Apex seal assembly for rotary mechanisms

Claim 1

An apex seal assembly for a rotary mechanism having a housing with axially spaced end walls and a peripheral wall interconnecting the end walls to form a multi-lobed cavity therebetween and a rotor mounted within said cavity for rotation on an axis eccentric to the housing, the rotor having axially spaced side faces and a peripheral surface consisting of a plurality of circumferential spaced apex portions for forming with the housing walls a plurality of working chambers which vary in volumetric size as the rotor rotates within the housing cavity, the apex seal assembly for each apex portion of the rotor comprises in combination with a side seal ring carried in a circular groove in each end face of the rotor: a. an apex groove at the apex portion of the rotor extending axially from one side face of the rotor to the other and radially inward to communicate with the circular groove for the side seal ring; b. a first blade means disposed to extend axially within the apex groove and projecting radially therefrom adjacent said peripheral wall; c. a second blade means disposed to extend radially within the apex groove and project axially therefrom beyond one of the side faces of the rotor; d. a third blade means disposed in the apex groove radially inward of said second blade means, and in abutment against the side seal ring in said one of the side faces of the rotor; e. said second blade means having radially spaced opposite end edge portions which extend axially inward of said one of the side faces of the rotor in a converging direction; f. the first and third blade means each having an inclined edge portion which is complementary to and in abutment against the converging end edge portions of said second blade means; and g. a spring for exerting an axially directed force on the third blade means so that the reaction forces between the first, second and third blade means at their abutting edge portions simultaneously urge the third blade means in a radial direction into sealing contact with the side seal ring, the second blade means in axial and radial directions into sealing engagement with the adjacent housing side wall and against the first blade means, and said first blade means in radial and axial directions into sealing contact with the peripheral wall and away from said adjacent housing side wall.