MECHANICAL SEAL

Abstract: A mechanical seal (11) used to provide a fluid seal between a rotary member (19) such as a drive shaft and a stationary member (21) through which the rotary member passes. The mechanical seal (11) has a rotary portion (25) adapted to be mounted on the rotary member (19) for rotation therewith, and a stationary portion (23) adapted to be mounted on the stationary member. The stationary portion (23) includes a stationary sealing ring (43) having a sealing face (47). The rotary portion includes a housing (57) having a circular recess (61) therein concentric with the axis of rotation of the rotary member. A rotary sealing ring (61) is located in the circular recess (61) and is supported elastically therein and fixed against rotation relative to the housing (57). The rotary sealing ring (61) has a sealing face (65) which sealing contacts the sealing face (47) of the stationary sealing ring (43). The rotary sealing ring (61) is preferably supported in the circular recess by means of an elastic mount (64). A combination of a rotary sealing ring and an elastic mount therefor is also described and claimed.

Description: "Mechanical Seal" THIS INVENTION relates to a mechanical seal to provide a fluid seal between a stationary member and a rotary member passing through the stationary member. The invention is particularly applicable to rotary machines (such as liquid pumps) for providing a liquid seal between a stationary part of the machine and a drive shaft passing through the stationary part. In rotary machines provided with a rotatable drive shaft, a sealing arrangement is required between the drive shaft and a stationary part of the machine. Mechanical seals are frequently used for this purpose. Known mechanical seals comprise a rotary sealing ring in sealing contact with a stationary sealing ring, both of which are concentric-with the drive shaft. The stationary ring is rigidly supported in a stationary part of the mechanical seal which is in turn fixed relative to the stationary part of the machine. The rotary sealing ring is rigidly supported in a rotary part of the mechanical seal which is rotatable with the shaft and held against radial movement with respect to the shaft while having provision for axial movement of limited amplitude. The rotary part of the mechanical seal is biassed towards the stationary sealing ring whereby to provide an effective sealing action between the rotary and stationary sealing rings while accommodating limited relative movement bet¬ ween the mechanical seal and the drive shaft in the axial direction of the drive shaft; this provides the mechanical seal with the ability to compensate for end play in the shaft. '- However, the known mechanical seal suffers from a defi¬ ciency in that the rotary ' sealing ring is rigidly suppor¬ ted in the rotary part of the mechanical seal and this provides a constraint on the rotary sealing ring which severely limits the ability of the known mechanical seal to effectively compensate for thermal expansion and some misalignment between the shaft and the stationary part of the rotary machine. It is an object of this invention to provide a mechanical seal having a rotary sealing ring which is supported elastiσally in the mechanical seal. In one form the invention resides in a mechanical seal for providing a fluid seal between a stationary member and a rotary member passing therethrough, said mechanical seal comprising: a rotary portion adapted to be mounted on the rotary member for rotation therewith and a stationary portion adapted to be mounted on the stationary member; the stationary portion including a stationary sealing ring having a sealing face; the rotary portion including a housing having a circular recess therein concentric with the axis of rotation of the rotary member; a rotary seal¬ ing ring located the circular recess and being supported elastically therein and fixed against rotation relative to the housing; the rotary sealing ring having a sealing face; wherein the sealing faces of the rotary and station¬ ary rings are in sealing contact. Preferably the rotary sealing ring is supported in a mount formed of elasto eric material to provide the elastic support for the rotary sealing ring. To effect said fixing of the rotary sealing ring to the housing the rotary sealing ring may be bonded or otherwise secured in the mount of elastomeric material and the mount provided with first engaging means for engaging a comple¬ mentary second engaging means provided on the housing. For preference, the first engaging means comprises at least one radial protrusion on the mount, the protrusion being located in complementary recess in the housing, which recess constitutes the second engaging means. Preferably the mount has at least one circumferential rib on its outer side wall to facilitate insertion of the mount (with the rotary sealing ring therein) into the cir¬ cular recess without distortion of the mount. The housing is preferably mounted on a sleeve adapted to be located on and secured to the rotating member for rota¬ tion therewith, there being provided means for inter¬ connecting the housing and the sleeve so as to prevent relative rotation therebetween while permitting limited relative axial movement, and biassing means for urging the housing axially with respect to the axis of rotation of the rotary member to effect compressive contact between the respective sealing faces of the rotary and stationary