LANTERN RINGS FOR FLUID SEALS

摘要

of the Invention A lantern ring arrangement is disclosed for use in fluid seal arrangements, including stuffing boxes utilized in preventing fluid leakage around rotating shafts. Lantern rings provided by the present invention include a ring having first and second spaced sides with first and second ring openings respectively provided therein, an inner peripheral surface and an outer peripheral surface where the ring is adapted to be received in a cylindrical chamber with its longitudinal axis parallel to the logitudinal axis of the cylinder; first and second flanges of generally equal length extending radially outwardly from and around a portion of the periphery of the outer surface of the ring in spaced relation along the longitudinal axis of the ring so the outer periphery of the first and second flanges engage the inner surface of the cylindrical chamber so that a first ring-shaped chamber is defined around a portion of the outside of the ring between the outer surface of the ring, the inner surface of the cylinder and the first and second flanges; a first groove of selected width having a maximum diameter greater than the diameter of the first ring opening is provided around the inner surface of the ring adjacent the first opening to the ring where the first opening diameter is selected to receive a shaft rotatable therein; a radially inwardly extending flange of selected depth located within the ring adjacent the inner edge of the first groove and extending around a portion of the inner periphery of the ring to define a central opening in the ring of diameter less than the diameter of the first opening and adapted to rotatably receive the shaft where the inner diameter of the ring between the flange and the second opening of the ring is greater than the diameter of the central opening; first conduits communicating with the first chamber and the groove and second conduits communicating with the first chamber and the inner surface of the ring between the flange and the second opening.