Improved Metallic Packing.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 16th Sept., 1895-Accepted, 26th Oct., 1895
Improved Metallic Packing.
I, THOMAS CRABTREE, of 511 McFarland Street, McCook, in the County of
Red Willow and State of Nebraska, U.S.A., Machinist, do hereby declare the
ature of this invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be
particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement :-
This invention has relation to a new and novel improvement in metallic packing
This improved packing is more especially adapted to be used in connection with
iston rods.
In the accompanying drawings, Fig. 1 shows a central sectional view, with parts
broken away, of my improved metallic packing as applied to a piston rod, while
Figs. 2, 3 and 4 show detached detail views of the same.
A, represents the broken front portion of an ordinary cylinder head, provided
with the usual opening to accommodate the piston rod, B. Secured to the cylinder
head, A, and preferably upon the outer forward edge, is a preferably rectangular
metallic housing, D. This housing is secured to the cylinder head, A, by means
of the bolts, 2. This housing, D, is provided with a central opening through
which the piston rod, B, works. Surrounding the piston opening, I prefer providing
the cylinder head, A, with a dished opening of, preferably, two diameters, as is
shown at 4 and 5 in Fig. 1. Within this opening place an ordinary packing
ring, a, which may be of metal or any other suitable material or composition.
Within the hollow housing, D, is contained my improved metallic packing, com-
prising three rings, in section, and held together by suitable springs. The first
or principal packing ring comprises the dished ring, C, which is in two parts,
one part of which is shown in Fig. 4. This ring has an annular groove, 3, to
accommodate a suitable spring, and a central opening, 6, through which the piston
rod, B, is made to pass. Working within this sectional ring, C, which is prefer-
ably composed of two parts, is a two-part metallic packing ring, E, which is
preferably provided with a pin, 7, working in a suitable opening within one of the
half sections, C, of the dished packing ring. A spring. 8, encompasses the dished
ring, C, and norimally tends to force these two sectional rings, C, C, against one
another. The inner rings, E, however, are also in two parts, and both section
rings, E and C, are so made that when they encompass the piston rod, B, there is
considerable space between the ring sections, as is shown in Fig. 2, so that as this
packing wears it will be gradually bound upon the piston by means of the spring, 8,
and so takes up this wear, preventing any opening. It will be noticed that a
preferably clear binding space or surface is presented by means of these duplex
packing rings, C, E, as the openings between the ring sections, E, E, are closed
by the solid portions of the rings, C, while the openings between the packing
rings, C, are, of course, closed by the solid portions of the sectional rings, E. The
pin, 7, prevents these rings, E, from shifting, so that the two openings cannot come
To escape, the steam
opposite one another and so permit the escape of steam.
would have to pass along the piston and then between the face of the two packing
rings and finally escape between the inner and outer edges of these two
packing rings. The spring aids, of course, to normally hold these rings together.
provide the
To further increase the tightness and efficiency of the packing,
two similar sectional packing rings, F and H, one of them being shown in Fig. 3.
These rings are identical in that they are composed of two sections, each section
being less than half a circle and being provided with a circumferential groove

page_text: within which is held a spring, 9, normally tending to close these two ring sections.
These sections are placed within the housing, D, so that the removed portions
lie ninety degrees from one another, so that a solid wearing surface is presented
by the combined rings, F and H, to the piston, B, but which wearing surface is,
of course, permitted an adjustment, as it were, in that as it is worn the spring
closes these rings and so continues to bind them upon the piston rod. It is, of
course, understood that these interior rings, C, F and H, are preferably made of
Babbitt metal or some other anti-friction material such as is used in stuffing boxes.
It will be noticed by the arrangement of the instrumentalities that I have provided
a stuffing box encompassing a cylinder rod, which cylinder rod is encompassed by
four sectional rings. Each of these sectional rings is of a diameter somewhat less
than half a circle and all four of these sectional rings are spring actuated, so that
a wearing or face surface is presented to the piston rod which automatically
adjusts itself to the diameter of the piston rod. The instrumentalities are further
exceedingly simple of construction, inexpensive and can be readily inserted by
simply unthreading the bolts, 2, and then removing the housing, D; when any one
or all of the metallic packing rings can be removed or placed upon the piston rod.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. In a metallic packing, the combination with a suitable housing, of a series of
sectional packing rings within said housing, said packing rings being used in
pairs and comprising less than half a circle, and springs surrounding said sectional
packing rings to normally force them upon the piston rod, all arranged substan-
tially as and for the purpose set forth.
2. A metallic packing comprising a series of sectional two-part packing rings,
said packing rings being used in sets and pairs, a dished two-part packing ring,
a secondary ring within said dished ring, each pair of half rings being less than half
a full circle, and springs surrounding said sectional packing rings to normally force
them together, all substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
3. In a metallic packing, the combination with a suitable housing, of a system
of packing rings of less than half a circle, said packing rings being used in pairs
and comprising a principal and a secondary set of packing rings, said principal
packing ring being dished, said secondary packing ring being held within said
principal packing ring and a spring to normally force said ring sections together,
all substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
4. In a metallic packing, the combination, with a housing, D, of a system
of metallic packing rings, comprising the principal dished ring, C, having a
circumferential groove, 3, the interior sectional secondary packing ring, E,
movably held within said principal ring, C, the metallic sectional rings, F, F,
and H, H, in combination with the springs, 8 and 9, all arranged substantially
as and for the purpose set forth.
Dated this 16th day of September 1895.
ALLISON BROS.,
Agents for the Applicant.