Improvements in and relating to Packings for Stuffing Boxes.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 1st Jan, 1894
Complete Specification Left, 28th Sept., 1894-Accepted, 3rd Nov., 1894
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to Packings for Stuffing Boxes.
I, PAUL DOUDART DE LA GRÉE, of 95 Boulevard Beaumarchais, Paris, in the
Republic of France, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
My invention relates to packings for stuffing boxes.
Steam-tight joints have heretofore been obtained by pressing tow, harl, tresses
of asbestos, hemp or the like against the part to be rendered tight; recourse was
therefore had to an exterior pressure for ensuring the tightness of the joint; this
exterior pressure was obtained by pressing the cap of the box more or less strongly, in
order to compress the packing, on the one hand against the rod in movement and
on the other hand between the bottom of the box and the cap so that the joint
made with the rod and also the joint made with the sides or walls of the box were
obtained by the pressure of the cap.
From this mode of action it followed that, by reason of the ever varying density
of the pressed tow, harl or the like, it was necessary to continually change the
pressure that the pressures against the rod iu movement, by reason of this
tightening action, had a hardness almost inevitably causing appreciable and
irregular erosions of the rod; and that as the exterior tightening could not in
most cases be effected by means of a single screw thread, but by a number of
independent nuts, the unequal tightening of these nuts often led to the rod getting
out of truth, hence arose the difficulty of preserving perfectly tight joints, the
liability to wear or fatigue of the parts, and a very appreciable loss of power,
without mentioning frequent manipulations.
With my improved packing the tightness of the joint round the rod is not
obtained by an exterior pressure, which is always more or less unequal, but by the
very elastic and equal pressure of the steam itself, which presses the packing
against the movable rod; this pressure may also be utilized for ensuring the
tightness of the joint between the packing and any part of the sides or wall of the
box. This utilization of the steam therefore dispenses with the tightening which
was obtained by the displacement of the cap which with my packing remains
invariable, thereby allowing if necessary a fixed joint of illimitable duration to be
made with the interior face of this cap.
The improved packing consists of asbestos or similar material, which is
sufficiently rigid to preserve its form, and flexible and dense enough to ensure
complete tightness by the pressure of the steam against the filaments of the
material.
In one arrangement I use a doubly cupped packing, the part of which corre-
sponding to the piston rod is strongly pressed against the latter while the cupped
parts are forced against the sides of the box, when the engine is in motion, by the
pressure of the steam conducted into the box from the steam cylinder through a
series of passages.
For obviating any deformation of the packing I may maintain it by means of
two metallic crowns united by metallic rods placed at certain distances from
each other.
For the outflow of the water of condensation to take place I may provide holes
at certain distances in the packing.
In order to put this packing in its place it may be slid with its armature upon
the rod, if the extremity of the latter is free.
In order to put the packing in its place without sliding it upon the rod I give it a

page_text: slightly greater interior diameter than the diameter of the rod, and cut it
throughout its length, I then place it round the rod at a part where this rod is
free so that it will surround the same by making one of the cut edges of the
packing overlap the other, the whole being next caused to slide along the rod for
introducing it into the stuffing box. If I employ the metallic armature it is in
this case constructed either in two parts which close upon the rod, or of a single
part articulated so as to permit it to open and allow the packing to open, in order
that it may be put in its place, then to be closed again in order to be passed into
the box to which it corresponds in size.
In lieu of employing a doubly cupped packing I may make use of a packing
presenting the form of a cupped Bramah ring.
In this case two grooves are formed in the outer part of the cylinder head which
carries also the flange upon which the cap is bolted. The extremities of the sides
of the packing engage with the aforesaid grooves, while the bottom is held by a
metallic armature constituting a circular crown supported by a certain number of
feet which bear upon the cylinder. The steam euters the interior of the packing
through apertures.
