AN IMPROVED PACKING FOR PISTONS, PISTON RODS, AND OTHER RODS
Year: 1870

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Scaife, of Leeds, in the County of Yorkshire,
for the Invention of "AN IMPROVED PACKING FOR PISTONS, PISTON RODS,
AND OTHER RODS."
Sealed the 2nd December 1870, and dated the 9th June 1870.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Scaife at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
9th June 1870.
I, JOHN SCAIFE, of Leeds, in the County of Yorkshire, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention for "AN IMPROVED PACKING FOR
PISTONS, PISTON RODS, AND OTHER RODS," to be as follows:-
My Invention consists in using woollen, woollen flocks, woollen waste,
or woollen refuse of any kind, or any woollen material whatsoever for the
manufacture of my improved packing.
There are several forms of manufacture which may be used, but by
preference I use the following:-
I spin, weave, or knit the substances herein named into a flat, round,.
or other sectional form of band, which can be cut into any length.

page_text: suitable for the packing of pistons or stuffing boxes; the packing thus
formed I use for pistons, rods, or stuffing boxes in the usual way.
Or I spin, weave, or knit the substances herein named into rings of
various diameters suitable for different sizes of pistons, stuffing boxes,
or rods.
The advantages are greater durability and elasticity, a diminution of
friction, and less destructibility from heat than packing manufactured
from vegetable fibre; further, being an animal substance it is self-
lubricating.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, 1
filed by the said John Scaife in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
8th December 1870.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN
SCAIFE, of Leeds, in the County of Yorkshire, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Ninth day of June, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy, in the thirty-third
year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and
grant unto me, the said John Scaife, Her special licence that I, the
said John Scaife, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such
others as I, the said John Scaife, my 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 PISTONS, PISTON RODS,
AND OTHER RODS," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said
John Scaife, my executors or administrators, by an instrument in
writing under my, 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 Scal Patent Office within six calendar months
next and immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said John Scaife, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be

page_text: performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement thereof, that is to say :-
My Invention consists in using woollen, woollen flocks, woollen waste,
or woollen refuse or any kind, or any woollen material whatsoever for
the manufacture of my improved packing.
There are several forms of manufacture which may be used, but by
preference I use the following:-
I spin, weave, or knit the substances herein named into a flat, round,
or other sectional form of band, which can be cut into any length
suitable for the packing of pistons or stuffing boxes. The packing thus
formed I use for pistons, rods, or stuffing boxes in the usual way.
Or I spin, weave, or knit the substances herein named into rings of
various diameters suitable for different sizes of pistons, stuffing boxes
or rods.
The advantages are greater durability and elasticity, a diminution of
friction, and less destructibility from heat than packing manufactured
from vegetable fibre; further, being an animal substance it is self-
lubricating.
And in order that my said Invention may be clearly understood, I
shall now proceed to describe the several illustrative Figures on the
accompanying Sheet of Drawings.
Figures 1 and 2 are sections of the packing in rings, shewing the
construction of same. a, a, shew the substance forming the body or
basis of the packing; b, b, casing enclosing same.
Figure 3, plan of packing ring, and Figure 4 elevation shewing the
ring cut on one side c so as to facilitate the packing being got into the
stuffing boxes in this form.
Figure 5, section of stuffing box shewing the packing rings d, d, as
used.
The mode and form in which I prefer to manufacture my improved
packing is the following:-I form the materials into rings to suit the
various sizes of stuffing boxes and rods for which they may be required.
The body or core of the packing a, a, is of woollen materials of any kind
strongly saturated with a composition of tallow or other fatty matter,
with blacklcad or plumbago. I cover this with a woollen casing b, b,
and place in suitable moulds. Whilst the rings are in the moulds I

page_text: subject them to pressure, by which process they are solidified and
rendered hard and durable. When the packing is required for pumps I
prefer to use sulpher in combination with the other materials.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of my
said Invention, and the manner in which the same is or may be used or
carried into practice, I would observe in conclusion that what consider
to be novel and original, and therefore claim as the Invention secured to
me by the herein-before in part recited Letters Patent is, the construction
and application of packing composed of woollen materials of any kind,
substantially and for the purpose herein-before described and set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Scaife, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Sixth day of December, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy.