Improvements in Packing for Making Fluid Tight Joints, and in Means for Applying the same.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 10th July, 1893
Complete Specification Left, 8th Mar., 1894-Accepted, 10th July, 1894
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Packing for Making Fluid Tight Joints, and in
Means for Applying the same.
We, HENRY CHARLES PLATTS, Engineer of Hughesoffka, Government of
Ekaterinoslaff South Russia and THOMAS LOWTHER, Engineer, also of
Hughesoffka Government of Ekaterinoslaff South Russia, do hereby declare the
nature of this invention to be as follows:→
This invention has reference to improvements in packing for making fluid tight
joints, and in stuffing boxes for applying the same.
The packing is composed of suitable flexible material such as vegetable fibrous,
composite, or semi-metallic material, woven material having a ribbed or corrugated
surface as for instance corduroy or like material of the necessary thickness,
asbestos, as well as material having metallic strands or warp, such material being
doubled one or more times upon itself to suit requirements, and pressed to shape,
which may be done by passing it between suitable rolls. This packing which we
term compensating split packing, may be made of various thicknesses to suit
requirements, and may be used in one or more layers or rings, either superimposed
directly one upon the other, or with a suitable metal washer placed between each
layer. Such packing may advantageously be corrugated in a circumferential
direction for which purpose the rolls used for pressing the material to shape may
be suitably corrugated.
A stuffing box fitted with compensating split packing of the kind referred to
may advantageously have combined therewith a compensating spring arrangement
of the kind described in the Specification of another application for Letters Patent
filed by us dated 23 February 1893, No. 4044, in which the gland or equivalent
device is constantly forced inward by the action of springs.
Each of these springs may be enclosed within a casing, hereinafter called an
indicator casing, consisting of two boxes or spring containers arranged telescopically
one within the other, the inner one being marked with suitable divisions indicating
say fractions of a foot or metre, and also with figures indicating the resistance of
the enclosed spring corresponding to the various said divisions.
The outer box is
acted upon by the tightening up nuts of the gland bolts or studs. A pointer formed
it may be on a slotted bar is attached by suitable means such as a screw bolt with
or without a spring, to the inner box in such a manner as to be pressed down by
the edge of the outer box as the latter is screwed down, but to remain stationary as
the said outer box is pressed away from the inner one by the enclosed spring as the
¡acking material wears away and thus serving as an indicator to show the extent
of wear of the packing material.
The action of compensating split packing when used in a stuffing box provided
with such a compensating spring arrangement is as follows:- When pressure is
applied to the springs, the gland or equivalent device is constantly and auto-
matically forced down upon the packing so as to cause the same to press closely
against the rod or other body to be packed. The lower or inner edge of the
outermost portion of the packing is or may advantageously be supported by a ring
or washer that serves to hold stationary relatively to the inner or wearing portion
of the packing which it leaves free to be moved in an end ways direction. By this

page_text: means as the packing wears away, on the side next to the guide rod or body, it is
caused by the pressure exerted by the said spring arrangement to turn over on
itself at the bend or bends so that the quantity of packing material worn away is
constantly and automatically replaced and nearly the whole of the packing material
can be utilised. At the same time the various layers of the packing being in a
state of compression, assume in a certain degree, (if not already pressed by the rolls
to such a shape), a wavy or corrugated surface circumferentially, and consequently
through resilience, the packing in itself assists to render the joint fluid tight, while
freely allowing any necessary side play of the piston rod or other part to take
place.
Precisely the same action will take place when the packing is arranged in two
or more layers in the stuffing box and directly superimposed one upon another,
but we consider it advantageous to insert a suitable ring or washer between the
adjacent layers to assist the compensating movement and to help in splitting or
dividing the innermost and outermost portions of the packing from each other.
The doubling over of the flexible material to form this packing, tends to make
the packing very resilient or springy at the place where the doubling over takes
place, and this property in itself renders the packing valuable when used alone that
is to say without a compensating spring arrangement. Thus this packing has, as
already described, properties of resilience which give it a compensating action to
make up for wear and tear and although the spring arrangement serves to make a
joint more perfect, there are many cases in which it is sought to make a fluid tight
joint where the spring arrangement is inadmissible, as for example when there is
not sufficient room for the same, and in the stuffing boxes of cocks &c. and it is in
these cases, that this compensating split packing is especially valuable and may be
applied alone. It is however to be distinctly understood that compensating split
packing such as described can be used in stuffing boxes or equivalent devices of
various constructions either alone or with a compensating spring arrangement. It
may advantageously be used in packing arrangements of the kind described in the
Specification of our said former application for Letters Patent No. 4044 of 1893,
wherein the packing is constantly pressed against the surface with which it is to
form a fluid tight joint by a tightening device comprising segmental pieces or
bushes arranged in pairs and each adapted to act after the manner of a wedge
against the other of the pair so that the one next the packing will be caused to
press the same inwards or outwards, as the case may be, the wedging action being
automatically produced by a spring or springs acting directly or indirectly on one
or other of the segmental pieces of the pair, or of each pair when there is more
than one pair.
