Elongated Sleeve Or Bushing Patents (Class 277/585)
  • Patent number: 11618034
    Abstract: A roller mill (1) including a housing (2) having a milling-material inlet (3), at least one milling-material outlet (4), and at least two cambered rollers (5, 5?) which are each arranged in the housing (2) so as to be rotatable about a roller axis (6). At least one roller (5) is assigned a scraper (7). The scraper (7) has a blade (8) for scraping milling material from a roller surface (9) with a scraper edge (10) which extends over an entire length (L) of the blade (8), and comprises a holder (11) with a receiving region (12). The holder is arranged in the housing (2) so as to be tiltable about an axis (13) parallel to the roller axis. An elastic bearing (14) is arranged between the blade (8) and the receiving region (12).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2023
    Assignee: Bühler AG
    Inventors: Daniel Mark, Daniel Rickenbach, Philippe Holenstein
  • Patent number: 10514101
    Abstract: A seal for insertion in a bore in an outer member and engaging an inner member received in the bore. The seal includes an annular insert having an elastomeric body over-molded on the annular insert and an inner seal extending radially inward from the annular insert. The inner seal including an inboard sealing surface and the elastomeric body over-molded on the annular insert defining an outer portion including an outboard sealing surface including an annular flap on an exterior side of the annular insert that, in an installed position, is adapted to be compressed between the outer annular insert and the outer member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 24, 2019
    Assignee: Freudenberg—NOK General Partnership
    Inventors: John B. Wagner, Brian K. Fella
  • Patent number: 9004495
    Abstract: A segmented intershaft seal assembly for counter-rotating and co-rotating turbine engines is described. The assembly includes a pair of end rings, an annular seal element, and at least one resilient element. At least one end ring has a flange that extends from one side thereof. The flange has a lower annular surface. The seal element includes at least two seal segments. Each seal segment includes a ring segment and a ring flange segment. The ring segment has an upper radial surface. The ring flange segment directly contacts and extends from the upper radial surface forming either a substantially “T”-shaped or “L”-shaped cross section. The seal segments are disposed between the end rings. At least one resilient element biases each seal segment away from the inner shaft so that the upper radial surface contacts the lower annular surface and a portion of the ring flange segment extends beyond the flanges.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2015
    Assignee: Stein Seal Company
    Inventor: Thurai Manik Vasagar
  • Publication number: 20150097345
    Abstract: The propensity for gas and soot leakage around a shaft, which extends through a bore which connects volumes of differing pressures (e.g., a turbocharger turbine housing and the ambient air), is minimized by the addition of a complementary pair of narrowing sealing surfaces which provide a seal against the passage of said gases and soot. Such sealing surfaces can be frusto-spherical or frusto-conical. A biasing element is operatively positioned to exert biasing forces on one or more structures to maintain the sealing surfaces in engagement with each other to form a seal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 1, 2013
    Publication date: April 9, 2015
    Inventors: Timothy House, Daniel N. Ward
  • Patent number: 8820752
    Abstract: A segmented intershaft seal assembly for use between inner and outer shafts within a turbine engine is presented. The intershaft seal assembly includes annular end rings, an annular seal element with an inverted “T”-shaped cross section, at least one resilient element, an annular spacer ring, carriers, counterweights, and hydrodynamic grooves. The intershaft seal assembly is secured to the inner shaft. The resilient element(s) biases seal segments away from the inner shaft toward the outer shaft. The counterweights are disposed about the seal segments and substantially negate forces imposed by the seal segments outward toward the outer shaft. The hydrodynamic grooves are disposed along an inner annular surface of the outer shaft and direct fluid onto an outer surface along the seal segments when the outer shaft rotates. The hydrodynamic grooves form a thin-film layer and non-contact seal that separates the seal segments from the outer shaft which otherwise provide a contact-type seal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 2, 2014
    Assignee: Stein Seal Company
    Inventors: Glenn M. Garrison, Thurai Manik Vasagar
  • Patent number: 8662503
    Abstract: A female hydraulic coupling member has an elastomer probe seal molded to or abutting a ring-shaped metal base which is adapted to exert a compressive force on the probe seal when exposed to hydraulic fluid pressure. The compressive force causes the seal to expand in a radial direction thereby increasing its sealing effectiveness. A retainer nut for holding the seal in the receiving chamber may have an angled surface which acts to urge the seal in an inward, radial direction when an axial, compressive force is applied to the seal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 4, 2014
    Assignee: National Coupling Company, Inc.