sealing rings. The biassing means may include a frus- to-conical spring the inner end of which acts on the sleeve and the outer of which acts on the housing. In another form the invention resides in a combination of a rotary sealing ring and an elastic mount of generally annular configuration for elastically supporting the sealing ring on a rotary portion of a mechanical seal, the sealing ring being bonded to the mount and the mount being receivable in a circular recess in the rotary portion and having first engaging means for engaging a complementary second engaging means formed in the rotary portion. For preference, the first engaging means comprises at least one radial protrusion on the mount, the radial protrusion being adapted for location in a complementary recess in the rotary portion, which recess constitutes the second engaging means. Preferably, the elastic mount has at least one circum¬ ferential rib on its outer side wall. The invention will be better understood by reference to ■ the following description of two specific embodiments thereof as shown in the accompanying drawings in which:- Fig. 1 is a sectional elevational view of a mechani¬ cal seal according- to the first embodiment in posi¬ tion in a liquid pump; Fig. 2 is a sectional view of the mechanical seal of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a fragmentary sectional elevational view of a mechanical seal of Fig. 1; Fig. 4 is a perspective view of one side of a rotary 'sealing ring and elastic mount therefor/ of the rotary portion of the mechanical seal shown in Fig. 1; and Fig. 5 is a sectional view of a mechanical seal according to the second embodiment in position in a liquid pump. The first embodiment, which is shown in Figs. 1 to 4 of the accompanying drawings, is directed to a mechanical seal 11 for a liquid pump 13. The liquid pump 13 includes a pump housing 15, a rotor 17 for rotation in the pump housing and a drive shaft 19 for rotating the rotor. The housing 15 includes an adaptor plate 21. The mechanical seal 11 is adapted to be fitted onto the pump between the adaptor plate 21 and the drive shaft 19 v as shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings. The mechanical seal 11 includes a stationary portion 23 which is adapted to be secured to the adaptor plate 21, and a rotary portion 25 which is adapted to be secured to the drive shaft 19. 1 Referring particularly to Fig. 2 of the drawings which shows the mechanical seal in detail, the stationary por¬ tion 23 includes a fixed support 31 which is formed with a mounting flange 33. The mounting flange 33 has a plura¬ lity of mounting apertures (not shown) therein to receive mounting bolts 37 for mounting the fixed support 31 onto the adaptor plate 21 of the pump housing, as shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings. Formed in the fixed support 31 is a circular recess 39 which receives a stationary sealing ring 43. The stationary sealing ring 43 is supported radially by an O-ring mount 44. A dowel pin 45 is embed-, ded at one end into the fixed support 31. The other end of the dowel pin 45 locates in a notch 46 formed in the sealing ring 43 thereby .to fix the sealing ring against rotation relative to the fixed support 31. * The sealing ring 43 extends beyond the fixed support 31 and the face 47 thereof defines a sealing face. The rotary portion 25 includes a sleeve 51 adapted to be mounted on the shaft 19 of the pump and secured thereto by means of locking screws 53 operating in radial apertures 55 adjacent one end of the sleeve. A housing 57 is loca¬ ted about the sleeve 51 adjacent the other end thereof. The housing 57 is connected to the sleeve 51 so as to undergo rotation with the sleeve and be capable of limited axial movement relative to the sleeve. This connection between the housing and the sleeve is effected by a pair of diametrally opposed drive keys 59 fitted between the housing and the sleeve. ' The housing 57 includes a circular recess 61 which faces the circular recess 39 formed in the* fixed support 31. A rotary sealing ring 63 is located and elastically suppor¬ ted, in the circular recess 61. More particularly, the rotary sealing ring is mounted on a generally annular mount 64 which is received in the recess 61, as best seen in Fig. 2. The mount 64 is formed of elastomeric material and is vulcanised onto the sealing ring 63. One side of - the sealing ring 63 is embedded in the mount 62 (as best seen in Fig. 4) and the other side is exposed to define a sealing face 65 which sealingly abutts the sealing face 47 of the stationary ring 43 and is in sliding and sealing contact therewith. The mount 64 has a first engaging means for engaging a complementary second engaging means in the housing 57 whereby to fix the mount against rotation relative to the housing. The first engaging means is in the form of a plurality of radial protrusions 67 provided on the outer circumferential face of the mount as best seen in Fig. 4. The protrusions 67 formed on the mount locate in corres¬ ponding recesses 68 formed in the circular face 61a of the circular recess 61. The recesses 68 constitute said second engaging means. This arrangement provides positive engagement between the elastomeric mount and the housing 57 and thereby effects positive engagement between the housing 57 and the rotary sealing ring 63. This provides for effective transmission of rotational torque from the housing 57 to the rotary sealing ring. In addition