The flexible packing pressed to shape as described is cut off in suitable lengths
to suit the rod, plunger or part to be packed and the ends are brought together so
as to form a suitable joint such as a butt joint.
or
The packing may be used in single layers or in two or more layers arranged side
by side according to requirement. In some cases in order to save packing as when
the stuffing box is of large size, one or more bushes, which may be made plain
corrugated on the side next to the compensating split packing, is or are arranged
between the packing and stuffing box.
The bush, or each of them when more than one is used is made in one piece or in
segments to facilitate removal, and may be formed externally with grooves to
contain packing material to form a fluid tight joint between it and the intier side of
the stuffing box. In such an arrangement the gland is made thinner where it
enters the stuffing box so as to act against the packing alone and not against the
bush or bushes.
The rings or washers placed between the packing are preferably each formed
with a knife edge at its upper side from which extend two oppositely curved
surfaces in order to assist the downward movement of the packing as it wears away
and to split up the packing. These rings or washers may be each made in one
piece or in segments for convenience of removal and renewal.

page_text: A stuffing box to contain packing such as herein before described may in some
cases be provided at its bottom or inner end with a special washer of soft material,
such as india rubber, on which the innermost metal ring or washer, is bedded.
Dated this 10th day of July 1893.
W. LLOYD WISE,
Per F. J. Brougham,
46, Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, W.C., Agent for the Applicants.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Packing for Making Fluid Tight Joints, and in
Means for Applying the same.
We, HENRY CHARLES PLATTS, Engineer, of Hughesoffka, Government of
Ekaterinoslaff, South Russia, and THOMAS LOWTHER, Engineer, also of
Hughesoffka, Government of Ekaterinoslaff, South Russia, do hereby declare the
nature 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 reference to improvements in packing for making fluid tight
joints, and in stuffing boxes for applying the same.
The packing is composed of suitable flexible material such as hemp, jute, cotton,
asbestos or other vegetable or fibrous material; or of composite material such as
hemp and asbestos, or cotton and asbestos; these fibrous materials being woven
into tape-like strips of sufficient breadth, thickness and elasticity for the purpose
intended. Or the said strips may be cut out of sheets of woven fibrous material of
the kind mentioned of suitable thickness and elasticity. The said material may
also have metallic wires woven in or combined therewith to better adapt it to
withstand wear.
For high pressures the flexible material may advantageously be
composed of woven asbestos, or of asbestos and hemp, or of asbestos and metal
wire, or of asbestos, hemp, cotton and metallic wire woven together.
Packing material of the kind mentioned, which may advantageously be made
with a ribbed or corrugated surface, is, according to this invention, doubled one or
more times upon itself and pressed to shape, it may be by passing it between
suitable rolls, and then cut into suitable lengths to form packing rings of the
required diameter. This packing, which we term compensating split packing, may
be made of various thicknesses to suit requirements. One layer or ring only
thereof may be used, or two or more layers or rings may be used, either superimposed
directly one upon the other, or with a suitable metal washer placed between each
adjacent pair. Such packing may advantageously be corrugated in a circumferential
direction, for which purpose the rolls used for pressing the material to shape may
be suitably corrugated.
And in order that the nature of our invention and the manner of carrying the
same into practical effect may be clearly understood we will proceed to describe
the same by aid of the accompanying drawings in which,
Figs. 1 and 2 are cross sections of different forms of compensating split packing
according to this invention.
Figs. 3, 4 and 5 are part vertical sections of stuffing boxes showing various ways
in which the compensating split packing may be arranged therein.
Figs. 6 and 7 are similar views to Figs. 3, 4 and 5 inclusive illustrating the use
in conjunction with packing of the kind referred to, of an outer bush.
Figs. 8 and 9 are cross sections of two forms of rings or washers that may
advantageously be used with packing of the kind referred to.
Fig. 10 is a part vertical section, and
Fig. 11 a part side elevation, of a stuffing box fitted with compensating split
packing and rings or washers and with a compensating spring arrangement adapted

page_text: thereof.