For enabling my packing to be easily put in its place I may make it of two or
more parts which may be united upon the rod. Their edges are made thinner in
order that their superposition may not augment the thickness of the packing at
these points. If the packing presents some other form the division into two
or more parts is effected in a similar manner so that the interior pressure of the
steam shall force the overlapping parts against each other.
In order to enable it to be more easily manufactured or more conveniently put in
its place my asbestos packing may simply consist of a tube having a flange, the
tubular part surrounding the piston rod and forming a joint at this point, while the
flange, which may be more or less inclined relatively to the tubular part, is
clamped between the box and the cap so as to make a tight joint between them.
The flange, as above stated, may be more or less inclined relatively to the
tubular part which surrounds the rod. When it is turned at a right angle it may
form a fixed joint between the cap and the box while making an elastic joint with
the movable rod, which is very advantageous for boxes of small dimensions; it may
be the same if the flange has a smaller inclination, but in this latter case the
packing, outside its elastic joint, may form only a single fixed joint on the cap
itself, this cap making at another point upon the box a fixed joint designed to
complete the tightness of this box.
I may of course place my packing either interiorly or exteriorly; in case the
cylinder is vertical and the packing must be placed at the bottom of the cylinder it
is preferable to arrange it in the interior of the cylinder, care being taken to
provide upon the inuer face of the piston a cavity in order that the piston may not
be stopped by the packing which forms a projection on the lower face in the
interior of the said cylinder.
אנית
A
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to Packings for Stuffing Boxes.
I, PAUL DOUDART DE LA GRÉE, of 95 Boulevard Beaumarchais, Paris, in the
Republic of France, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what
manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement:-
My invention relates to packings for stuffing boxes.
Steam-tight joints have heretofore been obtained by pressing tow, harl, tresses of

page_text: asbestos, hemp or the like against the part to be rendered tight; recourse was
therefore had to an exterior pressure for ensuring the tightness of the joint; this
exterior pressure was obtained by pressing the cap of the box more or less strongly,
in order to compress the packing on the one hand against the rod in movement and
on the other hand between the bottom of the box and the cap so that the joint made
with the rod and also the joint made with the sides or walls of the box were obtained
by the pressure of the cap.
From this mode of action it followed that, by reason of the ever varying density
of the pressed tow, harl or the like, it was necessary to continually change the
pressure; that the pressures against the rod in movement, by reason of this
tightening action, had a hardness almost inevitably causing appreciable and irregular
erosions of the rod; and that as the exterior tightening could not in most cases be
effected by means of a single screw thread, but by a number of independent nuts,
the unequal tightening of these nuts often led to the rod getting out of truth, hence
arose the difficulty of preserving perfectly tight joints, the liability to wear or
fatigue of the parts, and a very appreciable loss of power, without mentioning
frequent manipulations.
With my improved packing the tightness of the joint round the rod is not obtained
by an exterior pressure, which is always more or less unequal, but by the very
elastic and equal pressure of the steam itself, which presses the packing against the
movable rod; this pressure may also be utilized for ensuring the tightness of the
joint between the packing and any part of the sides or wall of the box. This
utilization of the steam therefore dispenses with the tightening which was obtained
by the displacement of the cap which with my packing remains invariable, thereby
allowing if necessary a fixed joint of illimitable duration to be made with the
interior face of this cap.
In the accompanying drawings I have represented by way of example various
applications of my improved system of packings.
Figure 1 is a vertical section of one form of my improved packing.
Figure 2 is a perspective view of the packing material detached.
Figure 3 is a vertical section of another form of my packing.
Figure 4 shows a vertical and a horizontal section of a simple mode of
manufacturing a packing ring in two parts.
Figure 5 is a perspective view of the same and
Figures 6 and 7 show a simplified form of packing, but still based upon the
utilization of steam.
The improved packing consists of asbestos or similar material, which is
sufficiently rigid to preserve its form, and flexible and dense enough to ensure
complete tightness by the pressure of the steam against the filaments of the material.
