Patent ID: 8256575

Claim:
An oil seal system comprising: a lubricating oil bearing cover that is stationary with respect to a bearing wherein the bearing is configured to support a portion of a rotatable machine shaft having a smooth circumferential contact surface, said cover comprising a first end cap extending radially inwardly towards the shaft such that a cavity surrounding the bearing is formed by said cover and said first end cap; at least one oil deflector positioned between the shaft and said bearing cover; and a set of seal rings substantially concentric with the shaft and forming a seal against lubricating oil flow, said seal rings comprising a plurality of wire bristles extending radially inwardly from said end cap, said wire bristles configured to extend to and have continuous contact with the surface of the shaft when assembled, said bristles configured to present a tortuous flow path to gas infiltrating the cavity, said plurality of wire bristles each comprise a first substantially straight portion and a second substantially straight portion, said first and second portions positioned such that a longitudinal axis of each second substantially straight portion is obliquely oriented with respect to a radii of the shaft at the location where said second substantially straight portion contacts the shaft; an oil reservoir coupled to said cover for receiving lubricating oil from the bearing; and, a vapor extractor coupled to said oil reservoir for extracting oil vapor from said oil seal system, said vapor extractor configured to create a negative pressure within said cavity to facilitate reducing oil leakage from said cavity.