    Inventor: Robert E. Smith, III
  • Publication number: 20140054865
    Abstract: A sealing device with a bearing unit for a distribution apparatus for media may include a shaft sleeve arranged in a stationary manner and inside which at least one supply line for a medium can be guided and a housing rotatable with respect to the shaft sleeve and arranged radially outside the shaft sleeve with respect to a rotation axis of the housing. The bearing unit bears the housing such that it can rotate with respect to the shaft sleeve, and the bearing unit is offset with respect to the sealing device in the direction of the rotation axis.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 4, 2013
    Publication date: February 27, 2014
    Applicant: KRONES AG
    Inventors: Berthold BURGMEIER, Franz BRAUN
  • Publication number: 20130183143
    Abstract: A sealing device for passing a connecting rod of a system for controlling a pitch of fan blades of a turboprop through a partition. The device includes a tube for fastening to the partition that is to be sealed, and a frustoconical sheath through which the connecting rod is to pass, the sheath configured to slide axially inside the tube and including, at its wider end, a sealing mechanism co-operating with the tube, and, at its narrower end, a leaktight fastener fastening to a corresponding end of the connecting rod.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 12, 2011
    Publication date: July 18, 2013
    Applicant: SNEMCA
    Inventor: Francois Gallet
  • Publication number: 20130065505
    Abstract: A bushing is disclosed for pivotally mounting a damper in ductwork of the type generally used with heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems. The bushing is a circular shaped member of silicone rubber material, which is particularly configured and dimensioned to provide an airtight fit with the ductwork to prevent loss of conditioned air at the pivot location, without compromising the rotational capability of the damper to alter the direction of the conditioned air. The bushing is dimensioned to be inserted into the ductwork and includes a peripheral groove which receives the ductwork in a manner which compresses the inner surface of the groove to provide the airtight seal. The bushing also includes a longitudinally tapered square central opening, which opening is dimensioned to engageably receive the damper pivot rod snugly to provide additional sealing at the interface between the bushing and the pivot rod.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 25, 2012
    Publication date: March 14, 2013
    Inventor: David YOSKOWITZ
  • Patent number: 8272621
    Abstract: The seal (10) for a spray gun (20) is tubular in form and molded from an elastomer. The seal is placed in compression between two generally parallel surfaces (12) so as to seal out the fluid (such as paint) from the rod (14). As the trigger (16) is pulled and the rod (14) moved rearward, the seal (10) bulges to accommodate the travel without exposing the rod (14) to the fluid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 25, 2012
    Assignee: Graco Minnesota Inc.
    Inventors: Eric J. Finstad, Thomas E. Pauly
  • Publication number: 20120228870
    Abstract: A bush of a radial rotary union joint including a hollow-cylindrical main body whose inner cylindrical surface forms a sliding sealing surface divided by a peripherally extending inner groove into a first and a second sliding sealing surface and having a cylindrical outside surface which is divided by a peripherally extending outer groove into a first and a second outside surface. The wall portion separating the inner and the outer grooves has at least one bore connecting the two grooves. The first and the second outside surface can be sealed off by a stationary sealing ring in relation to a housing embracing the bush. The side surfaces of the inner groove are of the same size within a tolerance threshold of +20% and ?35% as the side surfaces of the outer groove.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 11, 2010
    Publication date: September 13, 2012
    Applicant: GAT Gesellschaft fur Antriebstechnik mbH
    Inventors: Stephan Ott, Dennis Hoff
  • Patent number: 8251301
    Abstract: An improved seal for use in fluid systems such as a water jet system includes an outer seal point that is very close to an inner seal point. By spacing these two seal points very close together, the force on the seal is greatly reduced compared to the prior art. In the disclosed embodiment, the outer seal point is on an angled forward face of the seal that abuts a back-up ring angled face. The inner seal point is between the seal and an internal shaft which rotates relative to a housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2012
    Assignee: NLB Corp.
