# US 5,348,272 A · Damper with improved drive shaft bearing assembly

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- Number: US 5,348,272 A
- Document ID: US5348272A
- Status: Granted
- Kind: A
- Application number: 08/040,765
- Filed: 1993-03-31
- Granted: 1994-09-20
- Earliest claimed: 1993-03-31
- Assignees: Combustion Engineering, Inc.
- Inventors: Edward Lukstas; Jeffrey S. Mann; Ronald J. Tenerowicz
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US5348272A

## CPC

- F16K 1/2268: {Sealing means for the axis of rotation}
- F16K: VALVES; TAPS; COCKS; ACTUATING-FLOATS; DEVICES FOR VENTING OR AERATING {(devices for emptying and evacuating the excess liquid in valves or conduits F16L55/07)}

## Abstract

A damper assembly particularly adapted for use in a hot furnace application that includes a damper blade, a housing having a passageway therein dimensioned and configured for receiving the damper blade, and a shaft carrying the damper for rotational movement in the passageway in the housing. A bearing is disposed at one axial extremity of the shaft. The apparatus also includes bearings including a bearing housing member having an interior portion thereof which is spherical section shaped and a bearing member disposed therein having an outer surface that is a spherical section dimensioned and configured for cooperation with the inner portion of the bearing housing member. The inner members has a bore tightly engaging the shaft and the bore has inboard and outboard ends. The inner member includes a counterbore disposed in concentric relationship with the bore at the inboard end thereof. A seal is disposed in the counterbore intermediate the shaft and the walls of the counterbore. The apparatus also includes apparatus for supporting the bearing on one side of the passageway of the housing. In some forms of the invention the seal is spring loaded and in other forms it is elastomer loaded.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A damper assembly which comprises:
a damper blade;
a housing having a passageway therein dimensioned and configured for receiving said damper blade;
a shaft carrying said damper for rotational movement in said passageway in said housing;
a bearing disposed at a first axial extremity of said shaft, said bearing including a bearing housing member having an interior cavity therein which is spherical section shaped and a bearing member disposed in said cavity having an outer surface that is a spherical section dimensioned and configured for cooperation with said interior cavity of said bearing housing member, said bearing member having a bore tightly engaging said shaft, said bore having inboard and outboard ends, said inboard end including a counterbore disposed in concentric relationship with said shaft and said bore at the inboard end thereof;
a loaded seal disposed in said counterbores intermediate said shaft and said bearing member; and
means for supporting said bearing on one side of said passageway of said housing.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The apparatus as described in claim 1 wherein:
said seal is loaded by a spring.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The apparatus as described in claim 2 wherein:
said seal is a polymer seal.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The apparatus as described in claim 3 wherein:
said means for supporting said bearings includes an elongated sleeve shaped member having a flanged axial extremity.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The apparatus as described in claim 4 wherein:
said bearing has a flange mounting and said apparatus further includes a gasket intermediate said bearing and said flanged axial extremity.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The apparatus as described in claim 5 wherein:
said apparatus further includes a mounting plate disposed on said housing proximate to said passageway in substantially perpendicular relationship to said axis of said shaft.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The apparatus as described in claim 6 wherein:
said apparatus further includes an actuator arm extending from and fixed to said shaft.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The apparatus as described in claim 7 wherein:
said apparatus further includes a keyless bushing fixing said actuator arm to said shaft.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The apparatus as described in claim 1 wherein:
said seal is loaded by an elastomer.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The apparatus as described in claim 9 wherein:
said seal is a polymer seal.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The apparatus as described in claim 10 wherein:
said means for supporting said bearing includes an elongated sleeve shaped members having a flanged axial extremity.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The apparatus as described in claim 11 wherein:
said bearing has a flange mounting and said apparatus further includes a gasket intermediate said bearing and said flanged axial extremity.

### Claim 13 (depends on 12)

The apparatus as described in claim 12 wherein:
said apparatus further includes a mounting plate disposed on said housing proximate to said passageway in substantially perpendicular relationship to said axis of said shaft.

### Claim 14 (depends on 13)

The apparatus as described in claim 13 wherein:
said apparatus further includes an actuator arm extending from and fixed to said shaft.

### Claim 15 (depends on 14)

The apparatus as described in claim 14 wherein:
said apparatus further includes a keyless bushing fixing said actuator arm to said shaft.