US 5,571,268 AGranted

Universal split mechanical seal

AssigneeA.W. Chesterton Company

InventorHenri V. Azibert

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Abstract

A split mechanical seal including first and second seal ring assemblies, at least one resilient biasing element and at least one axial biasing element. The first and second seal ring assemblies each include a seal ring having two segments that are resiliently supported in the seal. The segments have an outer surface and a pair of segment sealing faces disposed at opposite ends of the segments. The mechanical seal includes a pair of resilient biasing elements disposed about each seal ring, and the resilient biasing element is preferably an elastomeric member. The axial biasing element is associated with at least one seal ring for generating and applying, in cooperation with the elastomeric member, a second radially inward force; the second force operating to bias the segment sealing faces together when the mechanical seal is exposed to a selected pressure condition. The axial biasing element is an abutment, integrally formed with the segments of both seal rings, that has a radially outwardly slanted outer surface. When the mechanical seal is exposed to a selected pressure condition, the elastomeric member is disposed in intimate contact with the abutment, and applies an axial force thereto. The abutment transforms the axial force into an axial force component and a second radially inward force component. This second radially inward component also operates to bias the sealing faces of the seal ring segments into sealing contact with each other.

Claims30

Dependent claims

A split mechanical seal for mounting to a housing containing a rotating shaft, comprising:

a pair of seal ring assemblies concentrically disposed about said shaft and including a first seal ring assembly and a second seal ring assembly, each said seal ring assembly having a seal ring formed of at least two seal ring segments, said seal rings being disposed generally concentric to a first axis, said segments being resiliently supported in said mechanical seal and having inner and outer concentric surfaces, and a pair of axially extending segment sealing faces disposed at opposite ends of each of said segments,
at least one resilient biasing means concentric about and in intimate contact with said outer concentric surface of said seal segments of at least one seal ring, for applying a first radially inward force to said seal segments, said first radially inward force operating to bias each of said segment sealing faces of one of said seal ring segments into sealing contact with corresponding segment sealing faces of another of said seal ring segments to prevent radial separation thereof, when said mechanical seal is exposed to a positive pressure condition, and
at least one axial biasing means associated with at least one of said seal ring assemblies for generating and applying, in cooperation with said resilient biasing means, a second radially inward force to said seal segments, said second radially inward force also operating to bias said segment sealing faces of one of said seal ring segments into sealing contact with corresponding segment sealing faces of another of said seal ring segments to prevent radial separation thereof, when said mechanical seal is exposed to a negative pressure condition.

A mechanical seal assembly comprising:

a pair of stationary gland segments defining a chamber and having an inner face,
a pair of rotating holder segments disposed within said chamber and radially spaced from said gland segments,
a stationary seal ring assembly disposed within said chamber and axially spaced from said holder segments, said stationary seal ring assembly having a pair of arcuate seal ring segments being resiliently supported within said chamber and having an inner and an outer surface, and a pair of axially extending segment sealing faces disposed at opposite ends of each of said segments,
a rotating seal ring assembly disposed within said rotating holder and axially spaced from and in intimate contact with said stationary seal ring, said rotating seal ring assembly having a pair of seal ring segments being resiliently supported within said chamber and having an inner and an outer surface, and a pair of axially extending segment sealing faces disposed at opposite ends of each of said segments,
said seal ring segments having an abutment integrally formed on each of said segment outer surfaces, said abutment having a slanted outer surface, and
at least one resilient biasing means disposed within said chamber and concentric about at least said stationary seal ring assembly, for applying to said segment outer surface a first radial inward force,
said resilient biasing means and said abutment cooperating to generate and apply a second radial inward force to said seal ring segments when said mechanical seal is operating under a negative pressure condition to prevent radial separation thereof.

4 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.