Shaft seal assembly

Claim 1

IN A SHAFT SEAL CONSTRUCTION FOR A UNITARY ROTATABLE SHAFT ONE END PORTION OF WHICH PASSES THROUGH AN OPENING INTO A FLUID CONTAINER AND THE OTHER PORTION OF WHICH PROJECTS THEREFROM; PRIMARY SEALING MEANS ENCIRCLING A PROJECTING PORTION OF SAID SHAFT AND ADAPTED, WHEN IN SEALING POSITION, TO PREVENT LEAKAGE OF FLUID FROM SAID CONTAINER ALONG SAID SHAFT; AUXILIARY SEALING MEANS ENCIRCLING SAID SHAFT AND NORMALLY OUT OF SEALING POSITION BUT ADAPTED TO BE MOVED INTO SEALING POSITION; A FIRST SLEEVE ADAPTED TO BE CONNECTED TO DRIVE MEANS EXTERNAL OF SAID CONTAINER, SAID FIRST SLEEVE SURROUNDING A PROJECTING PORTION OF SAID SHAFT BEYOND A SAID PRIMARY SEALING MEANS AND HAVING AN INTERNAL DIAMETER LARGER THAN THE OUTSIDE DIAMETER OF SAID PRIMARY SEALING MEANS; REMOVABLY-MOUNTED CONNECTING MEANS CONNECTING SAID FIRST SLEEVE TO SAID SHAFT, SAID CONNECTING MEANS INCLUDING A SECOND SLEEVE POSITIONED BETWEEN SAID FIRST SLEEVE AND SAID SHAFT, SAID SECOND SLEEVE BEING REMOVABLY CONNECTED TO SAID FIRST SLEEVE AND TO SAID SHAFT, AND SO ARRANGED THAT WHEN SAID CONNECTING MEANS IS REMOVED SAID PRIMARY SEALING MEANS MAY BE SLID AXIALLY ALONG SAID PROJECTING PORTION OF SAID SHAFT AND REMOVED FROM SAID SHAFT.