Year: 1885

page_text: I, HERBERT JOHN HADDAN, of 67 Strand, in the City of Westminster, Civil
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention, a communication to me
from abroad by Selby Berry of Williamstown, United States, America, Gentleman,
and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement: -
This invention relates to an improvement in Stuffing boxes for steam engines;
and it consists in the combination of the cylinder head, which has an opening
made through its center, somewhat larger, than the outer end of the stuffing box,
which projects through it with the stuffing box, which has a flange, formed upon
its inner end, a ring for securing the stuffing box in position upon the head, the
gland, and the tightening devices, which are used in connection with the gland, as
will be more fully described hereinafter.
Fig. 1 is a vertical section of a stuffing box embodying the invention.
Fig. 2 is a view taken from the inner side of the cylinder head, the ring being
broken partly away.
A, represents the cylinder-head, which has an opening B, through its center, and
which opening is made somewhat larger than the outer end of the stuffing box C,
so as to allow the box to move freely in any direction. The stuffing box C has a
flange D, formed on its inner end, and this flange presses tightly against the inner
side of the cylinder head and forms a steam tight joint around the edges of the
opening B, although the stuffing box is free to move in any direction so as to
accommodate itself to the movement of the piston rod, for the purpose of forming
a tight joint around the flange D upon the stuffing box. There is secured to the
inner side of the piston-head a perforated ring F, which is recessed on its inner
side, as shewn, so as to catch over the flange D, of the stuffing box, for the purpose
of holding the stuffing box in position. Were it not for this ring, the atmospheric
pressure, when a vacuum is formed in the cylinder, would force the stuffing box
inward, and the box would be inclined to move idly back and forth upon the
piston rod. This ring clamps the stuffing box in position against the cylinder
head. The opening through the centre of the ring F, is sufficiently large to allow
Drin

page_text: a free pressure of steam against the inner side of the stuffing box, so as to keep it
pressed tightly against the cylinder head and to allow the piston rod C, to play
freely back and forth through it.
Passing through the flange D, of the stuffing box, and catching in notches, which
are formed in opposite sides of the opening B, are the clamping bolts I, which have
their outer ends to pass through the gland J, and receive the nuts O. By
tightening up on the nuts from time to time the gland can be made to take up
any wear in the stuffing box as rapidly as it occurs. These bolts catching in
notches upon opposite sides of the opening B, serve to act as stops so as to prevent
the stuffing box from turning around.
As the piston rod is forced back and forth through the stuffing box, the stuffing
box is made to move laterally in every direction, and being pressed tightly against
the cylinder head by the pressure of steam, it grinds for itself a steam and air
tight joint which prevents any leakage at this point. As this box accommodates
itself laterally to the movement of the piston rod, the rod simply plays back and
forth through the box without wearing the packing to as great an extent as it will
do where the stuffing box is formed as a part of the cylinder head.
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 with the cylinder head, of a flanged adjustable stuffing box,
which has a sliding movement upon the cylinder head so as to adapt itself to the
movement of the piston rod, substantially as shown.
2.) The combination of a perforated cylinder head, the flanged stuffing box, and
a ring, which secures the stuffing box in position upon the cylinder head, sub-
stantially as described.
3.) The combination of the perforated cylinder head, the movable stuffing box,
the ring which holds the stuffing box in position, the clamping screws, and the
gland, substantially as specified.