    Inventors: Daniel D. Trunick, Matthew O. Herhold
  • Patent number: 8210543
    Abstract: A bushing, including a core, a sleeve that surrounds the core and a spring element that is arranged between the core and the sleeve, wherein, on at least one face of the bushing, there is a sealing element that seals the spring element vis-à-vis the environment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2012
    Assignee: Carl Freudenberg KG
    Inventors: Andreas Erl, Michael Ebert, Majid Djahani
  • Patent number: 8205891
    Abstract: An intershaft seal assembly for counter-rotating and co-rotating turbine engines is described. The seal assembly includes a pair of end rings and a seal element. At least one end ring has a flange, with upper and lower surfaces, disposed along and extending from one side of the ring. The seal element includes a ring, with inner and outer radial surfaces, and a ring flange wider than the ring. The ring flange is disposed along and extends diametrically from the outer radial surface, the latter also contacting the lower surface along at least one flange. The seal element is disposed between the end rings so that the ring flange extends beyond the flanges. The invention avoids the wear and heating problems inherent to intershaft seal systems, thus allowing the seal element to be composed of a temperature resistant metal, metal alloy, or carbon graphite.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2012
    Assignee: Stein Seal Company
    Inventor: Thurai Manik Vasagar
  • Publication number: 20120043726
    Abstract: A seal assembly, method for sealing a seal assembly and a modular seal unit for a rotating control device for use in an offshore environment. The modular seal unit includes a first outer housing, a first seal housing lockable within the first outer housing, and a first sealing element disposed on a lower end of the first seal housing. The first sealing element includes a throughbore configured to receive a drill pipe, and a sealing surface configured to seal against the drill pipe. The modular seal unit also includes a first connector configured to couple the first seal housing to the first outer housing, and a second connector configured to couple the first seal housing to one selected from a second outer housing of a second modular seal unit or a running tool adapter.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 20, 2010
    Publication date: February 23, 2012
    Applicant: SMITH INTERNATIONAL, INC.
    Inventors: Alberto Zubia, Trung Leduc, Huward Paul Fontenot, JR., Robert James Costo, JR.
  • Patent number: 8114024
    Abstract: An encapsulated rotary seal around a rotating shaft, the seal having an outer annular body and an inner annular body. The inner annular body engages the rotating shaft and permits free rotation of the shaft while providing a liquid tight seal around the rotating shaft. The outer annular body is molded about and permanently adhered to the inner annular body, the outer annular body permitting limited non-concentric or eccentric movement of the rotating shaft engaged to the inner annular body without affecting the integrity of the seal between the rotating shaft and the inner annular body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2012
    Inventors: Roman Solek, Donald Coulthart
  • Patent number: 8109519
    Abstract: The invention describes a leak proof shaft seal for valves and other pressurized vessels, wherein the shaft seal can deform elastically by either stretching or twisting without loosing its ability to seal all, or a portion, of said shaft from harmful fluids. Furthermore, the elastic shaft seal is immune to static pressures, since it closely surrounds a shaft and thus is protected from collapse.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2012
    Inventor: Hans D. Baumann
  • Publication number: 20110156360
    Abstract: A seal device includes a sleeve, a gland, a sealing assembly, an end collar and a protective cushion. The sleeve is adapted to be sleeved on a rotary shaft of a pumping machine and has inner and outer end portions in an axial direction. The gland is disposed around the sleeve, and is formed with a through hole that permits extension of the sleeve, and a receiving groove that communicates fluidly with the through hole and that is adapted for receiving cooling fluid. The sealing assembly is sleeved on the sleeve and is connected to the gland. The end collar is disposed around the sleeve and outside the gland. The protective cushion is disposed around the sleeve and between the gland and the end collar.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 29, 2010
    Publication date: June 30, 2011
    Inventors: Cheng-Hsiu Huang, Yi-Chieh Huang
  • Publication number: 20110031701
    Abstract: A seal to seal a gap between a rotatable component (4, 18) and a non-rotatable component comprises: A fastening section adapted to be fixedly mounted in relation to the non-rotatable component, a sleeve-like section (3) adapted to be mounted around the rotatable component (4, 18), a resilient section (7) between the sleeve-like and fastening section comprising an arcuate portion (8), and in an unmounted condition, the sleeve-like section (3) has an inner diameter, DSEAL, with a predefined magnitude relative to an outer diameter of the rotating component, DSHAFT, such that 0.9?DSEAL/DSHAFT?1.1.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 28, 2008
    Publication date: February 10, 2011
    Inventors: Jürgen Kurth, Cliffor Roland Worsley
  • Patent number: 7600700
    Abstract: An improved seal for use in fluid systems such as a water jet system includes an outer seal point that is very close to an inner seal point. By spacing these two seal points very close together, the force on the seal is greatly reduced compared to the prior art. In the disclosed embodiment, the outer seal point is on an angled forward face of the seal that abuts a back-up ring angled face. The inner seal point is between the seal and an internal shaft which rotates relative to a housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 13, 2009
    Assignee: NLB Corp.
