Face seal for washer tub and water pump

Abstract

A face seal assembly mounted on a vertically oriented drive shaft is disclosed for use in connecting two members rotatable with respect to each other. The seal assembly includes a lower stationary graphite seal member which is received in one end of a rubber bellows. A spring within the bellows urges the upper surface of the graphite ring into contact with an upper rotatable second seal member, which is preferably a bronze mating ring. Liquid which seeps radially inwardly past the seal members is channeled within the rubber bellows to discharge outside the face seal assembly without contacting either the drive shaft, or the bearing member located below the bellows. The channel means includes a collar portion within the bellows extending downwardly along the drive shaft from a point adjacent the seal members. A bottom wall, contiguous with the collar encloses the bottom end of the bellows and provides support for the spring located within the bellows. The bottom wall defines apertures which communicate with the channels in the support structure located immediately below the bellows assembly to provide a path for accumulated seepage which is directed radially outwardly of the outer bearing surfaces.