Year: 1887

page_text: I, HENRY HARRIS LAKE, of the firm of Haseltine, Lake & Co., Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings, in the County of Middlesex do hereby declare the nature of
this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to metallic packing for the pistons of steam and other
engines, or pumps, the rods or stems of pistons, pumps or valves and the like.
The improved packing is composed essentially of a number of circular segments
adapted to form two or more rings which bear against each other and are arranged
in such a manner that the joints between the segments of one ring are closed by
angular projections on the segments of the adjacent ring or rings and vice versa.
In practice I prefer to use two rings each of which is composed of two
approximately semicircular segments. Each of these segments has an angular
projection (the outer sides of which are at right angles to each other) formed upon
one side, and its extremities on the inner side are cut to a line at right angles to the
radial line at the centre of the segment, so that when the rings are placed together
the flat faces at the ends of the segments of one ring will bear against and correspond
with the sides of the projections of the other ring.
With this construction the ends of the segments are always in close contact with
their corresponding angular projections as the said segments move outwards or
inwards owing to wear.
In applying my improved packing to a piston the sectional rings are arranged
between the two plates of the piston in the ordinary manner. Springs bear against
the central portion or hub of one plate and press the segments outwards into contact
with the lindor

page_text: In applying my improvements to a piston or other rod, the segments when placed
together, are bored out internally to fit the rod, the internal surfaces of the said
projecting portions constituting the greater proportion of the wearing surface. The
segments are made slightly less than a semicircle so that the adjacent ends do not
abut against each other, thus allowing the segments to move towards each other to
compensate for wear. Springs embrace the sectional rings or are arranged in any
other suitable manner in order to press the segments into contact with the rod.
The rod packing thus constructed is preferably located loosely in a box or case
which is attached to the cylinder in lieu of the usual packing gland. The holes in the
end of this box or case through which the rod passes are made larger than the said
rod, so that in case the rod does not run quite correctly the packing can move
laterally therewith without causing any undue friction.
The packing is carried between washers or collars which fit the rod; and springs
are located between the inner ring and the bottom or inner end of the said box in
order to force the packing and the front washer or washers into close contact with the
front end of the box. I preferably arrange two washers at the front side of the
packing one of which has conical ring entering a recess in the other ring and so
allowing a slight movement of the two washers relatively to each other.
When the packing is intended for very small rods, or for hydraulic pumps, the
two rings are very advantageously made in two pieces, the parts necessary to complete
each ring forming a lug or projection on the side of the adjacent part.
Instead of making the two rings in four parts they may be made in six or more
parts, the angle of the angular projections being correspondingly varied.
The said segments may be wholly or partially composed of anti-friction metal.
Dated this 16th day of February 1887
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London,
Agents for the Applicant.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Metallic Packing for Pistons, Piston-rods,
and the like.
I, HENRY HARRIS Lake, of the firm of Haseltine, Lake & Co., Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings, in the County of Middlesex, 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 relates to metallic packings for pistons, piston valves, and piston rods
of steam and other engines or pumps and the like, and it consists in a certain new
and useful construction and arrangement of the parts of the same, substantially as
hereinafter described and claimed.
Figure 1 is a sectional view of a steam cylinder with said packings (shown in
elevation) as applied to the piston, piston rod, piston valve and valve stem or rod.
Figure 2 is the same as Figure 1 except that the packings are shown in section.
Figure 3 is an enlarged sectional view of cylinder, piston and piston packing.
Figure 4 is an elevation of piston packings saine as represented in section by
Figure 3.
Figures 5 and 6 are side and edge views respectively of one of the pieces forming
the packing rings.
Figure 7 is an enlarged sectional view of piston rod packing.
Figure 8 is an elevation of piston rod packing same as represented in section by
Figure 7.
Figures 9 and 10 are side and edge views respectively of one of the pieces forming
the piston rod packing.
Figure 11 is an enlarged sectional view of the back end of piston valve and piston
valve packing.
Figure 12 is an elevation of piston valve packing, same as represented in section
by Figure 11.
Figures 13 and 14 are side and edge views respectively, of one of the pieces forming
the piston valve packing.
Figure 15 is an enlarged sectional view of piston valve rod packing.
Figure 16 represents in plan, piston valve rod packing, and piston valve rod packing
case in section, such as are shown in section in Figure 15.
Figures 17 and 18 are side and edge views respectively of one of the pieces forming
the piston valve rod packing.
A is a steam cylinder of an ordinary style provided with the steam ports a, a.
The piston packings as represented by Figures 3, 4 5 and 6 are made and applied
as follows.
P is the piston, composed of a head and stem or rod, p, in the usual form. The
piston head is formed of a part, c, which composes its hub part, and the flange con
one end, formed as shown in Figure 3. This part is provided with an axial hole,
A collar or
through which rod p passes and which is secured in the usual manner.

