IMPROVEMENTS IN PACKINGS FOR STUFFING BOXES OF STEAM ENGINES AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES”.
Year: 1883

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Carl Schnerzel of N° 49 Wilhelmstr. Berlin in the German
Empire Merchant for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN PACKINGS FOR
STUFFING BOXES OF STEAM ENGINES AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES”.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Carl Schnerzel. at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 3rd July 1883.
CARL SCHNERZEL of N° 49 Wilhelmstr. Berlin in the German Empire, Merchant.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN PACKINGS FOR STUFFING BOXES OF STEAM ENGINES AND FOR
OTHER PURPOSES
"
:
The improvements herein described consist in the production and use of an
elastic core of cork.
Until the present time many attempts have been made in the manufacture of
packing for stuffing boxes, not only to attain a tight fit that is to say to keep the
steam from escaping from the cylinder but also and especially to give the packing
the greatest possible elasticity, in order to prevent the overheating of the piston
rod or other parts of the engine.
The best results have been attained in using cores of vulcanized caoutchouc,
these worked very well for a little time but they soon lost their elasticity, because
the fatty matter from the lubricants used (especially from mineral oils) after a time
changed them into a slimy mass which was very hurtful to the engine.
The influence of the lubricant upon the caoutchouc-core cannot well be prevented
as it is not only often necessary to lubricate the stuffing boxes direct but because a
great deal of the oil used to lubricate the cylinder for the piston is driven
up into the stuffing box by the pressure of the steam and thereby reaches the
caoutchouc-core.
In the following description of my invention the above mentioned deficiencies
of the caoutchouc-core are removed, as the cork-core, having undergone many
practical trials, retained its elasticity and was not in the least affected by fats or
oils and the highest steam pressures.
For producing this cork-core, cork is either cut up into chips or grains or
powdered and is pressed under a great pressure or by other suitable means into
the form of a string or rope of any suitable length strength and cross section,

