Devices for the sealing of a rotatable shaft in passage through a casing

• US 3,082,009 A
• Filed: 01/14/1960
• Issued: 03/19/1963
• Est. Priority Date: 01/28/1959
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Great Saughall, Shaun Allen David, Stanley Whitley
• Original Assignee: Great Saughall, Shaun Allen David, Stanley Whitley
• Inventors: STANLEY WHITLEY, GREAT SAUGHALL, SHAUN ALLEN DAVID
• Application Number:
  US04/002,381
• Time in Patent Office: 1,160 Days
• US Class Current: 277/304
• CPC Class Codes: F01K 7/22 the turbines having inter-stage steam heating
• CPC Class Codes: F16J 15/40 by means of fluid
• CPC Class Codes: F16J 15/44 Free-space packings

Claims

1. A METHOD OF OPERATING A SEALING DEVICE FOR A SHAFT IN PASSAGE THROUGH A SLEEVE FLEXIBLY SEALED TO A CASING HAVING ATMOSPHERIC CONDITIONS OUTSIDE THE CASING AND A GAS AT A SUPER-ATMOSPHERIC PRESSURE INSIDE THE CASING TO BE KEPT FREE OF CONTACT WITH AIR, COMPRISING FEEDING PRESSURIZED AIR TO FIRST CIRCUMFERENTIAL ZONE BETWEEN THE SLEEVE AND THE SHAFT TO SUSTAIN AIR LUBRICATION AND SUPPORT BETWEEN THE SLEEVE AND THE SHAFT, THE AIR PASSING INWARDLY AND OUTWARDLY ALONG THE SLEEVE, WITHDRAWING GAS AT A SECOND CIRCUMFERENTIAL ZONE ON THE INWARD SIDE OF SAID FIRST ZONE, AND FEEDING A GAS COMPATIBLE WITH THE GAS INSIDE THE CASING AND AT A PRESSURE GREATER THAN SAID SUPER-ATMOSPHERIC PRESSURE TO A THIRD CIRCUMFERENTIAL ZONE ON THE INWARD SIDE OF SAID SECOND ZONE.

2. A DEVICE FOR SEALING A ROTATABLE SHAFT IN PASSAGE THROUGH A CASING, COMPRISING A SLEEVE RESILIENTLY SEALED TO THE CASING AND DEFINING A BORE FOR THE SHAFT, THE SLEEVE HAVING A CIRCUMFERENTIAL RING OF ORIFICES FOR FEEDING PRESSURIZED GAS TO THE BORE TO SUSTAIN GAS LUBRICATION AND SUPPORT BETWEEN THE SLEEVE AND THE SHAFT, AND THE SLEEVE AND THE SHAFT DEFINING A SERIES OF ZONES IN AXIAL SEQUENCE FROM THE RING OF ORIFICES TOWARDS THE END OF THE SLEEVE IN COMMUNICATION WITH THE INSIDE OF THE CASING, NAMELY, A PRESSURE ADJUSTING ZONE PROVIDED BY A FIRST CIRCUMFERENTIAL GROOVE WITH A HOLE FOR VENTING GAS FROM SAID FIRST GROOVE, AND A SEALING GAS FEED ZONE PROVIDED BY A SECOND CIRCUMFERENTIAL GROOVE WITH MEANS FOR FEEDING SEALING GAS TO SAID SECOND GROOVE.