page_text: projection, c¹ is formed on the end opposite to the flange cand a ring or follower, c
corresponding in diameter with the flange c³, is secured in the usual way by means of
follower-bolts, leaving a broad groove around the hub part of the member c, between
the ring and flange. This groove receives the packing, which is composed of four
pieces, like d, Figures 5 and 6 fitted together around the hub. Each piece d is formed
semicircular on its exterior and with two plane faces d¹, d' at each end, on the inside,
terminating at a curved inner face, d in the middle part of the piece d, formed so as
to be on a curve of a radius less than, or the same as, the shortest radius from the
centre of the piston head which would touch a point in planes d¹, d¹. Shoulders d³, d³
connect curved face d' with plane faces d¹, d' at each end of it. On one side of the
piece d is attached a projecting part d', Figures 5 and 6. This projecting part is so
formed that it has two outer plane faces e¹, e coinciding with the faces d, d², a short
curved outer face et coinciding with and forming an extension of the outer curved
face of part d and lying between faces e¹, e¹ a curved inner face coinciding with and
forming an extension of the curved inner face d³, of part d, and two ends coinciding
with and forming extensions, respectively, of the shoulders d³, d³ as shown in
Figures 5 and 6. Four of these pieces like d (lettered dvdx dy dz) are put
together, as shown in Figures 1 and 4 to form a single complete packing around the
hub of part c of the piston-head, by inserting four springs c, in radial holes or
recesses in the hub and slipping the four parts together sidewise and over the springs
and putting the follower ca in place. This is accomplished by placing d v and d x so
as to form a nearly complete ring and placing dy and d z in the like position (shown
in Figure 4) and slipping the projections dr and d x inside of the faces d¹ on d* y
and d and slipping the like projections (one of which d y is shown in Figure 1)
of parts dy and d z inside of the corresponding faces of parts dv and d x.
move out-
In this position it will be found that the outer curved faces e*, of the projections d'
complete the rings formed by d v, d c and d y d z respectively and that neither
part dvor de can move outward until dy or d, z does, because its projection d* v
or dlies inside the latter and that neither part d y or d z can
ward until d, v and d x do, for the same reason; or in other words all the
segments dvd, dy, d z must move outward simultaneously or not at all. It will also
be found that all the transverse joints between segments d v, d x are broken or
covered by solid parts dy, d 2, and vice versa, thus preventing the escape of steam
through the joints of the packing. This packing has, therefore, a breadth of bearing
for each segment d equal to twice its own, all around it, since it not only takes a
bearing upon its own surface, but upon that of the segment beside it, and thus renders
it impossible for the springs c c to act unequally upon the segments, or one segment,
to cut or wear away the cylinder more than another. Other forms of spring pressure
may be employed instead of springs c* ct, if prefered.
The piston valve P. V. is of an ordinary style and has two heads as shown.
The packings in both heads are alike.
The packing for piston valve P. V. being made as represented by Figures
1—2—11–12—13 and 14 same as piston packings, no further description will be
necessary. In carrying out my invention as represented by Figures 7-8-9 and 10
I provide four flat segmental curved plates or rings 20-20-21-2111, each of which
is about a half-circle in extent, these plates being arranged in pairs about a rod, so as
to constitute two variable rings, the solid centre portion of each plate overlapping
two adjacent ends of the two opposite plates, as shown in Figure 1. of the drawings.
The concave inner surface or bore 212, of each plate is made up of a central portion, 22
(see Figure 8) which is a segment of ninety degrees of a circle in extent, and of side
rings 22-23, which are straight faces departing at a tangent of ninety degrees
of a circle from a radial line 221, struck through the centre of the plate; henco
the two faces necessarily stand at right angles to each other, while the conjoint
faces 23-23-23-23 of each pair of rings make up an open square. The central
portions 22-22-22-22, of the four rings conjointly constitute a circular bore to
inclose a rod, which is shown at 24, though they are not arranged diametrically
opposite each other; and in order that these four rings may approach each other as