page_text: .
the cork cut or ground into pieces is covered with a casing of spun or woven
material suitable for the purpose, in order to give the cork parts such a hold,
that the elasticity of the cork can be exercised as much as if they consisted of
only one uncut piece of cork. The spun or woven material of the casing may
either be of an animal, vegetable or mineral nature, or of a mixture of such
different kinds of materials, in like manner metal wire or metallic woven
material may be used as casings. Further a double or manifold casing may be
used, consisting of partly vegetable and animal or mineral woven materials and
partly of metal wire.
In order to fill up the cavities formed between the cork parts when necessary
a little powdered or finely divided mineral or wood flour or any such known
bad conductors of heat, may be added in order to promote the elasticity of the
cork. If the packing is to be used for cold water pumps or the like, it may be'
soaked in tallow, fat or oil or any other suitable material.
The cork core may be used for the packing of stuffing boxes in making manhole
joints and for flange joints and the like. It is placed in the insides of such
packing, the shape and construction may be modified to suit the several
circumstances either by plaiting, twisting, enveloping weaving or by other suitable
ananipulation either single or many woven or twisted together or lying parallel
to one another or plaited together
The object of using the cork-core is to give the packing into which it is
introduced, considerable and lasting elasticity and thereby rendering it able to
withstand the highest steam pressure. Under some circumstances the cork core
may be used alone without being worked into packing for joints viz for manholes
and other similar purposes.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent and of
an Order of the Lord Chancellor filed by the said Carl Schnerzel in the Patent
Office on the 17th January 1884.
CARL SCHNERZEL of N° 49 Wilhemstr. Berlin in the German Empire Merchant
"IMPROVEMENTS IN PACKINGS FOR STUFFING BOXES OF STEAM ENGINES AND FOR
OTHER PURPOSES
"
The improvements herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings
consist in the production and use of an elastic core of cork.
Until the present time many attempts have been made in the manufacture of
packing for stuffing boxes, not only to attain a tight fit that is to say to keep the
steam from escaping from cylinder, but also and especially to give the packing the
greatest possible elasticity, in order to prevent the overheating of the piston rod or
other parts of the engine.
The best results have been attained in using cores of vulcanized caoutchouc,
these worked very well for a little time, but they soon lost their elasticity because
the fatty matter from the lubricants used (especially from mineral oils) after a
time changed them into a slimy mass which was very hurtful to the engine. The
influence of the lubricant upon the caoutchouc core cannot well be prevented, as it
is not only often necessary to lubricate the stuffing boxes direct but because a
great deal of the oil used to lubricate the cylinder for the piston is driven up into
the stuffing box by the pressure of the steam and thereby reaches the caoutchouc:
core.
In the following description of my invention the above mentioned deficiencies of
the caoutchouc core are removed as the cork core, having undergone many practical
trials retained its elasticity and was not in the least affected by fats or oils and the
highest steam pressures.
In the accompanying drawings Figures 1, 2, 4, 6, 7, 8, 9 and 10 are cross
sections of packing prepared according to this invention. Figures 3, 5 and 11 are
part longitudinal sections of same. Figure 1 shows a round cork core, Figure 6 a
square core, Figure 7 a triangular core, Figure 8 a compound section of core, the
strands or parts of which may be straight as shown in Figure 5 or twisted as
shown in Figure 3. Figure 9 shows a square core in a square envelope.
For producing this cork core, cork is either cut up into chips or grains or
powdered as shown at a in Figures 1. 2, 4, 6, 7, 8 and 9, or cut up into strips as
shown at a Figure 10, and is pressed under a great pressure or by other suitable
means into the form of a string or rope of any suitable length, strength and cross
section. The cork a cut or ground into pieces is covered with a casing b of spun
or woven material suitable for the purpose, in order to give the cork parts such a
hold that the elasticity of the cork can be exercised as much as if they consisted of
only one uncut piece of cork. The spun or woven material of the casing b may
either be of an animal, vegetable or mineral nature or of a mixture of such
different kinds of materials; in like manner metal wire or metallic woven material
may be used as casings. Further a double or manifold casing may be used
consisting of partly vegetable and animal or mineral woven materials and partly of
metal wire.
In order to fill up the cavities formed between the cork parts, when necessary a
little powdered or finely divided mineral or wood flour or sawdust or any such
known bad conductors of heat may be added in order to promote the elasticity of
the cork. If the packing is to be used for cold water pumps or the like it may be
soaked in tallow, fat or oil or any other suitable material.

page_text: The cork core may be used for the packing of stuffing boxes in making manhole
joints and for flange joints and the like. It is placed in the insides of such
packing, the shape and construction may be modified to suit the several circum-
stances either by plaiting twisting (see Figs 2 and 3) enveloping, weaving or by
other suitable manipulation, either single or several woven or twisted together or
lying parallel to one another Figs 4 and 5 in which a is the cork b the casing of
the cork core, c the packing into which the cork is worked or rammed. The
object of using the cork core is to give the packing, into which it is introduced,
considerable and lasting elasticity and thereby rendering it able to withstand the
highest steam pressure. Under some circumstances, the cork core may be used
alone, without, being worked into packing for joints viz for manholes and other
similar purposes.
Having now described the nature of the said invention and in what manner the
same is to be performed I declare that I claim:
First: A packing cord made of cork pieces or particles (with or without the
admixture of other particles of suitable non-conducting nature) which are highly
compressed into the form required for the purpose of acquiring a high elasticity,
and enclosed in a flexible covering substantially as set forth.
Second: One or more packing cords a made as firstly claimed and enclosed in
an outer covering or envelope b into which cork particles are rammed around the
said cord, core or cores a substantially as set forth.
=
In witness whereof I the said Carl Schnerzel have hereunto set my hand and
seal this Seventh day of January in the year of our Lord One thousand eight
'hundred and eighty four..