Seal shaft shutoff device and method
AssigneeSPX Corporation
InventorsRobert A. Blakley, Bernd Gigas
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An apparatus for providing a secondary seal on mixers and similar rotating equipment that includes a stop assembly and a collar which cooperate to minimize translational movement of a mixer shaft during shutoff and to form a reversible seal between the vessel and the shaft. The apparatus provides a sealing engagement between the mixing vessel and the rotatable shaft of a mixer offering improved safety during mechanical seal replacement.
Claims20
A seal shutoff apparatus for use with a vessel having a shaft extending through the vessel, wherein the shaft translates at least between an operating position and a shutoff position, the apparatus comprising:
- a housing comprising an inner surface and an inner protrusion that extends along said inner surface of said housing;
- a collar connected to the shaft such that the collar translates with the shaft;
- a stop assembly comprising a first and a second contact surface, wherein the first and second contact surfaces constrain translational movement of the collar;
- and
- a sealing mechanism,
- wherein said collar extends between said first contact surface and said second contact surface to generally oppose said inner protrusion.
A mixing apparatus for mixing and processing materials comprising:
- a mixing vessel configured for receiving material to be mixed;
- a motor;
- a rotatable shaft extending from the motor and into the mixing vessel;
- a sealing element for providing a primary sealing engagement between the vessel and the rotatable shaft;
- and
- an apparatus for providing secondary sealing engagement between the vessel and the rotatable shaft wherein the shaft translates at least between an operating position and a shutoff position, the apparatus comprising a housing comprising an inner surface and an inner protrusion that extends along said inner surface of said housing, a collar connected to the shaft such that the collar translates with the shaft;
- a stop assembly comprising a first and a second contact surface, wherein the first and second contact surfaces constrain translational movement of the collar;
- and a sealing mechanism,
- wherein said collar extends between said first contact surface and said second contact surface to generally oppose said inner protrusion.
A method for providing a sealing engagement between a vessel and a rotatable shaft comprising:
- providing a seal shutoff apparatus having a housing comprising an inner surface and an inner protrusion that extends along said inner surface of said housing, a collar connected to the shaft such that the collar translates with the shaft, a stop assembly comprising a first and a second contact surface, wherein the first and second contact surfaces constrain translational movement of the collar, and a sealing mechanism, wherein said collar extends between said first contact surface and said second contact surface to generally oppose said inner protrusion;
- and
- translating the collar in a first direction such that the first contact surface together with the collar form a seal.
An apparatus for use with a vessel having a housing and a shaft extending through the vessel, wherein the shaft translates at least between an operating position and a shutoff position, the apparatus comprising:
- an inner protrusion that extends from the housing
- a first stopping means connected to the shaft such that the first stopping means translates with the shaft;
- and
- a second stopping means disposed within the apparatus housing wherein the first stopping means together with the second stopping means constrain translational movement of the shaft to a range of from about 0.06″ to about 0.19,″
- wherein said first stopping means extends from the shaft to generally oppose the inner protrusion.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.