GB746416A - Improvements in or relating to sealing arrangements for relatively rotating parts - Google Patents

Abstract

746,416. Stuffing-box substitutes. SOLITAIR, C. A., [trading as MASKINFIRMA C. RONDORF]. Feb. 19, 1954 [Feb. 20, 1953], No. 4996/54. Class 122(5) A sealing arrangement for relatively rotating parts, such as a water-turbine shaft 1 and its housing, comprises at least one radially split sealing ring 12 slidably housed in a groove 8 formed in one of the parts and resiliently urged into sealing contact both with one side wall 4c of the groove 8 and a plane or conical surface 3a on the other part. The sealing rings are expanded to contact the wall 4c and urged towards the surface 3a on a ring 3 attached to the shaft 1 by means of springs 9 compressed between the bottom of the grooves 8 and split thrust rings 11 housed in the grooves and contacting the sealing rings 12 on a conical surface. The rings 11 and 12 may be of bronze and graphite respectively. Drainage passages 14a, 14b, 14c, 15, 15a and 15b lead from the walls 4c of the grooves to a common passage 16 and then via a pipe 17 to the turbine inlet duct or other low pressure point. Alternatively, two passages such as 14b, 14c may be associated with the grooves and one passage 14c connected to drain while the other is supplied with pressure fluid to counteract leakage. The ungrooved face of the seal housing is provided with ribs 4a which co-operate with ribs 2a on a ring 2 on the shaft 1 to form a labyrinth seal to reduce the pressure of water reaching the inner sealing ring 12 through clearances 7 and 13 between the seal housing and the shaft and the ring 3 respectively. In a modification the thrust ring 11 is replaced by a second graphite split sealing ring protected on its inner periphery by a thrust liner. In a further modification the thrust and sealing rings 11 and 12 are replaced by a single sealing ring'having a conical sealing face urged into contact with a conical face on the ring 3.