Patent US3770179A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US3770179A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Self-pressurizing seal for rotary shafts
Assignee: General Electric Co
•
Filing: 1971-04-08
•
Granted: 1973-11-06
•
Expires: 1991-04-08
Abstract
Abstract A self-pressurizing shaft seal for an oil filled submersible motor is characterized by an inboard spiral grooved face seal and an outboard conventional face seal disposed in series relationship along the motor shaft. During operation, the inboard spiral grooved face seal pumps oil from the motor interior into a substantially confined zone between the seals to increase the oil pressure at the outboard face seal without the necessity for structurally strengthening the entire motor housing. Also disclosed is the disposition of a shoulder on the spiral grooved seal runner face remote from the pumping interface to permit the oil pressure within the confined zone to hydraulicly increase the axial force upon the runner thereby increasing the pumping pressure of the spiral grooved seal in boot strap fashion. Other disclosed seals contain means for measuring the pressure within the confined zone to actuate remote signaling devices upon a failure of the outboard seal as well as spiral grooved face seals having valving means to alter the pumping rate of the inboard seal upon a loss of pressure in the confined zone between seals.
Inventors
- 👤 Hugh J Mc
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-29 19:38
CPC Classifications
F; F16; F16J; F16J15/00; F16J15/16; F16J15/40; F16J15/34; F16J15/3404; F16J15/3408; F16J15/3412
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 10
Claim 1
Independent Claim
190 words
A shaft seal for a rotatable machine to inhibit ingress of ambient fluid into said machine, said seal comprising an inboard pumping seal characterized by an annular running member mounted upon said rotatable shaft in juxtaposition with an annular stationary member disposed in a confronting attitude relative to said running member, at least one of said juxtaposed members having viscosity grooves therein extending from a peripheral edge of said member and terminating in a land along a planar face of the member to pump sealing fluid contained within said machine into a relatively confined zone to substantially increase the pressure of said sealing fluid within said zone relative to the sealing fluid pressure within said machine, and face seal means axially mounted upon said shaft at an outboard location relative to said inboard seal to restrict the out flow of sealing fluid from said confined zone, said face seal means including a rotorary member axially mounted upon said rotatable shaft, a stationary member juxtaposed in a co-planar attitude relative to said rotary member, and means including a pressure actuated member for driving said rotary and stationary members toward mutual contact.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
190 words
A shaft seal for a rotatable machine to inhibit ingress of ambient fluid into said machine, said seal comprising an inboard pumping seal characterized by an annular running member mounted upon said rotatable shaft in juxtaposition with an annular stationary member disposed in a confronting attitude relative to said running member, at least one of said juxtaposed members having viscosity grooves therein extending from a peripheral edge of said member and terminating in a land along a planar face of the member to pump sealing fluid contained within said machine into a relatively confined zone to substantially increase the pressure of said sealing fluid within said zone relative to the sealing fluid pressure within said machine, and face seal means axially mounted upon said shaft at an outboard location relative to said inboard seal to restrict the out flow of sealing fluid from said confined zone, said face seal means including a rotorary member axially mounted upon said rotatable shaft, a stationary member juxtaposed in a co-planar attitude relative to said rotary member, and means including a pressure actuated member for driving said rotary and stationary members toward mutual contact.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
53 words
A seal having a rotatable shaft according to claim 1 wherein said inboard pumping seal and said face seal means are disposed in tandem along said shaft, the pressure of said sealing fluid in said confined zone tending to reduce the span between the stationary and rotary members of said face seal means.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
55 words
A seal having a rotatable shaft according to claim 1 wherein said inboard pumping seal and said face seal means are disposed in back-to-back configuration along said shaft, the pressure of said sealing fluid in said confined zone tending to increase the span between the stationary and rotary members of said outboard face seal means.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
79 words
A seal for a rotatable shaft according to claim 1 wherein one member of said inboard pumping seal is axially slidable along said shaft and further including a shoulder notched within the face of said axially slidable member situated remote from the stationary member forming said seal, said shoulder being in communication with said sealing fluid within said high pressure zone to provide a hydraulic force tending to bias said annular running and annular stationary members into mutual contact.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
30 words
A seal for a rotatable shaft according to claim 4 further including an O-Ring seal between said rotary member and said shaft to seal said rotary member upon said shaft.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
46 words
A seal having a rotatable shaft according to claim 1 further including means for measuring the pressure within said confined zone and remote signal means responsive to said pressure measuring means for indicating a reduction in the pressure of said confined zone below a predetermined minimum.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
190 words
A shaft seal for a rotatable machine to inhibit ingress of ambient fluid into said machine, said seal comprising a spiral grooved face seal disposed at an inboard location along said shaft for pumping sealing fluid from said machine into a substantially confined zone to increase the sealing fluid pressure within said machine, said spiral grooved face seal comprising coaxial rotary and stationary members juxtaposed in a co-planar attitude, at least one of said members being axially slidable along said shaft to vary the span between said members, mechanical means biasing said axially slidable member toward said stationary member, a shoulder notched within said axially slidable member face remote from said stationary member, said shoulder being in communication with the sealing fluid of said confined zone to bias said axially slidable member towards said stationary member of said spiral grooved face seal with increased sealing fluid pressure in said confined zone, and pressure responsive face seal means disposed at an axially outboard location upon said rotatable shaft and operable in response to increased fluid pressure in said confined zone to restrict the flow of sealing fluid from said confined zone.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
190 words
A shaft seal for a rotatable machine to inhibit ingress of ambient fluid into said machine, said seal comprising a spiral grooved face seal disposed at an inboard location along said shaft for pumping sealing fluid from said machine into a substantially confined zone to increase the sealing fluid pressure within said machine, said spiral grooved face seal comprising coaxial rotary and stationary members juxtaposed in a co-planar attitude, at least one of said members being axially slidable along said shaft to vary the span between said members, mechanical means biasing said axially slidable member toward said stationary member, a shoulder notched within said axially slidable member face remote from said stationary member, said shoulder being in communication with the sealing fluid of said confined zone to bias said axially slidable member towards said stationary member of said spiral grooved face seal with increased sealing fluid pressure in said confined zone, and pressure responsive face seal means disposed at an axially outboard location upon said rotatable shaft and operable in response to increased fluid pressure in said confined zone to restrict the flow of sealing fluid from said confined zone.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
32 words
A seal for a rotatable shaft according to claim 7 wherein the grooves in said spiral grooved face seal extend from the periphery of said seal to terminate in an annular land.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US1022865A
Cited
US1989548A
Cited
US2628852A
Cited
US3176996A
Cited
US3334906A
Cited
US3339930A
Cited
US3392983A
Cited
US3499653A
Cited
US3587405A
Cited
US3675935A
Cited
US3675933A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1976-11-05 | 1977-05-07 | 1977-11-06 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1980-11-05 | 1981-05-07 | 1981-11-06 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1984-11-05 | 1985-05-07 | 1985-11-06 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |