Seal construction

Claim 2

In a seal construction, the combination comprising: a housing having a chamber therein; a lever having a rounded portion, the rounded portion being disposed at least partially within the chamber and spaced from the housing; a pivot structure interconnecting the rounded portion and the housing such that the lever is mounted for guided pivoting movement about a fixed axis extending through the rounded portion and located within the chamber and such that loads imposed upon the lever are transmitted to the housing by the structure; first and second circumferential seals, each comprising a deformable material, immovably retained in spaced parallel relationship in the chamber between and in contact with the housing and the rounded portion such that pivoting movement of the lever causes the rounded portion to slide over the seals, each seal conforming to the respective peripheries of the chamber and rounded portion adjacent thereto and having an axis transverse to the axis of pivoting of the lever and; means to drain off fluid adjacent the rounded portion and intermediate the seals.

Claim 3

The combination of claim 1, wherein the draining means comprises: a passage; and a restriction in the passage.

Claim 4

The combination of claim 1, wherein the rounded portion is spherical in shape.

Claim 5

A seal construction comprising: a housing having a chamber therein; a lever having a spherical portion, the spherical portion being disposed at least partially within the chamber and spaced from the housing; means to interconnect the spherical portion and the housing for mounting the lever for guided pivoting movement about a fixed axis extending through the spherical portion and located within the chamber and for transmitting loads imposed upon the lever to the housing; first and second circumferential seals immovably retained in the chamber between the housing and the spherical portion in parallel spaced relationship, and the axes of the seals being perpendicular to the axis of movement of the lever, each seal conforming to and in contact with the respective peripheries of the chamber and the rounded portion adjacent thereto; a ring member mounted within the housing radially spaced from the spherical portion and located intermediately of the seals, the ring member having an axis perpendicular to the axis of rotation of the lever, the ring member having a passage to drain off fluid in the volume defined between the ring member, the seals and the spherical portion, the housing having an aperture in communication with the passage for receiving fluid from the passage and thereby providing a drainage path to the exterior of the housing.

Claim 6

A seal construction comprising: a housing having a chamber therein; a lever having a spherical portion, the spherical portion being disposed at least partially within the chamber and spaced from the housing; means to interconnect the spherical portion and the housing for mounting the lever for guided pivoting movement about a fixed axis extending through the spherical portion and located within the chamber and for transmitting loads imposed upon the lever to the housing; first and second circumferential seals immovably retained in the chamber between the housing and the spherical portion in parallel spaced relationship, and the axes of the seals being perpendicular to the axis of movement of the lever, each seal conforming to and in contact with the respective peripheries of the chamber and the rounded portion adjacent thereto; a ring member mounted within the housing radially spaced from the spherical portion and located intermediately of the seals, the ring member having an axis perpendicular to the axis of rotation of the lever, the ring member having a passage to drain off fluid in the volume defined between the ring member, the seals and the spherical portion, the housing having an aperture in communication with the passage for receiving fluid from the passage and thereby providing a drainage path to the exterior of the housing.

Claim 7

The seal construction of claim 4, wherein the interconnecting means comprises: a pin mounted to the housing within the chamber for pivotally mounting the lever, the pin extending through the spherical portion and the ring member; and wherein each seal comprises: a ring of elastomeric material; and bearing means to prevent scuffing of the ring by the spherical portion when the lever is pivoted.

Claim 8

The seal construction of claim 5, wherein the housing comprises: two annular seal retainer members, one of the retainer members being partially received within the other of the retainer members, the retainer members each contacting the ring member; and wherein the contour of the chamber proximate the spherical portion narrows in the outboard directions therefrom; and wherein each of the bearing means comprises: an annular bearing element having an L-shaped cross section, the bearing element contacting the ring, the ring member and the spherical portion.

Claim 9

The combination of claim 1, wherein each seal comprises: a ring of elastomeric material; and an annular bearing element interposed between the ring and the rounded portion to prevent scuffing of the elastomeric material when the lever is pivoted.