page_text: wear ensues, each plate is somewhat less than a half circle in length, thus permitting
of spaces between each end, as shown at 25-25 in Figure 8 of the drawings. The
four plates constitute together an expansible or variable ring to enclose the rod 24,
and are held up to such rod and prevented from misplacement by plate springs 26¹-26¹,
which partially enclose their perimeters, as shown in Figure 8 of the drawings. In
order to maintain the relative positions of the segmental plates 20-20-21-21' and
to break joints between such plates and the rod 24 by filling up the blank spaces
between the arins of the plates, I add to each plate a tongue or lip 28, which departs
centrally from such plate at right angles to its flat face and longitudinally of the
rod 24, each horn being a quadrant of a hollow cylinder of circular bore and square
exterior that is to say, each has a bore, 26, of an are of ninety degrees, and a
perimeter composed of two sides 29-29, of a square cylinder, the concavity or
bore 26 of each horn being a continuation of the concavity or bore 22 of the
accompanying plate. Each outer face 29, of each tongue 28 is flush with the
inner face of the adjacent arm of the accompanying plate, and the bore 22 of
each tongue is a continuation of the bore 21 of the plate, and as a consequence
the knife edge of each tongue as the device wears, preserves its original perfection
and position relatively to the rod, and the combined bores 22-212 remain an arc of
ninety degrees. Each pair 28, of tongues is of course disposed diametrically
opposite each other upon the rod 24, longitudinally of the latter, while the two
horns of each pair are necessarily arranged diametrically opposite each other
peripherally of such rod. Hence as a logical sequence the four tongues are
arranged quadrilaterally of the rod, though alternating with each other longitudinally
of such rod; therefore it will be seen that the two oppositely-disposed quadrantive
arcs 22-22 of one pair of plates constitute, in conjunction with the quadrantive
arcs 26-26 of the oppositely-disposed tongues in the same plane, a complete circular
bore to enclose the rod 24, and that owing to the disposition of the four plates and
tongues, as explained, they are permitted to slide upon or with respect to one another
toward or away from a real or imaginary rod without departing from their relative
positions, for the reason, that the right angular extensions of the tongues constitute
guides to determine the movements of the segmental plates. The result is, a ring or
tube adapted to hug the rod, and capable of peripheral expansions to enable it to be
applied to a rod without being dismembered, and of peripheral contraction about such
rod as wear ensues, without disturbing the relative positions of its parts, or separation
of its joints.
A mistake cannot be made in assembling the parts about a rod, and the parts when
in place cannot become disarranged or twist upon their seats.
If it is desired to employ Babbitt or other soft anti-friction metal as a bearing for
the rod 24, I construct the tongues 28, of such soft metal, each tongue being let into
the segmental plate or ring in any suitable manner. My metallic piston rod packing
is placed within the double case 33, as shown in Figures 7 and 8, and is held in its
position against the head of the case by means of packing follower ring 34 and
spiral springs two of which (35-35) are shown in Figure 7. Between the packing
and the head of case are placed the cone joint ring 36—and sliding ring 37. The
object of these rings 34 and 36 and 37, and spiral springs is as follows:-In any
sidewise movement of the rod the packing is free to go with the rod for the reason
that ring 37 may slide on the inner surface of the head of the case while the follower
ring 34, is free to move or slide, for the reason that it is supported by the spiral
springs. Also if the rod does not run in line, the packing is free to go with the rod,
for the reason that the cone joint ring 36, may tip in the sliding ring 37, the follower
ring 34 being supported by the spiral spring permits such tipping. The case
containing packing is bolted to cylinder head as shown in Figures 1 and 2.
Figures 15-16-17 and 18 are views of valve rod packing. This packing is composed
of two packing pieces 38 and 39, which are alike. It is very simple and durable
and is preferable for very small rods or for hydraulic pumps, when pumping against
high pressure, for the ring is one half balanced, and consequently conveys very much
less pressure upon the rod, thereby producing much less friction.

page_text: The design for this packing is the same as piston rod packing, except that two
packing rings are used instead of four. It is arranged within the case 40, and is
provided with follower ring 41, spiral springs 42-42; cone joint ring 43; sliding
ring 44; and plate springs 45-45 are constructed and arranged to operate same as
in packing for piston rods as discribed, and as shown in Figures 1-2-7-8-9
and 10.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed as communicated to me by my
foreign correspondent I declare that what I claim is
First. In combination with the piston P four segments d arranged around its head
and forming an expansible packing, each provided with a laterally-projecting part d*,
extending under the ends of two adjacent segments, substantially as described.
Second. The combination of the piston head formed of flange and flange-
follower c³ four segments d, arranged between the flanges and forming an expansible
packing, each provided with a laterally-projecting part, d, oxtonding under the ends
of two adjacent segments and the springs ce between the segments and the hub of
the piston-head, substantially as described.
Third. The herein-described packing consisting of the two pairs of semicircular
rings or plates adapted to embrace a rod and arranged quartering with respect to
each other thereupon; each ring or plate having a centrally-disposed segmental
tongue composing one fourth of a circular tube of square exterior, and the tongues
of each pair of plates being embraced by the arms of the opposite plates, as explained,
whereby each plate and tongue moves up to the rod each in its own path, which is
never disturbed in combination with the case 33; follower ring 34 provided with
springs 35; cone joint ring 36; and sliding ring.
Fourth. The herein described packing composed of the two packing pieces 38
and 39 in combination with case 40; follower ring 41 provided with springs 42-42;
cone joint ring 43; and sliding ring 45.