Shaft sealing unit

Claim 1

A SHAFT SEALING UNIT FOR LOCATION WITHIN THE BORE OF A BEARING HOUSING COMPRISING SEALING MEANS AND A HOUSING FOR SAID SEALING MEANS; SAID HOUSING INCLUDING AN INNER COMPONENT AND AN OUTER COMPONENT; SAID INNER COMPONENT BEING TUBULAR AND SUBSTANTIALLY BELL-SHAPED; A FLANGE EXTENDING RADIALLY OUTWARDLY OF A WIDER DIAMETER OPEN END OF SAID INNER COMPONENT AND A SHAFT SEAL SUPPORTED BY A SMALLER DIAMETER OPEN END OF SAID INNER COMPONENT; SAID OUTER COMPONENT BEING LOCKED IN CONCENTRIC CONTIGUITY WITH SAID INNER COMPONENT AND, IN COOPERATION WITH SAID FLANGE, ADAPTED TO SUPPORT A BORE SEAL; A PLURALITY OF ARCUATELY, FLEXIBLE RESILIENT RETAINING MEMBERS PROJECTING OUTWARDLY FROM SAID OUTER COMPONENT, SAID PLURALITY OF RETAINING MEMBERS BEING ADAPTED TO PERMIT FORCIBLE FLEXING THEREOF RADIALLY INWARDLY TO A TOTAL MAJOR DIAMETER OF SAID MEMBERS OF A SIZE LESS THAN THE DIAMETER OF SAID BORE, SAID RETAINING MEMBERS UPON BEING RELEASED OF SAID FLEXING FORCE, BEING BIASED RADIALLY OUTWARDS TO A TOTAL MAJOR DIAMETER OF SAID MEMBERS, OF A SIZE LARGER THAN THE DIAMETER OF SAID BORE, SAID BORE CONTAINING ANNULARLY DISPOSED GROOVE MEANS ADAPTED TO RECEIVE AND RETAIN RADIAL EXTREMITY PORTIONS OF SAID RETAINING MEMBERS; SAID FLANGE BEING COOPERABLE WITH SAID BEARING HOUSING UPON SAID RETAINING MEMBERS ENTERING SAID GROOVE; AND MEANS FOR MANUALLY FLEXING SAID RETAINING MEMBERS INWARDLY TO FACILITATE THE REMOVAL OF SAID SEALING UNIT FROM SAID BORE.