IMPROVEMENTS IN PISTONS AND PLUNGERS
Year: 1858

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to James Bates, of Hyde, in the County of Chester,
Spinner, John York, of the same Place, Iron Moulder, and William
Parkin, of Sheffield, in the County of York, Iron Founder, for the Inven-
tion of "IMPROVEMENTS IN PISTONS AND PLUNGERS."
Sealed the 21st December 1858, and dated the 24th June 1858.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said James Bates, John York,
and William Parkin at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents,
with their Petition, on the 24th June 1858.
We, JAMES BATES, of Hyde, in the County of Chester, Spinner, JOHN
YORK, of the same Place, Iron Moulder, and WILLIAM PARKIN, of Sheffield,
in the County of York, Iron Founder, do hereby declare the nature of the
said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN PISTONS AND PLUNGERS," to be as
follows:-
We place in the interior of ordinary metallic packing rings a ring of metal
made elastic by slotting it from the interior to within a short distance from
the exterior, and from the exterior to within a short distance from the interior.
The number and width of the slots being proportioned to the diameter of the
piston or plunger, and the pressure to be resisted. In the elastic or pressure
ring there is also a transverse slot or key way, in which we insert a wedge
which expands or enlarges the ring to the necessary degree of strength or
resistance, which wedge is replaced by a larger one when the packing rings
require more expansion on account of wear and tear. If the piston or plunger
be of great depth, two or more elastic rings may be employed.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said James Bates, John York, and William Parkin in the Great
Seal Patent Office on the 24th December 1858.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, JAMES
BATES, of Hyde, in the County of Chester, Spinner, JOHN YORK, of the same
Place, Iron Moulder, and WILLIAM PARKIN, of Sheffield, in the County of
York, Iron Founder, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-fourth day of June, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-eight, in the twenty-second year
of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto
us, the said James Bates, John York, and William Parkin, Her special
licence that we, the said James Bates, John York, and William Parkin, our
executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as we, the said James
Bates, John York, and William Parkin, our executors, administrators, and
assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others, from time to time
and at all times thereafter 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 PISTONS AND PLUNGERS," upon the condition
(amongst others) that we, the said James Bates, John York, and William
Parkin, by an instrument in writing under our hands and seals, or under
the hand and seal of one or more of us, 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 we, the said Jame Bates, John York, and William
Parkin, do hereby declare the nature of our said Invention, and in what
manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascer-
tained in and by the following statement (that is to say):--
We place in the interior of ordinary metallic packing rings a ring of metal,
made elastic by slotting it from the interior to within a short distance from
the exterior, and from the exterior to within a short distance from the interior.
The number and width of the slots being proportioned to the diameter of the
piston or plunger and the pressure to be resisted. In the elastic or pressure
ring there is also, when required, a transverse slot or key way, in which we
insert a wedge or key which expands or enlarges the ring to the necessary

page_text: degree of strength or resistance, which wedge or key is replaced by a larger
one when the packing rings require more expansion on account of wear and
tear. If the piston or plunger be of great depth, two or more elastic rings
may be employed.
The manner in which our said improvements is to be performed will be
clearly understood by reference to the accompanying Sheet of Drawings, with
the figures and letters thereon. Fig. 1 is an elevation, and Fig. 2, a plan of
our improved elastic ring; Fig. 3, a vertical section of a piston furnished with
the elastic ring; Fig. 4, a plan of the same, with the cover and top ring off;
and Fig. 5, an elevation of another form or modification of our elastic ring.
In Figs. 1 and 2 representing the elastic ring, a are the indents or slots on
the outer circumference; b the indents or slots in the inner circumference ;
c the cut or opening to enable the elasticity to act; and d the hole for a
tightening wedge or key for expanding the elastic ring, which springs in
circumference when keyed up.
The exterior of our elastic ring is furnished at the top and bottom with
shoulders or projections e placed at any desired positions, so that they may
press against the horizontal edges of the packing rings, and from the peculiar
arrangement of the indents or slots, the said ring is not only elastic in its
circumference, but slightly yields up and down, so that the metallic rings are
pressed at their proper force against the interior of the barrel or cylinder, and
also maintain the exact degree of fitting or tightness of the metallic rings
against the surfaces of the cover and the body of the pistion, thus providing
the means of employing metallic packing rings in a more perfect manner than
in any mode hitherto adopted.
In Figs. 3 and 4, f is the body of the piston or plunger; g the cover; h
the rod; and the metallic packing rings, which are pressed against the
cylinder by means of our improved elastic ring. When the piston or plunger
is of great depth, two or more elastic rings may be employed, and also any
suitable number of external and internal indents or slots may be used. In
certain cases it may be found convenient to employ an elastic pressure ring
as shewn in Fig. 5, in which two slots or indents are placed vertically instead
of horizontally.
Having thus fully described the nature of our said Invention, and the
manner in which the same is to be performed, we desire it to be distinctly
understood that we do not confine ourselves to the precise details herein
set forth, as such may be varied or modified without departing from the
principle thereof; but we claim as our Invention, and which to the best of
our knowledge and belief has not been hitherto used within the realm,-

page_text: The application to the inetallic packing rings of pistons and plungers of
one or more elastic pressure rings, having indents or slots in opposite directions,
so that the said rings may exert elastic pressure on the circumference, and
also yield up and down as such improvements are herein described and illus-
trated in the accompanying Sheet of Drawings.
In witness whereof, we, the said John York and William Parkin, for
and on behalf of ourselves and the said James Bates, have hereunto
set our hands and seals, this Twenty-second day of December, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-eight.
Signed, sealed, and delivered by the within-
named John York and William Parkin
in the presence of
WILLIAM PARKIN. (L.S.)
Signed, sealed, and delivered by the within-
named John York and William Parkin
in the presence of
WILLIAM PARKIN. (L.S.)
JOHN BLOODWORTH, Patent Agent,
Manchester.