Patent ID: 6932350
Filing Date: 2005-08-23
Classification: F16J

Abstract:
1. A segmented labyrinth seal having a windback configuration formed around a rotatable shaft for preventing leakage of fluid from a bearing housing, comprising: a first face and a second face; an exterior cylindrical surface and an interior cylindrical surface each extending between said first face and said second face; a thread pattern provided on said interior cylindrical surface selectively configured in a right-hand direction and a left-hand direction, said thread pattern providing the windback configuration, wherein said thread pattern has said right-hand direction when the rotatable shaft is rotating clockwise when looking down the rotatable shaft toward the bearing housing and has said left-hand direction when the rotatable shaft is rotating counter-clockwise when looking down the rotatable shaft toward the bearing housing; said thread pattern being formed of a plurality of profiled teeth, said plurality of profiled teeth having first sides, second sides, and connecting sides extending between said first sides and said second sides, wherein leading edges are formed where said first sides join said connecting sides and trailing edges are formed where said second sides join said connecting sides, said first sides and said second sides being slanted toward said second face, and a pressure drop is taken over said plurality of profiled teeth; and a channel tracing said thread pattern formed between said first sides and said second sides of adjacent teeth of said plurality of profiled teeth, said channel adapted to capture the fluid from the bearing housing, and to return the fluid to the bearing housing without the need for axial drain holes; wherein the segmented labyrinth seal is formed from two half-circle shaped segments, said segments having first and second ends, said first ends abutting one another and said second ends abutting one another when the segmented labyrinth seal is assembled; and wherein said first and seconds ends of one of said two half-circle shaped segments are respectively provided with first and second split-line pins and said first and second ends of the other of said two half-circle shaped segments are respectively provided with first and second holes, said first hole receiving said first split-line pin and said second hole receiving said second split-line pin when said segmented labyrinth seal is assembled, and the position of said first hole and said first split-line pin is staggered in relation to said second hole and said second split-line pin depending on said selective configuration of said thread pattern in said right-hand direction and said left-hand direction.