IMPROVEMENTS IN PACKINGS FOR THE WORKING PARTS OF STEAM ENGINES AND OTHER MACHINERY AND APPA- RATUS.
Year: 1872

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Edward Newton, of the Office for
Patents, 66, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Civil
Engineer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN PACKINGS FOR THE
WORKING PARTS OF STEAM ENGINES AND OTHER MACHINERY AND APPA-
RATUS. ."-A communication from abroad by George Gwynn, of the.
City and State of New York, and George Gilbert and Chauncey
Barnes, of Brooklyn, in the State of New York, United States of
America.
Scaled the 24th September 1872, and dated the 4th April 1872.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Edward Newton
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 4th April 1872.
I, WILLIAM EDWARD NEWTON, of the Office for Patents, 66, Chancery
Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN PACKINGS FOR THE
WORKING PARTS OF STEAM ENGINES AND OTHER MACHINERY AND APPARATUS," to
be as follows:-
This Invention relates to a novel mode of preparing packings of
various kinds.

page_text: The packing is made of linen, cotton, or other fabric, payed over
with india-rubber, lead, zinc, graphite or plumbago, wood, sawdust,
and quicksilver, or their equivalents, whereby a packing may be made
not only close and durable, but when applied to a rod or working part
heating is avoided and the packing made self-lubricating. The packing
is made from linen toweling, cotton sheet, or other suitable woven
fabric, treated with the composition hereafter mentioned. This fabric is
cut into strips in a straight manner, or parallel with its warp or weft, and
wrapt diagonally around a flexible core, whereby a roll packing may
be produced which combines cheapness and durability with great
efficiency.
The composition may be made as follows:-Take of paraffin (2lbs.),
india-rubber (4 oz.), lead (1 lbs.), zinc (8 oz.), graphite or plumbago
(8 oz.), fine hard wood sawdust (box wood or lignum vitae preferred)
(8 oz.), and quicksilver (1 oz.).
To prepare this composition the zinc is first melted in a close retort,
and the quicksilver added by introducing it through a suitable cock or
valve, taking care to keep the temperature low enough to prevent
evaporation of the quicksilver. When cold this mixture is reduced to
powder, and the plumbago having been pulverized and the lead filed up
into powder, all these are mixed with the sawdust. The paraffin and
rubber are melted together and mixed, and are spread with a spatula
over the fabric, which is laid upon a heated table. The powdered
ingredients are then rubbed into the coating of paraffin and india-
rubber, and the fabric is ready for use. The proportions of the several
ingredients of the composition may be to some extent varied, also the
manner of mixing and applying them, without materially affecting their
efficiency.
To make a roll packing the prepared fabric is cut into strips and then
wrapped diagonally around a flexible core made of hemp, cotton, or other
fibrous threads. By this construction the thread or warp is made to run
in a diagonal direction from the line or centre of the roll of packing
without waste in cutting the fabric.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said William Edward Newton in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 4th October 1872.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
EDWARD NEWTON, of the Office for Patents, 66, Chancery Lane, in the
County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, send grecting.
of
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Fourth day of April, in the year
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-two, in the thirty-
fifth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give
and grant unto me, the said William Edward Newton, Her special
licence that I, the said William Edward Newton, my executors, adminis-
trators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said William Edward
Newton, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time
agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times there-
after during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully might
make, use, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great
Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an
Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN PACKINGS FOR THE WORKING PARTS OF STEAM
ENGINES AND OTHER MACHINERY AND APPARATUS," being a communication
to me from abroad by George Gwynn, of the City and State of New
York, and George Gilbert and Chauncey Barnes, of Brooklyn, in
the State of New York, United States of America, upon the con-
dition (amongst others) that I, the said William Edward Newton,
my executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under
my, or their, or one of their hands and seals, should particularly
describe and ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in what
manner the same was to be performed, and cause the same to be filed
in the Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar months next and
immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said William Edward Newton, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same
is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement, reference being had to the Drawing hereunto

page_text: annexed, and to the letters and figures marked thereon (that is to
say)::
This Invention relates to a novel mode of preparing packings of
various kinds.
The packing is made of linen, cotton, or other fabric, payed over with
paraffine, india-rubber, lead, zinc, graphite or plumbago, wood sawdust,
and quicksilver, or their equivalents, whereby a packing may be made
not only close and durable, but when applied to a rod or working part
heating is avoided and the packing made self-lubricating. The packing
is made from linen toweling, cotton sheet, or other suitable woven fabric
treated with the composition or compositions mentioned above.
fabric is cut into strips in a straight manner, or parallel with its warp
or weft, and wrapt diagonally around a flexible core, whereby a roll
packing may be produced which combines cheapness and durability
with great efficiency.
This
The Figure in the accompanying Drawing represents a roll packing of
spiral form applicable to stuffing boxes and other purposes, and made
according to the Invention. A is the prepared fabric, which may be
made of linen toweling or cotton sheet, treated (to give it the properties
herein-before mentioned) with a composition made up of paraffine, india-
rubber, lead, zinc, graphite or plumbago, wood sawdust, and quick-
silver.
The composition may be made as follows:-Take of paraffine two
pounds (2 lbs.); india-rubber, four ounces (4 oz.); lead, one and a half
pounds (1/2 lbs.); zinc, eight ounces (8 oz.); graphite or plumbago,
eight ounces (8 oz.); fine hard wood sawdust (box wood or lignum vitæ
preferred), eight ounces (8 oz.); and quicksilver, one ounce (1 oz.)
To prepare this composition the zinc is first melted in a close retort
and the quicksilver added by introducing it through a suitable cock or
valve, taking care to keep the temperature low enough to prevent
evaporation of the quicksilver. When cold this mixture is reduced to
powder, and the plumbago having been pulverized and the lead filed up
into powder, all these are mixed with the sawdust. The paraffine and
rubber are melted together and mixed, and are spread with a spatula
over the fabric, which is laid upon a table heated by steam or otherwise.
The powdered ingredients are then rubbed with a roller (or other suitable

page_text: implement) into the coating of paraffine and india-rubber, and the fabric
is then ready for use. The proportions of the several ingredients of the
composition may be to some extent varied, also the manner of mixing
and applying them, without materially affecting their efficiency, but it is
believed that the best results may be obtained from the proportions
specified.
To make a roll packing of such or similarly prepared fabric the fabric
is cut into strips parallel with its warp or weft and then wrapped
diagonally around a flexible core made of hemp, cotton, or other fibrous
threads. By this construction the thread or warp is made to run in a
diagonal direction from the line or centre of the roll of packing without
waste in cutting the fabric.
In the accompanying Drawing B is a core made of hemp, cotton, or
other fibrous material, having its fibres either straight or twisted, and
upon which the strip of prepared fabric A. is wound spirally.
Having now described the Invention which has been communicated
to me by my foreign correspondent, and having explained the manner
of carrying the same into effect, I claim as the Invention secured to
me by Letters Patent as aforesaid, forming packing for the working
parts of steam engines and other machinery in the manner herein
set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Edward Newton, have
hereunto set my hand and seal, the Fourth day of October,
in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and
seventy-two.
W. E. NEWTON. (L.S.)