abstract: Stuffing box, comprising two hollow annuli spaced apart and adapted to surround a shaft spaced from it, the annuli having annular flanges projecting towards each other. A flexible tube is provided having its opposite ends seating on the annular flanges and secured thereto in gas-tight manner, and a rigid tube is situated within the flexible tube and spaced radially from it and adapted to surround the shaft and to be spaced from it. A radially inwardly extending flange is provided at one end of the rigid tube, together with packing rings within the rigid tube, and a tubular presser member is situated in the other end of the rigid tube. Means is provided for supporting the presser member and urging it into the rigid tube to compress the packing rings against the flange.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 1982
    Date of Patent: October 11, 1983
    Assignee: Jude Engineering, Inc.
    Inventor: Erland Wolff
  • Patent number: 4408770
    Abstract: A compound oil ring comprises flat rings and a tangential expander provided therebetween. The tangential expander comprises an annular integrally bent serpentine spring having vertically extending webs and horizontally extending flanges terminating in vertically extending bearing shoulders. Each vertically extending flange is bent so as to form at least one bend extending into the interior of the compound oil ring.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 1982
    Date of Patent: October 11, 1983
    Inventors: Rusaam S. Nemets, Vladimir G. Kislov, Efim S. Gorbulev, Ivan A. Koval, Boris S. Eremenko, Felix A. Brainman, Jury M. Kontsov, Anatoly V. Adamovich, Lev A. Burov, Viktor P. Moldavanov
  • Patent number: 4408771
    Abstract: A high pressure sealing connection for sealing between connected coaxially aligned members (22, 10). The connection comprises a metallic sealing ring (40) having annular end surfaces (52, 53) adjacent each end and tapering outwardly therefrom. The ring at its largest external diameter is provided with a cylindrical surface (51) intermediate the frusto-conical sealing surfaces (52, 53). At its inner periphery, upper and lower flanges (61, 62) extend inwardly and perpendicularly to the axis of the ring. The coaxially aligned members (22, 10) are provided with recesses defined by opposed internal frusto-conical sealing surfaces (41, 42) at their adjoining ends, each tapering inwardly from the end of the member to an annular shoulder (43, 44) in the bore of the aligned member. The frusto-conical surfaces (41, 42) are of equal taper in the range of 5.degree. to 20.degree.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 1982
    Date of Patent: October 11, 1983
    Assignee: ACF Industries, Incorporated
    Inventor: William S. Shelton
  • Patent number: 4408766
    Abstract: Rotary seal apparatus for permitting the transfer of fluid under pressure from a stationary housing port to a passage in a spindle rotatably mounted by the housing and then to, for example, a chuck mounted by the spindle, that includes sealing subassemblies on axial opposite sides of the port in fluid sealing relationship with the housing interior, which in conjunction with the spindle and housing provide a seal chamber and form an annular clearance space with the spindle to permit leakage fluid flow from said chamber, and a pair of annular seals mounted in said chamber and on the spindle for limited free axial and radial movement relative one another, the stationary housing and the spindle. The seals each have an internal tapered surface which gives a self centering action when fluid under pressure flows between them and the spindle to eliminate concentricity problems and are axially spaced to form face seals with the adjacent subassembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 1982
    Date of Patent: October 11, 1983
    Assignee: Longyear Australia Pty. Ltd.
