Abstract: A mechanical shaft seal includes stationary and rotary assemblies providing mating seating faces 3, 11 such that first and second fluids are kept separate from each other. A barrier fluid system provides a third fluid between the first and second fluids and a flow inducer 13 promotes axial flow of the barrier fluid in the desired direction irrespective of the direction of rotation of the rotary assembly.

Abstract: A rotary ring has a seal end face located at an end of the axial line direction thereof perpendicularly to the axial line and an anti-seal end face located at the other end thereof in the axial line direction, wherein the seal end face and the seal end face of a fixed ring slide each other through a subject to be sealed. The cross-sectional shape of the rotary ring is made asymmetric with respect to right and left by forming a step around the outer peripheral portion thereof so that the center of gravity of the rotary ring is located at a position nearer to the anti-seal end face than the center of the plate thickness thereof. With this arrangement, the convex deformation made to the seal end face by the deformation of the rotary ring due to heat is canceled by the concave deformation made to the seal end face by a large amount of centrifugal force acting on the anti-seal end face. Accordingly, the rotary ring exhibits a stable sealing property.

Abstract: A mechanical rotary seal that produces a positive drive force so that all components of the seal rotate in unison upon a rotating shaft. The mechanical rotating seal effects a tight fluid seal between a submersible pump housing and a rotating shaft when the mechanical rotary seal is engaged with a stationary seal or element within the submersible pump housing. The mechanical rotary seal comprises a seal housing, a retainer having a seal face for engaging with the stationery seal and a coil spring between the seal housing and the retainer.

Abstract: A bi-direction rotatable face seal with spiral grooves is provided comprising: a rotating ring with a sealing face sealed and fixed on a rotary shaft; a stationary ring with a sealing face mounted in a casing, which is sealed and axially aligned by means of an elastomeric O-ring, a thrust ring, springs and anti-rotating pins; the sealing face of the stationary ring is pushed into engagement with the sealing face of the rotating ring to form a sealing interface; sealing fluid is located on high pressure side of the sealing interface; the rotating ring can rotate relative to the stationary ring in bi-direction without contact.

Abstract: A sealing arrangement is provided between a rotary drum kiln and the stationary end thereof arranged in a material flow relation to each other, having enhanced effectiveness and requiring less maintenance. Pressurized gas, such as air, is fed to the connecting area of the drum and stationary end so that the angle &agr; between the feeding direction of the gas and a plane substantially perpendicular to the center axis of the rotary drum is 90° or less (preferably between about 10-30°). The air flow is directed to the seal in such a way that it prevents leaking of process gas and solid matter dust from the connecting point of the rotary drum and the feed chamber, and so that as little air as possible escapes to the surroundings. Due to the gas flow, the stationary surface and the moving surface substantially do not rub together.

Abstract: A sealing assembly for a rotatable shaft, comprising means to generate pressure differentials and temperature through pumping action and means to seal fluid, for example of the non-contact helical groove type. Sealing means are positioned outboard of pumping means. Fluid in liquid form is heated and depressurized on passage through pumping means of vortex or viscous shear type, thereby changed from liquid to gas. Gasified fluid is then sealed by sealing means for low leakage operation.

Abstract: A sealing device for sealing a cavity (40) that can be rotated around a rotational axis (A) and including at least two sealing areas separated from each other by at least one intermediate zone (Z1 to Z3); two sealing faces (20, 21 to 24, 30, 31 to 33, 41, 71 to 74) continuously extending around the rotational axis and slidingly movable over each other upon rotation of the cavity (40), and at least one connection (A1 to A3, B1 to B3) for charging, discharging, or passing fluids into, out of, or through the at least one intermediate zone, respectively.

