IMPROVEMENTS IN PACKING FOR THE GLANDS OF PISTON RODS AND OTHER MOVING MECHANISM WHERE IT IS NECESSARY TO PREVENT THE PASSAGE OF STEAM OR OTHER FLUIDS
Year: 1863

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Hiram Craven Coulthard, of "Park Iron Works,"
Blackburn, in the County of Lancaster, Engineer, for the Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN PACKING FOR THE GLANDS OF PISTON RODS AND OTHER
MOVING MECHANISM WHERE IT IS NECESSARY TO PREVENT THE PASSAGE OF
STEAM OR OTHER FLUIDS."
Sealed the 27th November 1863, and dated the 1st June 1863.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Hiram Craven Coulthard
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
1st June 1863.
I, HIRAM CRAVEN COULTHARD, of "Park Iron Works," Blackburn, in the
County of Lancaster, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of the said
Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN PACKING FOR THE GLANDS OF PISTON RODS AND
OTHER MOVING MECHANISM WHERE IT IS NECESSARY TO PREVENT THE PASSAGE OF
STEAM OR OTHER FLUIDS," to be as follows:-
My Invention consists in employing common wood sawdust or material of
similar nature for packing the glands of piston rods and other moving mechanism
where it is necessary to prevent the passage of steam or other fluids, instead
of using hemp or other expensive compound packing material. The wood
sawdust is filled into the stuffing-box, and then a little oil or grease is added;
the material is then compressed into the stuffing-box by the ordinary means,
or the wood sawdust is first made semi-plastic with tallow or grease, and is
then applied to the stuffing-box. I find that my improved packing is more
effective, offers less friction, lasts longer, and is more easily applied, than the
expensive packing material hitherto in use.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Hiram Craven Coulthard in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 1st December 1863.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, HIRAM
CRAVEN COULTHARD, of Park Iron Works, Blackburn, in the County of
Lancaster, Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the First day of June, One thousand eight hundred and
sixty-three, in the twenty-sixth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs
and successors, give and grant unto me, the said Hiram Craven Coulthard,
Her special license that I, the said Hiram Craven Coulthard, my executors,
administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Hiram Craven
Coulthard, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time
agree with, and no others, from time to time and 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
PACKING FOR THE GLANDS OF PISTON RODS AND OTHER MOVING MECHANISM WHERE
IT IS NECESSARY TO PREVENT THE PASSAGE OF STEAM OR OTHER FLUIDS," upon the
condition (amongst others) that I, the said Hiram Craven Coulthard, by an
instrument in writing under my hand and seal, 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 Hiram Craven Coulthard, 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 and accompanying Drawings, that is to say :-
My Invention consists in the use or application of common wood sawdust,
shavings, or cuttings of wood, or other small particles of wood, or the fibres of
wood, for packing the stuffing-boxes of piston rods or other similar moving
mechanism where it is necessary, while allowing the motion of the mechanism
to prevent the passage of steam or other fluid, instead of using hemp or other
expensive packing material. The wood sawdust, shavings, cuttings, or other
particles or fibre of wood, is filled into the stuffing-box, and a little oil.or
grease is added, and then the material is pressed into the stuffing-box by the

page_text: ordinary means, or the fibres or particles of wood may be first made semi-
plastic with tallow or grease, and is then applied to the stuffing-box.
My improved packing will be found to be more effective, to offer less
friction, to last longer, and to be more easily applied, than the expensive
packing material hitherto used.
The manner in which I prefer to pack a stuffing-box with my improved
packing is as follows:-First place a layer of wood shavings (the finer the
better) into the stuffing-box and press them down to the bottom, then fill the
remaining space in the stuffing-box with wood sawdust loosly, and press it
down with the gland, then put a little oil, or grease, or tallow, on the top of
the sawdust, then add a second layer of shavings of wood and press down with
the gland, then a little more oil or tallow when the stuffing-box is again used
with sawdust and pressed down with the gland; more wood shavings are then
added, and the gland finally screwed down. It will thus be seen that I prefer
to pack the gland with alternate layers of wood shavings and wood sawdust,
commencing and ending with shavings. In some cases the gland may be
packed with wood sawdust alone. Shavings or cuttings alone may be used,
and the packing may be done with or without oil or grease. In renewing
the packing it is not necessary to withdraw the old material, this gradually
wears away and disappears, and more material may be added as required.
Other substances may be mixed or combined with the wood sawdust, shavings,
cuttings, fibre or particles of wood, but such additions will not improve it,
and the material added will in most if not in all cases be of some value
compared with the wood sawdust and shavings, which are of very little if of
any value.
I have now particularly described the nature of my Invention, and the
mode of carrying the same into effect, and claim as my Invention, the use of
sawdust, shavings, cuttings, or particles, or fibres of wood, when used alone or
mixed, or in combination with other substances, for packing the stuffing boxes
of piston rods, or other similar moving mechanism, where it is necessary to
prevent the passage of steam or other fluids, as herein-before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Hiram Craven Coulthard, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Twenty-eighth day of November, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-three.
HIRAM CRAVEN COULTHARD. (L.B.)