Improvements in Metallic Packing for Stuffing Boxes and the like.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 13th July, 1893
Complete Specification Left, 13th Apr., 1894-Accepted, 2nd June, 1894
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Metallic Packing for Stuffing Boxes and
the like.
We, EDMUND HOWL, of The Quarries, near Dudley, Engineer, and SILVESter
WARBURTON, of 28 Newhall Street, Tibbington, Tipton, Engineer, both in the
County of Stafford, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
This invention has reference to the manner in which we construct metallic
packing for use in stuffing boxes on steam and other motive power engines and
pumps and for like purposes, whereby we are enabled to obtain an automatic
expanding and contracting packing capable of being adjusted and applied to suit
any ordinary stuffing box without interfering with the glands and other like fittings
generally employed for such purposes.
In carrying our invention into effect in one form when constructing our packing
for application to a stuffing box of the ordinary kind now employed for the
utilization of fibrous or other packing, we arrange our improved endless metallic
spring formed out of a ring or collar of metal, the ring or collar being serrated,
grooved or split alternately from one edge and the other, the grooves being allowed
to extend almost the entire depth of the collar or band so as to leave a neck
piece or clear surface for preserving a continuity of the ring alternately on the
upper and lower edges. The form of the band, collar or ring we vary to suit the
particular stuffing box to which it is to be applied, and we modify the shape and
arrangement of the grooves or dividing channels as may be required to give more
or less elasticity, the bore of the collar being made of less diameter than that of the
rod which is to pass through it, so as to occasion the elastic tendency to close on
the rod due to the tension of the band when placed in working position with the
gland or cap holding the same within the stuffing box in the ordinary manner.
We prefer to form our band with a double conical surface tapering from the
centre, and we place within the ordinary stuffing box having a parallel bore, an
upper and lower seating spring block or ring, the internal surface of each ring being
tapered to suit the conical surface of the central packing spring. These
supplementary bearing blocks we also groove or cut to form elastic or endless
springs so as to cause an additional action upon the packing spring, the divisions or
grooves within the outer or supplementary rings being arranged so as to divide as
far as possible the open surfaces within the inner packing spring. The outer
diameter of the supplementary springs we make somewhat greater than that of the
stuffing box to which it is to be applied and we shape the ends of the rings to suit
the bottom end of the stuffing box and the bearing end of the gland or cap to which
t is to be applied.
We sometimes arrange our endless springing packing in the form of a single
cone and we provide a bearing block which may be similarly serrated or grooved
or left plain to fit within the stuffing box, and upon the upper surface of the
packing ring we place a spiral spring or springs so as to keep the packing ring
ightly pressed down within its conical seat and thus to ensure that a true and tight
surface shall be presented to the rod which is working through it. We give the
necessary pressure to the spiral spring by means of a gland and cap having bolts
and studs or a screwed surface in any well known manner.

page_text: We sometimes provide lubricant within our circular packing ring by means of
plumbago or other material which we place within the grooves or divisions of the
springing band or by means of ordinary grease or other material held within the
stuffing box between the bearing block and the divisions of the expansible rings,
and we provide a channel or holes within the gland or cap for introducing the same
in any ordinary manner.
We do not limit the application of our invention to any particular form of stuffing
box or any particular arrangement of gland and rod, but we employ the same
essential feature of a divided expansible ring as hereinbefore described formed out
of metal or other suitable material to suit any particular requirement.
An external ring may be applied to close in the inner ring and keep it up to its
work notwithstanding wear.
Instead of forming our inner ring from a casting we may construct it by bending
steel or other metal of suitable section and turning up the continuous ring so
produced.
Dated this 12th day of July 1893
MARKS & CLERK,
13, Temple Street, Birmingham, Agents for the Applicants.
W
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Metallic Packing for Stuffing Boxes and
the like.
We, EDMUND HOWL, of The Quarries, near Dudley, Engineer, and SILVESTER
ARBURTON, of 28 Newhall Street, Tibbington, Tipton, Engineer, both in the
County of Stafford, 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 the manner in which we construct metallic
packing for use in stuffing boxes on steam and other motive power engines and
pumps and for like purposes, whereby we are enabled to obtain an automatic
expanding and contracting packing, capable of being adjusted and applied to suit
any ordinary stuffing box without interfering with the glands and other like fittings
generally employed for such purposes.
In the two accompanying sheets of explanatory drawings,
Figure 1 is a sectional elevation of our improved packing arrangements applied
to an ordinary stuffing box and gland, and Figure is a plan of the same.
Figure 3. is a detailed sectional elevation of our packing shown removed from
the ordinary stuffing box; Figure 4 is a part sectional elevation, and Figure 5 is a
sectional plan of the same.
Figure 6 is a sectional elevation of our packing showing it when the rod is
worn out of alignment, the packing being illustrated as floating to suit the position
of the rod.
In carrying our invention into effect in one form when constructing our packing
for application to a stuffing box A of the ordinary kind now employed for the
utilization of fibrous or other packing, we arrange within the box one or more
of our improved endless metallic springs B, each spring being formed out of a
ring or collar of metal, the ring or collar B as shown in Figure 4 being serrated,
grooved or split alternately from one edge and the other, the grooves B¹ being
allowed to extend almost the entire depth of the collar or band so as to leave a
neck piece or clear surface B2 for preserving a continuity of the ring alternately
on the upper and lower edges. The form of the band, collar or ring we vary
to suit the particular stuffing box to which it is to be applied, and we modify
the shape and arrangement of the grooves or dividing channels B' as may be

