AU2003231592A1

AU2003231592A1 - Clamp together co-axial rotating gland

Info

Publication number: AU2003231592A1
Application number: AU2003231592A
Authority: AU
Inventors: William Chester Cline
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2003-08-04
Filing date: 2003-08-04
Publication date: 2005-02-24

Description

Australia Patents Act 1990 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION STANDARD PATENT CLAMP TOGETHER CO-AXIAL ROTATING GLAND The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to me: CLAMP TOGETHER CO-AXIAL ROTATING GLAND This invention relates to improvements in rotating glands for conveying a gas or liquid through a rotating assembly.

Established rotating glands are based around bearings which are arranged in a linear or axial fashion, to provide adequate radial and axial alignment, along with a seal of some sort at one end of the above bearing assembly. This makes a compact small diameter unit ideal for many industrial uses, but some uses would be better suited by having a shorter gland.

A shorter rotating gland was made possible by incorporating the sealing component inside, or co-axially with a larger single bearing. Therefore, the ultimate in shortness is limited only by the bearing thickness, and the required room for air passages and distribution ports. The difficulty is in the small components, the amount of accurate machining required, and the necessity of tight tolerance components.

Convention has been to fully machine a housing to match the exterior of the bearing. Then, the depth where the bearing sits requires accuracy in placement of a circlip or some other means of retaining the bearing. Then adequate sealing from outside contaminants is needed.

Hence more complexity.

This solution addresses these problems. A clamp together co-axial rotating gland consisting of a bearing that is clamped between two bodies, for instance, a washer or plate or component and a base or other component with the seal component located co-axially within the bearing center thereby allowing liquid or gas transferal in a short compact unit.

The seal is sealed with an 0 ring, and driven or located via the tension spring tang, inserted into a hole, or notch in the seal and housing. A small recess is machined in the base to align and locate the bearing. A plate or washer is bolted, or clamped by some means which secures and clamps the bearing to the base. Thus the bearing is securely located, and sealed away from outside contaminants. Sufficient air passages are provided to connect to external requirements. Machining and material is minimized by clamping the bearing. Material in selection depends upon use.

To assist with understanding the invention, reference will now be made to the accompanying drawings which show one example of the invention.

In the drawings: Fig. 1 shows one example of a clamp together co-axial rotating gland according to this invention; Fig. 2 shows the side view of one example of a clamp together co-axial rotating gland; Fig. 3 shows an enlarged cut away side view of the sealing component, rotating gland armature, bearing, clamping washer, seal drive/location method, and 0 ring.

Referring to the drawings, the clamp together co-axial rotating gland is composed of a base 1 which has a small recess machined or formed relatively accurately 11 to locate the bearing 3.

Required air passages 9 are provided as necessary. A central body, or armature 2 is machined or formed to fit inside of a relatively large bearing 3. The bearing may be integral. If not it may need to be secured or glued. Inside the armature 2, a drilled or formed hole is provided for the seal 12 to sit. An 0 ring 8 seals the seall12 to the armature 2. A spring 6 provides the necessary initial seating pressure to the seal 12. To keep the seal 12 from rotating, tangs or protrusions 7 on the spring locate with a depression, notch, or hole in the seal 12 and in the armature 2.

The plate or washer 4 covers the bearing 3, and allows the armature 2 to rotate freely. This plate or washer 4 clamps the bearing 3 securely against the housing 1, providing predictable relative motion of the armature 2 and the housing 1. Bolts 5, or studs, or rivets, or other means provide the clamping force across the bearing 3 by the plate/washer 4 to the base 1.

It will be realized that the material or shape or size of components is not restricted to that shown. The material may be injection molded, cast, cut or machined to any shape needed or suitable, in the size needed. One modification foreseen is an offset base, where the outside is not concentric with the bearing position. Another choice is the use of a different shape like a square or hexagonal base. Ports may be positioned differently too, ic axially or radial. These alternative shapes offer further length savings by allowing the ports to be placed in the offset portions without wasting material.

Claims

1. A clamp together co-axial rotating gland consisting of a bearing that is clamped between two bodies, for instance, a washer or plate or component and a base or other component with the seal component located co-axially within the bearing center thereby allowing liquid or gas transferal in a short compact unit.

2. The clamp together co-axial rotating gland of claim 1 wherein the clamping is accomplished with threaded bolts that bolt through the washer/plate to the base and,

3. The clamp together co-axial rotating gland of claim 1 wherein the clamping is accomplished with rivets and,

4. The clamp together co-axial rotating gland of claim 1 wherein the clamping is accomplished with a concentric clip or screw arrangement and, The clamp together co-axial rotating gland of claim 1 wherein the seal is mechanically driven or located by the tangs of the spring between the housing and the seal and,

6. The clamp together co-axial rotating gland of claim 5 wherein the seal is driven or located by a geometric shape or key between the housing and the seal, and

7. The clamp together co-axial rotating gland of claim 1 to 6 wherein more than one bearing is clamped between the two units to provide the needed location and,

8. The clamp together co-axial rotating gland of claim 1 to 7 wherein the material may be cast, machined, molded, of metal or plastic and

9. A clamp together co-axial rotating gland of claims 1 to 8 as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings. W1t41.LuM 6HErFWn1 (1sr~ (tit 'Ju Q572V9