Metallic Packing.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 23rd Aug., 1897-Accepted, 30th Oct., 1897
Metallic Packing.
T, CHARLES ARTHUR ALLISON, Patent Agent, of 52 Chancery Lane, London, in
the County of Middlesex, do hereby declare the nature of this invention, (which
has been communicated to me from abroad by Joseph Thomas Naylor Angell, of
No. 7 Temple Court, Beekman Street in the City of New York, State of New York,
U.S.A., Manufacturer), and in what manner the same is to be performed, to he
particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement:--
My invention relates to Metallic Packing for use in the stuffing boxes of shafts,
rods and analogous parts of machinery.
It consists essentially in two rings, one arranged within the other, their adjacent
curved faces being formed at an angle to their other curved faces. They in fact
constitute two circular wedges with an inclined plane at one face only of each
and with the inclined plane of one in contact with the inclined plane of the other
but oppositely set.
In the drawings Figure 1, is a side elevation of a shaft and a central vertical
longitudinal sectional view of a stuffing box and gland and a series of packing
rings embodying one form of my invention;
Figure 2, is an upper face view of one pair of the rings of said packing, the
interior one shown in four sections and the outer one in two;
Figure 3, is a perspective view of a portion of one of said outer rings;
Figure 4, is a similar view of a portion of one of said inner rings;
Figure 5, is a perspective view of four pairs of such rings in a stack;
Figure 6, is a view similar to Figure I but representing the rings in the posi-
tion which they occupy when some wear has reduced the inner faces of the inner
rings and they have consequently shifted their positions;
Figure 7, is a view similar to Figure 1, of a shaft and a set of rings of modified
form, and
Figure 8 is a similar view of another modification.
S, is any shaft which is to be packed, B, is the stuffing box and G, its gland.
In the bottom of the box I preferably place a ring R, made in two sections,
its outer diameter being equal to that of the interior diameter of the box and its
interior diameter to that of the shaft. This ring is used to fill the rounded bottom
of the box and make a perfectly flat base or seat for the rings.
In some instances it is entirely omitted. Its inner edge on the flat side is per-
fectly cut away to permit the inward movement of the inner rings of the pairs
constituting the packing.
My packing rings are preferably constructed in sections that they may be put
in place without requiring to be passed over the end of the shaft. The outer
ring P, has its convex surface similar to that of a plain cylinder of such a diameter
as to closely fit within the wall of the stuffing box within which it is to be used,
but its inner face is concave and cut at an angle to the outer surface, which may
be that shown or more or less inclined as may be desired, care being taken that it
shall not be so great as to require a great movement to take up slight wear of the

page_text: inner ring (which it does as will be described) nor so slight as to require too great
pressure to cause the desired movement of said inner ring. This inner face, in
section, may be bounded by a single straight line (as shown in Figure 7) it may
have a double inclination (as shown in Figure 8) or it may (as I prefer to have it)
be formed of two lines inclined from the outer face united by a single line, prefer-
ably at right angles to said face (as shown in Figures 1 and 6). Beside the inner
and outer faces, it preferably has upper and lower faces at right angles to the line
bounding the outer face, in order to form on one ring, a bearing for the next,
several being generally used together. It may have on or in its inner face a
groove g, as in Fig. 3or a recess as in Fig. 7 and on its outer face one or
more, usually two niches or slots &s, extending entirely about its periphery, and
when a series of rings are used I prefer to make on the bottom a projection t, and
on the top a nichen, to fit it, that their adjustment one to the other may be
maintained. It is preferably made of brass.
The inner ring P, is the complement of the outer ring its inner face is convex
and, in section, is bounded by a straight line, and provided with one or more
slots. Its upper and lower faces are preferably planes and at right angles to
the line bounding its inner face (in section) its outer face is arranged to substan-
tially fit the inner face of the outer ring being inclined to its own inner face at
the same angle (when reversely considered) that the inclined face of the outer
ring has to its outer face. If the outer ring has a groove or recess the inner one
will be provided with a feather f, or pin p, to enter it but said feather or pin will
not fit the slot or recess tightly as that would prevent the adjustment to be here-
after described. The inclination of the wedge like faces as they extend toward
the bottom of the box is preferably toward the interior of the ring, except in the
form shown in Figure 8, and even then the acting faces are thus inclined, the
others being for the time inactive. This interior ring I prefer to construct of
Babbit or analogous metal and in three or more sections (I have shown four)
and to cut away slightly the adjacent faces of the several sections as shown in
Figure 2.
Having arranged a series of these compound rings in the box I preferably put
above them a metal ring R₁ made in two sections, its lower face of a diameter
less than that of the upper face of the outer ring, that it may not bear thereon,
and above it a ring of soft packing 13, and then serew down the gland until all
parts bear properly.
A spiral spring surrounding the rod might be substituted for this ring R, or
for ring R, or several spiral springs--say one for each section of the packing ring,
interposed between the respective sections and the gland (or the end of the box,
as the case may be) and evenly disposed between the wall of the stuffing box and
the rod. The inclined faces of the wedge rings might be arranged to constitute
a screw thread instead of in the form shown, but I am satisfied that of Figure 1,
is to be preferred.
The operation is manifest. As the interior rings are worn away by friction,
the gland may be turned down further, thus forcing said inner rings further
down in the stuffing box, but as they are thus forced down the action of their inclined
faces against the inclined faces of the outer rings (which as shown are fixed and
cannot move) crowds the inner rings more tightly upon the shaft and the outer
rings more tightly against the wall of the box. The adjacent edges or ends of
the sections of the inner rings being bevelled as described, the sections can move
inward until they impinge upon the shaft and thus it is kept tightly packed and
though there will be a separation between the adjacent upper and lower faces of
the different rings of the series (as shown in Figure 6) that separation will be of
only a portion of the theretofore bearing faces and will not leave an opening
entirely through from one side to the other of any one ring and will not there-
fore be objectionable.
I have said that the outer rings as shown cannot move and I prefer to so
arrange them, but it is plain that the crowding could be accomplished by holding

