Seal shaft shutoff device and method
AssigneeSPX Corporation
InventorsRobert A. Blakley, Bernd Gigas
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An apparatus for providing a secondary seal on mixers and other rotating equipment that includes a stop assembly and a collar which cooperate to minimize translational movement of a mixer shaft during shutoff and to form a reversible seal between the vessel and the shaft. The apparatus provides a sealing engagement between the mixing vessel and the rotatable shaft of a mixer offering improved safety during mechanical seal replacement.
Claims24
An apparatus for use with a vessel having a rotatable shaft therethrough, the apparatus comprising:
- a collar disposed on the shaft wherein said collar rotates with the shaft;
- a housing having an inward protrusion;
- at least one first hydraulic nut mounted on the housing;
- and
- a first moveable element connected to the at least one first hydraulic nut so that the first moveable element is axially moveable between an operating and shutoff position,
- wherein the first moveable element contacts both the collar and the inward protrusion when the first moveable element is in the shutoff position.
A mixing apparatus for mixing and processing materials comprising:
- a mixing vessel configured for receiving material to be mixed;
- a motor;
- a rotatable shaft extending from the motor and into the mixing vessel;
- a sealing element for providing a primary sealing engagement between the vessel and the rotatable shaft;
- and
- a seal shutoff apparatus having an operating and shutoff position, wherein the seal shutoff apparatus provides a secondary seal between the vessel and the rotatable shaft when in the shutoff position, the seal shutoff apparatus comprising a housing having an inward protrusion, the housing being attached to the vessel;
- at least one hydraulic nut mounted to the housing;
- at least one moveable element attached to the at least one hydraulic nut;
- and a collar disposed on the shaft which rotates with the shaft and protruding into the housing.
A method for providing a sealing engagement between a vessel and a rotatable shaft comprising:
- providing a seal shaft shutoff apparatus having a collar disposed on the shaft, a housing having an inward protrusion, a first hydraulic nut mounted on the housing, and a first moveable element connected to the first hydraulic nut;
- and
- actuating the first hydraulic nut, thereby displacing the first moveable element to contact both the collar and the inward protrusion to form a seal.
A method for providing a sealing engagement between a vessel and a rotatable shaft comprising:
- providing a seal shaft shutoff apparatus having a collar disposed on the shaft, a housing having an inward protrusion, at least one first hydraulic nut mounted on the housing, a first moveable element connected to the first hydraulic nut, at least one second hydraulic nut mounted on the housing, a second moveable element connected to the second hydraulic nut;
- actuating the at least one first hydraulic nut, thereby displacing the first moveable element to contact a first side of both the collar and the inward protrusion to form a seal;
- and
- actuating the at least one second hydraulic nut, thereby displacing the second moveable element to contact a second side of both the collar and the inward protrusion to form a seal.
A seal shaft shutoff apparatus for providing reversible sealing engagement between a vessel and a rotatable shaft, the apparatus comprising:
- a first stationary sealing means disposed on the shaft, wherein the first stationary sealing means rotates with the shaft;
- a second stationary sealing means disposed within a housing;
- and
- a first moveable sealing means connected to a first actuation means for axially displacing the first movable sealing means to sealingly contact both the first stationary sealing means and the second stationary sealing means to form a seal, wherein the actuating means is mounted in the housing.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.