AN IMPROVED PACKING FOR STUFFING BOXES AND OTHER PURPOSES
Year: 1873

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Franz Maass and Albert Flos, both of Berlin, in
the Kingdom of Prussia, for the Invention of "AN IMPROVED PACKING
FOR STUFFING BOXES AND OTHER PURPOSES."
Sealed the 27th January 1874, and dated the 18th October 1873.
.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Franz Maass and
Albert Flos at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with
their Petition, on the 18th October 1873.
We, FRANZ MAASS and ALBERT FLOS, both of Berlin, in the Kingdom
of Prussia, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "AN
IMPROVED PACKING FOR STUPPING BOXES AND OTHER PURPOSES," to be as
follows:-
Our Invention relates to an improved lubricative packing for stuffing
boxes and similar purposes, and consists more particularly in the employ-
ment of glycerine in combination with asbestos, soapstone, steatite,
plumbago, or other equivalent substance in powder, and a loose spun
fibrous material to form the packing.

page_text: The fibrous material is first saturated with glycerine, after which it is
formed into a rope by twisting, braiding, plaiting, or otherwise, at the
same time that it is impregnated with the powdered substance; or it
may be first saturated with glycerine and afterwards impregnated with
the powdered substance. After this saturation and impregnation the
rope is glazed by immersion in a bath of paraffin, stearine, spermaceti,
wax, tallow, starch, or equivalent material, and may or may not be pro-
vided with a braided, woven, or knitted covering.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Franz Maass and Albert Flos in the Great Seal
Patent Office on the 18th April 1874.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, FRANZ
MAASS and ALBERT FLOS, both of Berlin, in the Kingdom of Prussia,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Eighteenth day of October, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-three, in the
thirty-seventh year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and succes-
sors, give and grant- unto us, the said Franz Maass and Albert Flos,
Her special licence that we, the said Franz Maass and Albert Flos,
our executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as we, the
said Franz Maass and Albert Flos, our executors, administrators, and
assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others, from time to
time and at all times thereafter during the term therein. expressed,
should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend, within the
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands,
and Isle of Man, an Invention for "AN IMPROVED PACKING FOR STUFFING
BOXES AND OTHER PURPOSES," upon the condition (amongst others) that we,
the said Franz Maass and Albert Flos, our executors or administrators,
by an instrument in writing under our, or their, or one of their hands
and seals, should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the
said Invention, and in what manner the same was to be performed,
and cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within
six calendar months next and immediately after the date of the said
Letters Patent.

page_text: C. NOW KNOW YE, that we, the said Franz Maass and Albert Flos,
do hereby declare the nature of our said Invention, and in what manner
the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement, that is to say:-
Our Invention relates to an improved lubricative packing for stuffing
boxes and similar purposes, and consists in the employment of glycerine
in combination with powdered asbestos, soapstone, steatite, plumbago,
or other mineral substance usually employed (or any two or more of
these powdered substances), and a loose spun fibrous material to form
the packing.
The mode of making this packing is as follows:-The; strands of
fibrous material, which may consist either of cotton wool, hemp, jute, or
flax, are first thoroughly saturated with glycerine by being passed
through a bath of that substance, and are then submitted to the action
of a centrifugal machine to remove any superfluity, after which they
are formed into a rope or gasket by twisting, braiding, plaiting, or in
other suitable manner. While this rope or gasket is in course of forma-
tion it is impregnated with the powdered substances before mentioned,
which are fed thereto at the point where the plaiting, twisting, or
braiding is being effected, the external interstices of the rope or gasket
being filled up with a paste made of the powdered substances mixed
with liquid starch. After this saturation and impregnation the rope,
which may or may not be provided with a braided, woven, or knitted
covering, may be glazed by immersion in a bath of melted paraffin,
stearine, spermaceti, wax, tallow, or starch.
The great advantage of this improved packing is derived from the
·lubricative properties of the glycerine with which the fibrous material is
saturated, as the glycerine is not only an excellent lubricant but it will
withstand the heat and keep the piston rod or other surface against
which the packing is compressed cool and clean.
Having described the nature of the said Invention, and the manner
of performing the same, we would observe that we are aware that
packings composed of a rope of fibrous material impregnated with
powdered asbestos, soapstone, and plumbago have already been used
and we therefore make no claim to the exclusive employment of packing
so composed, our Invention consisting, as before mentioned, in the
application of glycerine in combination therewith; and what we there-

page_text: fore claim as our Invention to be protected by the herein-before in part
recited Letters Patent is, an improved packing for stuffing boxes and
similar purposes consisting of a rope or gasket of fibrous material
saturated with glycerine and impregnated with a powdered substance or
substances as herein specified.
In witness whereof, we, the said Franz Maass and Albert Flos,
have hereunto set our hands and seals, this Thirteenth day of
April, in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and
seventy-four.