    Inventor: Ivor N. Paech
  • Patent number: 4407516
    Abstract: A pressure energizable sealing connection for establishing a bore seal between first and second coaxially aligned and connected members (22, 10) having opposed internal recesses forming seat pockets at their adjoining ends. The invention comprises a sealing ring (40) having annular end surfaces (56, 54) and an internal diameter which corresponds to the bores of the coaxially aligned members (22, 10), the connection of which is to be sealed. The ring (40) is provided with a pair of circumferential projections (67, 68) separated by a groove (69) therebetween and each having an external surface of arcuate configuration. At their adjoining ends (25, 26) the opposed seat pockets of the adjoining members (22, 10) provide annular cylindrical walls (41, 42) for sealing engagement with the annular projections (67, 68) of the sealing ring (40).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 1982
    Date of Patent: October 4, 1983
    Assignee: ACF Industries, Incorporated
    Inventors: Tri C. Le, Bruce P. Noble
  • Patent number: 4407508
    Abstract: A single-pole-piece ferrofluid exclusion seal apparatus and exclusion seal system which comprises a single, annular pole piece to surround a shaft element to be sealed, and an annular permanent magnet secured to one surface of the pole piece in a magnetic-flux relationship, the single pole piece having a one end which extends into a close, noncontacting relationship with the surface of the shaft element to be sealed, to define a small radial gap between the surface of the shaft element and the one end of the pole piece, and a ferrofluid positioned within the radial gap, to provide a ferrofluid seal with the shaft element, the ferrofluid comprising a high magnetization-type ferrofluid, with the magnetic flux path of the single-pole-piece ferrofluid seal extending between the shaft, the ferrofluid in the radial gap, the single pole piece in the permanent magnet and the air gap between the magnet and the shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 1982
    Date of Patent: October 4, 1983
    Assignee: Ferrofluidics Corporation
    Inventors: Kuldip Raj, Raoul Casciari
  • Patent number: 4407514
    Abstract: A packing support assembly (10) which is sleeved about a well casing ("C"), or the like, and secured thereto without the need for piercing the casing wall or welding thereto. The support assembly (10) comprises a support ring (12) which is sleeved about the casing ("C") and secured thereto by a gripping means in the form of a plurality of clamping segments (14) having serrated surfaces (40) adapted to grip the external wall of the casing ("C"). The clamping segments (14) are held in an unactivated position by retaining screws (46) which secure the clamping segments (14) to the support ring (12). To activate, the clamping segments (14) are wedged inwardly to grip the casing ("C") by a plurality of activating pins (54) which are threadably received into the bottom of the support ring (12).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 1982
    Date of Patent: October 4, 1983
    Assignee: ACF Industries, Incorporated
    Inventor: Frederick A. Hausler
  • Patent number: 4407023
    Abstract: A device which is useful in providing a seal around passages wherein a pipe or other plumbing fixture enters a wall. The device has oppositely engageable identical sections which have semicircular notched portions substantially in the center thereof and adapted to be disposed about the pipe or plumbing fixture passing through the wall. Multiple clamping elements are provided to secure the oppositely positioned halves in a substantially parallel and aligned configuration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 1981
    Date of Patent: October 4, 1983
    Inventor: C. W. Norton
  • Patent number: 4407518
    Abstract: A nonbursting ferrofluid seal apparatus and system which comprises an annular permanent magnet and annular first and second pole pieces, one end of the pole pieces defining a single-stage ferrofluid seal under one end of one pole piece and a multiple-stage ferrofluid seal under the one end of the other pole piece with the surface of the shaft element with which the seal is employed, the first and second pole pieces and the magnet defining therebetween an interstage volume between the single-stage ferrofluid seal and the multiple-stage ferrofluid seal, and conduit means extending into the interstage volume, and means to maintain a desired pressure in the stage volume, to maintain the first-stage ferrofluid seal in a stable, nonbursting condition, when the seal apparatus is employed between high- and low-pressure environments.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 5, 1983
    Date of Patent: October 4, 1983
    Assignee: Ferrofluidics Corporation
    Inventors: Ronald Moskowitz, Kuldip Raj, James L. Kern
  • Patent number: 4407509
    Abstract: A hydrodynamic, non-contacting end-face seal for a rotary machine comprises a rotor mounted on the machine shaft and a ring-shaped stator facing the flat and smooth surface of the rotor at a short distance. The stator encloses the machine shaft, is eccentrically positioned in respect of the rotor center, and is urged towards the rotor surface by a helical spring.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 1982
    Date of Patent: October 4, 1983
    Assignee: Technion Research & Development Foundation Ltd.
    Inventor: Izhak Etsion
  • Patent number: 4406466
    Abstract: A plurality of circumferentially spaced pockets are formed in the face of a stationary carbon ring. A rotating seal ring coacts with the pockets in the carbon ring to define a gas lift bearing to thereby reduce the pressure differential and leakage across the carbon ring. Alternatively the spaced pockets can be located in the rotating seal ring.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 1982
    Date of Patent: September 27, 1983
    Assignee: Elliott Turbomachinery Co., Inc.
    Inventor: Carl H. Geary, Jr.