An Improved Method or Means for Effectively Packing Piston or other Rods of Marine or other Engines.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 10th Aug., 1889
Complete Specification Left, 10th May, 1890--Accepted, 9th Aug., 1890
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Method or Means for Effectively Packing Piston or
other Rods of Marine or other Engines.
I, SAMUEL ALBERT JOHNSON of 13 East India Road, Poplar, E. Marine Engineer,
do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
The object of this Invention is to give and secure a perfectly tight packing joint in
the glands or stuffing boxes against the piston or other rods or spindles of marine and
other engines, worked either by steam, water or other pressure, which I propose to
effect in the following manner.
I provide a circular internal and external casing or double cylinder of metal, one within
the other and connected or secured together, either of brass, copper or other suitable
material of the necessary proportion form and strength for the particular purpose and
made so as to be perfectly steam or pressure tight, having an annular space left or
formed between the inner and outer cases, which I place and fit within the stuffing
box, and then pack around the piston or other rod, and between the space provided or
given by the inner side of the said double cylinder or hollow casing, with engine
packing of the most approved class or description as may be found best suited for the
particular purpose, whether steam, gas, water or other power be employed. I fit and
provide a pipe or tube connection or connections to and through the side of the said
stuffing box leading into the said double cylinder or annular space formed between
same, and fitted in position in manner before referred to. The said pipe or tube
connection or connections would be suitably connected to the main delivery pipe
conveying the pressure in use from the boiler or as the case may be direct thereio,
and the pipe or tube connection would be fitted with a cock or valve so as to permit
of the main or direct pressure being admitted and regulated at will to the inner or
internal portion of the said double or hollow casing within the stuffing box, and by
means of the pressure given or exerted it is caused to act upon that portion of the
inner cylinder or casing which under pressure gives inwardly and bulges or presses
against the entire outer surface of the packing and so elastically and uniformly causes
it in return to press tightly against the piston or other rod, thereby giving a perfectly
reliable joint.
By the adoption of my method it will be found in practice to obviate what so
frequently occurs, viz. :-"Scoring" of the rods, caused by the packing being unequally
screwed or forced down, or otherwise, as in the ordinary manner, that by my plan the
friction upon the surface of the rods will be reduced to a minimum.
In some cases I may prefer to make the circular or hollow double cylinder provided
within the stuffing box or gland in segments and either lap jointed, tongued or
otherwise togetlier.
The inner portion or body of the double cylinder or hollow case and the upper or
top portion same may be either plain, corrugated or of other section as may be found
best and most suitable for the purpose.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Method or Means for Effectively Packing Piston or
other Rods of Marine or other Engines.
I, SAMUEL ALBERT JOHNSON of 13 East India Road, Poplar, E. in the County of
Middlesex, Marine 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 and accompanying Drawing:-
The object of this Invention is to secure and give a perfectly tight packing joint in

page_text: the glands or stuffing boxes against the piston or other rods or spindles of marine or
other engines, worked either by steam, water or other pressure, which I propose to
effect in the following manner.
I provide a circular internal and external casing or double cylinder of metal, one
within the other, either of copper, brass or other suitable metal or material of suitable
strength, proportion and diameter to suit the particular purpose, so as to be placed or
inserted and to fit within the stuffing box, an annular space being left or provided
between the inner and outer cylindrical cases, and made so as to be perfectly steam or
pressure tight. I then pack around the piston or other rod and between the space
provided or given by the inner lining or side of the said double cylinder or hollow
steam or pressure tight casing, with packing of the most approved and suitable class
or description as may be found best suited for the particular purpose, whether steam,
gas, water or other power be employed.
I fit and provide a pipe or tube connection or connections to and through the side
of the said stuffing box or gland, leading into the said pressure tight, double cylinder
or annular space fitted in position in manner before referred to. The said pipe or
Lube connection or connections would be suitably connected to the main delivery pipe
or tube conveying the pressure in use from the boiler, or as the case may be, direct
thereto, and the pipe or tube connection would be fitted with a cock or valve so as to
permit of the main direct pressure being admitted and regulated at will to the inner
or internal portion or body of the said double cylinder or case within the stuffing box,
and by means of the steam or other pressure given or exerted therein, it is caused to
act upon the entire surface or portion of the inner cylinder or casing, which under
said pressure is caused to yield and to a certain extent give inwardly, and so expands,
bulges or elastically presses against the entire outer surface of the packing, and causes
it in return to uniformly force or press tightly home against the piston or other rod,
thereby giving and securing a perfectly reliable joint.
