USA As Represented by Secretary of the Navy

Martha M Phillips

John D Spargo

A Bayne Neild

A leak free floating packing shaft seal is provided for a rotatable shaft d a supporting annular structure wherein the supporting annular structure has a high pressure upstream side and a low pressure downstream side. The floating seal includes an annular holder which is slidably mounted in the supporting structure for radial movement therein. A ring of packing material is mounted in a recess in the inner circumferential side of the holder. A first O-ring arrangement is mounted between the supporting structure and the upstream side of the holder for effecting a seal from the high pressure environment, and a second O-ring arrangement is mounted between the supporting structure and the downstream side of the holder. At least one passageway is provided for communicating the upstream and downstream size of the holder for balancing the pressures therebetween. With this arrangement the holder is free to undergo the radial movement without leakage and the detriment of lateral forces thereon.

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Arnold, MD, United States of America

Martha M Phillips