IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF PISTONS
Year: 1862

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Abraham Ripley, of Brook Street, Lambeth, in the
County of Surrey, Engineer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE
CONSTRUCTION OF PISTONS."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Abraham Ripley at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 23rd
January 1862.
I, ABRAHAM RIPLEY, of Brook Street, Lambeth, in the County of Surrey,
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF PISTONS," to be as follows:-
My Invention consists in the peculiar way in which I cause the rings
forming the packing of the piston to expand and press against the side of the
cylinder in order to keep it steam-tight. The piston consists of the usual
two plates, having the ordinary segmental rings placed between them. On
each face of the piston is an orifice passing through the plate into the interior;
within these are two small rods or shanks working steam-tight. These in
the interior of the piston terminate each in a wedge having the exterior face
preferably oblique, and the inner faces parallel. The parallel faces of the
wedges work on each other when the shanks are urged inwards, and they are
so arranged that when pressed together the oblique faces act upon the seg-
inental rings and force them outwards. The heads of the shanks outside the
piston may be enlarged, or have buttons placed on them. There may be one
or more pairs of these wedges as occasion may require. I propose to produce

page_text: the pressure upon the rings through the action of the steam in the cylinder
pressing upon the shanks and urging them inwards. In order, however, to
prevent as far as possible the steam from passing into the interior of the
piston when the shanks of the wedges do not fit steam-tight, I propose to
cover the head of the shank by a piece of thin elastic steel or brass, or india-
rubber let into the face of the piston, so that when it is pressed upon by the
steam it will bend inwards and drive together the wedges, and thus effect the
expansion of the rings.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Abraham Ripley in the Great Seal Patent Office on the.
23rd July 1862.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, ABRAHAM
RIPLEY, of Brook Street, Lambeth, in the County of Surrey, Engineer, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-third day of January, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-two, in the twenty-fifth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said Abraham Ripley, Her special licence that I, the said Abraham Ripley,
my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Abraham.
Ripley, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time agrec
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 THE
CONSTRUCTION OF. PISTONS," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said
Abraham Ripley, 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 Abraham Ripley, do hereby declare the
nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed,
to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement,
that is to say :-

page_text: My Invention consists in the peculiar method which I adopt in order to
cause the rings forming the metallic packing of steam pistons to expand and
press against the sides of the cylinder, so as to render it steam-tight. The
piston is composed of the usual plates, having the ordinary segmental rings,
or rings with one slit through placed between; on each face of the piston is
an orifice passing through the plate into the interior. Passing through these
orifices, and working steam-tight in them, are two small spindles or studs, each
of which terminates in a conical wedge, or its equivalent, which in turn fits
into and works within a corresponding hollow cone or seat. This seat is
formed in two parts, and each part is attached to a segment of the ring, so
that when the exterior of the piston is acted upon by the steam in the
cylinder, pressure from the same cause is given to the heads of the small
studs, the inner conical ends of which force asunder the parts of the hollow
conical seat. These parts being attached to the segments of the packing
rings cause them to expand wider and press against the sides of the cylinder.
It will be easily understood that as the steam acts alternately on the one side
or other of the piston, the corresponding spindle and expanding seat will be
acted upon.
I propose also to effect the same action upon the rings by
forming the spindles to terminate in a wedge, one face being parallel and the
other oblique, and acting upon a seating similar in its functions to the last-
mentioned one, but having its faces parallel. By modifying the shape and form
of the inner end of the spindle and the seat, or using equivalents, it is evident
that the same effect can be produced upon the rings; the means and prin-
cipal of producing the effect being identical, that is to say, by the action of the
steam upon the end of a moveable stud or spindle in the face of the piston ;
through which face the force is communicated so as to act upon the inner
circumference of the packing rings at a point or points in the interior of the
piston and cause them to expand. I propose to render the studs or spindles
steam-tight by means of a small gland and stuffing box fitted into the face of
the piston, or by any other equivalent means; or, I effect the same by
covering the head of the stud or spindle with an air-tight metallic or other
elastic diaphragm or membrane, so that the steam acting upon its surface
would press it against and urge it inwards. Upon the steam being withdrawn,
and the pressure removed, its own elasticity would cause it to spring back
from the stud or spindle, and from the action of the rings allow it to return to
its former position, so as to be ready for the next stroke of the piston.
In order to explain more clearly the above description I have appended the
accompanying Drawings, which are intended to illustrate generally the prin-
ciples upon which I construct my pistons and the mode in which they act.

page_text: DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS.
Fig. 1 is a side view and Fig. 2, a transverse section of the piston, shewing
the parts of my Invention relating to the mode of causing the expansion of
the rings. Fig. 3 is a view of the top with part of the upper plate removed
and also with the small stud removed, in order to shew the form and mode of
fixing the conical seating, each part of which is attached to a different segment
of each ring. Fig. 4 is a plan shewing the top of the piston, with the position
of the small stud or spindle. a, a', the top and bottom plates of the piston
connected by screws; b, 61, the expanding ring composed of two segments;
a tongue piece to steady the segments of the rings, and keep them tight;
c, c, the spindle or stud terminating in the conical part c', c', which works in
the conical seatings d, d, d', d. It will be seen that d and d are attached to
different segments of the ring, (see Figs. 2 and 3,) the face part d² forming a
cover along the joint of the rings at 62; c, e, the gland and stuffing box of the
spindle or stud, the steam acting on the stud at a (Fig. 1) forces in the wedge
or cone, which acts on the faces of the seats d and d', and urges them apart.
These being connected with the segments of the rings in like manner urge
them outwards also."
It will be evident to any practical workman that this contrivance is equally
applicable to the buckets or pistons of pumps.
Having now described the nature of my Invention, and how the same is
constructed and acts, I wish it to be understood that I do not claim any of
the parts separately, but what I claim and wish secured to me by the before
in part recited Letters Patent, is, the arrangement and combination of the
parts herein-before described, for producing expansion within the rings or
segments of the rings used in steam or other pistons, so as to press them
against the inside face of the cylinder to render the piston steam or water tight.
In witness whereof, I, the said Abraham Ripley, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Twenty-first day of July, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and sixty-two.
A. RIPLEY. (L.S.)
.