Compress SUCH packing in order to compensate for gradual wear
Fig. 12 is a detail view showing a modification.
The several figures are drawn to different scales.
The layer or sheet 1 of packing material of the kind herein before described,
may be simply doubled upon itself once as shown in Fig. 1, or it may be doubled
upon itself several times as shown in Fig. 2 according to the thickness of packing
required.
The flexible packing pressed to shape as described, is cut off in suitable
lengths to form a ring or tube of a diameter to suit the rod, plunger or part
to be packed, and the ends are brought together so as to form a suitable joint such
as a butt joint.
Figs. 3, 4 and 5 inclusive show the arrangement of the packing in a stuffing box.
In Fig. 3, 1 is the packing, 2 the stuffing box, 3 the rod to be packed, and 4 the
gland. 5 is a ring or washer of hard material upon which the packing 1 may
advantageously be arranged to bear. This ring or washer, which may be of
metal, is preferably formed at its upper side with a knife edge 5* and with two
downwardly inclined surfaces 5b, 5 that may be curved as shown in Fig. 8, or
straight as shown in Fig. 9, in order to separate the layers of packing material
and assist the downward movement of the inner layer or portion as the same wears
away. This ring or washer 5 may be made in one piece, or it may be made in
segments for convenience of removal and renewal.
In Fig. 4, the stuffing box is deeper and provided with two rings of packing 1,
each resting upon a ring 5 of the kind mentioned.
In this case the underside of the ring 5 that is between the two rings of packing
may advantageously be grooved as shown more clearly at 5ª in Figs. 8 & 9 in order
to assist the turning over movement of the split packing at the bend 1° as hereinafter
described.
Fig. 5 shows a similar arrangement to Fig. 4 but with the metal ring 5 between
the two pieces of packing 1 omitted but it is always advantageous to employ the
washer 5 between each pair of packing rings 1.
The gland 4 may act upon the outermost end of the packing either directly as in
Fig. 4, or indirectly through a washer 4 grooved at its underside as shown in Fig. 5
to facilitate the turning over of the packing at the point 1°. Or the lower end of
the gland 4 may be grooved like the washer 4*, in which case the said washer may
of course be dispensed with.
In the arrangements shown in Figs. 3, 4 and 5, the packing consists either of a
single doubled over piece 1 of packing material as shown in Fig. 3, or of two such
pieces superimposed, as shown in Figs. 4 and 5, but the form of packing shown in
Fig. 2 may be used if desired, as for example for heavy hydraulic work. In some
cases however, in order to save packing, as when the stuffing box is of large size,
one or more bushes, which may be made plain or corrugated on the side next to
the compensating split packing, may be arranged between such packing and the
inner side of the stuffing box.
Figs. 6 and 7 show an arrangement of this kind, wherein 6 is the bush
arranged between the packing 1 and the inner side of the stuffing box, the
side of the bush next the packing being plain in Fig. 6, and corrugated
in Fig. 7.
The bush 6, or each of them when more than one is used, may be made in
one piece, or in segments to facilitate removal, and be formed externally with
grooves 6ª to contain packing material 7 to form a fluid tight joint between it
and the inner side of the stuffing box. In such an arrangement the gland 4 is, as
shown, made thinner where it enters the stuffing box, so as to act against the
packing alone, and not also against the bush 6, or bushes.
A stuffing box to contain packing such as herein before described may in some
cases be provided at its bottom or inner end with a special washer 5* (Figs. 6
and 7) of soft material, on which the innermost metal ring or washer 5 is bedded.

page_text: A stuffing box fitted with compensating split packing of the kind hereinbefore
described, may advantageously have combined therewith a compensating spring
arrangement.
Figs. 10 and 11 show an arrangement of this kind wherein each gland stud 8
is provided with a spiral spring 9 arranged between the gland 4 and the nuts 10
on such stud, the arrangement being such that upon tightening up the said
nuts, the springs will be compressed and caused to act continuously against the
gland which will consequently be forced against the packing with considerable
force.
Each spring may have combined therewith an indicator for indicating its
condition. In the example shown for this purpose, each spring is enclosed within
a casing consisting of two boxes 11, 11 arranged telescopically one within the
other, the inner one being marked with suitable divisions 12 indicating say
fractions of a foot or metre, and also with figures indicating the resistance of the
enclosed spring corresponding to the various said divisions. 13 is a pointer or
indicator, formed it may be on a slotted bar 13", which is attached by suitable
means such as a set screw 14, to the inner box 11, either direct as shown in Figs. 10
and 11, or indirect through a spiral spring 15, as shown in Fig. 12, so that in each
case the pointer will be pressed down by the edge of the outer box 11" as the
latter is screwed down, but will remain stationary when the said outer box is
pressed away from the inner one by the enclosed spring as the packing material
wears away.