    Inventors: Daniel D. Trunick, Matthew O. Herhold
  • Patent number: 7431321
    Abstract: A trailer hitch assembly includes a receiver portion including a cylindrically-shaped cavity, a bushing member received within the cavity of the receiver portion, and a hitch member that includes a shaft pivotally received within the bushing member. At least a selected one of the bushing member and the shaft is constructed of a material that substantially eliminates the need for using a separately applied lubricant during use of the trailer hitch assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 2004
    Date of Patent: October 7, 2008
    Assignee: SAF-Holland, Inc.
    Inventors: Eric M. Terpsma, David O. Roe, Richard T. Polanic, Rudolph A. Bahnsen
  • Patent number: 7401789
    Abstract: The invention contemplates a rack bushing and a rack and pinion steering assembly for use in a vehicle that includes such a rack bushing. The steering assembly may include a housing having a tubular rack portion with a tubular end, a rack mounted in the tubular rack portion and extending out of the tubular end, and a rack bushing mounted in the rack portion around the rack. The rack bushing includes a generally annular main body portion having a generally cylindrical inner surface centered about the axis and supporting the rack, an outer surface centered about the axis and including a generally cylindrical main surface adapted to engage the tubular end of the housing, and a first end and an opposed second end. The rack bushing may include a plurality of bores extending within the main body axially from the first end a portion of the way toward the second end.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 22, 2008
    Assignee: TRW Automotive U.S. LLC
    Inventors: Dennis F. Harer, Eric A. Roline, William E. Allen, Jr.
  • Patent number: 7334660
    Abstract: A rack bushing seal assembly for a rack and pinion steering assembly that includes a bushing, a bushing liner and a locking material. The bushing defines an annular recess on an outer surface of the bushing. The bushing liner is positioned within the bushing. The locking material is positioned within the annular recess for retaining the rack bushing seal assembly within a rack tube. A rack bushing seal assembly also includes a bushing having a first annular flange with a pressure port formed therein, and a first tube portion with a channel portion formed therein, wherein the pressure port is in fluid communication with the channel portion. The rack bushing seal assembly also includes a bushing liner having a second annular flange and a second tube portion, the bushing liner being positioned within the first tube portion of the bushing. A rack tube is placed in abutting arrangement with the first annular flange of the bushing wherein the channel portion is in fluid communication with the rack.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2008
    Assignee: TRW Automotive U.S. LLC
    Inventors: Michael J. Damore, Richard A. Stoll
  • Patent number: 7314218
    Abstract: An adaptor that can be used with rotary fluid equipment will protect mechanical seals and/or packing material adjacent a seal cavity (18) of the equipment. The adaptor includes an annular body (30) with a central bore (32) adapted to receive a shaft (12) of the equipment. When used with mechanical seals the adaptor is receivable in the cavity at the entrance thereto and it has a portion which surface which effects contact with a complementary surface of the seal. When used with packing the adaptor fits within the cavity and defines an outboard extension in which the packing can be received. The bore defines two portions, one of which is close to the shaft (52) and another portion (54) which flares outwardly from the one portion towards the outboard end of the adaptor. Each bore portion has a spiral groove (56, 58) therein, which groove serves to redirect contaminant material contained in fluids surrounding the shaft away from the seal cavity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2008
    Assignee: Enviroseal Engineering Products, Ltd.
