Sealing device for telemanipulator

1,036,445. Seals. COMMISSARIAT A L'ENERGIE ATOMIQUE. March 18, 1963 [March 22, 1962], No. 10610/63. Heading F2B. [Also in Division B4] A sealing arrangement for a manipulator arm 23 extending through the roof 2 of a sealed chamber comprises a ring 1 fixed to the roof and having three annular grooves 5, 6, 8 on its upper face, the groove 6 containing mercury 7 covered with oil. A depending flange 11 on a ring 9 dips into the mercury to form a seal, the ring 9 being rotatably supported on the ring 1 by bearings 10 co-operating with the groove 8. The groove 5 serves as an overflow for the mercury in the groove 6. A flexible sealing member 15 connects the ring 9 to a sleeve 17 rotatably mounted on a structure 24 by bearings 19 on a collar 20 secured to the structure. The arm 33 is rotatably mounted within the structure 24 and a flexible corrugated sleeve 22 connects the sleeve 17 to the lower end of the arm. In another embodiment (Fig. 1, not shown) the upper end of the corrugated sleeve is connected directly to the ring 9.