Patent ID: 7699579

Claim:
A barge pump apparatus, comprising: a) a pump housing that is configured to be mounted to a barge deck and extend vertically below deck, the pump housing having a pump head; b) a pump shaft extending vertically in the housing; c) a driver that rotates the pump shaft; and d) a mechanical seal that prevents leakage of the barge cargo from a tank of the barge to the surrounding atmosphere, the seal including: a seal flange that attaches to the pump head, the seal flange having a central flange opening receptive of the pump shaft and an annular socket surrounding the central flange opening; a sleeve that closely fits the pump shaft, being attached to the pump shaft and rotating therewith, said sleeve having an upper smaller diameter section and a lower, larger diameter section; an annular non-rotating seal element that seats upon the seal flange socket, the non-rotating seal element providing a carbon containing sealing face; an annular rotating seal element that is in face-to-face contact with the carbon containing sealing face, said rotating seal element having an open center and being mounted upon the sleeve at the open center; a spring assembly that biases the seal elements together, the spring assembly having an open center that receives the sleeve and shaft, one end of the spring assembly bearing against the sleeve, the other end of the spring assembly bearing against the rotating seal element; a plurality of O-rings that are carried by the seal members, one O-ring attached to the non-rotating seal element and another O-ring attached to the rotating seal element and sealing against the smaller diameter section of the sleeve.