Seal lubricating means

Claim 1

IN A ROTARY MECHANISM COMPRISING AN OUTER BODY HAVING A PAIR OF END WALLS AND A PERIPHERAL WALL CONNECTED THEREBETWEEN TO FORM A CAVITY; A ROTOR MOUNTED FOR RELATIVE ROTATION WITHIN SAID CAVITY, SAID ROTOR HAVING A PLURALITY OF CIRCUMFERENTIALLY-SPACED GROOVES AND HAVING SEAL ELEMENTS RECEIVED WITHIN SAID GROOVES AND PROJECTING OUTWARDLY THEREFROM FOR SEALING COOPERATION WITH THE PERIPHERAL WALL OF SAID CAVITY TO FORM A PLURALITY OF OF WORKING CHAMBERS WHICH VARY IN VOLUME DURING RELATIVE ROTATION OF SAID ROTOR, SAID GROOVES BEING IN COMMUNICATION WITH SAID CHAMBERS, END FACE SEALS ON SAID ROTOR END FACES FOR SEALING ENGAGEMENT WITH SAID END WALLS, AND SAID ROTOR HAVING PASSAGES FOR SUPPLYING A LUBRICATING MEDIUM TO SAID GROOVES; AND INTERMEDIATE SEAL MEANS POSITIONED IN EACH SAID GROOVE ADJACENT THE OUTLET END OF EACH SUPPLY PASSAGE TO SAID GROOVES AND HAVING SEALING COOPERATION WITH SAID SEAL ELEMENTS AND SAID END FACE SEALS AND SAID INTERMEDIATE SEAL MEANS BEING RESPONSIVE TO THE FLUID PRESSURE WITHIN EACH GROOVE FOR CLOSING THE LUBRICANT SUPPLY PASSAGE TO SAID GROOVE WHEN SAID FLUID PRESSURE IS OF A MAGNITUDE SUFFICIENT TO OTHERWISE CAUSE SAID FLUID TO FLOW INTO SAID PASSAGE.