Patents by Inventor James P. Netzel

James P. Netzel 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).

  • Patent number: 6210107
    Abstract: This invention relates to barrier seal systems for sealing the annular space between a housing and a rotating shaft which extends through a bore in the housing. The seal system has inboard and outboard mechanical end face seals. The inboard seal faces have spiral grooves for pumping a buffer fluid from a buffer chamber between the two seals toward the high pressure side of the inboard seal. The primary ring of the inboard seal may be double balanced. For high pressure applications, the buffer fluid may be pressurized and a pumping ring may be included in the outboard seal to circulate buffer fluid. High pressure applications also require two hard seal rings and optimum dam and face widths. Buffer fluid can be supplied to the seal system by a reservoir connected by a gravity feed line. A buffer fluid containment device may be attached to the high pressure side of the seal to prevent process fluid from contaminating the seal faces or secondary seals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 1995
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2001
    Assignee: John Crane Inc.
    Inventors: Douglas J. Volden, Richard Hosanna, James P. Netzel
  • Patent number: 5713576
    Abstract: A double, back to back oriented mechanical end face seal arrangement for use in sealing pumps or other devices used in fluid transfer of toxic or corrosive fluid has an intermediate buffer fluid chamber into which a relatively inert gas, such as nitrogen, is provided for use as a buffer fluid, and is maintained at a pressure which exceeds the process fluid pressure by at least 10 p.s.i. Each seal has a primary ring and a mating ring with gap maintaining means, such as spiral pumping grooves, formed in one of the rings which are shaped and dimensioned to pump the buffer gas through the first seal from the intermediate chamber into the process fluid chamber against the process fluid pressure and through the second seal from the intermediate chamber into the environment external to the housing and sealing area, thus avoiding the escape of the process fluid into the intermediate buffer chamber and thereby to the atmosphere.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 1994
    Date of Patent: February 3, 1998
    Assignee: John Crane Inc.
    Inventors: James R. Wasser, Douglas J. Volden, James P. Netzel
  • Patent number: 5375853
    Abstract: A double, back to back oriented mechanical end face seal for use in sealing toxic or corrosive fluids having an intermediate buffer fluid chamber into which a relatively inert gas, such as nitrogen, is provided for use as a buffer fluid. The nitrogen gas is maintained at a pressure which exceeds the process fluid pressure by at least 10 p.s.i. and, in a preferred embodiment, spiral pumping grooves in the mating rings of each of the seals are shaped and dimensioned to pump the nitrogen buffer gas through the first seal from the intermediate chamber into the process fluid chamber and through the second seal from the intermediate chamber into the environment external to the housing and sealing area, thereby avoiding the escape of the process fluid into the intermediate buffer chamber and to the atmosphere. Contamination of the process fluid by the buffer gas may be tolerated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 1992
    Date of Patent: December 27, 1994
    Assignee: John Crane Inc.
    Inventors: James R. Wasser, Douglas J. Volden, James P. Netzel
  • Patent number: 5249812
    Abstract: This invention relates to barrier seal systems for sealing the annular space between a housing and a rotating shaft which extends through a bore in the housing. The seal system has inboard and outboard mechanical end face seals. The inboard seal faces have spiral grooves for pumping a buffer fluid from a buffer chamber between the two seals toward the high pressure side of the inboard seal. The primary ring of the inboard seal may be double balanced. For high pressure applications, the buffer fluid may be pressurized and a pumping ring may be included in the outboard seal to circulate buffer fluid. High pressure applications also require two hard seal rings and optimum dam and face widths. Buffer fluid can be supplied to the seal system by a reservoir connected by a gravity feed line. A buffer fluid containment device may be attached to the high pressure side of the seal to prevent process fluid from contaminating the seal faces or secondary seals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 1990
    Date of Patent: October 5, 1993
    Assignee: John Crane Inc.
    Inventors: Douglas J. Volden, Richard Hosanna, James P. Netzel
  • Patent number: 4768790
    Abstract: A mechanical seal for use between a housing and a rotatable shaft supported by the housing, having adjacent annular primary and mating sealing rings, each ring having a generally radial sealing face. Means seals and holds the first sealing ring nonrotatably relative to the housing, and means seals and holds the second sealing ring to rotate with the shaft. One sealing ring is movable axially of the shaft, and springs urge this one ring toward the other sealing ring, which is axially fixed relative to the shaft. The axially moveable seal ring is centered coaxially with respect to the axis of the seal ring through engagement of a centering element which is centered relative to the shaft and which engages the axially moveable sealing ring to center it relative to the shaft. The centering element engages the axially moveable sealing ring to effect such centering at the periphery of the axially moveable ring exposed to the pressurized fluid to be sealed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 1987
    Date of Patent: September 6, 1988
    Assignee: John Crane-Houdaille, Inc.
    Inventors: James P. Netzel, Mark G. Pospisil
  • Patent number: 4669738
    Abstract: A package seal particularly suited to pumps or other applications having a drive shaft which terminates internally of a housing at its connection to the impeller or fluid working element. In such an apparatus partial disassembly of the components provides access to the free end of the drive shaft. The package seal has an outer member adapted to be disposed coaxially on the rotatable shaft and pass through the housing bore. The outer member includes a mounting flange adapted to be secured in the interior of the housing and a cylindrical body adapted to extend axially along the rotatable shaft from the seal flange to the exterior of the housing. The cylindrical body houses the seal components which provide a fluid tight seal between the housing and shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 1985
    Date of Patent: June 2, 1987
    Assignee: John Crane-Houdaille, Inc.
    Inventor: James P. Netzel
  • Patent number: 4377290
    Abstract: A symmetrical package seal containing two balanced end face seals, the stationary components being adapted for use with shafts of different sizes. In addition, the package seal has means for centering the rotating components relative to the stationary components, for aligning the sealing faces parallel contact, and for bleeding fluid from the chamber formed by the end face seals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 1982
    Date of Patent: March 22, 1983
    Assignee: John Crane-Houdaille, Inc.
    Inventor: James P. Netzel