GB1583321A - Sealing device for pressure apparatus - Google Patents

Description

(54) SEALING DEVICE FOR PRESSURE APPARATUS (71) We, VSESOJUZNY NAUCHNO-ISSLE- DOVATELSKY I EXPERIMENTALNY INSTITUT PO PERERABOTKE EZ5IMICHESKIKH VOLOKON, a Russian Corporate Body, of ulitsa Timura Frunze, 11, Moscow, USSR, do hereby declare the invention for which we pray that a patent may be granted to us, and the method by which it is to be performed, to be particularly described in and by the following statement: This invention relates to a sealing device for pressure apparatus, such as a chamber for processing bandlike material under excess pressure.

The invention is especially useful for dyeingand-finishing processes in the textile industry, for example for chambers in which fabric is treated at elevated temperatures in a steam or water medium.

In accordance with the invention there is provided a sealing device for a pressure apparatus, comprising a pair of parallel, rubber-coated rollers journalled for contact with each other, means for adjusting the relative axial positions of the rollers for bringing the end faces thereof into alignment, linear sealing members held in sealing contact with the rollers along generatrices thereof, a hollow sealing membrane pressed against the aligned faces of the rollers at either end of the rollers, each hollow membrane having an inlet for supplying lubricant/ coolant to the interior thereof, outlet means for delivering the lubricant/coolant from the interior of the membrane to a region in which the membrane contacts the end faces of the rollers, means being provided for removing the lubricant/coolant from said region, and a C-shaped projection on the hollow membrane in said region of contact with the roller end faces, the projection extending from a position of contact with an end of the linear sealing member in a sealing contact with one roller to a position of contact with an end of the linear sealing member in sealing contact with the other roller in an arc including the zone of contact between the rollers adjacent the membrane, and the projection being shaped for substantially linear contact with the roller end faces.

Such a sealing device is capable of preventing overloading of rubber-coated rollers at the location of their mutual contact. The device may have a prolonged service durability and operational reliability. Furthermore, it may be constructionally simple and operationally inexpensive.

The projection minimizes the area of frictional contact by ensuring linear contact, whereby the amount of frictional heat which is deleterious to the rubber coating, is reduced.

In addition effective cooling and lubrication of the rubbing surfaces is ensured.

The projection is preferably triangular in cross-section with a crest that is rounded off.

This form of projection enables lubricant to be saved by reducing losses on the surfaces being continually moved out of the zone of frictional contact.

A slot opening is preferably provided for delivering lubricant/coolant from the interior of the membrane to at least one side of the projection which avoids the possibility of non-lubricated areas.

An embodiment of the present invention is described in more detail below, by way of example, reference being made to the accompanying drawings, wherein: Figure 1 is a schematic longitudinalsection view of a sealing device in an apparatus for a continuous fabric processing under excess pressure; Figure 2 is a cross section taken along the line I-I of Figure 1; Figure 3 is a view of the sealing of the face sealer, seen in the direction of the arrow A of Figure l;and Figure 4 is a schematic view of means for adjusting the position of the rollers.

Reference being now directed to the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 illustrates a sealing device in the form of lock gate of an apparatus for a continuous fabric processing under excess pressure. The device includes a housing 1 provided with a flange 2 at either end thereof, each flange mounting a cover 3 (or 3a) of the housing. The housing accomodates a pair of rubber-coated rollers 4 and a pair of linear sealing members 5 (Figures 1 and 2). Projections 6 are provided on each of the faces of each sealing member 5 nearby the places of contact between the sealing members 5 and the cylindrical surface of the rollers 4. Each of the sealing members 5 is provided with a gasket 7 self-packing under the effect of excess pressure applied from below as illustrated in Figures 1 and 2.Said gasket 7 securely holds pressure effective in the bottom portion of the housing 1, through offering no obstacles to the sealing member 5 to travel lengthwise the housing 1 of the lock gate (Figure 1). Each of the rollers 4 is provided with a driven journal 8 and a loosely rotating journal 9, each of said journals being hermetically sealed through the agency of any sealer arrangement 10 of revolving shafts suitable for the purpose. Each driven journal 8 has a device 11 for axially adjusting the position of the roller 4. Provided in between each of the flanges 2 and the cover 3 (or 3a) is a composite pliable membrane 12, composed of a disk 13, a stainless steel disk 14, a ring sealer 15 and sealing means 16 adaped for packing the components passed through the membranes. Each of the disks 13 is tightly communicated with a duct 17.A space 18 is defined between the disk 13 and the disk 14 for a lubricant and coolant 19 to hold in.