Abstract: A shaft seal comprising a sealing element (2), rotary sealing part (4) mounted coaxially with the sealing element and forming therewith a contactless primary seal between opposed faces of the sealing element (2) and rotary sealing part (4) to substantially prevent fluid flow across the primary seal from a high pressure radial side to a low-pressure radial side, a seal housing (8), an annular pusher disc (9) disposed about a forwardly extending sleeve portion (8a) of the seal housing and coaxially with the sealing element (2), biasing means (10) acting on the pusher disc (9) to urge the sealing element axially towards the rotary sealing part (4), and a first sealing member (12″) disposed between the pusher disc (9) and the forwardly extending sleeve portion (8a) in communication with the high-pressure radial side to provide a secondary seal between the high-pressure and low-pressure radial sides.

Abstract: A mechanical face seal comprising two seal rings for use in water pumps and other fluids, including a resilient bellows for providing a secondary seal between one seal ring and either a housing or a rotating shaft extending through an aperture in the housing. The resilient bellows preferably comprises an elastomeric material, such as molded rubber, and has a single convolution having a general cross-sectional shape of an inverted “omega.” A finger spring member comprises a plurality of generally “U” shaped spring fingers which are adapted and deformed upon installation to provide an axial biasing force against the seal ring attached to the resilient bellows so as to urge it toward the other ring.

Abstract: A face seal device for use with components rotating at a high rotational speed includes a non-rotating face seal ring (5) and a rotary face seal ring (11). The rotary face seal ring is mounted in a loose fit for common rotation with a rotating component and includes a sealing face (6) which, in operation, is essentially radially aligned for cooperation with an opposite sealing face (16) of the non-rotating face seal ring. A heavy-mass-contributing element (22) is arranged to rotate in common with the rotating component and engages a portion of the rotary face seal ring. The center of gravity of the heavy-mass-contributing element is axially spaced from that of the rotary face seal ring, whereby, in operation, a torque directed towards the non-rotating face seal ring is applied to the rotary face seal ring. This torque arises from the centrifugal forces that correspond to the mass-contributing element and the spacing between the centers of gravity.

Abstract: A bearing isolator seal having a shaft seal assembly that includes a stator housing comprising two components, an interior and an exterior component, the two stator housing components being selectively connectable, and axially positionable (relative to the radial faces of the rotor), disconnectable via screw threads on similar structures formed thereon to enable a perishable rotor component to be readily replaced with the stator components being reusable with a new rotor, the assembled stator housing, having an inner radially extending face with a pair of spaced concentric annular flanges of substantially frusto-conical shape extending from a larger diameter end that is fixed to the inner radially extending face to a smaller diameter free end, and a rotor having a peripherally extending radial flange that is fixed to a hub of the rotor and has a contact sealing surface that contacts the free end of the annular flanges of the stator housing.

Abstract: A shaft seal is disclosed comprising a sealing element (2), a rotary sealing part (4) mounted coaxially with the sealing element and forming therewith a contactless primary seal between opposed faces of the sealing element (2) and rotary sealing part (4) to substantially prevent fluid flow across the primary seal from a high-pressure radial side to a low-pressure radial side, a seal housing (8), a pusher sleeve (9) disposed, between the seal housing and the sealing element, coaxially with and in contact with the sealing element (2), biasing means (10) urging the pusher sleeve (9) away from the seal housing (8) and against the sealing element (2) to urge the sealing element axially towards the rotary sealing member (14), and a first sealing member (12) disposed about the pusher sleeve (9) and located, in a channel (14), in communication with the high-pressure radial side to provide a secondary seal for the pusher sleeve (9) between the high-pressure and low-pressure radial sides.

Abstract: A seal system for a motor pump unit includes a primary and a plurality of backup seals mounted in series within a seal housing. The primary seal is of a hydrostatic type and each of the backup seals is of a normally closed hydrodynamic type. Each of the primary and backup seals has a secondary seal between an axially movable seal ring thereof and the fixed seal housing, and at least one of these secondary seals is a spring-loaded, split piston ring seal. Two of the backup seals are of the Rayleigh type, where the Rayleigh pockets are formed in the seal runner, and the sealing dam is formed on the axially movable seal ring. An insert is provided in the runner of one of the backup seals, which insert is formed from a relatively harder material than the material forming the sealing dam. The other Rayleigh-type backup seal has pumping grooves extending downwardly and inwardly through the runner and toward the shaft to pump liquid into the Rayleigh pockets to ensure proper seal operation.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a rotary air coupling that distributes air to tires mounted on a rotating hub of a driven axle. The coupling is positioned adjacent the parking brake of a rear disk brake configuration. In the preferred design, the rotary member is connected to the hub and rotor assembly via rotor mounting bolts and a stationary component is disposed on the axle tube to provide a rotary air coupling that minimizes change to existing wheel assemblies.

