Improvements in Metallic Packings for the Stuffing Boxes and Analogous Parts of Steam and other Fluid Pressure Engines or Apparatus.
Year: 1887

page_text: Date of Application, 27th Oct., 1887
Complete Specification Left, 27th July, 1888
Complete Specification Accepted, 31st Aug., 1888
Improvements in Metallic Packings for the Stuffing Boxes and
Analogous Parts of Steam and other Fluid Pressure Engines or
Apparatus.
I, ALBERT WEBSTER, of No. 114 Salisbury Road, Wavertree, in the County of
Lancaster, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of my said invention to be as
follows:-
This Invention has reference to that class of metallic packings used for the stuffing
boxes of steam and other fluid pressure engines or apparatus which are constructed in
the form of one, two, or more metal rings in angularly-shaped segments such segments
being disposed in the stuffing box so as to break joint with each other and pressed
against the rod or other working part by a gland.
According to this Invention the packing is constructed of separate sets of rings in
segments. One of these sets serves as the bearing pieces which I term the working
rings and the others serve to form the means or bodies, upon which the bearing pieces
rest and by which they are fed up to the work; these I term feeding rings. The
segments of the working rings are of such a form in cross section that they can be fed
up by the feeding rings to the surface upon which they have to work as they become
worn. The ends of the segments forming a ring are also constructed so that this
object may be effected.
In order that this may be done the rings are made in the form of a truncated cone
in cross section the base of which would form the bearing surface and the flattened
apex would come next the metal of the stuffing box. The feeding rings being made
to bear and touch the inclined, or coned surfaces of the working rings, as these rings
wear, and are fed up, the edges of the feeding rings will approach each other and the
proportion of these and the working rings is such that by the time these edges touch
or nearly touch each other the working rings will require renewal. The cross section
of the intermediate feeding rings presents a triangular formation but those above and
below the working rings will be of a formation that will suit the stuffing box and

page_text: gland. I provide holes or equivalent means in or in connection with the rings so that
they may be easily withdrawn by suitable instruments from the stuffing boxes.
I prefer to employ in connection with the packing above described a little soft
packing between the gland and the upper feeding ring, and a little between the neck
bush and the bottom feeding ring.
Some of the advantages attending the use of this packing above described are
(1) that the working packing rings can be adjusted to the rod until worn to a very
great extent (2) when the working rings become worn out the feeding rings are still
in good condition hence the working rings are the only rings that require to be
renewed (3) a large bearing surface is presented to the rod or other part upon
which it works and (4) the length of life or durability of the packing is very
considerable.
Dated this 26th day of October 1887

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Metallic Packings for the Stuffing Boxes and
Analogous Parts of Steam and other Fluid Pressure Engines or
Apparatus.
I, ALBERT WEBSTER, of 114 Salisbury Road, Wavertree, in the County of
Lancaster, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of my said invention 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 reference to that class of metallic packings used for the stuffing
boxes of steam and other fluid pressure engines or apparatus, which are constructed in
the form of one two, or more metal rings in angularly shaped segments such segments
being disposed in the stuffing box so as to break joint with each other and pressed
against the rod or other working part by a gland.
According to this invention the packing is constructed of separate sets of rings in
segments. One of these sets serves as the bearing pieces which I term the working
rings, and the others serve to form the means or bodies, upon which the bearing
pieces rest and by which they are fed up to the work; these I term feeding rings.
The segments of the working rings are of such a form in cross section that they can
he fed up by the feeding rings to the surface upon which they have to work as they
become worn. The ends of the segments forming a ring are also constructed so that
this object may be affected.
In order that this may be done the rings are made in the form of a truncated cone in
cross section the base of which would form the bearing surface and the flattened apex
would come next the metal of the stuffing box. The feeding rings being made to bear
and touch the inclined or coned surfaces of the working rings as these rings wear, and
are fed up, the edges of the feeding rings will approach each other and the proportion
of these and the working rings is such that by the time these edges touch or nearly
touch each other the working rings will require renewal. The cross section of the
intermediate feeding rings presents a triangular formation, but those above and below
the working rings will be of a formation that will suit the stuffing box and gland.
I provide holes or equivalent means in or in connection with the rings so that they
may be easily withdrawn by suitable instruments from the stuffing boxes.
I prefer to employ in connection with the packing above described a little soft
packing between the gland and the upper feeding ring, and a little between the neck
bush and the bottom feeding ring.
Some of the advantages attending the use of this packing above described are
(1) that the working packing rings can be adjusted to the rod until worn to a very
great extent, (2) when the working rings become worn out the feeding rings are still
in good condition, hence the working rings are the only rings that require to be
renewed, (3) a large bearing surface is presented to the rod or other part upon which
it works, and (4) the length of life or durability of the packing is very considerable.

page_text: Examples of packing embodying my invention are given in the accompanying
drawings, which serve to illustrate my invention. The views show a piston rod, gland
provided with packing according to my invention.
In the drawings Figure 1 is a sectional elevation and Figure 2 is a plan of the
stuffing box of a cylinder provided with packing according to my invention; and
Figures 3 and 4 are respectively sectional elevation and plan of a modified construction
of same.
With reference to the drawings A designates the rod, B the stuffing box and C the
gland E are the "working" rings, and F the feeding rings, both of which are in
three parts arranged to break joint with each other in the usual manner. H is the
ring of "soft" packing, and I designates twine or rope or yarn which is wound round
in grooves formed in the back of the rings; this is provided chiefly to hold the pieces
of the rings together when inserting or removing them. It will be observed the
rings E are made in the form of a truncated cone in cross section, the base of which
forms the bearing or rubbing surface for the rod A, and the flattened apex comes next
the metal of the stuffing box. By this construction when, after the rings E have
become worn, the gland is "tightened up," the rings F will be caused to approach
each other, and thereby through the inclined surface of both rings the working
rings E will be pressed towards the rod. If then the flatened apex of the rings E
be made of sufficient width, if for instance it be made of the width in proportion
to the whole, shown in the drawing, the extent of adjustment which they would be
capable of receiving will be such, that by the time the edges of the rings F touch
or nearly touch each other, the working rings E would require renewal.
With reference to Figures 3 and 4 the rings E are provided with grooves e¹, these
grooves serve to hold lubricant and liquid and tend to prevent steam passing or
escaping.
The lower feeding ring F may if desired be made to form a part of the neck bush
of a piston rod stuffing box.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said Inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, 1 declare that what I
claim is
1. The packing herein described, consisting of one or more segmental "working"
rings E, and one or more feeding rings F, said rings being arranged in a stuffing box
as described, and said rings E having a cross sectional area in the form of a truncated
cone and arranged in a stuffing box; substantially as set forth.
2. In a packing for stuffing boxes wherein a number of "feeding" and "working"
rings are employed, grooves e¹, formed in the working face of the said working rings,
substantially as set forth.
"
3. In a packing for stuffing boxes wherein a number of "feeding" and "working
rings are employed, the providing of grooves in the back of said rings, substantially as
and for the purposes set forth.
Dated this 26th day of Tul, 1000