Rubber drive system mechanical seal

A split ring mechanical seal device for use with rotating equipment, comprising:

• a rotating drive sleeve containing means for securing said drive sleeve on the shaft of said rotating equipment in a co-axial manner, said drive sleeve being formed with an exterior annular groove adjacent one of its ends, an interior annular groove adjacent the opposite end of said drive sleeve, an exterior outwardly extending seating ring containing a plurality of notches adjacent the end opposite said exterior annular groove, and an exterior outwardly extending shoulder adjacent to said seating ring;
• a rotary housing having an outer ring portion co-axial with said drive sleeve and an inwardly extending integral web of reduced diameter attached in a substantially perpendicular relationship to the middle interior area of said outer ring portion, said web containing a plurality of notches located around its inward periphery, said rotary housing defining a central opening sized and shaped to fit in concentric relationship about said drive sleeve;
• a rotating seal ring with wear face fractured into two approximately equal portions, fixably bonded to an elastomeric insert, said insert being dimensioned to fixably engage throughout its circumference said rotary housing along the inner circumference of said outer ring portion of said rotary housing, said insert being provided with a plurality of molded lugs formed on its rear face opposite said seal ring, said lugs dimensioned to fixably engage said notches in said web, said insert being cut entirely through its cross section at a point directly adjacent to a fracture line of said seal ring, said insert further being partially cut at a point directly adjacent to the other fracture line of said seal ring for providing a hinge point in said insert to facilitate removal of said rotating seal ring and said insert from said shaft and to ensure proper alignment of said fracture lines of said rotating seal ring during installation and use;
• an annular cone spring encased within elastomeric material, and dimensioned such that its outer periphery sealably contacts throughout its outer circumference said rotary housing at a location proximate to the intersection of said outer ring portion of said rotary housing and said web of said rotary housing, said cone spring being further dimensioned such that its inner periphery sealably contacts throughout its inside diameter said drive sleeve at a location proximate to the intersection of said seating ring and said shoulder of said drive sleeve, said cone spring being provided with a plurality of lugs on its inner concave face, said cone spring lugs being dimensioned to fixably engage said notches in said web, said cone spring lugs extending inwardly beyond the inner periphery of said cone spring so as to engage said plurality of notches on said seating ring, said cone spring applying a compressive force on said rotary housing throughout the entire outer circumference of said cone spring;
• a stationary seal ring with wear face fractured into two approximately equal portions, said wear face being of similar dimension to said wear face of said rotating seal ring, said stationary ring being formed with an exterior annular groove for receiving an `O` ring, said `O` ring being split at a point directly adjacent to a fracture line of said stationary seal ring, said `O` ring serving as a hinge at the other fracture line of said stationary seal ring for facilitating removal of said stationary seal ring from said shaft and to ensure proper alignment of said fracture lines of said stationary seal ring during installation and use;
• a stationary seal ring retainer, said retainer being formed with an exterior groove for receiving an `O` ring and with an extended axial portion within which are found a plurality of threaded holes for receiving a like number of screws;
• a plurality of setting plates, generally flat and circular in design, of a thickness dimensioned slightly less than the width of said exterior annular groove of said drive sleeve, said plates each possessing an aperture proximate to the outer edge of said plates, said apertures being of diameter slightly greater than the diameter of said screws, such that when said plates are engaged said exterior annular groove of said drive sleeve and said screws are tightened, the interior flat faces of said plates become parallel to and abutted against the exterior flat face of said extended axial portion of said retainer, causing the exterior flat face of said plates to contact the outside wall of said exterior annular groove of said drive sleeve, forcing said drive sleeve to move laterally relative to the remainder of said seal device resulting in a compression of said cone spring;
• and
• means for securing said stationary seal ring retainer within said rotating equipment.