A tube 20 is tightly passed through the disks 13 and.l4, while an end 21 of the tube 20 is located close to the joining faces of the rollers 4. Each of the disks 14 has a C-shaped projection 22 (Figures 1,2, 3) whose ends are in contact with the projections 6 bf the sealing members 5. The bottom portion of the C-shaped projection 22 can be arranged above the line II-II passing through the centres of the rollers 4 (Figure 2), or below that line (not shown) close to the boundary line of the hermetically sealed contact between the rubber coatings of the rollers 4. The projection 22 is finely polished and its crest is somewhat rounded off. Slit openings 23 and 24 (Figures 1, 2, 3) are made in the wall of the membrane 12 above and below the projection 22. Ducts 25 (Figures 1 and 2) are provided nearby the ends of each of the sealing members 5.

The cover 3 is provided with a cylindrical projection 26 internally threaded at one end, whereas the cover 3a has a cylindrical projection 27 externally threaded at one end. Pressure screw 28 is turned into the cylindrical projection 26, said screw being adapted to contact a pressure rod 29. A perforated collar 30 is provided in each space 18 coaxially with the pressure rod 29. A cylinder 31 is turned onto the cylindrical projection 27, said cylinder carrying a spring 32 adapted to contact a rod 33 whose free end in turn is in contact with the pressure rod 29. The device 11 for axially adjusting the position of the roller 4 comp rises a bracket 34 held on the cover 3 and having two internally threaded annular projections 35 coaxial with the roller journals 8.

Turned into each annular projection 35 is a threaded bush 36 having an inner flange 37 and an outer flange 38 provided with a slot 39 for a special wrench. Fitted over each of the trunnions 8 is a bushing 40 with a shoulder 41, while fitted onto the bushing 40 are a thrust bearing 42 with one of its races contacting the shoulder 41 and with the other race contacting the inner flange 37, and a thrust bearing 43 which contacts the inner flange 37 on the other side thereof to bearing 42. Set on the bushing 40 is also a bushing 44 contacting the bearing 43. Both of the bushings 40 and 44 are fixed stationary on the journal 8 by, say, a pin 45 which is locked in place by a circlip 46. Held to the annular projection 35 by a screw 47 is a retention pin 48 adapted to engage one of the slots 39 of the flange 38.

The sealing of the lock gate is carried out as follows. A gaseous fluid is pressure-fed under the rollers. As a result, the bevelled edges of the gasket 7 (Figures 1, 2) are forced against the walls of the housing 1 and the disks 14.

It is due to the fact that the rollers 4 are pressed against each other and to the sealing members 5 that the housing 1 is hermetically sealed across the diameter thereof. The space confined between the sealing members 5 is sealed on the faces with the projections 6 tightly adjoining the disks 14 at the ends of the projections 22 which are pressed in into the rubber coating of the end faces of the rollers 4. As the lock gate operates its rubbing surfaces should be amply lubricated and cooled. To this end, the lubricant 19 which also serves as a coolant is fed into each of the spaces 18 along the ducts 17;then the lubricant emerges from each of the spaces 18 along the ducts 23 and 24 to lubricate and cool each of the sealing projections 22.On the outside each of the sealing projections of the inlet lock gate is lubricated by the lubricant fed along the ducts 25 of each of the sealing members 5 and running down the end faces of the rollers 4. Should it be necessary to keep the trunk of the rollers 4 of the inlet lock gate dry, the surplus lubricant is withdrawn through the tubes 20 whose ends 21 run immediately to the trunk of the rollers as can be seen from Figure 2. The lubricant delivered through the duct 23 is to be removed through the condensate extractor (not shown) by resorting to any heretofore known methods Reliable contact of the pliable membranes 12 is attained due to turning in the pressure screw 28 and the cylinder 31 which force the rods 29 against the disks 13 which, in turn, while acting through the perforated collars 30, press the disks 14 to the projections 6 of the sealing members 5. Thermal expansion does not affect the operation of the lock gate as the spring 32 enables the sealing members 5 to extend in excess of the housing 1. An air-operated system may be made use of to good advantage instead of the spring. If each pair of the end faces of rollers fails to lie in the same plane the end faces cannot be sealed. Thus, the axial position of the rollers is adjustable through the device 11 illustrated in Figure 4. Whenever it is necessary to displace the roller to the left, one must turn in the threaded bush 36 which in this case actuates with its inner flange 37 the thrust bearing 42, the shoulder 41 and the journal 8, so that the roller 4 is displaced to the left.

