Improvements in Flange Packings and the like.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 19th Nov., 1894
101:
'Complete Specification Left. 19th Aug., 1895-Accepted; 21st Sept., 1895
Improvements in Flange Packings and the like.
We JULES PROSPER GAUTHIER, NESTOR HENRIOT, and ANTOINE
JOURDANET of the Firm of Gauthier & Cie., 10 Rue Corne de Cerf, Lyons in
the Republic of France, Manufacturers do hereby declare the nature of this inven-
tion to be as follows:-
14
The improved packing made according to this invention is intended to be placed
between any two flanges or meeting surfaces for the purpose of providing and
maintaining a close joint without the use of any additional mastic, cement or like
matter.
The packing is made to conform to the shape of the meeting surfaces and
consists of a flat piece or plate of asbestos fibre or other similar or equivalent
material, over each face of which is placed or wrapt a similarly shaped piece of
sheet lead or other malleable metal of similar properties, which piece or pieces may
also cover or enclose one or both edges of the asbestos or similar plate, the whole
being completed by addition of a copper or similar resistant metal strip or ring of
U shape or channel section brought into intimate contact with the lead or
equivalent surface plates to protect either the inside or the outside edge of the
packing according as it is required to withstand pressure or chemical or similar
action from the inside or the outside respectively.
Dated this 19th day of November 1894.
HERBERT HADDAN & Co.,
Agents to Applicants.
We JULES PROSPER GAUTHIER, NESTOR HENRIOT, and ANTOINE
JOURDANET of the Firm of Gauthier & Cie., 10 Rue Corne de Cerf, Lyons in
the Republic of France, Manufacturers, 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 :-
Among the different kinds of packings for joints hitherto made, that which
offers the greatest solidity and durability, is the metalloplastic joint consisting of a
compressible material which is provided by compression or any other means, with
a metallic covering in one or more pieces, but always of the same material. This
combination has very great inconveniences which have led many engineers and
manufacturers to discard it from practical use.
Such inconveniences are:
1. With the packing with copper covering it is impossible to obtain a perfect
tightness without employing some kind of cement to cover the surfaces with; the
copper, although a malleable metal, lacks plasticity and thus is not suitable to
insure perfect tightness.
2. The joint with lead covering, in its application to flanges etc., does not offer a
sufficient resistance to steam at its exposed surfaces, as the steam will directly attack

page_text: the lead and rapidly transform it into litharge thus laying bare the compressible
material which is equally unfit to withstand for any length of time the action of
steam or any liquids that it may come in contact with; lead is apt also to easily
give way and split under the pressure exerted on the compressible material by the
holding bolts, and, as thus the said material is then no longer protected by the
metallic covering, it is soon destroyed.
In our new system these various inconveniences are not met with, the following
combination being employed:
The new joint which we have termed the bimetallic joint, is represented in the
annexed drawing, and consists of a packing A of asbestos or any other compressible
material.
Two parallel plates or washers R, of lead or any other metal or plastic material
adapted to isolate or enclose the said compressible material, thereby still preserving
its plasticity and elasticity without its having contact with the meeting surfaces.
The joint further consists of an inserted ring C, of copper or any other material
having the resistance of copper and suitable or adapted to bring together the
washers R on the packing A, also to preserve the compressible material from the
different causes of destruction which would result from its immediate contact with
the liquids or gases which the joint has to stop.
We thus obtain, with this combination, a joint with very plastic surfaces which
permits of obtaining, by a moderate pressure, an absolutely perfect tightness
without necessitating the use of any cement; on the other hand, we protect in an
absolute manner that part of the packing which has contact with the steam,
without impairing its elasticity and plasticity.
This system of packing is applicable to conduit pipes, man holes, doors and the
like, heater tubes; also to valve cocks, to cylinder heads, to casings of generators
with removeable furnace and to similar purposes, the protecting ring C being as
required, placed at the inside edge as is shown in section and plan respectively in
Figs. 1 and 2, or at the outside edge as is illustrated in Figs. 3 & 4 of the
accompanying drawing.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is :
The construction of the bimetallic packing of the three parts ARC as above
described and illustrated in the drawings, for the purposes set forth.
Dated this 19th day of Aust 1999,
HERBERT HADDAN & Co.,
18 Buckingham Street, Strand, London, W.C.,
Agents to Applicants.