Patent USRE25846E successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US4377291A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Sealing assembly
Assignee: Osram Sylvania Inc
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Filing: 1982-01-15
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Granted: 1983-03-22
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Expires: 2002-01-15
Abstract
Abstract A mechanical sealing assembly for establishing a water-tight, rodent/insect-proof seal between a plurality of elongated members (e.g., cables, tubes, etc.) and a conduit carrying the elongated members. The sealing assembly includes a resilient, compressible, cylindrical rubber bushing and a pair of flat plates on opposite sides of the bushing. The bushing has a plurality of longitudinal receiving openings therein and a plurality of radial slots extending from the perimeter of the bushing into the receiving openings for enabling the elongated members to be forcibly inserted by way of the slots into the receiving openings. Each of the flat plates includes several sections which are assembled together in an interlocking fashion to surround the elongated members and define openings for the passage therethrough of the elongated members. The assembly of the bushing and plates having the elongated members passing therethrough are inserted into the conduit, and the two plates are drawing toward each other by bolts passing through the assembly to cause the bushing to be compressed between the two plates and expand at its perimeter to effect a seal between the bushing and the conduit and also to contract around the elongated members to effect seals between the bushing and the elongated members.
Inventors
- 👤 Francis G. Albertini
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-09 02:22
CPC Classifications
F; F16; F16L; F16L7/00; F16L7/02
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 21
Claim 1
Independent Claim
274 words
A mechanical sealing assembly for establishing a seal between a plurality of elongated members and a hollow enclosure conducting said elongated members, comprising: a bushing of a resilient, compressible material having a plurality of receiving openings extending therethrough and a plurality of slots extending from and between the perimeter of the bushing and the receiving openings, said slots being arranged to be widened for permitting a plurality of elongated members conducted along the hollow enclosure to be inserted into, and to lie longitudinally within and pass through, the receiving openings, said bushing having a shape generally conforming to the interior configuration of the hollow enclosure; first and second plates adapted following the insertion of the elongated members into the receiving openings in the bushing to be positioned on opposite sides of the bushing thereby to sandwich the bushing between the plates, each of said plates comprising a plurality of interconnecting sections arranged to surround the elongated members and defining openings corresponding to the receiving openings in the bushing for the receipt therein and passage therethrough of the elongated members, the sandwich assembly of said first and second plates and the bushing having the elongated members passing therethrough being adapted to be inserted into the enclosure; and compression means operative following insertion of the aforesaid sandwich assembly into the enclosure to compress longitudinally the bushing between the first and second plates by an amount to cause the bushing to expand outwardly at its perimeter thereby to effect a seal therebetween and the enclosure and to cause the bushing to contract around the elongated members thereby to effect seals between the bushing and the elongated members.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
274 words
A mechanical sealing assembly for establishing a seal between a plurality of elongated members and a hollow enclosure conducting said elongated members, comprising: a bushing of a resilient, compressible material having a plurality of receiving openings extending therethrough and a plurality of slots extending from and between the perimeter of the bushing and the receiving openings, said slots being arranged to be widened for permitting a plurality of elongated members conducted along the hollow enclosure to be inserted into, and to lie longitudinally within and pass through, the receiving openings, said bushing having a shape generally conforming to the interior configuration of the hollow enclosure; first and second plates adapted following the insertion of the elongated members into the receiving openings in the bushing to be positioned on opposite sides of the bushing thereby to sandwich the bushing between the plates, each of said plates comprising a plurality of interconnecting sections arranged to surround the elongated members and defining openings corresponding to the receiving openings in the bushing for the receipt therein and passage therethrough of the elongated members, the sandwich assembly of said first and second plates and the bushing having the elongated members passing therethrough being adapted to be inserted into the enclosure; and compression means operative following insertion of the aforesaid sandwich assembly into the enclosure to compress longitudinally the bushing between the first and second plates by an amount to cause the bushing to expand outwardly at its perimeter thereby to effect a seal therebetween and the enclosure and to cause the bushing to contract around the elongated members thereby to effect seals between the bushing and the elongated members.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
67 words
A mechanical sealing assembly in accordance with claim 1 wherein: the hollow enclosure is an elongated cylindrical enclosure having a circular cross section; the elongated members are cylindrical members having generally circular cross sections; the bushing has a circular cross section and a diameter in its non-compressed state slightly less than the internal diameter of the enclosure; and the receiving openings in the bushing are circular openings.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
45 words
A mechanical sealing assembly in accordance with claim 2 wherein: the bushing is of a cylindrical configuration; and the slots extending from and between the perimeter of the bushing and the receiving openings are radial slots in a direction toward the center of the bushing.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
18 words
A mechanical sealing assembly in accordance with claim 2 wherein: the bushing is of a compressible rubber material.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
30 words
A mechanical sealing assembly in accordance with claim 2 wherein: the receiving openings in the bushing are equi-distant from the center of the bushing and spaced equally from each other.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
51 words
A mechanical sealing assembly in accordance with claim 5 wherein: the bushing is of a compressible rubber material and has a cylindrical configuration; and the slots extending from and between the perimeter of the bushing and the receiving openings are radial slots in a direction toward the center of the bushing.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
