Patent ID: 6224061
Filing Date: 2001-05-01
Classification: F16J

Abstract:
A mechanical shaft seal for separating a first liquid from a second fluid, said mechanical shaft seal comprising:(a) a rotary assembly for mounting on a rotatable shaft for rotation therewith;(b) a stationary assembly for securing to a fixed structure within which the rotary assembly is located;(c) said rotary assembly and said stationary assembly each carry a respective mating seal face;(d) one of said seal faces being located on a floating component mounted for axial movement with respect to said shaft;(e) means for urging the floating component in a direction towards the other of said seal faces; and(f) a non-metallic end cap coupled to said rotary assembly via sealing means located between said end cap and said rotary assembly, said sealing means comprising first and second sealing members associated with respective first and second longitudinally spaced portions of the end cap, said sealing members bearing against surfaces which are equally spaced from the longitudinal axis of the shaft seal so that at least one of the first liquid fluid and second liquid fluid acts on said opposed longitudinally spaced portions of the end cap to substantially the same level with respect to the longitudinal axis of the shaft seal such that there is no net hydraulic force acting to displace the end cap from the rotary assembly.