When turning out the threaded bush 36 it actuates with its inner flange 37 the thrust bearing 43 which, in turn, acts through the bushing 44 and the pin 45 upon the journal 8, so that the roller 4 is displaced to the right.

WHAT WE CLAIM IS: 1. A sealing device for a pressure apparatus, comprising a pair of parallel, rubber-coated rollers journalled for contact with each other, means for adjusting the reletive axial positions of the rollers for bringing the end faces thereof into alignment, linear sealing members held in sealing contact with the rollers along generatrices thereof, a hollow sealing membrane pressed against the aligned faces of the rollers at either end of the rollers, each hollow membrane having an inlet for supplying lubricant/coolant to the interior thereof, outlet means for delivering the lubricant/coolant from the interior of the membrane to a region in which the membrane contacts the end faces of the rollers, means being provided for removing the lubricant/coolant from said region, and a C-shaped projection on the hollow membrane in said region of contact with the roller end faces, the projection extending from a position of contact with an end of the linear sealing member in sealing contact with one roller to a position of contact with an end of the linear sealing member in sealing contact with the other roller in an arc including the zone of contact between the rollers adjacent the membrane, and the projection being shaped for substantially linear contact with the roller end faces.

2. A sealing device according to Claim 1, wherein the projection on the membrane is substantially triangular in cross-section.

3. A device as claimed in Claim 2, wherein the crest of the projection is rounded off.

4. A device as claimed in Claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein a slot is provided in the wall of the membrane on at least one side of the projection for delivering the lubricant/coolant from the interior of the membrane to the region of contact between the projection and roller end faces.

5. A sealing device substantially as described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims (5)

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. sealed. Thus, the axial position of the rollers is adjustable through the device 11 illustrated in Figure 4. Whenever it is necessary to displace the roller to the left, one must turn in the threaded bush 36 which in this case actuates with its inner flange 37 the thrust bearing 42, the shoulder 41 and the journal 8, so that the roller 4 is displaced to the left. When turning out the threaded bush 36 it actuates with its inner flange 37 the thrust bearing 43 which, in turn, acts through the bushing 44 and the pin 45 upon the journal 8, so that the roller 4 is displaced to the right. WHAT WE CLAIM IS:

1. A sealing device for a pressure apparatus, comprising a pair of parallel, rubber-coated rollers journalled for contact with each other, means for adjusting the reletive axial positions of the rollers for bringing the end faces thereof into alignment, linear sealing members held in sealing contact with the rollers along generatrices thereof, a hollow sealing membrane pressed against the aligned faces of the rollers at either end of the rollers, each hollow membrane having an inlet for supplying lubricant/coolant to the interior thereof, outlet means for delivering the lubricant/coolant from the interior of the membrane to a region in which the membrane contacts the end faces of the rollers, means being provided for removing the lubricant/coolant from said region, and a C-shaped projection on the hollow membrane in said region of contact with the roller end faces, the projection extending from a position of contact with an end of the linear sealing member in sealing contact with one roller to a position of contact with an end of the linear sealing member in sealing contact with the other roller in an arc including the zone of contact between the rollers adjacent the membrane, and the projection being shaped for substantially linear contact with the roller end faces.

2. A sealing device according to Claim 1, wherein the projection on the membrane is substantially triangular in cross-section.

3. A device as claimed in Claim 2, wherein the crest of the projection is rounded off.

4. A device as claimed in Claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein a slot is provided in the wall of the membrane on at least one side of the projection for delivering the lubricant/coolant from the interior of the membrane to the region of contact between the projection and roller end faces.

5. A sealing device substantially as described with reference to the accompanying drawings.