ALAN D MCNICKLE
Engineers in Sellersville, PA

5558341, Sep 24, 1996

Jan 11, 1995

8/371283

Alan D. McNickle - Sellersville PA
Mingfong Hwang - Lansdale PA
Adam N. Pope - Cincinnati OH

Stein Seal Company - Kulpsville PA

F16J 1534

277 3

A seal structure is provided having a configuration with a very small seal gap between a relatively stationary seal member and a complementary surface on a movable (rotatable) member (such as a rotating shaft) adjacent to which the stationary seal member is mounted. The stationary seal member is movable toward and away from the movable seal member so as to vary the seal gap therebetween. The seal is effective in applications where an incompressible fluid is provided on the high pressure side of the stationary seal member so that leakage along the seal gap is of an incompressible fluid into a lower pressure region on the other side of the seal gap. A sealing dam is provided on the stationary seal member on its sealing face adjacent the low pressure end of the seal gap. A plurality of elongated pads are formed on the sealing surface of the stationary seal member on the high pressure side of the sealing dam, extending perpendicularly to the direction of leakage flow along the seal gap. Lift pockets are formed in predetermined pads and positioned such that fluid is forced into the pocket by the velocity shearing gradient between the movable and stationary members to generate an increased pressure in the pockets to move the stationary seal member away from the movable member to increase the seal gap between the two.

2008028, Nov 20, 2008

Feb 22, 2008

12/035740

Thurai Manik VASAGAR - Hatfield PA, US
Alan D. McNickle - Sellersville PA, US
Diane R. McNickle - Telford PA, US
Glenn M. Garrison - Perkiomenville PA, US

F16J 15/34

277306, 277399, 277400

The present invention relates to circumferential seal ring segments positioned around a rotating shaft so as to prevent fluids from leaking from a lubricant sump during both low and high pressure conditions. The circumferential seal is comprised of a plurality of adjoining annular ring segments facing the rotating shaft. Each sealing ring segment includes a dead end circumferential groove on a shaft-side face of each sealing ring such that, when the segments are joined, the circumferential dead end groove of each segment extends arcuately in the direction of shaft rotation. At least one additional groove is contained on the shaft-side face of each sealing ring segment. The additional groove(s) directs and creates pressurized air within the dead end circumferential groove, either directly or indirectly maintaining a seal between the ring segments and the shaft. A bleed hole may also be provided to create a seal between each sealing segment.

2008015, Jul 3, 2008

Jun 21, 2007

11/821578

Thurai Manik Vasagar - Hatfield PA, US
Alan D. McNickle - Sellersville PA, US
Glenn M. Garrison - Perkiomenville PA, US
Diane R. McNickle - Telford PA, US

F16J 15/34

277400

An assembly for sealing a liquid region from a gas region across an annular surface of a rotating shaft in turbomachinery, having a plurality of annular sealing ring segments facing the rotating shaft, at least one sealing ring segment including a dead end annular groove formed in a radially inwardly facing bearing surface at a position closer to the liquid region than to the gas region when the segment is positioned proximate the shaft surface, the groove extending arcuately in the direction of shaft rotation, at least one diagonal groove formed in the segment bearing surface and extending from an edge of the segment proximate the gas region to a position of communication with the dead end annular groove that is downstream, from a mouth of the diagonal groove at the segment edge, with respect to rotary movement of the shaft along the segment bearing surface.

5503407, Apr 2, 1996

Apr 18, 1994

8/229172

Alan D. McNickle - Sellersville PA

Stein Seal Company - Kulpsville PA

F16J 1516

277134

An annular windback is provided in a housing containing a lubricant sump and a rotating shaft therein. The windback is located at one end of the sump and the shaft extends through the windback. The housing has a seal interacting between the housing and the shaft to prevent lubricant from exiting the sump and to prevent other media within the housing from entering the sump. The windback is located between the seal and the one end of the sump and has a spiral groove in the inner annular surface facing the shaft for providing a return path for lubricant carried toward the seal by shaft windage. One or more radial holes are formed in the windback at an axial location thereon between the seal and the closer end of the spiral groove to equalize the pressure at the aforesaid axial location between the windback and the shaft with the pressure in the remainder of the sump.

2007000, Jan 11, 2007

Jan 30, 2006

11/134249

Glenn Garrison - Perkiomenville PA, US
Alan McNickle - Sellersville PA, US

F16J 15/44

277411000

A hydrostatic seal assembly used between a shaft and a housing to restrict the flow of fluid from a relatively higher pressure region in the housing to a relatively lower pressure region in the housing includes a seal runner extending radially from the shaft and having a shaft sealing surface, and a seal ring positioned around the shaft and having a sealing face surface positioned for movement toward and away from the shaft sealing surface and forming a seal gap therebetween to break down the pressure across the seal ring.