Improvements in Metallic Packing for Piston and Valve Rods of Steam Engines, and in Stuffing Boxes therefor.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 13th Oct., 1894
Complete Specification Lelt, 19th Nov., 1894-Accepted, 22nd Dec.. 1894
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Metallic Packing for Piston and Valve Rods of
Steam Engines, and in Stuffing Boxes therefor.
1, GEORGE WATSON MANUEL, of Eildon, Catford, in the County of Kent,
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
My invention has reference to an improved construction of metallic packing for
the piston and slide valve rods of steam engines which is intended obviate the
defects of metallic packing heretofore employed. I have observed and experienced
considerable trouble in keeping ordinary metallic packing steam tight and durable
during long voyages, and my present invention has for its object so to construct the
packing and the stuffing boxes therefor that these shall work perfectly steam tight
during an entire journey without requiring adjustment, so that the packing can be
adjusted before starting and then be closed up so that it cannot be tampered with
during the journey.
For this purpose I construct the packing and stuffing box as follows:
The packing consists of two sets of metal rings of which those of the one set, or
floating rings, are made to bear steam tight against the piston or valve rod and, free
of the stuffing box sides while the other set is free of the rod and is made to bear
steam tight against the cylindrical lining of the stuffing box, the floating rings
being made to alternate with those of the other set. They have all flat ground
faces that work steam tight upon each other. The floating rings that bear against
the piston or valve rod, are preferably divided into three parts fitting against each
other with flat faces and kept against the rod by suitable spring pressure. By
preference, on starting I so arrange these rings that the joints of their parts are
slightly open, so that they can wear slightly against the rod until they accurately
fit it, when the butt joints of the parts coming together, any material further wear
will cease. The second set of rings may be made solid, of one piece, or for
convenience of fixing, they may be of two pieces secured together by screws.
When the rings are placed in position in the packing box the gland fitting into
the latter is accurately adjusted by means of "liners so as to hold the rings in
steam tight contact with each other while allowing the floating rings in contact
with the piston rod to shift laterally between the other set, and the gland is then
locked in that position before starting, no further adjustment being necessary during
the journey.
By preference I construct the gland with a second small stuffing box with a few
turns of ordinary packing, so as to prevent any leakage of steam on first starting,
until the floating rings have ground true on to the piston rod as described.
The above described packing can also be used in Manuel and Marshall's stuffing
box described in the Specification to Patent No. 6474 of 1885.
Dated this 13th day of October 1894.
1
ABEL & IMRAY,
Agents for the Applicant

page_text: Improvements in Metallic Packing for Piston and Valve Rods of
Steam Engines, and in Stuffing Boxes therefor.
1, GEORGE WATSON MANUEL, of Eildon, Catford, in the County of Kent,
Engineer, 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 has reference to an improved construction of metallic packing for
the piston and slide valve rods of steam engines which is intended to obviate the
defects of metallic packing heretofore employed. I have observed and experienced
considerable trouble in keeping ordinary metallic packing steam tight and durable
under high pressure during long voyages, and my present invention has for its
object so to construct the packing and the stuffing boxes therefore that these shall
work perfectly steam tight during an entire journey without requiring adjustment,
80 that the packing can be adjusted before starting and then be closed up so that
it cannot be tampered with during the journey.
For this purpose I construct the packing and stuffing box as follows:-
The packing consists of two sets of metal rings of which those of the one set, or
floating rings, are made to bear steam tight against the piston or valve rod and free
of the stuffing box sides while the other set is free of the rod and is made to bear
steam tight against the cylindrical lining of the stuffing box, the floating rings
being made to alternate with those of the other set. They have all flat faces that
work steam tight upon each other. The floating rings that bear against the piston
or valve rod, are preferably divided into three parts fitting against each other with
flat faces and kept against the rod by suitable spring pressure. By preference, on
starting I so arrange these rings that the joints of their parts are slightly open, so
that they can wear slightly against the rod until they accurately fit it, when, the
butt joints of the parts coming together, any material further wear will cease.
The second set of rings. may be made solid, of one piece, or for convenience of
fixing, they may be of two pieces secured together by screws.
Fig. 1 of the accompanying drawing shews a vertical section of a stuffing box with
metallic packing constructed according to my above described invention. Figs. 2
and 3 shew cross sections respectively on lines X X and Y Y Fig. 1.
The stuffing box A is fitted with an accurately turned lining B, and in it are
fitted the two sets of metallic packing rings CCC and D D D, alternating with
each other.
The rings C C are made to fit round the piston rod E, and are divided into three
segments, as shewn at Fig. 3, these being held together and against the piston rod
by a helical spring F embracing them. The abutting surfaces of the segments are
preferably made inclined as shewn, and they are so arranged that on first starting,
they are slightly apart, so that they can wear against the piston rod until they fit
it accurately, when the abutting edges come together, any further material wear is
prevented.
The outer periphery of the rings C are not in contact with the lining of the
stuffing box, so that they are free to shift laterally between the rings D.
The latter on the other hand are made a working fit against the lining of the
stuffing box, but are not in contact with the piston rod at their inner circumference.