The packing represented in Figure 1 is arranged in the stuffing box as shown
at D E F G and firmly pressed against the rod of the piston while the cupped
parts D and G are forced against the sides of the said stuffing box, when the engine
is in motion, by the pressure of the steam conducted into the box from the steam
cylinder through a series of passages m n.
For obviating any deformation of the packing I may maintain or strengthen it by
means of two metallic crowns a and b united by metallic rods e placed at certain
distances from each other.
For enabling the outflow of the water of condensation to take place I may provide
holes S at suitable distances apart in the packing.
In order to put this packing in its place it may be slid with its armature upon the
rod,.if the extremity of the latter is free.
In order to put the packing in its place without sliding it upon the rod I give it
a slightly greater interior diameter than the diameter of the rod, and cut it
throughout its length in the direction of the rod as at E F (see Figure 2). I then
place it on the rod at a part where this rod is free so that it will surround the same,
by making one of the cut edges of the said packing D E F G overlap the other,
the whole being next caused to slide along the rod for introducing it into the stuffing

page_text: box. If I employ the metallic armature it is in this case constructed either in two
parts which close upon the rod, or of a single part articulated so as to permit it to
open and allow the packing to open in order that it may be put in its place then to
be closed again in order to be passed into the box to which it corresponds in size.
In lieu of employing a doubly cupped packing I may use a packing presenting
the form of a cupped Bramah ring, as represented in Figure 3.
In this case two grooves R R' are formed in the outer part of the cylinder head
which is also provided with a flange H upon which the cap is bolted. The
extremities of the sides or the edges of the packing engage with the aforesaid
grooves R and R' while the bottom is held by a metallic armature J constituting a
Circular crown supported by a suitable number of feet K which bear upon the
cylinder. The steam enters the interior of the packing through apertures
such as M.
For enabling the packing to be easily put in its place I may make it of two or
more parts (as shown in Figures 4 and 5) which may be united upon the rod.
Their edges a a are made thinner so as not to increase the thickness of the packing
at the. joints. If the packing presents some other form the division into two or
more parts is effected in a similar manner so that the interior pressure of the steam
shall force the overlapping parts against each other.
In order to enable it to be more easily manufactured or more conveniently put in
its place my asbestos packing may simply consist as shown in Figures 6 and 7 of a
tube having a flange N, the tubular part of which surrounds the piston rod and
forms a joint at this point, while the flange, which may be more or less inclined
relatively to the tubular part Q is clamped between the box P and the cap L as in
Figure 6 so as to make a tight joint between them.
The flange N as above stated, may be more or less inclined relatively to the
tubular part Q which surrounds the rod. When it is turned at a right angle it may
form a fixed joint between the cap and the box while making an elastic joint with
the movable rod, which is very advantageous for boxes of small dimensions; it may
be the same if the flange has a smaller inclination, but in this latter case the packing,
outside its elastic joint, may form only a single fixed joint on the cap itself, this cap
making at another point upon the box a fixed joint designed to complete the
tightness of this box, (see Figure 7).
I may of course place my packing either interiorly or exteriorly; in case the
cylinder is vertical and the packing must be placed at the bottom of the cylinder
it is preferable to arrange it in the interior of the cylinder, care being taken to
provide upon the inner face of the piston a cavity in order that the piston may not
be stopped by the packing which forms a projection on the lower face in the interior
of the said cylinder.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1st. The above-mentioned system of packing, of asbestos or other suitable
material for steam joints and especially characterized by the utilization of the
pressure of the steam for ensuring the tightness of the joint round the rod in motion
and if necessary against the sides of the box, this utilization having the effects which
have been hereinbefore set forth.
2nd. For the purpose of facilitating the mounting of the packing round rods in
motion, the division of the same into two or more parts the reduced extremities of
which overlap so as to finally produce a continuous packing.
Dated this 28th day of September 1894.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.