Patents by Inventor Alan James Roddis
Alan James Roddis has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).
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Patent number: 9897213Abstract: A flow inducing ring for a mechanical seal includes a body portion having a first edge face and a second edge face, and at least one first groove extending both axially and circumferentially in one direction across the body portion from the first edge face to the second edge face. At least one second groove extends both axially and circumferentially in an opposite direction across the body portion from the first edge face to the second edge face. Each of the first groove and the second groove includes an entry portion, configured to draw a barrier fluid into the groove from the first edge face, and an exit portion, that is configured to expel barrier fluid from the groove to the second edge face and to impede the drawing of barrier fluid into the groove from the second edge face. The first and second grooves preferably have substantially constant cross-sections throughout the entirety of their lengths for enhanced uniform fluid flow.Type: GrantFiled: October 7, 2010Date of Patent: February 20, 2018Assignee: AES Engineering Ltd.Inventors: Alan James Roddis, Easa Taheri-Oskouei
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Patent number: 9470315Abstract: A seal support system, or a kit therefor, for use with a sealing device to seal a piece of industrial equipment, includes a stand with fixed support elements for accommodating selected functional components with different sizes of components being accommodated by differently sized pipework elements. The stand has one or more substantially fixed brackets with each bracket having a component securing device at predetermined longitudinal space intervals.Type: GrantFiled: April 29, 2010Date of Patent: October 18, 2016Assignee: AES Engineering Ltd.Inventors: Christopher John Rea, Stephen Martin Shaw, Andrew Colverson, Alan James Roddis
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Patent number: 9010494Abstract: A lubrication apparatus for lubricating a surface of at least one component of a piece of equipment, which includes a lubrication mist generating unit in which air and a lubricant are combined to form a lubricant mist. A device is included for directly connecting the lubrication mist generating unit to the equipment at a position adjacent the surface to be lubricated.Type: GrantFiled: June 20, 2006Date of Patent: April 21, 2015Assignee: AES Engineering Ltd.Inventor: Alan James Roddis
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Patent number: 8955848Abstract: A mechanical seal includes an elastomeric member, a spring biasing device, a longitudinally floating first member, a longitudinally non-floating second member and a longitudinally floating seal face. The elastomeric member is in a sealing engagement with the seal face. The first and second members and the spring biasing device are longitudinally positioned between the seal face and the second member. The first member and the second member are longitudinally restrained and rotationally coupled by at least one substantially male radially protruding portion in one of the members engaging in at least one substantially female portion in the other member of the two members. The first and second members are arranged for a sealing engagement with the seal face in a single seal utilizing the elastomeric member, or with the seal face and an additional seal face in a double seal utilizing an additional elastomeric member.Type: GrantFiled: November 24, 2008Date of Patent: February 17, 2015Assignee: AES Engineering Ltd.Inventor: Alan James Roddis
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Patent number: 8939413Abstract: A seal support system for a device for sealing an item of rotating equipment, including a device for generating air movement, includes a vessel for holding fluid for supplying to the sealing device. The system further includes an adjustable stand on which the vessel is mounted and a device for deflecting air along a path into which the vessel can be positioned.Type: GrantFiled: November 18, 2009Date of Patent: January 27, 2015Assignee: AES Engineering Ltd.Inventor: Alan James Roddis
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Publication number: 20120235358Abstract: A seal support system, or a kit therefor, for use with a sealing device to seal a piece of industrial equipment, includes a stand with fixed support elements for accommodating selected functional components with different sizes of components being accommodated by differently sized pipework elements. The stand has one or more substantially fixed brackets with each bracket having a component securing device at predetermined longitudinal space intervals.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 29, 2010Publication date: September 20, 2012Inventors: Christopher John Rea, Stephen Martin Shaw, Andrew Colverson, Alan James Roddis