Abstract: In the seal gland in a rotating cone drill bit, the O-ring is initially compressed between the journal and a central portion of the gland which has a cross-section parallel to the journal. These two concentric surfaces provide a minimum amount of contact pressure for a given amount of squeeze than other configurations. Chamfers connect the central portion to the sidewalls of the gland, so that after the seal has worn in use, it will ride up onto the chamfers, where additional squeeze to the seal. This allows the seal to operate in a standard regime during the first part of its lifetime and to automatically shift to a more compressed mode as the seal wears.

Abstract: A rotary seal assembly including a first member having a sealing face and a second member having a sealing face with a number of pumping grooves therein. At least a first set of pumping grooves stating proximate a center portion of the sealing face and extending outward and at least a second set of pumping grooves starting proximate the center portion of the sealing face and extending inward to direct fluid fed to the center portion of the sealing face simultaneously both inwardly and outwardly from the center portion of the sealing face to provide a uniform fluid film thickness between the sealing faces of the first and second members when one sealing face cones due to thermal and/or pressure effects.

Abstract: An improved mechanical seal assembly is provided for sealing rotating shafts with respect to their shaft housings, wherein the rotating shafts are subject to substantial axial vibrations. The mechanical seal assembly generally includes a rotating sealing ring fixed to the shaft, a non-rotating sealing ring adjacent to and in close contact with the rotating sealing ring for forming an annular seal about the shaft, and a mechanical diode element that applies a biasing force to the non-rotating sealing ring by means of hemispherical joint. The alignment of the mechanical diode with respect to the sealing rings is maintained by a series of linear bearings positioned axially along a desired length of the mechanical diode. Alternative embodiments include mechanical or hydraulic amplification components for amplifying axial displacement of the non-rotating sealing ring and transferring it to the mechanical diode.

Abstract: A gas seal construction for use on a pump to create a seal between a relatively rotatable pump shaft and housing. A flow barrier arrangement is disposed in close surrounding relationship to the shaft and cooperates with the surrounding housing axially between the seal and the pump chamber for minimizing ingress of pump liquid into the seal chamber during both static and dynamic conditions. The barrier arrangement includes an annular barrier member nonrotatably secured to the shaft and cooperating with an annular shroud which is secured to the housing. The barrier member and shroud have opposed truncated conical surfaces which define a narrow annular passage therebetween which slopes outwardly away from the seal chamber toward the pumping chamber and, at the large diameter end thereof, communicates with an annular sealing zone or dam which is defined between the relatively rotatable barrier member and housing for further restricting ingress of pumping fluid into the seal chamber.

Abstract: A high sealability mechanical seal which has a small-volume mating ring, which highly efficiently transmits the shaft's revolving force to the mating ring, and which has a minimal load variation on the sliding face. The gist of the present invention is in a mechanical seal where the bellows is made of rubber; a coiled wave spring which is a spirally wound narrow thin strip is interposed in a compressed state between the end of the seal ring side of the bellows and a middle wall of the roughly U-shaped cross-sectional cartridge; and the other end of the bellows is mounted, on the inner circumferential side of the coiled wave spring, via a driving band in the inner circumferential casing of said roughly U-shaped cross-sectional cartridge.

Abstract: A mechanical seal having two balance diameters and balance factors established separately and freely for two fluids which are opposed at a sealing face by providing two seal packings with a seal ring. A sidewall of a packing groove is removed on the sealed fluid side when the sealed fluid contains crystal deposits or solid substances, and a vacuum path is connected between the two seal packings. Also, a seal ring can be divided between the two seal packings into two parts so as to provide flexibility against deflection in a radial direction.