18 words
A mechanical sealing assembly in accordance with claim 6 wherein: the bushing is of a silicone rubber material.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
116 words
A mechanical sealing assembly in accordance with claim 1 wherein: the bushing has an additional plurality of openings extending therethrough; and the first and second plates each have a like plurality of openings extending therethrough and adapted to be aligned with the additional plurality of openings in the bushing when the sandwich assembly of the bushing and the first and second plates are arranged for insertion into the enclosure; and wherein the compression means includes: a plurality of fasteners utilized in connection with the aligned openings in the first and second plates and the bushing to draw the first and second plates toward each other for compressing the bushing longitudinally between the first and second plates.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
60 words
A mechanical sealing assembly in accordance with claim 8 wherein: the openings in the first plate are unthreaded openings and the openings in the second plate are threaded openings; and the fasteners are threaded bolts arranged to pass through the aligned openings in the first plate and the bushing and to thread into the threaded openings in the second plate.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
67 words
A mechanical sealing assembly in accordance with claim 8 wherein: the hollow enclosure is an elongated cylindrical enclosure having a circular cross section; the elongated members are cylindrical members having generally circular cross sections; the bushing has a circular cross section and a diameter in its non-compressed state slightly less than the internal diameter of the enclosure; and the receiving openings in the bushing are circular openings.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
62 words
A mechanical sealing assembly in accordance with claim 10 wherein: the bushing has a cylindrical configuration and first and second opposing, flat faces; and the first and second plates are flat plates adapted following the insertion of the elongated cylindrical bushing to be placed on opposite sides of the bushing in direct physical contact with the opposing, flat faces of the bushing.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
60 words
A mechanical sealing assembly in accordance with claim 11 wherein: the openings in the first plate are unthreaded openings and the openings in the second plate are threaded openings; and the fasteners are threaded bolts arranged to pass through the aligned openings in the first plate and the bushing and to thread into the threaded openings in the second plate.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
18 words
A mechanical sealing assembly in accordance with claim 12 wherein: the bushing is of a compressible rubber material.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
87 words
A mechanical sealing assembly in accordance with claim 1 wherein each of the first and second plates comprises: first and second end sections including a plurality of slots; and a central section adapted to be positioned intermediate to, and to be physically interlocked with, the end sections when the first and second plates are to be positioned on opposite sides of the bushing and including portions cooperating with the slots in the end sections to define a plurality of openings for passage therethrough of the elongated members.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
148 words
A mechanical sealing assembly in accordance with claim 14 wherein: the bushing has an additional plurality of openings extending therethrough; the end and central sections of the first plate collectively have an additional plurality of openings therein when said sections are interconnected together; the end and central sections of the second plate collectively have an additional plurality of openings therein when said sections are interconnected together; the additional pluralities of openings in the bushing and plates being adapted to be aligned with each other when the sandwich assembly of the bushing and the plates are arranged for insertion into the enclosure; and wherein the compression means includes: a plurality of fasteners utilized in connection with the aligned openings in the first and second plates and the bushing to draw the first and second plates toward each other for compressing the bushing longitudinally between the first and second plates.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
60 words
A mechanical sealing assembly in accordance with claim 15 wherein: the openings in the first plate are unthreaded openings and the openings in the second plate are threaded openings; and the fasteners are threaded bolts arranged to pass through the aligned openings in the first plate and the bushing and to thread into the threaded openings in the second plate.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
67 words
A mechanical sealing assembly in accordance with claim 15 wherein: the hollow enclosure is an elongated cylindrical enclosure having a circular cross section; the elongated members are cylindrical members having generally circular cross sections; the bushing has a circular cross section and a diameter in its non-compressed state slightly less than the internal diameter of the enclosure; and the receiving openings in the bushing are circular openings.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
88 words
A mechanical sealing assembly in accordance with claim 17 wherein: the bushing has a cylindrical configuration and first and second opposing, flat faces; and the sections of the first and second plates are arranged when interconnected together to form first and second plates which are flat, said flat plates being adapted following the insertion of the elongated cylindrical members into the receiving openings in the cylindrical bushing to be placed on opposite sides of the bushing in direct physical contact with the opposing, flat faces of the bushing.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
18 words
A mechanical sealing assembly in accordance with claim 18 wherein: the bushing is of a compressible rubber material.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
60 words
A mechanical sealing assembly in accordance with claim 19 wherein: the openings in the first plate are unthreaded openings and the openings in the second plate are threaded openings; and the fasteners are threaded bolts arranged to pass through the aligned openings in the first plate and the bushing and to thread into the threaded openings in the second plate.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1986-03-21 | 1986-09-20 | 1987-03-22 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1990-03-21 | 1990-09-20 | 1991-03-22 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1994-03-21 | 1994-09-20 | 1995-03-22 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |