Improvements in and relating to Metallic or other Packing for Stuffing Boxes.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 7th Nov., 1896
Complete Specification Left, 5th Aug., 1897-Accepted, 2nd Oct., 1807
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to Metallic or other Packing for
Stuffing Boxes.
I, ARTHUR HAMILTON KENRICK, of 6 Mount Pleasant, Clerkenwell, in the County
of London, Civil Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
My invention relates to the metallic or other packing used in the stuffing boxes
of piston and valve rods, the object in view being to avoid certain defects or
difficulties found to exist in practical use.
It is found desirable in some cases to enlarge the inner end of piston rods to give
a more obtuse angle to the conical end, where it is fitted to the piston block; and
in order to allow the swelled end of the rod to pass through the stuffing-box, the
fillet containing the neck bush-which is seated at the bottom of the stuffing
box is bored rather larger than would otherwise be necessary. This again leads
to a corresponding increase in the diameter of that portion of the neck bush which
passes through the cylinder cover, and as (in steam engines) the part exposed to
the steam is thus of increased area, it is liable to be blown outwardly. This
liability is further increased by the tendency to use still higher pressures of steam.
By my invention I introduce a metal tube between the flanged head of the neck
bush, and the outer bush, or the gland, so that the strain arising from the afore-
sai pressure is transmitted directly to the outer part or parts named without
affecting the packing as heretofore. The tube is made sufficiently large on the
outside to fit closely to the interior diameter of the stuffing box. The inner bore
of the tube is made to receive the parts of the packing freely, so as not to interfere
with their action. As the tube thus made is necessarily thin, I sometimes slightly
thicken or flange one or both ends of the tube to withstand wear caused by any
lateral working or bending of the rod; and I may apply my invention to any
ariety of packing used for the purpose named.
Dated this 7th day of November 1896.
FAIRFAX & WETTER,
433 Strand, London, Agents for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to Metallic or other Packing for
Stuffing Boxes.
I, ARTHUR HAMILTON KENRICK, of 39 Victoria Street, Westminster, formerly
of 6, Mount Pleasant, Clerkenwell, in the County of London, Civil Engineer, do
hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to be
[Price 8d.1

page_text: performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement: -
My invention relates to the metallic or other packing used in the stuffing boxes
of piston and valve rods, the object in view being to avoid certain defects or
difficulties found to exist in practical use.
It is found desirable, in some cases, to enlarge the inner end of
piston rods to give
conical end, where
8 more obtuse angle to the
it is fitted to the piston block; and in order to allow the swelled or
enlarged end of the rod to pass through the stuffing-box, the fillet containing the
neck bush (which is seated at the bottom of the stuffing box) is bored rather larger
than would otherwise be necessary. This again leads to a corresponding increase
in the diameter of that portion of the neck bush which passes through the cover
into the cylinder, and as the part thus exposed to pressure is of increased area, it
is liable (especially in the case of steam cylinders in which extreme high pressures
are used) to be blown outwardly.
By my invention, I introduce a metal tube between the flanged head of the neck
bush and the outer bush, or the gland, or a collar on stud, or a flanged metal tube
between the neck bush and the collars on the gland studs, so that the strain arising
from the aforesaid pressure on the neck bush is transmitted directly to the outer
part or parts named without affecting the packing as heretofore. The tube ist
made sufficiently large on the outside to fit closely to the interior diameter of the
stuffing box, unless it is desired to provide some clearance for the lateral working
of the rod. The inner bore of the tube is made to receive the parts of the packing
freely, so as not to interfere with their action. As the tube thus made is
necessarily thin, I sometimes slightly thicken or flange one or both ends of the tube
to withstand wear, caused by any lateral bending or working of the rod, and I
sometimes apply my invention to other kinds of packing than that known as
metallic packing.
In the further description of this invention, reference is made to the
accompanying drawings, Figs. 1 to 4, all being longitudinal sections through a
stuffing box, and showing modifications of metallic packing used in combination
with my improved tube as described above. In these drawings, a represents the
piston or other rod, 6 the stuffing box, c the neck bush fitted to the bottom (or
fillet 6) of the stuffing box, d (in Fig. 3) is a disc of white metal, sometimes used
in conjunction with c; c is my aforesaid improved tube, f is the outer bush, usually
known as the cone bush, from the conical seating generally bored in it to receive
packing rings g of white or other metal, h is a follower, two of which are some-
times used, i is a spiral spring, usually arranged to exert an axial pressure between
two followers h, h, and through them upon packing rings g. The gland is
indicated by j, and sometimes discs k, of gun metal, are interposed between
adjoining white metal packing rings, as in Figs. 3 and 4.
In Fig. 1 my improved tube e is combined with and interposed between the
neck bush c and the cone bush f, so that the cylindrical pressure upon the end of c
is directly transmitted by the tube to the outer or cone bush, and there taken up
by the gland j, without throwing any strain from the aforesaid pressure on the
parts which form the packing of the rod. Consequently, the packing rings g, the
follower or followers h, and the spiral spring i, are free to perform their legitimate
function of keeping the rod steam tight (for example), without being affected by
an extraneous and variable pressure. The spring is thus especially well adapted
to respond to any lateral or other movement of the rod, and to keep a moderate
and fairly equitable pressure upon the packing rings through its pressure on the
follower h; therefore, the spring i need not be so strong as if it had also to with-
stand the end pressure upon the neck bush c, thus proportionately reducing the
friction on the rod, and allowing for a more uniform lubrication thereof.
In Fig. 2, one end of the tube e is flanged to strengthen the same, and withstand
the wear caused by any lateral working of the rod against the end of the outer or
cone bush f, which is so arranged as to provide for some such lateral working.

page_text: In this case a slight clearance is indicated between the end of the tube e and the
cone bush f, on an exaggerated scale, the difference allowing more freedom to the
side play of the rod.
In Fig. 3, the improved tube e is combined with and placed between the neck
and outer bushes c and f, as before, but in this case each bush is made conical, as
an abutment for the packing rings g. Two followers h, h are employed in this
instance, a spring i acting between them to press them apart axially, each follower
being made conical to bear upon the adjoining conical packing rings. A white
metal disc d is introduced as a seating for the neck bush c, and brass discs k, k,
are placed between the packing rings g, as shown. In the other figures the gland j
is intended to be screwed tight against the face of the stuffing box b, but in Fig. 3
two rings of small copper wire are interposed as shown. An oil cup is shown as
attached to the face of the gland.
Fig. 4 is a similar arrangement to Fig. 3, but the neck and outer bushes c and f
are both made square and not conical. Conical abutment rings m are fitted to the
bushes and interposed between them and the packing rings g; and this arrange-
ment in combination with the tube e admits of some lateral movement or play of
the rod.
It is to be noted that either of the bushes c or f may be extended so as to form
the tube e integral with itself, without affecting the nature of the invention, and
that other than metallic packing may be combined with the said tube and bushes c
and f.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
Invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is:
1. The combination of a tube e, with a neck bush c and an outer bush f,
arranged and adapted to transmit the cylindrical or axial pressure on the bush c to
the outer bush f, or gland j, or to both, substantially as and for the purpose
herein before described and shown in the drawings.
2. The combination of parts forming the improved metallic packing, substan-
tially, as and for the purpose herein before described, and shown in the drawings.
Dated this 23rd day of July 1897.
FAIRFAX & WETTER,
37 and 39 Essex Street, Strand, London, Agents for the Applicant.