page_text: For convenience, they are made in two halves, secured tightly together by screws
as shewn at Fig. 2. The two sets of rings are held in position in the stuffing box
by the gland G so that they fit steam tight against each other on their flat faces,
while allowing sufficient freedom to the rings C to shift laterally between the other
set D, suitable liners H being fitted between the flange of the gland G and the
stuffing box A; the gland is then locked in that position before starting, no farther
adjustment being necessary during the voyage. The gland G is by preference
formed with a second small stuffing box G' having a few turns of ordinary packing
so as to prevent any leakage of steam that might occur on first starting, owing to
the rings C then not fitting the piston rod quite accurately.
Fig. 4 shews the combination of my above described improved packing with a
stuffing box I fitted in the space between the high and low pressure cylinders of a
tandem engine. A similar construction of stuffing box has been before employed in
combination with a different construction of.metallic packing, in which a conical
adjusting ring was employed for adjusting the packing from time to time, such ring
being adjusted by means of screws screwing through the sides of the stuffing box.
According to my present invention dispense with such adjusting rings and
screws, as the metallic packing being constructed as above described requires no
further adjustment after it has been fitted in place on starting.
The packing consists of two set of rings C C and D D constructed and operating
in precisely the same manner as previously described that is to say, the rings C C
being made to fit the piston rod, while the rings D D are made to fit the stuffing
box, and the rings are secured in position by the introduction of suitable liners K
in the one end of the stuffing box. This is made in halves for convenience of fitting,
and is made to fit between the cylinder covers J J¹ by suitable liners at L.
Fig. 5 shows a modification of the arrangement described with reference to
Figs. 1 to 3, suitable for smaller rods, the rings CD being in this case enclosed in
a box M divided in half longitudinally and fitting the ordinary stuffing box A so
as to leave a space A' below, constituting the second stuffing box containing the
ordinary fibrous packing, which is held in position by the gland G. NN are
threaded holes in the box M for the reception of handles for withdrawing the box
when required.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :―
1. A metallic packing for piston and valve rods, composed of two sets of metal
packing rings, the one set of which is made to fit round the piston rod and is clear
of the stuffing box while the other set is made to fit the stuffing box and is clear of
the piston rod, the rings of the one set being arranged to alternate with those of
the other set and made to fit with flat surfaces steam tight upon each other,
substantially as described.
2. In combination with metallic packing such as is referred to in the preceding
claim, a stuffing box having a turned lining against which the one set of the packing
rings is made to fit steam tight and whose gland is adjusted by means of liners to
hold the two sets of packing rings closely in contact while allowing the rings fitting
the piston rod freedom to shift laterally between the other set, substantially as
described.
3. A stuffing box gland having a second small stuffing box formed on its outer
end, to prevent leakage from the main stuffing box, substantially as described.
4. The combination of the metallic packing referred to in the first claim, a
stuffing box fitted between the covers of the high and low pressure cylinders of a
tandem engine, the said stuffing box being divided longitudinally into two halves
and provided with liners for accurately adjusting the packing rings so as to be
closely in contact with each other while allowing the rings in contact with the
piston rod freedom to shift laterally between the others, substantially as described.

page_text: 5. In metallic packing such as is referred to in the first claim, constructing the
packing rings that are in contact with the piston rod in separate segments fitting
with butt joints against each other, substantially as and for the purpose described.
Dated this 19th day of November 1894.
ABEL & IMRAY,
Agents for the Applicant.