IMPROVEMENTS IN STUFFING BOXES AND THEIR PACKINGS
Year: 1862

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Michael Henry, of 84, Fleet Street, in the City of
London, Patent Agent, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN STUFFING
BOXES AND THEIR PACKINGS."-A communication from abroad by Auguste
Mesnard, of 83, Boulevard Saint Martin, Paris, France, Engineer.
Sealed the 21st January 1863, and dated the 23rd August 1862.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Michael Henry at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
23rd August 1862.
I, MICHAEL HENRY, of 84, Fleet Street, in the City of London, Patent
Agent, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS
IN STUPPING BOXES AND THEIR PACKINGS," communicated to me from abroad by
Auguste Mesnard, of 33, Boulevard Saint Martin, Paris, France, Engineer,
to be as follows:-
This Invention relates to stuffing boxes and metallic packings for the same.
To simplify the description I explain the Invention as applied to the instance
of a piston rod, but it must be understood it is applied in like manner to valve
rods, plunger rods, and other articles or surfaces round which stuffing boxes
and their packings are used. Round the rod is or are one or more springs of
annular or nearly annular form, or of cylindrical or nearly cylindrical, or
tubular or nearly tubular form. By "nearly annular," "nearly cylindrical,"
or nearly tubular," I mean a spring, or a piece of the shape of a ring not
quite complete, or of a ring cut through, divided, or interrupted in continuity,
at one portion of its circumference, or a short cylinder or tube with a longi-
tudinal slit, division, or interruption of continuity. The spring or springs may

page_text: press on the surface of the rod directly or through the medium of annular or
what I call nearly annular metal pieces, or of metal segments, and may be fitted
in a groove or recess, or grooves or recesses, like piston packing. Two or
more annular, or what I denominate nearly annular pieces, herein-after called
packing rings, may embrace the rod and be kept to their work by one or more
annular or nearly annular metallic springs, herein-after called surrounding
springs, pressing thereon, either directly or through interposed pieces. The
metalle packing may be said to take its fulcrum on the rod or other moving
surface round which it is applied instead of on the fixed surface of the stuffing
box or gland. A stuffing box may be constructed with the recess to receive the
packing at the part or end next or close to the cylinder cover, or the orifice to be
packed, while its further part or other end, or its gland or cover may be pro-
longed or extended and fit so closely round the rod as to constitute the effective
guide for the rod to work through, the lubricating material being admitted
through this part so as to lubricate practically free from contact with the steam
or working fluid; a stuffing box may be constructed in which a gland, tubular
cap, or end or block having a passage through it for the rod to work through is
formed with a channel or passage for the lubricating agent, and is screwed into
a box or recess or into a socket or lining in a box or recess so as to leave a space
to receive the packing, a single surrounding spring may be of sufficient depth to
surround two or more packing rings (set side by side for horizontal, or one above
another for vertical or oblique cylinders, and) separated if desired by washers.
The packing rings may form springs or not. The rings are fitted as regards their
openings so as to break joint. The packing rings may be excentrics, or may be
mounted excentrically on the rod and have more surface of material on one
side of the opening through them than on the other. The packing rings for rods
with swellings, bosses, or shoulders may be cut across at one or more parts of
their circumfi rence, and each fitted within another ring. The packing rings may
sometimes consist of two or more portions laid together and scarfed at their
contiguous edges. To form the packing rings true, a set may be turned out of
a cylinder of white metal; they may be manufactured with advantage of an
alloy of 75 parts tin, and 25 antimony, pouring the tin into previously melted
antimony, and mixing well before casting, and the springs may be constructed of
a thin strip of steel plate bent round when cold. The packing rings may be
held in place by forming them with notches or slots engaging abutments, stops,
or feathers placed preferably diametrically opposite each other on the surrounding
spring or springs or on the annular or nearly annular piece or pieces in which
they are fitted. The notch may be on the broader surface in excentric rings..

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Michael Henry in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 28rd
February 1868.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, MICHAEL'
HENRY, of 84, Fleet Street, in the City of London, Patent Agent, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-third day of August, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-two, in the twenty-sixth year of
Her reign, did, for Herself, Her beirs and successors, give and grant unto
me, the said Michael Henry, Her special licence that I, the said Michael
Henry, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the
said Michael Henry, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any
time agree 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
STUFFING BOXES AND THEIR PACKINGS," communicated to me from abroad
by Auguste Mesnard, of 88, Boulevard Saint Martin, Paris, France, Engineer,
upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Michael Henry,
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 saine 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 Michael Henry, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following.
statement thereof, as communicated to me, reference being had to the accom-
panying Drawings, and to the letters and figures marked thereon, that is to
say:
This Inveution relates to stuffing boxes and metallic packings for the same.
To simplify the description I explain the Invention as applied to the instance
of a piston rod, but it must be understood that it is applied in like manner to
valve rods, plunger rods, and other articles or surfaces round which stuffing
boxes and their packings are used. Round the rod are fitted metallic springs
or rings. I include in the term "ring" complete rings, as also springs or

