AN IMPROVED PACKING FOR STEAK AND OTHER MOTIVE POWER ENGINES
Year: 1872

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Ley and John Pinker, both of Liverpool,
in the County of Lancaster, for the Invention of "AN IMPROVED
PACKING FOR STEAK AND OTHER MOTIVE POWER ENGINES."
Sealed the 13th September 1872, and dated the 8th May 1872.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Ley and John
Pinker at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with their
Petition, on the 8th May 1872.
We, WILLIAM LEY and JOHN PINKER, both of Liverpool, in the
County of Lancaster, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention
for "AN IMPROVED PACKING FOR STEAM AND OTHER MOTIVE POWER ENGINES,"
to be as follows:-
This Invention relates to an improved packing for piston rod stuffing
boxes and other similar parts of steam and other motive power engines,
and consists of triangular or wedge shaped rings which are formed in
segments to lap or dovetail together. These rings by preference we form

page_text: of what is known as patent or white metal, but other metal may be used
if desired. The rings are of such size in diameter that they do not fill
up the stuffing box and are placed with one side against the working
rod, and the wedge in the stuffing box.
These packing rings are applied thus:-We first insert a ring or layer
of Tuck's or other suitable elastic packing or gasket. We then place a
segmental metal wedge shaped ring as described. Upon this ring we
place a second layer of tucks or other suitable packing, and upon this
second layer of elastic packing we place a second segmental wedge
shaped metal ring as before, and so on until the stuffing box is 1
sufficiently filled. We then screw down the gland and the pressure
forces the elastic packing against the wedge-shaped segmental metallic
rings and thus forces the rings against the working rod; the rod and
rings thus virtually working metal to metal, the elastic packing filling
up the spaces in the stuffing box between the wedge-shaped rings and
forcing the segments of the rings against the working rod and forming
a perfectly steam or water-tight joint.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said William Ley and John Pinker in the Great Seal
Patent Office on the 30th October 1872.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, WILLIAM
LEY and JOHN PINKER, both of Liverpool, in the County of Lancaster,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Eighth day of May, in the year of 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 us, the said William Ley and John Pinker, Her special
licence that we, the said William Ley and John Pinker, our executors,
administrators, and assigns, or such others as we, the said William Ley 3
and John Pinker, 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

page_text: "
Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention
for "AN IMPROVED PACKING FOR STEAM AND OTHER MOTIVE POWER ENGINES,”
upon the condition (amongst others) that we, the said William Ley and
John Pinker, our executors or administrators, by an instrument in
writing under our, or their, or one of their hands and seals, should par-
ticularly 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 William Ley and John Pinker, 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 :-
-
This Invention relates to an improved packing for piston rod stuffing
boxes and other similar parts of steam and other motive power engines,
and consists of triangular or wedged-shaped rings, which are
formed in segments to lap or dovetail together. These rings by
preference we form of what is known as patent or white metal, but
other metal may be used if desired. The rings are of such size in
diameter that they do not fill up the stuffing box, and are placed with
one side against the working rod and the wedge in the stuffing box.
These packing rings are applied thus:-We first insert a ring or layer
of "Tuck's," or other suitable elastic packing or gasket. We then place
a segmental metal wedge-shaped ring as described. Upon this ring we
place a second layer of "Tuck's" or other suitable packing, and upon
this second layer of elastic packing we place a second segmental wedge-
shaped metal ring as before, and so on until the stuffing box is
sufficiently filled. We then screw down the gland and the pressure
forces the elastic packing against the wedge-shaped segmental metallic
rings, and thus forces the rings against the working rod. The rod and
rings thus virtually working metal to metal, the elastic packing filling
up the spaces in the stuffing box between the wedge-shaped rings and
forcing the segments of the rings against the working rod, and forming
a perfectly steam or water-tight joint.
The before-going being the nature and object of our Invention we will
now proceed to describe more in detail how the same may be carried into

page_text: practical effect, and for that purpose we have hereunto attached a Sheet
of Drawings illustrative of our Invention, as will enable any engineer to
carry the same into practical effect.
Figure 1 represents a piston rod, stuffing box, and gland, the stuffing
box being packed with metallic wedge-shaped rings according to our 5
Invention. This Figure is drawn half size. Figure 2 represents a full
sized plan of metallic wedge-shaped rings; Figure 3, a section of same;
Figure 4, an elevation showing lapping of joints.
A, metallic wedge-shaped packing rings, which are interlayered with
B, "tucks" or other suitable elastic packing; C, stuffing box; D, gland; 1
E, piston. The stuffing box C being filled with any suitable number of
metallic wedge-shaped packing rings interlayered with suitable elastic
packing, the gland D is then screwed down, the elastic packing being
forced between the wedge-shaped rings the wedge-shaped rings and
elastic packing become one amalgamated whole. The metallic wedge- 1
shaped rings, as the gland is screwed down are forced as the elastic
packing is compressed against the surface of the piston rod, working
metal to metal. The metallic wedge-shaped packing rings are made in
two pieces A', A³, with their ends lapping over as shown at Figure 4,
so that as the metal wears and the gland is screwed down, the metallic 2
wedge-shaped packing rings adjust themselves to the diameter of the
piston rod.
Having now fully described and ascertained the nature of this our
Invention and how the same may be carried into practical effect, we
wish it to be clearly understood that we do not confine ourselves to the 2
exact shape, and style, and dimensions of the metallic wedge-shaped
packing rings; nor do we confine ourselves to any particular class of
elastic packing for interlaying; nor do we confine ourselves to the exact
style of stuffing box, as our wedge-shaped metallic packing rings are
suitable to any class of stuffing box; but in practise we prefer that the a
wedge-shaped metallic packing rings should be made of what is known
as patent or white metal, and the rings may be interlayered with what is
known as "Tuck's " or gasket packing. However all these matters may
be diverted from without departing from our Invention, but what we
claim as our Invention secured to us by Letters Patent as aforesaid is,
the metallic wedge-shaped packing rings interlayered with any suitable

page_text: elastic packing, substantially in the manner and for the purposes herein-
before described, set forth, and illustrated.
In witness whereof, we, the said William Ley and John Pinker,
have hereunto set our hands and seals, this Twenty-ninth day
of October, in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred
and seventy-two.
Witness,
FREDERICK JOHN CHEESBROUgh,
of 15, Water Street,
Liverpool.
WILLIAM (L.S.) LEY.
JOHN (L.S.) PINKER.