page_text: required to give more or less elasticity, the bore of the collar being made of less.
diameter than that of the rod which is to pass through it, so as to occasion the
elastic tendency to close on the rod due to the tension of the band when placed in
working position with the gland or cap holding the same within the stuffing box in
the ordinary manner.
We may form our band B with a double conical surface tapering from the centre,
or we make it with conical ends to rest against an upper and lower seating
block or ring -C,-C, the internal surface of each ring being tapered to suit the
conical end surface of the central packing spring or springs. These supplementary
bearing blocks C C' we may also groove or cut to form elastic or endless
springs so as to cause an additional action upon the packing spring, the divisions
or grooves within the outer or supplementary rings being arranged so as to divide
as far as possible the open surfaces within the inner packing spring. The outer
diameter of the supplementary springs we make somewhat greater than that of
the stuffing box to which it is to be applied, and we shape the ends of the rings
to suit the bottom end of the stuffing box and the bearing end of the gland or cap
to which it is to be applied.
When the dimensions of the ordinary stuffing box A and its gland a, will permit,
we arrange our serrated packing rings in pairs as shown in detail in the accom-
panying drawings, B being the outer ring arranged within a tubular_case_G,
The
and D being the inner serrated ring placed within the outer ring B.
serrations or openings D¹ of the inner ring we fix so that they may divide with
the openings B' of the outer ring as shown in Figure 5. We place a conical
seating ring C, C₁ at each end of the pair of rings to suit the taper ends of the
rings B D, and these rings we place within the enclosing tube or case G. We
close the ends of the case or tube G by placing two gland rings E, E' within the
stuffing box, one to fit the bottom of the box and the other to fit within the top
for receiving the end of the gland a, as shown in Figure 1.
When the bottom end of the stuffing box is flat we dispense with the lower
ring E. We make our spring rings B Ď, and their caps C C', to fit freely within
the tube or case G so that the rod on moving out of line may still be embraced by
our packing rings which will float or yield freely with it.
We sometimes provide lubricant within our circular packing ring by means of
plumbago or other material which we place within the grooves or divisions of
the springing band, or by means of ordinary grease or other material held within
the stuffing box between the bearing block and the divisions of the expansible
rings, and we provide a channel or holes within the gland or cap for introducing
the same in any ordinary manner.
We do not limit the application of our invention to any particular form of
stuffing box or to any particular arrangement of gland and rod, but we employ the
same essential feature of a divided expansible ring or divided expansible rings as
herein before described formed out of metal or other suitable material to suit any
particular requirement.
Instead of forming our expanding rings from a casting, we may construct them
by bending steel or other metal of suitable section to form a band, then turning up
the continuous ring to produced.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is :-
1. The construction of packing rings for use upon rods working in ordinary
stuffing boxes, the rings being made elastic by means of serrations, piercings or
divisions formed alternately from the upper and lower edge of the metal,
substantially as hereinbefore described and as illustrated in the accompanying
drawings.
2. The combination and arrangement of a pair of packing rings to surround a
rod working through an ordinary stuffing box and gland, each ring being made

page_text: elastic by serrations or divisions formed within it, substantially as and for the
purposes hereinbefore described and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 12th day of April 1894.
MARKS & CLERK,
18, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C.,
and 13, Temple Street, Birmingham, Agents for the Applicants.