Rotary/reciprocating seal apparatus

Rotary/reciprocating seal apparatus comprising:

• a resilient ring member including means defining a first and a second circumferential groove therein, said circumferential grooves, each including a first surface of revolution disposed at an angle with the axis of said ring member, said resilient ring member including means defining an axial opening therein sized for accepting and enabling a shaft to be rotated and/or reciprocated therein;
• a cylindrical housing including means defining an axial opening sized to accommodate said ring member, said cylindrical housing including means defining a first and a second groove in an inside surface of said cylindrical housing, each inside surface groove including a second surface of revolution disposed at an angle with the axis of said cylindrical housing;
• spring means comprising a first and a second ellipsoidal spring disposed in both the ring member and cylindrical housing, first and second grooves, respectively, for preventing rotating of the ring member as the shaft is rotated;
• and
• biasing means, disposed in the ring member, for urging portions of the ring member against the shaft and the cylindrical housing inside surface, respectively, in order to create a seal therebetween.

Rotary/reciprocating seal apparatus comprising:

• a ring member including means defining a circumferential groove therein, said circumferential groove including a first surface of revolution disposed at an angle with the axis of said ring member, said resilient ring member including means defining an axial opening therein sized for accepting and enabling a shaft to be rotated and/or reciprocated therein;
• a cylindrical housing including means for defining an axial opening sized to accommodate said ring member, said cylindrical housing including means defining a groove in an inside surface of said cylindrical housing, the inside surface groove including a second surface of revolution disposed at an angle with the axis of said cylindrical housing;
• spring means disposed in both the ring member and the cylindrical housing grooves for forcing said first and second surfaces of revolution away from one another to cause an axial loading between the ring member and cylindrical housing
• biasing means, disposed in the ring member, for urging portions of the ring member against the shaft and the cylindrical housing member inside surface, respectively, in order to create a seal therebetween;
• and
• locking means for preventing separation of the ring member and the cylindrical housing by movement of the first and second surfaces of revolution away from one another, said locking means comprising a first locking surface in said circumferential groove disposed in a plane approximately perpendicular to the axis of the cylindrical housing and a second locking surface in the inside surface groove disposed in a plane approximately perpendicular to the axis of the cylindrical housing.

Rotary/reciprocating seal apparatus comprising:

• a resilient ring member including means defining a circumferential groove having a shoulder and a first loading surface, said shoulder comprising a first locking surface disposed in a plane approximately perpendicular to the axis of the first cylindrical member, said first loading surface comprising a first surface of revolution disposed at an angle to the first cylindrical member axis, said resilient ring member including means defining an axial opening therein sized for accepting and enabling a shaft to be rotated and/or reciprocated therein;
• a cylindrical housing including means defining an axial opening therein sized to accommodate said ring member, said cylindrical housing including means defining a groove in an inside surface of said cylindrical housing, the inside surface groove having a second loading surface disposed in a plane approximately perpendicular to the axis of the cylindrical housing, and a second locking surface comprising a second surface of revolution disposed at an angle to the cylindrical housing axis;
• and,
• spring means disposed in both the circumferential groove and the inside surface groove for forcing said first and second loading surface away from one another to cause an axial loading between ring member and the cylindrical housing, said first and second locking surfaces preventing the axially loaded first and second cylindrical members from separating from one another by engaging said spring means;
• and
• biasing means, disposed in the ring member, for urging portions of the ring member against the shaft and the cylindrical housing inside surface in order to create a seal therebetween.