    Inventor: Paul Hughes
  • Patent number: 7172007
    Abstract: A reinforcing ring applicator is provided to receive cartridges of reinforcer rings for applying flat, adhesive-coated annular reinforcement rings onto sheets of material about perforations which have been formed in the sheets of material. The reinforcer ring cartridge is a disposable item comprised of an annular backing member releaseably attachable to the reinforcing ring applicator. A reinforcing ring mounting post is frictionally engaged in a central aperture in the annular backing member. The reinforcer mounting post has a cylindrical, corrugated exterior surface and a lower tip formed with a plurality of separate, downwardly and radially inwardly directed, resilient deflectable fingers projecting therefrom. A plurality of flat, annular reinforcing rings are stacked one atop another and are releaseably and frictionally engaged with the mounting post by the corrugations thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2007
    Inventor: John Hui
  • Patent number: 7121551
    Abstract: An arrangement (120) of members for a throat bushing for rotary fluid equipment includes a first member (122) that is useful for seal cavities that contain conventional packing, and a second bushing member (132) that will be used in conjunction with the first bushing member if the seal cavity utilize a mechanical seal at the remote end of the cavity. Both bushing members (122, 132) are provided with spiral grooves (140) in a central bore thereof for the removal of contaminants from the seal cavity. The distal end face (124) of the first bushing member is contoured to receive a mating proximal end face (144) of the second bushing member or to also receive the abutting face of a packing ring or a lantern ring. The arrangement of the invention allows an operator to switch between the use of a mechanical seal or conventional packing without having to discard his primary seal cavity protector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2002
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2006
    Assignee: Enviroseal Engineering Products, Ltd.
    Inventors: Aniko Dunford, legal representative, Paul Hughes, Joseph R. Dunford, deceased
  • Patent number: 7066927
    Abstract: A seal having a body and several bands extending away from the body. The bands extend around an axial portion of the body. In some embodiments, the bands project from and are formed integral with the body. For example, the bands can be rings. Two bands can be located on the outside of the body and two additional bands can be located on the inside of the body to provide redundant sealing components between separated fluids. A vent aperture can be positioned between the two bands on each side of the body. The two inner bands can be offset from the two outer bands. The seal can be used in a surgical cutting device, among other things.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 2004
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2006
    Assignee: Medical Instrument Development Laboratories, Inc.
    Inventors: David E. Chen, Erik W. Peterson
  • Patent number: 7055829
    Abstract: An elastomeric seal having an antiextrusion device molded integrally into or onto the low pressure side of the seal. The antiextrusion of a corrugated strip into an elastomeric seal. One embodiment of the invention has the strip positioned with the midplane of its corrugations normal to the mating seal surfaces and parallel to the midplane of the seal groove. Another embodiment of the invention has the midplane of the corrugations canted within the seal. The antiextrusion device is applicable to annular seal rings, linear seals, or seals of more complex configuration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 2001
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2006
    Inventor: Larry R. Russell
  • Patent number: 6913266
    Abstract: A sealing device for a shaft (2) or rod which is movably disposed in a guide arranged between a high-pressure space (10) and a low-pressure area (11) of a pressure-resistant housing (1) bounding the high-pressure space (10), and which is surrounded by a sealing ring (3), is further developed such that the sealing ring (3) is partially deformed by means of a deformable pressure ring (4) supported under pressure at the outer circumference and circumferentially rests against the shaft (2) or the rod or almost rests against the shaft (2) or the rod.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 2003
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2005
    Assignee: Hammelmann Maschinenfabrik GmbH
    Inventors: Michael Jarchau, Egbert Helmig, Burkhard Helmig
  • Patent number: 6681885
    Abstract: A rack and pinion steering apparatus (10) comprises a housing (12). Helical teeth (60) of a pinion gear (54) meshingly engage teeth of a rack bar (42) and, during rotation of the pinion gear (54), result in an axial force. A shaft (86) connects with the pinion gear (54). Rotation of the shaft (86) effects rotation of the pinion gear (54). An assembly is interposed between the shaft (86) and the housing (12). The assembly comprises a first snap ring (142) that is attached to the shaft (86) and a second snap ring (144) that is attached to the housing (12). Interposed between the first and second snap rings (142 and 144) are only a fluid tight seal (146) for blocking fluid leakage from the housing (12) and a bushing (108) for enabling rotation of the shaft (86) relative to the housing (12) and for engaging the first snap ring (142) to block axial displacement of the pinion gear (54) due to the axial force acting on the pinion gear (54).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2001
    Date of Patent: January 27, 2004
    Assignee: TRW Inc.
