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US 2008/0127835 A1Published application
Cheese vat having spaced-apart seal members
AssigneeAdvanced Process Technologies, Inc.
InventorsPaul R. Bokelmann, Craig J. Campbell, Gary L. Starkson
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A cheese process vat is disclosed. The cheese process vat includes an enclosure and a shaft assembly, preferably a shaft assembly having a shaft and a plurality of agitator panels arranged on the shaft. The cheese process vat preferably further includes an adjustable shaft seal assembly that adjustably seals the joint between the shaft and the enclosure. The adjustable seal has separate shaft and face seals. Methods of using the respective cheese process vats are also disclosed.
Claims30
A cheese process vat comprising:
- a vat body having an interior and first and second ends;
- a shaft assembly including a shaft extending between the first and second ends;
- the shaft including a concentric flange having an inner face;
- and
- a shaft seal assembly including an inner seal holder, a face seal and a shaft seal;
- the face seal and the shaft seal each having a seal body and a seal lip;
- the seal lip of each seal extending from the respective seal body;
- wherein the shaft seal and the face seal are respectively engaged with and separated by the inner seal holder;
- wherein the shaft seal is pre-loaded so that the shaft seal lip engages the shaft and the face seal is pre-loaded so that the face seal lip engages the inner face;
- wherein the shaft, the inner seal holder, the face seal and the shaft seal cooperate to at least partially define a seal chamber.
7 more elements
A cheese process vat comprising:
- a vat body having an interior and first and second ends;
- a shaft assembly including a shaft extending between the first and second ends;
- the shaft including a concentric flange having an inner face;
- and
- a shaft seal assembly including a seal assembly subunit having an inner seal holder, a shaft seal and a face seal, each of which surround and are concentric with the shaft;
- the face seal having a seal body and a seal lip;
- the face seal lip extending away from the seal body to engage the inner face of the shaft;
- wherein the inner seal holder cooperates to hold the respective seals in place to engage spaced apart portions of the shaft.
5 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.