Rotary pumps and motors and thrust plates therefor

Abstract

A gear pump or motor and a thrust plate therefor are provided having a case, a pair of rotary gears in said case, said gears having axial stub shafts journaled in said case, a unitary thrust plate for the corresponding ends of the pair of rotary gears adapted to lie between the case and the ends of the gears, said thrust plate being of a metal softer than the gears and having a front face adapted to abut the gear ends and a rear face abutting the case, a pair of spaced openings extending through said plate to receive the gear stub shafts, a pair of annular grooves in the rear face spaced from and surrounding each of said openings, a groove in the rear face connecting said annular grooves at their closest points, at least one groove in the rear face extending radially from each annular groove to the periphery of the body generally opposite the groove connecting the annular grooves defining at least two substantially identical areas on opposite sides of the body, a generally U-shaped elastomer gasket having the contour of the combined grooves on the rear face of the body and fitting into said grooves with the opening of the U-shaped gasket opening downwardly in the groove and resilient means acting on said gasket normally to urge it partially out of said grooves into sealing contact with the case.