page_text: pieces of the form of a ring not quite complete, or of a ring cut through,
divided, or having a break of continuity at one or more portions of its cir-
cumference, or these rings or springs may be deep rings or short tubes or
cylinders, with or without a longitudinal slit or division or break of continuity.
The rings may be fitted in grooves or recesses, after the manner of piston
packing, and they may press on the rod directly or through the medium of
interposed metal rings or segments. Two or more rings may embrace the
rod and be kept to their work by one or more annular or cylindrical springs,
which surround the rings and press on them either directly or through the
medium of interposed pieces. In the term cylindrical I include springs of the
form of a short cylinder or tube with a longitudinal slit, division, or break of
continuity. This metallic packing takes its fulcrum on the rod or other
moving surface, round which it is applied, instead of, as in ordinary packing,
on the fixed surface of the stuffing box or gland. The packing is fitted in a
recess or part close to the cylinder, cover, or orifice to be packed, that is, as
near as possible to the steam or other working fluid, the further part or other
end of the stuffing box or its gland may be extended and fit closely round the
rod to constitute the effective guide for the rod to work through, and by
admitting the lubricating material through this part the rod may be lubricated
practically free from contact with the steam or working fluid.
.
The Drawings represent stuffing boxes and packings arranged according to
this Invention. Figure 1 is a longitudinal section, and Figure 2, a transverse
section of a stuffing box and packing adapted for thick piston rods. A is the
piston rod; D is a stuffing box, into which is screwed a gland E; in this box
are two or more packing rings a, one of which is shewn in section, Figure 3,
and front view, Figure 4. Between every two rings may be interposed a
washer, ground true on both surfaces. B is a deep steel ring or cylindrical
spring surrounding the rings a, a. This spring is shewn in section, Figure 5,
and front view, Figure 6. The rings a, a, have a break or opening in their
circumference, and are so arranged in the box D, E, (with regard to these
breaks or openings) as to break joint. G is a passage through the gland E
for admitting lubricating material; the rings a keep the rod sufficiently steam-
tight, but allow it to work through them with the requisite freedom.
Figure 7 is a longitudinal section, shewing a modification adapted for small
rods. Figure 8, tranverse section on the line e, f, of Figure 7. T is the
piston rod, round which are fitted four rings or springs A, A; these rings are
excentric, that is to say, they are fitted excentrically round the rod, the
opening or space a¹ being excentric to their outside circumference, as shown
in Figure 9, plan, and Figure 10, section of one ring A; B, shewn in eleva-

page_text: tion, Figure 12, and front view, Figure 11, is a cylindrical spring surrounding
the rings A, one such spring B will suffice for several rings; M is the stuffing
box containing the packing, and N its gland or lid screwed or otherwise
attached to it. The rings A are preferably turned from a cylindrical block
of white metal drilled through, so as to have the rings alike, and of such size
as to fit closely round the rod; they are ground true on both sides; the box M
and gland N are also ground smooth on the inside; the rings A should have
the same play in the stuffing box as is allowed to ordinary segmental piston
packing. The spring B should be thin so as to press gently on the rings, and
it should be as nearly circular as possible; it is preferably constructed of a
strip of steel plate bent cold. The four rings are so disposed round the rod
that their broader parts, which are those on which the spring B presses, shall
lie in different directions, or be diametrically opposite. d, d, are studs or
feathers on the spring B taking into grooves in the rings to keep the rings in
place; the box M is carefully fixed to the cylinder cover at K; G is the
lubricating passage as before. When the packing is applied to a rod having
a boss, swelling, or thicker parts, excentric rings, such as shown at A, Figures
13 and 14 may be used; each ring is cut through at a, b, and is fitted in an
outer ring or circular frame M, as shown in Figure 17; the rings M are
broader than the thick part of the rod to allow the latter to work freely.
Figure 15 is an elevation, and Figure 16, a section of a ring M. When each
ring is in its frame or mount M the whole set of combined rings A, M,
are fitted in the circular spring B, shewn detached in Figures 18 and 19.
Figure 27 is a longitudinal section, and Figure 28, a transverse section of a
box and gland with this arrangement of packing. T is the piston rod.
Figures 20 and 21 shew another form of packing ring composed of two
half parts N, P, fitted together by a step joint, the outer and inner surfaces
of the parts and the touching surfaces of the joint are ground true; the
rings are embraced by a cylindrical spring Q, shewn in Figures 22 and 23;
Figure 24 is a front view; Figure 25, a section; and Figure 26, a top view
of one part N; two like rings N, P, are here used instead of the four
rings A shewn in Figures 27 and 28. u, are grooves; and y, feathers or
studs acting as guides to adjust and retain the rings N, P, in proper position
for breaking joint. The metal recommended for the rings A, though other
metal may be used, is an alloy composed by running 75 parts tin into 25
parts previously melted antimony, and the compound is mixed before the
casting. The Figures exemplify the Invention applied to horizontal piston
rods, but it may be applied in like manner to vertical rols, merely modifying
the lubricating arrangements recordingly.

page_text: Having now described the nature of the said Invention, and in what
manner the same may be performed, I declare that I claim,--
First, the metallic packing constructed, arranged, combined, and applied as
described.
Second, constructing or fitting stuffing boxes with the herein described
metallic packing as set forth.
Third, the arrangements and combinations of parts constituting the improved
stuffing boxes and packing represented in the Drawings and described in
reference thereto.
In witness whereof, I, the said Michael Henry, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twenty-third day of February, in the year One
thousand eight hundred and sixty-three.
Witness,
S. E. A. NEWSOME,
84, Fleet Street, London.
M. HENRY. (L.B.)