US4330133A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Dual-ring seal with temperature compensation
Assignee: Rolls Royce PLC
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Filing: 1981-06-18
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Granted: 1982-05-18
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Expires: 2001-06-18
Abstract
Abstract A seal arrangement suitable for sealing between two coaxially mounted, axially restrained, radially spaced apart and relatively rotatable members comprises two concentric, ring-shaped seal elements having adjacent sealing faces. The seal elements are mounted on the respective members by a spline and groove arrangement which permits radial growth or shrinkage of the relatively rotatable members due to their thermal expansion or contraction without such growth or shrinkage being transferred to the seal elements. The arrangement insures that the gap between the sealing faces of the seal elements remains substantially constant during thermal variations.
Inventors
- 👤 Jack Palfreyman
- 👤 James P. Angus
- 👤 John M. Robertson
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-02 03:44
CPC Classifications
F; F16; F16J; F16J15/00; F16J15/44; F16J15/441; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S277/00; Y10S277/931
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 9
Claim 1
Independent Claim
157 words
A seal arrangement comprising two coaxially mounted and axially restrained radially spaced apart relatively rotatable members and two concentric, ring-shaped seal elements having adjacent sealing faces and substantially similar rates of thermal expansion, said two seal elements being interposed between said relatively rotatable members, one of each of said seal elements and its adjacent member having a plurality of radially extending projections and the other of each of said seal elements and its adjacent member having a plurality of corresponding recesses to receive and engage said projections in such a manner as to retain said seal elements in coaxial relationship and provide that any radial growth and shrinkage of said relatively rotatable members due to their thermal expansion and contraction is not transferred to said seal elements, said relatively rotatable members being provided with annular retaining means to axially retain said seal elements and provide a seal between each of said seal elements and its adjacent member.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
157 words
A seal arrangement comprising two coaxially mounted and axially restrained radially spaced apart relatively rotatable members and two concentric, ring-shaped seal elements having adjacent sealing faces and substantially similar rates of thermal expansion, said two seal elements being interposed between said relatively rotatable members, one of each of said seal elements and its adjacent member having a plurality of radially extending projections and the other of each of said seal elements and its adjacent member having a plurality of corresponding recesses to receive and engage said projections in such a manner as to retain said seal elements in coaxial relationship and provide that any radial growth and shrinkage of said relatively rotatable members due to their thermal expansion and contraction is not transferred to said seal elements, said relatively rotatable members being provided with annular retaining means to axially retain said seal elements and provide a seal between each of said seal elements and its adjacent member.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
45 words
A seal arrangement as claimed in claim 1 wherein said retaining means comprises a circumferentially extending channel in each of said relatively rotatable members, each of said sealing elements being slidingly and sealingly mounted in its respective channel so as to be retained axially thereby.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
73 words
A seal arrangement as claimed in claim 1 wherein said radially extending projections consist of splines and said recesses consist of grooves to receive and engage said splines, the splines and grooves being so dimensioned that gaps are defined between each spline and the base of its corresponding groove to permit said radial growth and shrinkage, and are arranged such that said relatively rotatable members and seal elements are maintained in coaxial relationship.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
27 words
A seal arrangement as claimed in claim 1 wherein the adjacent sealing faces of said seal elements are so shaped that together they define a labyrinth seal.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
24 words
A seal arrangement as claimed in claim 1 wherein said seal elements are formed from a material having a low coefficient of thermal expansion.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
22 words
A seal arrangement as claimed in claim 5 wherein said seal elements are formed from a material having a high specific stiffness.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
35 words
A seal arrangement as claimed in claim 6 wherein said material is selected from the group consisting of carbon foam, a ceramic and a composite material comprising carbon fibres enclosed in a matrix of carbon.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
18 words
A seal arrangement as claimed in claim 7 wherein said seal elements are coated with an anti-oxidation coating.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1985-05-17 | 1985-11-16 | 1986-05-18 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1989-05-17 | 1989-11-16 | 1990-05-18 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1993-05-17 | 1993-11-16 | 1994-05-18 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |