Mark Bernard Holder

US Patent:

6692006, Feb 17, 2004

Filed:

Oct 15, 2001

Appl. No.:

09/977925

Inventors:

Mark C. Holder - Mohnton PA

Assignee:

Stein Seal Company - Kulpsville PA

International Classification:

F16J 1516

US Classification:

277346, 277348

Abstract:

A circumferential film-riding seal operative in a gaseous or liquid environment about a rotating shaft is provided so that it is able to function with extended lifetime, low leakage, and a high-pressure difference thereacross. These characteristics are achieved by the employment of a segmented seal ring mounted in tandem with a floating load ring surrounding the rotating shaft. The seal ring has a bore surface thereon confronting the shaft, and the bore surface has a circumferential lift region located downstream of a circumferential bearing region. The bearing region has additional lift grooves either in the seal ring or in the shaft surface confronting the bearing region, together with feed grooves connecting the additional lift grooves, respectively, to a higher-pressure region adjacent the shaft. In certain embodiments the shaft has a sleeve secured thereto, which confronts the bore surface of the seal ring and the load ring, and wherein the additional lift grooves and respective feed grooves may be formed in the shaft sleeve. Also, the shaft sleeve may have a segment of reduced diameter formed thereon so that the diameter of the sleeve confronting the load ring is smaller than the diameter confronting the seal ring to provide pressure balance across the load ring.

US Patent:

54510651, Sep 19, 1995

Filed:

May 23, 1994

Appl. No.:

8/247329

Inventors:

Mark C. Holder - Mohnton PA

Assignee:

Stein Seal Company - Kulpsville PA

International Classification:

F16J 1538

US Classification:

277 81R

Abstract:

A seal ring construction is provided wherein a seal ring which is formed from a material which is subject to distortion during operation. One end of the ring and portions of the two adjacent sides of the ring which are adjacent the one end of the ring are received in a recess of a stiff shroud assembly. An O-ring recess is formed in each of the sides of the shroud recess which coextend with the two adjacent sides of the ring. Sealing O-rings are positioned in the O-ring recesses and means are formed in the recesses to urge the O-rings into engagement with the sides of the seal ring and into engagement with the inner surface of the shroud recess. The urging means include an inclined surface in each O-ring recess which faces the innermost surface of the shroud recess. In addition, means are provided to take up dimensional differences in the shroud and O-ring components which occur in the manufacturing process.

US Patent:

51372843, Aug 11, 1992

Filed:

Mar 16, 1990

Appl. No.:

7/495436

Inventors:

Mark C. Holder - Mohnton PA

Assignee:

Stein Seal Company - Kulpsville PA

International Classification:

F16J 1538
F16J 1534

US Classification:

277 3

Abstract:

A stationary seal ring assembly for a dry gas face seal unit which comprises a face seal ring adapted to cooperate with a rotating mating ring mounted on a shaft, a shroud mounted on the periphery of the face seal ring to prevent the ring from bending or deflecting when subjected to unbalanced gas pressures, and mounting apparatus connected between the face seal and the shroud for mounting the shroud onto the face seal ring, the mounting apparatus comprising a support ring and a retaining ring which, together with the shroud, urge a pair of seals against the opposite faces of the stationary seal ring. The face seal ring also includes a pair of static annular grooves formed in the mating face of the seal ring, with a plurality of recesses extending between the annular grooves, whereby the high-pressure gas is deflected against the radial and axial faces of the annular grooves to evenly distribute high-pressure gas on the mating surface of the seal ring to tend to prevent deflection and bending of the stationary seal ring.