to the mechanical connection between the housing 57 and the mount 64 by way of the protrusions 68, there is a friction grip between the mount and the housing when the mount is in position in the circular recess 61. As is shown in Fig. 4, a pair of spaced circumferential ribs 71 are provided on the exterior side wall of the elastomeric mount 64. The ribs 71 serve to facilitate insertion of the elastomeric mount in the circular recess 61 of the housing 57 without undue distortion of the cup. The ribs achieve this because they effectively reduce the area of surface contact between the exterior side wall of the elastomeric mount and the circular face 61a of the recess 61 and so reduce the likelihood of distortion of the mount during its insertion. The mount is also provided with a wiper portion 73 which contacts the sleeve 51 mounted on the drive shaft 19 for sealing purpose between the mount and the sleeve. The rotary and stationary sealing rings are formed of abrasion resistant material typically tungsten carbide or silicon carbide. When the mechanical seal is installed on the pump 13, the abutting faces of the rotary and stationary sealing rings are in compressive contact. This is achieved by biassing the housing 57 axially with respect to the sleeve 51 so as to urge the rotary sealing ring 63 towards the stationary sealing ring 43. The required axial movement of the housing with respect to the sleeve is permitted by the drive keys 59 which provide the connection therebetween. The axial biassing of the housing 57 with respect to the sleeve 51 is effected by a biassing means 75 operating between the housing and the sleeve. The biassing means 75 is in the form of a frusto-conical spring 77 having a coating 79 of the elastomeric material such as Neoprene or Viton. The coated spring 77 acts between the sleeve 51 and the housing 57, the inner end of the spring being received in an outwardly facing recess 81 formed circum¬ ferentially around the 'sleeve and the outer end of the spring being received in an inwardly facing recess 83 formed circumferentially within the housing. The face 85 8 of the coating for the spring is exposed to the product being pumped by the pump and is thickened for wear resis¬ tance, as shown in Fig. 2. When fitting the mechanical seal to the pump, it is neces¬ sary to provide a predetermined pre-load between the abutting faces of the rotary and stationary sealing rings. A plurality of circumferentially spaced removable setting plates 87 are provided to facilitate this. A circumferen¬ tial groove 89 is formed on the exterior of the sleeve 51 and each setting plate is adapted to be located in that groove and to be also detachably connected to the flange 33 of the fixed support 31 by means of a bolt 91. When each setting plate is in position, one of its faces bears against the face 33a of the flange 33 and its other face bears against the face 89a of the circumferential recess. When there is no pre-load between the stationary and fixed sealing rings, the recess 89 in the sleeve is offset in relation to the flange 33, whereby prior to tightening of the bolts 95 of the setting plates are ngularly disposed with respect to the face 33a of the flange, as shown in Fig. 3. As the bolts 91 are tightened, the setting plates 87 are caused to undergo angular movement until such time as they are in abutting engagement with the face 33a of the flange. As the setting plates undergo the angular movement, the sleeve 51 is caused to move axially relative to the flange. This has the effect of applying the pre-load between the rotary and sealing rings. The setting plates are removed after the flange 33 has been secured to the adaptor plate 21 of the pump housing and the sleeve 51 has been secured to the drive shaft 19 of the pump. A seal 93 in the form of an 0-ring is provided between the fixed support 31 of the stationary portion and the adaptor plate 21 of the pump. ,In addition, a seal 95 also in the form of an 0-ring is provided between the sleeve 51 of the rotary portion and the shaft 19 of the pump. The mechanical seal is particularly applicable to pumps which deliver abrasive mediums such as liquids having solid particles in suspension; the pump illustrated in Fig. 1 is of such type. The rotary and stationary sealing rings are exposed to the liquid being pumped so as to be lubricated by that liquid. The face 31a of the fixed support 31 is inclined so as to allow an uninterrupted flow of the liquid to the sealing rings for lubrication purposes. The stationary portion 23 of the mechanical seal is spaced from the sleeve 51 whereby a cavity 97 is defined there¬ between. The cavity provides access to the rotary and stationary sealing rings for pressurised water to flush away any scale or other deposits that may form on the • atmospheric side of the seal face. Referring now to Fig. 5 of the drawings, the mechanical seal according to the second embodiment is similar to that of the first embodiment (with the same reference numerals used to identify like parts), except that there are two seal faces each provided by abutting rotary and stationary sealing rings. The seal also includes provision for heat removal using a coolant which is delivered into the region 101 between the two seal faces. It should be appreciated that the scope of the invention is not limited to the scope of the two embodiments descri¬ bed. The invention may, for example, have applications in rotary machines other than pumps.