page_text: the inner rings from longitudinal movement on the shaft and moving the outer
ones further into the stuffing box, but in such event the inclination of the wedge
like faces of the two rings would need to be reversed.
As the rings are in section it is of course desirable to break joints not only as
between the outer ring and the inner one of one pair but also "between one pair
of rings and the next pair of the series. This may be easily done in placing the
packing in position, but to maintain the parts with joints properly broken I have
provided the feather or pin on one portion and the slot or groove or recess on the
other of one pair and the projection on one face of one and the niche in the face
of the next of the series of rings which effectually insures that the original
arrangement shall be maintained, though provision must be made for permitting
the movement of one ring of the pair upon the other, this may readily be done
by forming the groove or recess somewhat larger than the feather or pin. The
bevelling of the ends of the sections of the inner ring is on such an angle that as
the parts wear away the inner faces of the sections of the ring where the ends
touch will just closely encircle the shaft without leaving open spaces between.
The required angle may be readily calculated upon knowing the size of the
shaft and the number of sections.
I prefer the form of ring shown in Figures 1 and 6 for this reason. In placing
the packing, the gland may be run back, the sections of packing placed one after
the other upon the shaft and all being arranged in proper order, a slight cord or
piece of spring wire will hold them together until they are forced into the stuffing
box and secured, the locking of one part in the other effectually preventing any
portion from escaping when they have once been placed about the shaft, but if
the form of Figure 7 were used, without pins, though the parts were properly
placed and secured as described, there would be nothing to prevent the sections of
the last interior ring from falling out if the mouth of the box were downward,
and thereby occasioning trouble, before the whole stack could be pushed into the
stuffing box and secured.
The circumferential grooves in the outer rings and the corresponding interior
grooves in the inner ring gradually accumulate and hold a ring of water which
once collected acts as a water seal against the passage of steam between the pack-
ing and the wall of the box on the one side and the shaft and the packing on the
other.
The great advantage of this packing however is that at all times, each compound
ring has a bearing upon the shaft and upon the box and the work is not performed
by one piece which bears at one side and several others bearing upon the other
side and thereby unequally distributing the work, and rendering the packing less
durable and less effective.
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. A metallic packing, composed of an inner and an outer ring, each in
section, the inner face of the first and the outer face of the second being adapted,
as described, to fit respectively the shaft to be packed, and the stuffing box, and
the contiguous faces of said inner and outer rings, being in the form of inclined
planes, with their high points reversely set, all substantially as set forth.
2. A metallic packing, composed of an inner and an outer ring, each in section,
the inner face of the first and the outer face of the second being adapted, as
described, to fit respectively the shaft to be packed and the stuffing box, and the
contiguous faces of said inner and outer rings, being in the form of inclined
planes with their high points reversely set, each provided with water seal grooves,
all substantially as set forth.
3. A metallic packing, composed of an inner and an outer ring, each in section,
the inner face of the first and the outer face of the second being adapted, as
described, to fit respectively the shaft to be packed, and the stuffing box, and the

page_text: contiguous faces of said inner and outer rings, each being in the form of two
inclined planes, with the high points of the inclined planes of one ring, reversely
set to the high points of the inclined planes of the other ring, all substantially
as set forth.
4. A metallic packing, composed of an inner and an outer ring, each in section,
the inner face of the first and the outer face of the second being adapted, as
described, to fit respectively the shaft to be packed, and the stuffing box, and the
contiguous faces of said inner and outer rings, each being in the form of two
similar inclined planes, with the high points of the inclined planes of one ring,
reversely set to the high points of the inclined planes of the other ring, all sub-
stantially as set forth."
5. A metallic packing, composed of an inner and an outer ring, each in section,
the inner face of the first and the outer face of the second being adapted, as
described, to fit respectively the shaft to be packed and the stuffing box, and the
contiguous faces of said inner and outer rings, being in the form of inclined
planes, with their high points reversely set, and provided respectively with pro-
jections and recesses, all substantially as set forth.
6. A metallic packing, composed of an inner and an outer ring, each in section,
the inner face of the first and the outer face of the second being adapted, as
described, to fit respectively the shaft to be packed and the stuffing box, and the
contiguous faces of said inner and outer rings, being in the form of inclined
planes, with their high points reversely set, the adjacent edges of the several
sections of the inner ring being bevelled, all substantially as set forth. .
7. A metallic packing, composed of a series of compound rings, substantially as
set forth, the several rings of the series having notches and projections, all sub-
stantially as set forth.
S. A stuffing box packing, composed of a series of compound rings, substantially
as set forth, a ring adapted to be interposed between the bottom of the stuffing
box and one member of the lower pair of rings, and a second body adapted to
be interposed between the other member of the upper pairs of rings and the
gland, all substantially as set forth.
Dated this 23rd day of August 1897.
ALLISON BROS.,
Agents for the Applicant.