In this way the pointer serves as an indicator to show the extent
of wear of the packing material. The said indicators in addition to indicating the
wear of the packing, serve also to indicate when the compensating spring arrange-
ment has passed the limits of useful elasticity, to prevent an injurious tightening
up of the compensating arrangement, and to enable all the springs to be equally
tightened up.
The action of the compensating split packing when used in a stuffing box pro-
vided with a compensating spring arrangement of the kind herein before described
is as follows:- When pressure is applied to the compensating springs, the gland 4
or equivalent device is constantly and automatically forced down upon the packing
so as to cause the same to press closely against the rod 3 or other body to be
packed. As the packing wears away on the side next to the rod or body 3, it is
caused by the pressure exerted by the said spring arrangement to turn over on
itself at the bend or bends 1', which action is assisted by the ring or washer 5,
when the same is used, so that the portion of packing material worn away will be
constantly and automatically replaced by fresh portions of the packing material
and in this way nearly the whole of the packing material can be utilized.
same time the various layers of the packing, being in a state of compression, will
assume in a certain degree, (if not already pressed by rolls to such a shape), a
wavy or corrugated appearance circumferentially, whereby additional resiliency is
imparted to the packing, so that the packing itself assists to render the joint fluid
tight while freely allowing of any necessary side play of the piston rod or other
part to take place. The same action will take place when the packing is arranged.
in two or more superimposed layers or pieces in the stuffing box.
At the
The doubling over of the flexible material to form our improved packing, tends
to make the packing very resilient or springy at the place where the doubling
over takes place, and this property in itself renders the packing valuable when
used alone, that is to say, without a compensating spring arrangement. Thus this
packing has, as already described, properties of resilience which give it a com-
pensating action to make up for wear and tear, and although the spring arrange-
ment serves to make a joint more perfect, there are many cases in which it is
sought to make a fluid tight joint where the spring arrangement is inadmissable, as
for example when there is not sufficient room for the same, and in the stuffing boxes
of cocks &c. and it is in such cases that our compensating split packing is especially
valuable and can be applied alone. It is therefore to be understood that com-
pensating split packing such as hereinbefore described, can be used in stuffing

page_text: boxes or equivalent devices of various constructions, either with or without com-
pensating spring arrangements. It may advantageously be used in packing
arrangements of the kind described in the Specification of another application for
Letters Patent filed by us dated 23 February 1893 No. 4044, wherein the packing
is constantly pressed against the surface with which it is to form a fluid tight joint,
by a tightening device comprising segmental pieces or bushes arranged in pairs
and each adapted to act after the manner of a wedge against the other of the pair
so that the one next the packing will be caused to press the same inwards or
outwards, as the case may be, the wedging action being automatically produced
by a spring or springs acting directly or indirectly on one or other of the
segmental pieces of the pair, or of each pair when there is more than one pair.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what
we claim is :—
1. Compensating split packing 1 composed of vegetable or other fibrous
material of the kinds herein referred to woven into sheets or strips and doubled
upon itself so as to form parallel layers that are in close contact with each other
and are connected by one or more curved portions 1b so that when in use and
subjected to end ways pressure, the layer of packing subject to wear can be caused
to slide upon the other to compensate for such wear, substantially as described
and shown, whether or not metallic wire be woven in or combined with the said
packing material.
2. A stuffing box provided with split packing of the kind referred to in the
preceding claim, and with one or more rings or washers 5 each formed with a
knife edge and with inclined surfaces adapted to separate the layer of packing
material that is subject to wear from the adjacent layer and facilitate its movement
over the said adjacent layer substantially as described and shown for the purpose
specified.
3. A stuffing box provided with compensating split packing constructed as
described and shown and with a bush arranged between the said packing and the
inner side of the stuffing box, the gland being caused to continuously exert
pressure upon the packing only by external springs substantially as herein described
for the purpose specified.
4. The combination with a stuffing box provided with split packing constructed
and applied as described, of springs arranged between the stuffing box gland and
the nuts on the gland studs or bolts so as to cause the gland to exert a continuous
inward pressure upon the said packing when the nuts are tightened up, and an
indicating device adapted to be moved when the springs are tightened up but to
remain stationary when the springs expand by reason of wear of the packing,
substantially as described and shown for the purpose specified.
Dated this 8th day of March 1894.