Claims: THE CLAIMS defining the invention are as follows:- 1. A mechanical seal for providing a fluid seal between a stationary member and a rotary member passing there- through, said mechanical seal comprising: a rotary portion adapted to be mounted on the rotary member for rotation therewith and a stationary portion adapted to be mounted on the stationary member; the stationary portion including a stationary sealing ring having a sealing face; the rotary portion including a housing having a circular recess therein concentric with the axis of rotation of the rotary member; a rotary sealing ring located i the circu¬ lar recess and being supported elastically therein and . fixed against rotation relative to the housing; the rotary sealing _ring having a sealing face; wherein the sealing faces of the rotary and stationary rings are in sealing contact. 2. -A mechanical seal according to Claim 1 wherein the rotary sealing ring is supported in a mou.nt formed of elastomeric material to provide said elastic support for the rotary sealing ring. 3. A mechanical seal according to Claim 2 wherein the rotary sealing ring is bonded or otherwise secured in the mount of elastomeric material and the mount is provided with first engaging means for engaging a complementary second engaging means provided on the housing. 4. A mechanical seal according to Claim 3 wherein the first engaging means comprises at least one radial protru¬ sion on the mount, the protrusion being located in comple- mentary recess in the housing, which recess constitutes the second engaging means. 5. A mechanical seal according to Claim 2, 3 or 4 wherein the mount has at least one circumferential rib on its outer side wall. 6. A mechanical seal according to any one of the preced¬ ing claims wherein the housing is mounted on a sleeve adapted to be located on and secured to the rotating mem¬ ber for rotation therewith, there being provided means for interconnecting the housing and the sleeve so as to pre¬ vent relative rotation therebetween while permitting limi¬ ted relative axial movement, and biassing means for urging the housing axially with respect to the axis of rotation of the rotary member to effect compressive contact between the respective sealing faces of the rotary and stationary sealing rings. 7. A mechanical seal according to Claim 6 wherein the biassing means includes a frusto-conical spring the inner end of which acts on the sleeve and the outer of which acts on the housing. 8. A mechanical seal substantially as hereindescribed with reference to the accompanying drawings. 9. A combination of a rotary sealing ring and an elastic mount of generally annular configuration for elastically supporting the sealing ring on a rotary portion of a mechanical seal, the sealing ring being bonded to the ' mount and the mount being receivable in a circular recess in the rotary portion and having first engaging means for engaging a complementary second engaging means formed in the rotary portion. 10. A combination according to Claim 9 wherein the first engaging means comprises at least one radial protrusion on the mount, the radial protrusion being adapted for loca- tion in a complementary recess in the rotary portion, which recess constitutes the second engaging means.. 11. A combination according to Claim 9 or 10 wherein the elastic mount has at least one circumferential rib on its outer side wall. 12. A combination substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Inventors: MCONIE ROBERT WILLIAM, MILES MATTHEW, MCONIE, ROBERT, WILLIAM, MILES, MATTHEW
Applicants: PUMPS W A LTD, PUMPS W.A. LTD.
Application year: 1986
Main classification: F16J15
IPC codes: F04D29, F16J15