End seals for a rotary machine

摘要

An improved seal apparatus for a rotary machine including a rotary internal combustion engine. The machine generally comprises a rotor rotatably disposed in a circular working section in a hollow machine housing, a divider valve, and for an internal combustion engine a compression-expansion valve being rotatably secured in the housing and in sealing engagement with the rotor to divide the working space in the housing into an intake space and an exhaust space. The rotor of the machine has a piston formed thereon and the improved seal apparatus includes a plurality of seal bars in recesses between recessed connecting runners in the piston perimeter surface and urged into sealing relation with the inner wall of the housing. The seal bar ends and runner ends are restrained in the pistons such that the grille like surface of the seal assembly has a substantially continuous surface having sliding continuity to prevent the seal bars from catching on edges of the housing where the divider valve and compression expansion valve enter the working space of the machine. The seal bars and runners are angularly disposed relative to the edges of the valve housings to further reduce the possibility of the seal bars and runners from catching on these edges or the perimeter edges of the divider valve and compression-expansion valve. The seal bars and runners are radially restrained and are flexible to maximize sealing with the inner wall of the housing. The slipper seal assembly is used on rotary machines including internal combustion engines.