Rod seal device for stirling engines

A rod seal device for a Stirling engine comprising:

• a piston rod connecting an operating piston of the Stirling engine with a driving means serving as a power takeoff;
• a first scraper seal ring disposed next to one end of a compression chamber which is defined by one end of said piston and a cylinder of said engine;
• a high pressure oil chamber disposed next to said first scraper seal and surrounding said piston rod;
• an oil seal disposed next to said high pressure oil chamber and surrounding said piston rod;
• a low pressure oil chamber disposed next to said oil seal and surrounding said piston rod;
• means for scraping oil from said low pressure oil chamber to said high pressure oil chamber through said oil seal, said urging means including a second scraper seal disposed operatively next to said low pressure oil chamber and surrounding said piston rod, wherein said oil seal includes a tapered outer peripheral surface for contacting a holder, a larger diametrical end surface facing one end of said high pressure oil chamber, a smaller diametrical end surface facing one end of said low pressure oil chamber and an annular slit provided on said smaller diametrical end surface and open thereto;
• and
• means for returning oil from said high pressure oil chamber to said low pressure oil chamber, said returning means comprising an oil reservoir, first means for communicating said high pressure oil chamber with said oil reservoir and second means for communicating said oil reservoir with said low pressure oil chamber, whereby oil may flow from said high pressure oil chamber to said low pressure oil chamber through said oil reservoir.