Component seal

#The present invention relates, generally, to mechanical seals, which are fitted to rotating equipment in virtually all types of industries.

#A mechanical seal comprises a “floating” component which is mounted axially movable around the rotary shaft of, for example, a pump or a “static” component which is axially fixed, typically being secured to a housing. The floating component has a flat annular end face, i.e., its seal face, directed towards a seal face of the static component. The floating component is urged towards the static component to close the seal faces together to form a sliding face seal, usually by means of one or more spring members. In use, one of the floating and static components rotates; this component is therefore referred to as the rotary component. The other of the floating and static components does not rotate and is referred to as the stationary component.

#Those seals whose floating component is rotary are described as rotary seals. If the floating component is stationary, the seal is referred to as a stationary seal.

#In the drawing, wherein similar reference numerals and symbols denote similar features throughout the several views:

#FIG. 1 is a sectional side elevational view of a mechanical seal in accordance with a first preferred embodiment of the present invention;

#FIG. 2 is a magnified sectional side elevational view of the sealing section between the first, third and elastomeric bellows members of the embodiment of FIG. 1;

#The general principle of mechanical seals in accordance with the present invention may be used not only in the case where the shaft is a rotary member and the housing is the stationary member, but also the reverse situation, that is to say, in which the shaft is stationary and the housing is rotary.

#Furthermore, the present invention may be embodied in both rotary and stationary arrangements, cartridge and component seals with metallic components as well as non-metallic components.

#Referring to FIG. 1 of the accompanying drawings, the invention 1 incorporates an elastomeric bellows member 2, which is radially disposed in operation between a shaft 3 and first, second and third members, 4, 5 and 6, respectively. The second member 5 squeezes the elastomeric bellows member 2, thereby providing a seal between the elastomeric bellows member 2, the second member 5 and the shaft member 3. The third member 6 squeezes the elastomeric bellows member 2 onto the first member 4 providing a seal between the members. A primary sealing face 7 resides in the first member 4 and is urged toward the second sealing face 8 via a plurality of springs 9 which reside in a plurality of cavities in the first member 4 and are compressed in operation between the cavities and the second member 5. One or more pins 10 are located in the second member 5 protruding into an opposing cavity in the first member 4, thereby providing axial drive between the shaft 3, bellows member 2, second member 5 and the first member 4. The second sealing face 8 is in sealing engagement with the pump housing 11 via a secondary elastomeric boot member 12. A tertiary elastomeric member 13 is located in a groove located on the inner diameter of the first member 4 providing radial alignment means between the first and second members, 4 and 5, respectively.