Abstract: A polytetrafluoroethylene seal is provided with surface effect vanes that effect hydrodynamic pumping of oil upon rotation of a shaft about which the seal is disposed.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for loading an array of articles into a front loading molding press. Two pairs of rails and two carriages are utilized to facilitate the various loading movements. The first or lower pair of rails is fixed and slidably mounts the first or lower carriage. The second or upper pair of rails is defined on the lower carriage and slidably mounts the upper carriage. A loading board is carried on the upper carriage and is mounted for up and down movement relative to the upper carriage. A predetermined array of loading heads are positioned on the underside of the loading board and a predetermined array of article holders are positioned between the forward portions of the lower pair of rails.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for loading a front loading molding press in which a loading board is pivoted at one edge on a horizontal pivot shaft which extends into a lower corner of the press opening adjacent one side of the mold in the press. Loading of the press is performed by loading the board with a predetermined array of articles to be molded while the board is in an upwardly pivoted oblique preloading position to one side of the press opening; thereafter pivoting the loaded board downwardly to a loading position directly in front of the press; thereafter sliding the board on the pivot shaft into the press opening to an unloading position directly overlying the mold; and thereafter discharging the articles downwardly onto the mold.

Abstract: A workpiece holder module for handling annular seals comprising a retainer module, a motor positioned beneath the module and having a hollow drive shaft extending upwardly and drivingly into the bottom of the module, and an air supply structure including a hollow column fixedly and centrally positioned beneath the motor with its upper end rotatably and sealingly receiving the lower end of the hollow motor drive shaft. The retainer module includes an upwardly opening cup-shaped casing centrally receiving the upper end of the hollow motor drive shaft, a resilient retainer ring positioned on the upper annular edge of the casing sidewall, and a central plug member secured to the upper end of a central post portion upstanding from the base portion of the casing. The annular seal includes an outer metallic ring adapted to be frictionally retained within the resilient retainer ring and an inner elastomeric ring adapted to seat on the central plug member.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for transferring workpieces to successive work devices. The apparatus comprises concentric turntables mounted for rotation about a common central axis. A series of work devices are mounted on the inner turntable and a series of workpiece holder devices are mounted on the outer turntable. The turntables are rotated in the same direction and in synchronism while the various work devices respectively perform work operations on the various workpieces held in the various workpiece holder devices, whereafter the inner turntable is accelerated and the outer turntable is decelerated until the various workpieces reach a position midway between successive work devices, whereafter the inner turntable is decelerated and the outer turntable is accelerated until the workpieces arrive at positions of alignment with the next successive work devices.

Abstract: A piston seal assembly comprises a seal element of relatively hard material to resist extrusion. The element is of serpentine configuration to facilitate radial expansion. Backup elements nest with the seal element to stabilize the element within a complementary piston groove.

Abstract: An oil seal element and method of manufacture thereof from polytetrafluoroethylene or the like. A tubular billet having concentric inner and outer cylindrical surfaces is provided with a frusto-conical end face. Arcuate slits of varying depth and angle are cut in the end face of the billet at each of a plurality of angularly spaced positions. Indexing of the billet is synchronized with rotation of the slitting tool. A disk of desired thickness having arcuate slits on one of its faces is then sliced from the billet, thereby also facing the billet for the next slitting sequence.

Abstract: A polytetrafluoroethylene seal with intersecting arcuate slitted grooves to effect bi-directional hydrodynamic pumping of oil due to rotation of a shaft about which the seal is disposed.

Abstract: The disclosure relates to a method of manufacturing an oil seal element from polytetrafluoroethylene and the like. A tubular billet having concentric inner and outer cylindrical surfaces is faced off at one end. An arcuate slit is cut in the end face of the billet at each of a plurality of angularly spaced positions. Indexing of the billet is synchronized with rotation of the slitting tool. A disk of desired thickness having arcuate slits on one of its faces is then sliced from the billet, thereby also facing the billet for the next slitting sequence.

Abstract: A lip seal comprising a uniformly thin wafer of adjacent radical concentric sections of polytetrafluoroethylene and an elastomer, which elastomer is attached to a rigid annular member for mounting the seal. The polytetrafluoroethylene annular lip sealing portion may be either on the inner or outer circumference of the washer-shaped annular seal, and the rigid annular supporting member may be of a plastic or metal which is bonded and/or clamped to the elastomeric annular portion. The polytetrafluoroethylene annular portion of the wafer seal may be slit, grooved and/or formed to improve its flexibility and/or sealing action.The combination polytetrafluoroethylene and elastomer wafers are formed by first fabricating a polytetrafluoroethylene tube or rod having a wall thickness corresponding at least to the radial thickness of the resulting washer, and then etching at least one of the cylindrical surfaces of this tube or rod to which the elastomer is next bonded in a mold.

Abstract: A one-piece oil seal and boot seal including an oil seal portion with a sealing lip and a boot sleeve portion with at least one dust lip and preferably with both an intermediate dust lip and an outer dust lip. The one-piece construction overcomes the need for a separate assembly operation.

Abstract: An annular shaft seal and method for sealing the shaft of a water pump used with coolants containing anti-corrosion compounds that can precipitate out as particles that can cause wear of shaft and seal. The shaft seal of this invention has a primary sealing element and a unique auxiliary sealing element. The unique auxiliary sealing element has a large lip contact width and is located axially inwardly of the primary sealing element for causing the anti-corrosion compounds to precipitate out at a location axially inwardly from the primary sealing element and over a larger than normal area thus reducing shaft wear due to lower unit loading. The seal also includes means for preventing the precipitated-out particles from reaching the shaft-contacting lip of the primary sealing element.

Abstract: A method and device for quickly testing the sealing effectiveness of a shaft seal of the type having a radial shaft-engaging lip. A rotatable test shaft has an outer periphery preferably slightly smaller than the shaft for which the seal lip is designed, and the lip of the seal to be tested engages that periphery. The shaft centerline has a predetermined degree of offset from its own axis of rotation, so that the seal lip is subjected to a predetermined shaft runout when the test shaft is rotated at a desired speed. A stationary means supports the seal in a normally leak-tight manner and cooperates with the test shaft and seal to provide a chamber. Air is sent under a desired pressure to the chamber, and it is determined whether there is leakage of air from said chamber.