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Patent number: 8056902Abstract: An isolator seal includes a stator member for placement into the stator of rotating equipment and a rotor member for placement onto a rotary shaft of the rotating equipment. The stator member and the rotor member provide respective adjacent surfaces, while a static shut-off device engages both adjacent surfaces when the rotor member is static and disengages one or more of the surfaces when the rotor member is dynamic. In one embodiment of the invention at least one of the surfaces is inclined to the longitudinal axis at an angle greater or less than 90°.Type: GrantFiled: May 10, 2010Date of Patent: November 15, 2011Assignee: AES Engineering Ltd.Inventors: Alan James Roddis, Andrew Colverson
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Patent number: 8047548Abstract: An alignment apparatus includes a first stator, located in a stator of a piece of rotating equipment, and a second stator couplingly connected to the first stator and able to be angularly rotated relative to the first stator. The second stator can seal an interface between a shaft and housing in the piece of rotating equipment. The alignment apparatus permits angular misalignment between a stator, a housing and a rotor shaft, and may be used, for example, in a bearing protector or an isolator installed on a Pillow Box.Type: GrantFiled: March 22, 2007Date of Patent: November 1, 2011Assignee: AES Engineering Ltd.Inventor: Alan James Roddis
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Publication number: 20110236239Abstract: A liquid containing apparatus includes a first vessel for containing a main body of liquid and a second vessel, which is in fluid communication with, and located below, the first vessel. The second vessel has means for draining liquid therefrom and a vessel wall allowing the liquid within the vessel to be viewed. The liquid containing apparatus may be, for example, a support system for a mechanical seal in which a vessel contains a reservoir of a liquid, such as water, for providing a barrier or cooling fluid to the seal.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 25, 2010Publication date: September 29, 2011Inventors: Marthinus Petrus Conway, Alan James Roddis
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Publication number: 20110227290Abstract: A flow inducing ring for a mechanical seal includes a body portion having a first edge face and a second edge face, and at least one first groove extending both axially and circumferentially in one direction across the body portion from the first edge face to the second edge face. At least one second groove extends both axially and circumferentially in an opposite direction across the body portion from the first edge face to the second edge face. Each of the first groove and the second groove includes an entry portion, configured to draw a barrier fluid into the groove from the first edge face, and an exit portion, that is configured to expel barrier fluid from the groove to the second edge face and to impede the drawing of barrier fluid into the groove from the second edge face. The first and second grooves preferably have substantially constant cross-sections throughout the entirety of their lengths for enhanced uniform fluid flow.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 7, 2010Publication date: September 22, 2011Inventors: Alan James Roddis, Easa Taheri-Oskouei
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Patent number: 8011668Abstract: The present invention provides a modular gland member for use in a mechanical seal, wherein the gland member has a radially or axially extending cavity adjacent to a seal face, and the cavity includes a solid or fluid thermal conducting member to dissipate heat from the seal face into the surrounding components.Type: GrantFiled: October 18, 2005Date of Patent: September 6, 2011Assignee: AES Engineering LtdInventor: Alan James Roddis
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Patent number: 7905496Abstract: A seal device, which accommodates axial displacement between a housing and shaft of an item of rotating equipment, includes a stator which locates into the housing of a piece of rotating equipment. A first rotor locates on the shaft of the rotating equipment and a second rotor is rotationally coupled to the first rotor with the first rotor being permitted to axially float with respect to the second rotor. The device provides sealing integrity when the shaft is both idle and operational. The sealing device may be used, for instance, in a double ended centrifugal pump where shaft displacement occurs from thermal expansion.Type: GrantFiled: April 18, 2007Date of Patent: March 15, 2011Assignee: AES Engineering Ltd.Inventor: Alan James Roddis
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Patent number: 7857321Abstract: A bearing seal device has an air purge mechanism that includes a rotor connected to the shaft of a piece of rotating equipment and a stator connected to the housing for the rotating equipment. An air passage extends between an inlet and an outlet and is at least partially defined by circumferentially extending stator and/or rotor surfaces. Preferably, the stator incorporates an orifice, which permits the attachment of an air supply line. The air purge mechanism may include a self-compensating air supply regulator device, located adjacent a circumferential air distribution cavity and substantially adjacent to one or more atmospheric communication orifices. The bearing seal device provides sealing integrity when the shaft is both idle and operational.Type: GrantFiled: April 19, 2007Date of Patent: December 28, 2010Assignee: AES Engineering Ltd.Inventor: Alan James Roddis
