Neck seal with v-groove spring

Details Neck seal with v-groove spring Neck seal with v-groove spring

2000-11-10

2002-08-20

Knight, Anthony (Department: 3676)

Seal for a joint or juncture

Seal between relatively movable parts

Circumferential contact seal for other than piston

C277S500000, C277S549000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06435516

ABSTRACT:

BACKGROUND
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to fluid seals, and particularly to neck seals used on rolling mill roll necks which utilize a spring as the means for applying sealing pressure to the roll neck.
2. Description of the Related Art
FIG. 1
illustrates a prior art flexible neck seal
28
of the type described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,165,881 (Salter). It includes a flexible circular seal body
30
having inner surfaces
32
a,
32
b
adapted to be mounted in sealing engagement on the tapered section of a roll neck (not shown). The neck seal
28
is molded of a suitable resilient, rubber-like material. The seal body
30
has an exterior cylindrical surface
38
which is parallel to the rotational axis of the roll (not shown) when the neck is in its mounted position. The seal body is internally reinforced by an embedded combination of a coiled spring
34
and a steel cable
36
. A pair of axially spaced circular flexible flanges
40
a,
40
b
is integral with and extend radially outwardly from the seal body at opposite ends of the exterior cylindrical surface
38
.
In a wet application, the flanges
40
a,
40
b
of the flexible seal are each provided with circular flexible lips
42
,
42
b.
Each flexible lip is integrally joined to and extends angularly outwardly away from the outer edge
44
a,
44
b
of its respective supporting flange.
FIG. 2
illustrates an improved prior art neck seal as described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,586,720 (Simmons et al.) characterized by a circular shoulder
72
protruding inwardly from the tapered interior surface
74
of the seal body
12
. Shoulder
72
is preferably provided with a triangular cross-sectional profile, and its apex
76
is aligned radially with the water-side flange
22
. As an improvement, the apex
76
is axially offset by a distance “d” with respect to a reference plane P bisecting the radial outer portion of the flange
22
. The offset is on the side of plane P opposite to that occupied by the water-side lip
18
.
The water-side flange
22
is provided with a base portion
22
a
of increased thickness extending from the cylindrical exterior surface
28
of the seal body
12
to approximately the radial midpoint of the flange. The base portion has a truncated right triangular cross-sectional configuration, with the “hypotenuse” side facing the oil-side flange
24
.
As a result, a shoulder
72
coacts with the tapered roll neck section (not shown) to produce a circumferential bending moment M
2
acting on the seal body
12
in opposition to the circumferential bending moment M
1
produced by the radial expansion of the waterside lip
18
. Bending moment M
2
effectively counteracts bending moment M
1
, with the result that the water-side flange
22
is maintained in the desired attitude perpendicular to the seal axis, and parallel to the dam (not shown).
The counteracting effect of bending moment M
2
is enhanced by the increased flange stiffness at the thickened base portion
22
a.
The tapered configuration of the base portion
22
a
avoids damaging frictional contact with the dam.
A secondary benefit provided by shoulder
72
is that it provides an additional sealing line between those afforded by the water-side and oil-side lips
18
,
20
. This further diminishes the likelihood of fluid seepage (oil or cooling water) between the roll surface and the seal.
Now, referencing both
FIGS. 1 and 2
, standard in the art of most seal designs is the garter spring
80
. Garter springs are generally embedded within the lip body portions of the seal, seen here in the oil-side lip
20
(
FIG. 2
) or
32
b
(FIG.
1
), in order to augment the radial load provided by the resiliency of the seal lip. In these embodiments, the garter springs
80
are partially molded into the lip configuration. See U.S. Pat. No. 3,330,567 to Mercer et al. for example.
A drawback in the use of a garter spring is evident inasmuch as the garter springs can separate from the remainder of the seal as the interstitial elastomer wears. After a short time, the garter spring
80
thereby breaks through this lip, eliminating the spring seal, and the seal must be changed prematurely. Furthermore, moving or centering the garter spring
80
to be completely molded into the lip would require a difficult lip manufacturing process and would compromise accurate and consistent positioning of the garter spring
80
within the rubber mold, which can lead to variable load characteristics.
There is a need then for an improved neck seal which provides a more positive seal contact between the oil-side lip of the seal and the roll neck without the use of a garter spring.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention improves on traditional neck seals by providing a metallic v-shaped spring disposed in the v-groove of a neck seal, wherein the v-groove is defined by the bottom surface of the oil-side lip and the top surface of the seal body. Also, the interior surface of the neck seal is concave throughout, whereby the above and other features of the present invention decrease manufacturing time and cost without compromising effectiveness.
An objective of the present invention is to eliminate the need for an embedded garter spring, thereby lessening the chance that the seal needs to be changed prematurely. It is further an objective of the present invention to provide a neck seal that can be easily manufactured, with no embedment of a cable or spring. It is yet another objective of the present invention to provide a seal that provides a more positive contact between the lip of the seal and the roll neck. It is further an objective of the present invention to provide a seal that retains its spring elements away from the rotating neck.
Accordingly, the neck seal is of the type having: a flexible circular seal body; a pair of axially spaced circular flexible flanges integral with and extending radially outwardly from the seal body at opposite ends of an exterior cylindrical surface; and flexible lips integrally joined to and extending angularly outwardly away from the respective flanges.
The improvement generally comprises an interior surface being concave throughout and defining the interior side of an oil-side lip extending upwards from the seal body. A portion of the lips outermost end extends radially downward to form a first stop integral with the lip. A portion of the outermost end of the seal body also extends upward from the top surface thereof to form a second stop integral with the seal body. Furthermore, a v-groove spring is disposed in a v-groove. The v-groove is defined by the inclined bottom surface of the oil-side lip and the flat top surface of the seal body such that the first and second stop retain the spring in a position conducive for a more positive seal contact between the lip of the seal and the roll neck without the use of a garter spring.


REFERENCES:
patent: 3330567 (1967-07-01), Mercer et al.
patent: 3545774 (1970-12-01), Rickley
patent: 3621952 (1971-11-01), Long, Jr.
patent: 3692318 (1972-09-01), Day et al.
patent: 3827703 (1974-08-01), Brink
patent: 3830508 (1974-08-01), Endicott
patent: 4022480 (1977-05-01), Salter, Jr.
patent: 4116451 (1978-09-01), Nixon et al.
patent: 4165881 (1979-08-01), Salter
patent: 4234196 (1980-11-01), Iida
patent: 4586720 (1986-05-01), Simmons et al.

Affiliated with

Also associated with

Rating

Neck seal with v-groove spring does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.

If you have personal experience with Neck seal with v-groove spring, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Neck seal with v-groove spring will most certainly appreciate the feedback.

Rate now

Comments { 0 }

Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2911888