Axially adjustable lip seal assembly

Claim 2

A rotary seal assembly for providing a dynamic seal between a rotating shaft and a stationary housing comprising a ring-shaped adapter member adapted to be mounted on a housing to circumvent a shaft, a ring-shaped insert member adapted to be slidably received within said adapter member, means forming a static seal between said adapter member and said insert member, dynamic seal means carried by said insert member and adapted to contact a shaft in dynamic sealing engagement therewith, and means coupling said insert member and said adapter member together for axial movement relative to each other whereby the axial location of said insert member within said adapter member may be varied selectively.

Claim 3

The assembly of claim 1 wherein said means for forming a static seal between said adapter member and said insert member comprises an annular groove formed in an outer surface of said insert member and an O-ring seal disposed within said annular groove.

Claim 4

The assembly of claim 1 wherein said dynamic seal means comprises a lip seal carried on an inner surface of said insert member.

Claim 5

The assembly of claim 1 wherein said means for coupling the insert member and the adapter comprises a first threaded portion formed on the inner surface of said adapter and a second threaded portion formed on the outer surface of said insert member which threadably engages said first threaded portion whereby said axial location is varied by the selective rotation of one of said adapter and insert members relative to the other member.

Claim 6

The assembly of claim 4 wherein said adapter member is releasably mounted on a housing and said assembly further comprises means fixedly coupling said insert member to said housing thereby permitting said axial location to be varied by releasing said adapter member from said housing and by rotating said adapter member relative to said insert member.

Claim 7

The assembly of claim 5 wherein said means for fixedly coupling said insert member to said housing comprises an elongated pin extending axially from said insert member into said housing.

Claim 8

The assembly of claim 4 wherein said adapter is fixedly mounted to a housing, said assembly further comprising means rEleasably coupling said adapter member and said insert member together to prevent relative rotation therebetween to thereby permit said axial location to be varied by releasing said means for fixedly and releasably coupling said adapter member for said insert member together and by rotating said insert member relative to said adapter member.

Claim 9

The assembly of claim 7 wherein said means for fixedly and releasably coupling said adapter member and said insert member together comprises a set screw extending radially through said adapter member and into said insert member.

Claim 10

A lip seal assembly providing an axially adjustable seal between a running surface of a crankshaft and an engine block associated with said crankshaft comprising a ring-shaped adapter member mounted on said engine block to circumvent said crankshaft, a ring-shaped lip seal retainer member slidably received within said adapter member, an annular groove formed on an outer surface of said retainer member, an O-ring seal disposed in said annular groove to contact an inner surface of said adapter member in static sealing engagement therewith, a lip seal carried on the inner surface of said retainer member to contact the running surface of the crankshaft in dynamic sealing engagement therewith, a first threaded portion formed on said adapter member, and a second threaded portion formed on said retainer member and threadably engaged with said first threaded portion whereby the axial location of said retainer member relative to said adapter member may be varied by the selective rotation of one of said adapter and retainer members relative to the other member.

Claim 11

A lip seal assembly providing an axially adjustable seal between a running surface of a crankshaft and an engine block associated with said crankshaft comprising a ring-shaped adapter member mounted on said engine block to circumvent said crankshaft, a ring-shaped lip seal retainer member slidably received within said adapter member, an annular groove formed on an outer surface of said retainer member, an O-ring seal disposed in said annular groove to contact an inner surface of said adapter member in static sealing engagement therewith, a lip seal carried on the inner surface of said retainer member to contact the running surface of the crankshaft in dynamic sealing engagement therewith, a first threaded portion formed on said adapter member, and a second threaded portion formed on said retainer member and threadably engaged with said first threaded portion whereby the axial location of said retainer member relative to said adapter member may be varied by the selective rotation of one of said adapter and retainer members relative to the other member.