Patent GB-837814-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in or relating to a fluid-tight packing of flexible material
IPC: F16J15/32
Filed: 1956-09-24
Abstract: 837,814. Stuffing-box substitutes. REGIE NATIONALE DES USINES RENAULT. Sept. 24, 1956 [Sept. 24, 1955; Jan. 7, 1956], No. 29152/56. Class 122 (5). A fluid-tight packing between relatively rotatable and coaxial members comprises an annular portion including a toric heel 2, Fig. 1, engaged in a stressed condition in a groove 3 in one of the relatively rotatable members, and a flange 1 which extends from this portion and bulges towards its free edge so as to provide an annular lip 5, such lip being urged into engagement along one or more contact surfaces with the other of the two members by the resilience of the flange. In Fig. 1 the heel 2 is shown as engaging a groove in a rotating shaft, the lip 5 as having bulges 6, 7 engaging a contact ring 8 of plastic or other material (although they may engage a ground or chromium-plated surface), and the flange 1 as having an internal spring 9. The packing shown in Fig. 3 comprises a V- shaped member 13, 16 which has two heels 11, 12 and an internal spring 14, 15. If desired, the internal spring may be omitted and the underfaces of the flange 1 undulated so that, by the action of an external spring or the fluid being sealed, the force with which the lip is urged into sealing engagement by the resilience of the flange 1 is augmented; the undulations may be replaced by vanes or blades inclined with respect to the direction of rotation to have the same effect. The lip 5 may be of single toric section so that it engages in a right-angled recess in the bearing member as shown in Fig. 8, and this arrangement may be modified by arranging for the flange to extend at an obtuse angle to the heel portion instead of, as shown, at an acute angle. In other arrangements, the heel of the packing is entered in a groove in a fixed housing and the lip is urged into contact with the rotating shaft. Various modifications of the lips or coacting fixed surfaces are described for the purpose of providing for lubrication at these points, Fig. 15 showing channels 52 and grooves 56 in the lip and Fig. 18 grooves 55 in the fixed part. The lip 62 of the packing shown in Fig. 20 is urged against the fixed member 63 by a combination of its own elasticity, centrifugal force and fluid pressure, and a channel 65 provides for the circulation of the fluid for the purpose of cooling the lip. The packing shown in Fig. 23 has a tapered lip 62 which engages a fixed inclined surface and, if desired, may be grooved to provide two such lips. The annular portion of the packing shown in Fig. 26 has a toric heel at one end only and may have a reinforcing annulus 73; the opposite end of the annular portion may be provided with a supplementary sealing lip. A further packing consists, as shown in Fig. 32, of an annular part 75, heel 77, flange 79 and supplementary lip 99, together with a supplementary flange 81 with a lip 82, the space between the flanges 79, 81 being filled with grease. If desired, the lip of the flange 79 may be directed towards the flange 81, and the packing formed of two spaced parts 97, 98 as shown in Fig. 35.