    Inventor: Dennis F. Harer
  • Patent number: 6520507
    Abstract: A sealing sleeve made of a polymer material especially for small-dimension installation spaces, the sealing sleeve having a retaining segment and a sealing segment, the retaining segment being connected to a supporting body and the sealing segment on the peripheral side encircling a shaft to be sealed or a barrel ring in a sealing manner under radial biasing and having on the side facing the shaft a surface profiling for recirculating the lubricant, wherein the connecting diameter (interior diameter (D) of the enclosing part (31)) is 1.0 to 1.05 times the shaft diameter (W) plus four times the sleeve thickness (d).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2001
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2003
    Assignee: Firma Carl Freudenberg
    Inventors: Gilbert Pataille, Boris Tchilingurian
  • Patent number: 6330929
    Abstract: A fluid power assisted rack and pinion steering apparatus (10) includes a rack (24) connectable with steerable wheels of the vehicle. The rack (24) is movable in opposite directions to turn the steerable wheels in opposite directions. A housing (20) partially encloses the rack (24) and defines a fluid chamber (40). The housing (20) has an inner surface (30). A bushing (60) encircles the rack (24) and supports the rack for sliding movement relative to the housing (20). The bushing (60) has a recess (70) on its outer periphery. A portion (79) of the housing (20) is deformed radially inward into the recess (70) to secure the bushing (60) to the housing (20). An annular first seal member (90) encircles the rack (24) and extends between the rack and the bushing (60). An annular second seal member (100) encircles the bushing (60) and extends between the bushing and the inner surface (30) of the housing (20). A bellows member (120) encircles the rack (24) and has an end portion (126) secured to the bushing (60).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 1999
    Date of Patent: December 18, 2001
    Assignee: TRW Inc.
    Inventors: Daniel B. Gierc, John A. Pietraszewski, Robert E. Feindel
  • Patent number: 6273429
    Abstract: A labyrinth cartridge seal having a shell and a plurality of sleeves having corresponding portions to prevent axial and radial movement therebetween and particularly a labyrinth cartridge seal for use in a compressor for compression of a gas, such as oxygen, which restricts leakage of pressurized gas to a drive mechanism such as an oil lubricated gear box, to thereby reduce the likelihood of explosions. In one embodiment, the labyrinth cartridge seal includes a shell comprising a passageway therethrough, and four spaced-apart, concentrically aligned sleeves, axially and radially supportable along the passageway and generally sealable with the shell to define three separate chambers around the shaft. The shell has three ports, each one opening onto a different one of the three separate chambers for venting or receiving a supply of buffering gas. Also disclosed is a compressor incorporating such a labyrinth cartridge seal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 1998
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2001
    Assignee: Atlas Copco Aktiebolag
    Inventors: Michael J. Dudinetz, Kenneth W. Streifert, Ralph F. Hubert
  • Patent number: 6250643
    Abstract: There are disclosed a damper plate for a rotary machine and a method for producing thereof which makes it possible to produce a honeycomb-type damper plate with accurate dimensions and reasonable cost. In the method for producing a damper plate for sealing between a rotating portion and a stationary portion of a rotary machine and cushioning said rotating portion, the damper plate has a plurality of convex portions and concave portions, and a plurality of the convex portions and the concave portions are processed by a superplastic processing method.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 12, 1998
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2001
    Assignee: Ebara Corporation
    Inventors: Hirokazu Takayama, Toshiyuki Ogawa, Atsushi Kaneko
  • Patent number: 6155375
    Abstract: A vehicle steering apparatus (10) comprises a rack (24) connectable with steerable vehicle wheels and a housing (20) partially enclosing the rack and defining a fluid chamber (50). The housing (20) includes an inner surface (30) and a radially extending end surface (36). An annular seal member (72) seals the fluid chamber (50). The seal member (72) encircles the rack (24) and extends between the rack and the inner surface (30). A bushing (70) encircles the rack (24) and is attachable to the housing (20). The bushing (70) includes a first portion (80) disposed between the rack (24) and the housing (20). The first portion (80) supports the seal member (72) and supports the rack (24) for sliding movement relative to the housing (20). The bushing (70) includes a second portion (82) having a first section (130) disposed between the rack (24) and the housing (20). The second portion (82) has a second section (132) extending beyond the end surface (36).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 1999
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2000
    Assignee: TRW Inc.
