IMPROVEMENTS IN PACKING FOR STUFFING BOXES FOR PISTON RODS RAMS AND OTHER LIKE PURPOSES
Year: 1884

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
I JOHN GRIFFITH HUGHES, at the Office for Patents, 6 Lord Street, Liverpool,
in the County of Lancaster, Marine Superintending Engineer do hereby declare
the nature of my said invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN PACKING FOR STUFFING
BOXES FOR PISTON RODS RAMS AND OTHER LIKE PURPOSES" to be as follows:-
This invention has for its object the application of the well known metallic
piston packing to concave surfaces working on convex ones, or having convex
surfaces working against them.
It consists in forming the filling of the stuffing box of a series of metallic or
other rings with grooves turned out of each at their junctions, and in placing.
segmental or other spring packing in these grooves.
The packing can be Ramsbottom rings, segments of metal separated by wedges
with springs behind them, separate segments breaking joint with each other and
kept to the face of the rod or ram by springs, or single segments checked or
tongued at the ends or exactly fitting the rod and kept to their work by springs
and filed at their ends as they wear to tighten them up. By springs I include
india rubber or equivalent elastic matter, or even steam pressure.
In the main rings I also sometimes cut annular grooves for lightness which
can be filled with lubricant, soft metal, or gasket rings soaked in lubricant if
desired.

page_text: DIECIFICATION,
I, JOHN GRIFFITH HUGHES, Office for Patents, 6, Lord Street, Liverpool,
Lancashire, Marine Superintending Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of my
said invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN PACKING FOR STUFFING BOXES, FOR PISTON
RODS, RAMS, AND OTHER LIKE PURPOSES" 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 for its object the application of the well known metallic
piston packing to packings for stuffing boxes and the like.
It consists in forming the filling of the stuffing box of a series of metallic or
other rings with grooves turned out of each at their junctions, and in placing
segmental or other spring packing in these grooves.
The object I have in view of forming the filling of a series of rings solidly
fitting against each other but with grooves turned out for spring packing, is to
form a solid abutment for the screw pressure of the gland screws to bear against,
and prevent that pressure from wedging the spring packings tight so that they
cannot "give" or float in their grooves. It is only by this freedom to float in
their grooves that they become of service, as if wedged tight the springs become
useless.
Now I am well aware that it has been proposed before the date of my Specifi-
cation to use metallic packing for piston rods, but all attempts to perform this have
failed, I believe usually, from the packing having been held tight, and trust being
placed entirely in the good fit and numerous breaks of joints. In such case
no allowance is made for wear or imperfection and the packing soon leaks badly.
Now my invention consists essentially in a combination of three parts (1) a solid
framework for the packing that cannot be compressed; (2) split packing rings that
cannot be distorted placed against the piston rod, and even if desirable against the
walls of the stuffing box also, but always freely floating in annular grooves or
spaces in or botween the rings of the solid framework; (3) springs or their
equivalent pressing the packing rings against the piston rod, sometimes however
I combine the action of (2) and (3) in one article by using packing rings having
elastic nature, and being thus springs themselves, as when Ramsbottom rings are
used, I also sometimes, indeed usually, add a turn or two of Tuck's or other
packing in the cap between the solid framework of the packing and the gland.
In order that my invention may be better understood, I have appended the
accompanying drawings, Figure 1 diagram showing application of Buckley's rings,
Prior's rings, and outside Buckley ring, simply by way of illustration, as I
should not combine these three in one stuffing box in practice; Figure 2 showing

page_text: application of Ramsbottom rings; Figures 3 and 4 two views showing application
of Cameron springs.
In these A A'A' are pieces of the solid packing, not as actually used but as
illustrating different ways of building it up. It can either be in a single length
with grooves a bored out and longitudinally cut into two or three pieces as at A,
or a series of separate rings at A¹ A' or with pairs of rings united at A³. In any
case, care must be taken that the casing is made steam tight on the bottom of the
stuffing box, and held tightly in place by the pressure produced by screwing up
the gland, leaving the spaces for packing rings perfectly true and free for the rings
to.float in them.
When two rings A' A' are united to form a single ring, it is preferable to have
the larger ring A¹ above the A³ united with it, and not as shown at A³-but this
is unimportant.
BB are the packing rings preferably in two halves as shown, they can however
be of almost any form of sufficient stiffness, and of course with circular contour
bearing against the piston rod; I prefer however them shaped as shown. They can
be of any ordinary packing ring material.
CC are the springs, they can be in any convenient form usual for piston springs
such as Mather and Platt's spiral giving both vertical and lateral pressure, or the
four varieties shown namely, Buckleys, the upper inner and the other ones in
Figure 1. Prior's the lower one in Figure 1 shown modified with separate angled
rings at the back of the packing rings may be used with or without provision for
vertical pressure. Ramsbottom's shown in Figure 2 and Cameron's shewn in
Figures 3 or 4. I also can use a series of separate blade spiral or other springs.
The Ramsbottom rings are used for both packing and springs in one, no other
packing being used with them, but if packing be used I profer Mather and Platt's
variation in which both radial and vertical pressure is obtained. Any form of
spring or ring may be used that would be held nicely adjusted against piston rod
or ram etcetera, and leaving the packing free to move laterally in the space pro-
vided for it in the casing. Thus a series of independent springs as frequently used
in pistons.
If in any case it may be thought desirable provision may be made to introduce
packing, metallic or otherwise, at back of casing as shown at H Figure 1 to
prevent the possibility of leakage at back, say when the bottom of the stuffing
box is defective, or if from any other cause, a leakage is likely to occur at
the back.
This packing may be made to partially fill the stuffing box, leaving room for .
two or more turns of what is known as Tuck's packing or any other packing that
may be substituted. The glands being screwed up sufficiently tight to keep the
metallic packing firmly in place and rendering the wholo steam tight.
I wish it to be understood that I make no claim for metallic packing broadly, as
I am aware that such has been proposed before for stuffing boxes et cetera.
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
1st. The manufacture and use of metallic packings for stuffing boxes, for piston
rods, rams, and other like purposes composed of (1) a solid framework or main
packing filling the stuffing box and formed of a series of parts capable of with-
standing the pressure brought to bear in screwing up the gland, without allowing
any of the pressure to come on the spring packing rings (2) metallic packing rings
floating freely in grooves or spaces in the main packing and (3) springs or their
equivalent pressing the packing rings against the piston rod (4) with or without
other parts, substantially as described.
2nd. The solid packing framework formed of a series of rings fitting solidly
against each other and formed with grooves turned out, in, or, between them in

page_text: which the packing rings lie floating or sliding freely therein; substantially as
described.
3rd. The various forms of packings for stuffing boxes, substantially as herein
described.
Debed this eth
1008
WM P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Of 6, Lord Street, Liverpool, and
323, High Holborn; London,
Patent Agents for the Applicant.