The object of this invention is to increase the life of the displacer and stem seals of the reciprocating displacer of a Gifford McMahon (GM) cryogenic expander. The seal comprises a ring that is relatively long and thin and uses the pressure difference across the seal, acting behind the ring, as the primary force to bring the ring into contact with the cylinder and stem walls. The pressure difference across the seal ring pushes the ring to one end of the groove, and the friction force pushes the ring in the same direction while it is moving. The sealing force is distributed over a larger area compared with a conventional backed “O” ring thus reducing the wear rate and increasing the seal life.

A wear ring for guidance of two machine components are arranged movably relative to one another along/around a movement axis, which is formed in one piece from a plastic or a reinforced plastic material and which is slit such that it has two free ends. The wear ring has a cross-sectional width W, which at least sectionally, increases in a radial direction towards the rear side of the wear ring. The wear ring has one or more recesses formed on its front side and/or on its the rear side for increasing its deformability and thus facilitate mounting thereof in a mounting groove of a machine element. Furthermore, a wear ring arrangement with a wear ring can be clipped into a mounting groove of one of the machine components of the wear ring arrangement.

A wear ring for guidance of two machine components are arranged movably relative to one another along/around a movement axis, which is formed in one piece from a plastic or a reinforced plastic material and which is slit such that it has two free ends. The wear ring has a cross-sectional width W, which at least sectionally, increases in a radial direction towards the rear side of the wear ring. The wear ring has one or more recesses formed on its front side and/or on its the rear side for increasing its deformability and thus facilitate mounting thereof in a mounting groove of a machine element. Furthermore, a wear ring arrangement with a wear ring can be clipped into a mounting groove of one of the machine components of the wear ring arrangement.

Piston ring arrangement (40) with a piston ring (50) encircling a main axis (X), the piston ring (50) having a sealing surface (58) directed radially outward and a contact surface (55) directed radially outward, the sealing surface (58) being radially outside of the contact surface (55). To improve the service life of piston rings for reciprocating compressors, the piston ring arrangement (40) has a retaining ring (70) encircling the main axis (X) with a retaining surface (72) directed radially inward, the piston ring (50) and the retaining ring (70) being situated such that the retaining surface (72) and the contact surface (55) are adjacent in the radial direction.

A shaft mounting assembly includes an elongate shaft with an outer surface having a substantially circular cross-section and a cylinder having an inner surface defining a bore housing the shaft. A spring having a substantially circular discontinuous band with correspondingly shaped axially arcuate inner and outer surfaces. One of the surfaces comprises a groove, and the spring is positioned in the groove with both axial edges of the band located therein. In a de-energised state of the spring, the height of the band is greater than the depth of the groove, a portion of the band between the axial edges protruding out of the groove, the axial width of the band being less than the width of the groove; and, an energised state with the spring compressed within the bore to reduce the height of the band and increase the axial width compared to the de-energised state.

A shaft mounting assembly includes an elongate shaft with an outer surface having a substantially circular cross-section and a cylinder having an inner surface defining a bore housing the shaft. A spring having a substantially circular discontinuous band with correspondingly shaped axially arcuate inner and outer surfaces. One of the surfaces comprises a groove, and the spring is positioned in the groove with both axial edges of the band located therein. In a de-energised state of the spring, the height of the band is greater than the depth of the groove, a portion of the band between the axial edges protruding out of the groove, the axial width of the band being less than the width of the groove; and, an energised state with the spring compressed within the bore to reduce the height of the band and increase the axial width compared to the de-energised state.

In a surface of a wire, a first side surface forming an outer circumferential surface in a piston ring includes a tapered surface and a protruding surface, the protruding surface is divided into a first part and a second part by a first virtual surface extending from the tapered surface, and the first part includes a top and is formed in a protruding shape.

In a surface of a wire, a first side surface forming an outer circumferential surface in a piston ring includes a tapered surface and a protruding surface, the protruding surface is divided into a first part and a second part by a first virtual surface extending from the tapered surface, and the first part includes a top and is formed in a protruding shape.

A ringset is configured to be arranged on a piston for sealing a gas in a high-pressure region of a cylinder in the absence of oil or other liquid lubricant. The ringset includes one or more rings made from a high-strength material as a sealing element. The ringset also includes a solid lubricant applicator configured to provide lubrication between the one or more rings and a bore of the cylinder. For example, the ring can support pressure loads from high-pressure gas without breaking, while the applicator need not act as a seal. As the piston reciprocates in the bore, the applicator slides against the bore and applies solid lubricant material to the bore, resulting in a solid lubricant film on the bore against which the sealing element may slide. The applicator includes a material such as a graphite, a polymer, or other suitable solid lubricant.

A ringset is configured to be arranged on a piston for sealing a gas in a high-pressure region of a cylinder in the absence of oil or other liquid lubricant. The ringset includes one or more rings made from a high-strength material as a sealing element. The ringset also includes a solid lubricant applicator configured to provide lubrication between the one or more rings and a bore of the cylinder. For example, the ring can support pressure loads from high-pressure gas without breaking, while the applicator need not act as a seal. As the piston reciprocates in the bore, the applicator slides against the bore and applies solid lubricant material to the bore, resulting in a solid lubricant film on the bore against which the sealing element may slide. The applicator includes a material such as a graphite, a polymer, or other suitable solid lubricant.