Constant strain boot seal

Details Constant strain boot seal Constant strain boot seal

1981-01-26

1982-08-24

Ward, Jr., Robert S.

Seal for a joint or juncture

Seal between relatively movable parts

Relatively rotatable radially extending sealing face member

277 30, 403 50, 74 181, 464173, F16J 1552

Patent

active

043457720

DESCRIPTION:

BRIEF SUMMARY
DESCRIPTION

1. Technical Field
This invention relates generally to impact apparatus for fracturing material and, more particularly, to a relatively reciprocatable shank/housing configuration which facilitates sealing therebetween.
2. Background Art
Numerous apparatus are available for fracturing rock formations and other materials in mining, excavation, and earthmoving in general. Fracturing materials by blasting with explosives can be an efficient technique, but may, under some circumstances, present an unacceptably high risk when used near population centers.
Mechanical impact apparatus such as jack hammers and/or crank driven impactors are known but are relatively slow and inefficient or constitute bulky devices which are not easily manipulated into limited access places.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,868,145 which issued Feb. 25, 1975, and U.S. Pat. No. 3,922,017 which issued Nov. 25, 1975, both being assigned to the present invention's assignee, illustrate two highly efficient, compact, manipulatable material fracturing devices. Each of the devices includes a fracturing shank which is reciprocatably mounted adjacent a power supply housing. The shank, during operation, reciprocates between a first impact receiving position and a second, material fracturing position where the fracturing shank is in penetrating contact with the fracturable material. In U.S. Pat. No. 3,868,145 the fracturing shank has an impact receiving portion which protrudes into the housing and is intermittently impacted by a rotatable eccentric to provide such reciprocating motion. In U.S. Pat. No. 3,922,017, an intermediate hammer member extends into the energy supply housing and is used to transfer energy generated and stored within that housing to an impact receiving portion of the shank which is external to the housing. Such intermediate hammer member extends into and is, likewise, reciprocably mounted relative to the housing.
In each of the aforementioned apparatus the reciprocatable member which extends into the energy supply housing must be sealed to the housing to retain lubricant within the housing and prevent foreign particle intrusion into the housing. Moreover, seal apparatus providing such sealing must be attached to the reciprocatable member (shank or intermediate hammer) to avoid transporting foreign debris into the housing on the surface of the reciprocatable member when it moves from its second to its first position. Sliding seals such as are commonly used in hydraulic cylinder applications and are illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 4,121,845 which issued Oct. 24, 1978, U.S. Pat. No. 2,188,106 which issued Jan. 23, 1940, U.S. Pat. No. 2,881,015 which issued Apr. 7, 1959, U.S. Pat. No. 4,021,049 which issued May 3, 1977, U.S. Pat. No. 3,403,932 which issued Oct. 1, 1968, U.S. Pat. No. 3,285,632 which issued Nov. 15, 1966, U.S. Pat. No. 3,317,215 which issued May 2, 1967, U.S. Pat. No. 4,003,666 which issued Jan. 18, 1977, and U.S. Pat. No. 4,003,667 which issued Jan. 18, 1977, are, thus, not suitable for use in such material fracturing apparatus since they can permit transportation of such foreign debris into the housing.
A type of boot seal, illustrated in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,868,145 and 3,922,017, is attached to both the housing and the reciprocatable member which extends into the housing. While the impacting apparatus described in the immediately herebefore U.S. Patents have, in general, fractured material in an efficient manner, the life of the boot seals has been erratic. A short boot seal life is highly undesirable since repair or replacement of such boot seal can be a time consuming process which must often be performed under field conditions. Moreover, during such repair, the impact fracturing apparatus utilizing the boot seal must be shut down.


DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION

In one aspect of the present invention a seal apparatus is provided for sealing between relatively reciprocatable members and includes an annular flexible portion having an inner margin, an outer margin, and a plurality of concentrically arranged, interconnect

REFERENCES:
patent: 2188106 (1940-01-01), Caldwell
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patent: 3317215 (1967-05-01), Wolniak et al.
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patent: 4021049 (1977-05-01), Phelps et al.
patent: 4121845 (1978-10-01), Reynolds et al.

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