Abstract: A split mechanical face seal that provides fluid sealing between a housing and a rotating shaft includes first and second seal rings each having at least two seal ring segments and a radially extending seal face. The seal ring faces of the seal rings are opposed to one another. One of the seal rings is connected to the rotating shaft to rotate therewith, while the other seal ring is connected to the housing. The split seal also includes a continuous, circumferential groove formed in the seal face of the first seal ring for introducing a fluid to the seal faces of the first and second seal rings to establish a seal therebetween. A split support member having at least two support segments for coupling the first seal ring to the housing or the rotating shaft is also provided. The split face seal is operable as both a contacting and a non-contacting mechanical face seal.

Abstract: In a metal to metal face seal assembly, a metal ring seal has a J-shaped cross-section with the hook portion of the ring seal forming an annular notch which receives and restrains a resilient load ring.

Abstract: A split face seal that provides fluid sealing between a housing and a rotating shaft includes first and second seal rings each having at least two seal ring segments and a radially extending seal face. The seal ring faces of the seal rings are opposed to one another. One of the seal rings is connected to the rotating shaft to rotate therewith, while the other seal ring is connected to the housing. The split seal also includes a mechanism for introducing a fluid to the seal faces of the first and second seal rings and a split support member having at least two support segments for radially supporting the first seal ring to inhibit radial separation of the seal ring segments of the first seal ring.

Abstract: The invention is a mechanical seal assembly for use between a stationary body and a rotating shaft. The seal assembly includes a stationary element, a rotating biasing element and a rotating tensioning element. The rotating biasing element is sealed to the rotating shaft utilizing an o-ring seal. The tensioning member is rigidly mounted to said shaft using an interference fit backed up by set screws or the equivalent. The stationary assembly is centered about the shaft and rigidly fastened to the stationary body. Either the stationary element or the rotating follower element may hold packing in a radial packing groove, as a sealing medium. An axial biasing force provided by coil springs (or other compressive means) on the periphery of the rotating follower plate and secured by the rotating tensioning element insures intimate contact of the packing medium to the stationary element and rotating biasing element sealing face, thus providing a fluid tight seal.

Abstract: A dual cartridge seal includes first and second rotary seals each formed by a stationary sealing ring and a rotatable sealing ring and a sleeve, fitted to be co-rotatable with a rotatable shaft to be sealed. The rotatable sealing rings are mounted on the sleeve. The stationary sealing rings are mounted so as to be radially spaced from the sleeve so that the stationary sealing rings and a portion of the sleeve define a barrier fluid chamber. The barrier fluid chamber has an inner wall defined by the portion of the sleeve, and an outer wall defined by the inner surface of the stationary sealing rings or ring holders. In order to promote barrier fluid circulation within the barrier fluid chamber, and thereby to more effectively remove heat from the regions of the rotary seals, the inner wall and the outer radial wall are oriented so that at least one of those walls is non-parallel to the rotational axis of the shaft.

Abstract: A mechanical end face seal of the non-contacting type includes a primary seal ring having a back section, a seal face section and a middle section between the seal face and the back sections, each primary ring section having a radial dimension, defined as the difference between the outermost radius and the innermost radius of said respective section, the radial dimension of the back section being in a ratio relative to said middle section of between about 1.5 to about 3.1, and more preferably of between about 1.9 to about 2.5, and most preferably about 2.0 to about 2.3. Additionally, the mating seal ring includes grooves extending from one seal ring circumference toward the other and terminating adjacent a dam at a radius R.sub.g, it is beneficial to have the boundary between the grooves and the dam have a radius R.sub.g slightly larger or smaller, within about 10%, than the outer radius of the middle section.

Abstract: A mechanical seal provides sealing between a rotatable shaft and a housing. The seal has a stationary part for connection to the housing and a rotary part for rotation with the shaft. Mating sealing faces are carried by the stationary and rotary parts. At least that portion of the rotary part carrying the rotary sealing face is capable of at least limited axial movement relative to the shaft.