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Patent number: 7789395Abstract: An isolator device, which may be a bearing seal or a bearing isolator, for use hindering fluid flow between components which are rotating relative to each other about a longitudinal axis, the flow being in one direction parallel to this axis, includes a stator for securing to a rotary fixed one of the components and a rotor for securing to a relatively rotating one of the components. The stator has a surface which extends longitudinally and adjacent to a surface of a component, which rotates relative to the stator. The fluid flow is between the two surfaces and the stator surface is non-parallel to the adjacent component surface and is shaped to promote fluid flow in a direction opposing the general fluid flow direction.Type: GrantFiled: August 4, 2006Date of Patent: September 7, 2010Assignee: AES Engineering LimitedInventor: Alan James Roddis
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Publication number: 20100219585Abstract: An isolator seal includes a stator member for placement into the stator of rotating equipment and a rotor member for placement onto a rotary shaft of the rotating equipment. The stator member and the rotor member provide respective adjacent surfaces, while a static shut-off device engages both adjacent surfaces when the rotor member is static and disengages one or more of the surfaces when the rotor member is dynamic. In one embodiment of the invention at least one of the surfaces is inclined to the longitudinal axis at an angle greater or less than 90°.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 10, 2010Publication date: September 2, 2010Inventors: Alan James Roddis, Andrew Colverson
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Publication number: 20100201075Abstract: An isolator sealing device includes a stator, which locates into a housing of a piece of rotating equipment, and a rotor which radially locates onto a rotary shaft of the piece of rotating equipment. The rotor and stator have one or more adjacent surfaces facing a labyrinth seal and a lip seal which sealingly engages the stator or the rotor when the equipment is idle and sealingly disengages the stator or the rotor when the equipment is operational.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 24, 2008Publication date: August 12, 2010Inventors: Alan James Roddis, Andrew Colverson
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Publication number: 20100193295Abstract: A lubrication apparatus for lubricating a surface of at least one component of a piece of equipment, which includes a lubrication mist generating unit in which air and a lubricant are combined to form a lubricant mist. A device is included for directly connecting the lubrication mist generating unit to the equipment at a position adjacent the surface to be lubricated.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 20, 2006Publication date: August 5, 2010Inventor: Alan James Roddis
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Publication number: 20100187764Abstract: A seal cavity throat bushing, for use with rotating fluid equipment having a seal cavity, is defined by a rotary shaft having an axis. The shaft housing surrounds at least a portion of the shaft and a sealing device engages the shaft and the housing at one end of the cavity. The bushing includes an annular element, which is adapted for a tight fit in a housing at the entrance to the cavity opposite the one end. The annular element has a radially outer cylindrical surface for contacting a cavity wall of the housing and a radially cylindrical surface having a diameter greater than that of the shaft to define a gap there-between.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 18, 2008Publication date: July 29, 2010Inventor: Alan James Roddis
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Publication number: 20100181730Abstract: A non-contacting sealing device for a bearing includes a labyrinth seal with a static shut-off device. The non-contacting sealing, or isolator, device includes stator, a rotor and the static shut-office device, which includes at least one deformable toroidal member adjacent to the stator surface and adjacent to the rotor surface. The deformable toroidal member engages both the stator surface and the rotor surface when the rotor is static and disengages at least one of the stator surface and the rotor surface when the rotor is operational. The seal may be an integral part of the bearing, or a substantially attachable member to a bearing.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 13, 2008Publication date: July 22, 2010Inventor: Alan James Roddis
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Patent number: 7748715Abstract: A bearing seal includes a radially split stator and a rotor. The rotor is enclosed within the stator along the internal length of the rotor. The rotor may, optionally, also be radially split.Type: GrantFiled: June 20, 2007Date of Patent: July 6, 2010Assignee: AES Engineering Ltd.Inventor: Alan James Roddis