Patent ID: 6994351

Claim:
An apparatus for sealing between a rotating shaft and a fixed housing, comprising: a rotating seal having a first face, mounted for rotation with the shaft; a non-rotating trapped seal ring having a second face in sliding contact with the first sealed face and biased towards the first face by a spring; a gland fixedly mounted to the housing so that the spring is located between the gland and the trapped seal ring; a ball disposed between the trapped seal ring and the gland and providing a lock against rotation so that the trapped seal ring remains rotationally fixed relative to the fixed gland; the gland further comprises a first indentation and the trapped seal ring further comprises a second indentation, and wherein the ball is trapped between the first and second indentations; and a port extending through the gland and permitting insertion of the ball from outside the gland into the region defined by the first and second indentations when the spring is compressed to a first degree, wherein when the spring is compressed to the first degree, insertion of the ball is permitted, and when the spring is uncompressed so that the first face contacts the second face, degree removal of the ball is prevented.