    Inventors: Daniel B. Gierc, John A. Pietraszewski
  • Patent number: 6129533
    Abstract: The invention relates to a fluid-conveying machine, in particular, a pump having a component rotating in a stationary housing part inside an annular gap. The stationary housing part separates an interior having a higher product pressure from an exterior having a lower pressure. A rotating component is mounted in an external bearing which is sealed with respect to the interior via a sealing system. In order to improve the sealing, the invention provides that the annular gap is formed between two sliding bearing shells which comprise extremely hard, wear-resistant materials and, in accordance with the operating principle of a radial sliding bearing, form a first pressure-reducing stage. A feedback device, which feeds back the leakage from this first sealing stage into the conveying process of the machine, is connected downstream of the first pressure-reducing stage. A second sealing stage is arranged axially downstream of the feedback device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 1999
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2000
    Assignee: Joh. Heinr. Bornemann GmbH
    Inventors: Jens-Uwe Brandt, Gerhard Rohlfing, Vejen Hristov
  • Patent number: 5957461
    Abstract: A unitary radial lip seal assembly to provide a fluid tight seal between a shaft and a housing bore through which the shaft extends includes an annular rigid retainer, a resilient body portion secured to the retainer and defining at least one sealing lip to seal against the rotatable shaft and a sleeve bearing member supported by said seal assembly outboard of the sealing lip. In one form the bearing member is rigidly connected to the retainer, in another, it is resiliently mounted to provide shaft vibration dampening. In the latter embodiment, the bearing member includes a radial wall urged into frictional engagement with a radial wall of the resilient body to restrict rotation of the bearing member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 1997
    Date of Patent: September 28, 1999
    Assignee: John Crane Inc.
    Inventor: Donald Charles Ulrich
  • Patent number: 5921557
    Abstract: A seal that is particularly suitable for use in a gas spring and other high pressure hydraulic and pneumatic sealing applications and that minimizes the leakage of relatively high pressure gas and lubricating oil from the rod end of the gas spring or other application. The generally annular seal body includes a number of convex sealing lobes on its radially inwardly and outwardly facing surfaces. All of the sealing lobes have a predetermined radius and project radially beyond the plane of their respective surfaces. The axial facing surfaces of the seal body are generally flat or non-concave. The seal also includes a wiper insert secured in a recess in one corner of the radially inwardly facing surface of the seal body. When the seal body is compressed between the relatively movable, annularly spaced piston rod and cylinder of a gas spring or application, the compression induced stress in the seal causes the seal body and insert to form an effective gas and oil seal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 1996
    Date of Patent: July 13, 1999
    Assignee: AVM, Inc.
    Inventors: Walter Douglas Bauman, James B. Chamberlin, Jack R. Roach, Mark S. Jeffries
  • Patent number: 5911607
    Abstract: A sealing assembly for a rotary drive shaft that extends through the hull of a boat, the outboard end of the shaft being coupled to a propeller and the inboard end to a marine engine for rotating the propeller. The assembly includes a cylindrical housing joined by a flexible hose to a tube in the stern of the boat through which the shaft passes. Received within the housing is an annular bearing whose bore diameter depends on the size of the shaft whereby the bearing installed in the housing has an internal diameter appropriate to the size of the shaft being sealed by the assembly. Coupled to one end of the housing is an annular cap having an elastomeric lip seal therein that frictionally engages the shaft to prevent sea water from leaking into the boat. A reservoir defined by an annular space within the housing between the lip seal and the bearing is continuously fed with water to cool and lubricate the lip seal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 1997
    Date of Patent: June 15, 1999
    Inventors: Mark A. Lacko, John R. Newton
  • Patent number: 5895053
    Abstract: A seal that is particularly suitable for use in a gas spring and other high pressure hydraulic and pneumatic sealing applications and that minimizes the leakage of relatively high pressure gas and lubricating oil from the rod end of the gas spring or other applications. The generally annular seal body includes a number of convex sealing lobes on its radially inwardly and outwardly facing surfaces. All of the sealing lobes have a predetermined radius and project radially beyond the plane of their respective surfaces. The axial facing surfaces of the seal body are generally flat or non-concave. The seal also includes a wiper insert secured in a recess in one corner of the radially inwardly facing surface of the seal body. When the seal body is compressed between the relatively movable, annularly spaced piston rod and cylinder, the compression induced stress in the seal causes the seal body and insert to form an effective gas and oil seal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 1996
    Date of Patent: April 20, 1999
    Assignee: AVM, Inc.
    Inventors: Walter Douglas Bauman, James B. Chamberlin, Jack R. Roach, Mark S. Jeffries, Richard M. Boyd
  • Patent number: 5829339
    Abstract: A sealed bushing assembly adapted to permit a push rod to pass through an adapter isolating a pressurized chamber, formed by attaching a sleeve to said adapter, inserting a bushing, and crimping the end of said sleeve opposite said adapter to restrain said bushing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 1997
    Date of Patent: November 3, 1998
    Assignee: TSE Brakes, Inc.
    Inventor: Teddy Dean Smith