By the adoption of my method, it will be found in practice to obviate that which so
frequently occurs, vis. :" Scoring" of the rods, caused by packing being unequally
screwed or forced down, or otherwise, and relieved from "excessive pressure," which
frequently occurs in the ordinary manner; and the friction upon the surface of the
rods will be reduced to a minimum.
In some cases I may prefer to make the circular hollow internal and external double
metal cylinders which I place within the stuffing box or gland in segments and they
may be either lap-jointed, tongued or otherwise formed and fitted together, so as to
form a but-joint. The inner portion or body of the double cylinder or hollow case
and the upper or top portion (as well as the lower portion if desired, forming same, as
to render the whole perfectly steam or pressure tight), may be formed either plain or be
corrugated or of other suitable section, as may be found most suitable for the purpose.
By this my present system I entirely avoid the very objectionable effect of steam or
.other pressure mixing with the packing, as a means for keeping same well up to the
piston or other rod, which I am aware has before been attempted and not found
practicable.
I may by this my Invention admit steam or other pressure from the main into the
aforesaid circular case of the internal and external hollow metal cylinders by one
passage only, and form or divide the said passage for my particular purpose so that
one division space may admit of the steani or other pressure throughout from the
main and in case or at times when condensed water is formed in the annular double
cylinder metal case or steam chamber space,--that the other subdivision space which
is open at the end for a certain distance, and having a short tube connection dipping
therefrom, and leading to and connected with and through the said sub-division space,
a further small tube connection is led having a cock or valve, so that whenever any
escape or leakage appears from the gland, the said cock or valve may from time to
time be opened, thus enabling the condensed water formed in the hollow metal
cylinder or case to be blown off through the pressure contained, and by the aid of
the small dip pipe or tube, and when freed and the small cock or valve closed, the
steam or other pressure is then directly permitted to fully and freely likewise uniformly

page_text: act upon the surface or lining of the circular internal metal case, which is caused to
gently extend and press upon the entire outer surrounding surface of the packing and
keeps it close and well up to the piston or other rod, thereby reducing the friction to
a minimum.
In the accompanying Drawing Figure 1, is a vertical section of a stuffing box or
gland, shewing my Improved method or means for effectively packing piston or other
rods of marine or other engines. Figure 2, is a cross section of same taken on the
line a, b, of Figure 1. Figure 3, likewise exhibits a cross section of a stuffing box or
gland, but shewing a different arrangement or modification as hereafter explained.
Figure 4, is a cross section of that portion of the tube or passage, wherein the steam or
other pressure is admitted through the subdivision at the upper part and the condensed
water is ejected through the lower portion. Figure 5, is a detached vertical sectional
view of my internal and external casing or double cylinder to that shewn in Figure 1,
but varied in respect to the sectional form of same. In the several figures the
following letters of reference correspond to like or similar parts.
A, is the external cylinder or casing connected at the upper and lower portions with
and forming part of the inner internal cylinder or casing B which would be constructed so
as to be fully capable of withstanding great pressure as the case may be, and of the most
suitable metal so as to be fully sensitive in action, as required for the purpose. C, C,
Figures 1 and 2, is the tube or pipe connection to and through the side of the stuffing
box or gland as shown leading into the annular space provided between the inner
metal faces of the external cylinder or casing A, and that forming the inner cylinder
or casing B. At or about the central portion of the external cylinder or case I fit
and provide a nut D, brazed onto the inner face thereof, and to the outer portion of
the side of the stuffing box a corresponding nut E, is provided. A small tube F, is
fitted into and just through the nut D, this small tube is led or dips downwards toward
and into the lower space between the inner and external cylinders or casings A and B.
The object of the small dip tube F, is as previously mentioned to enable the condensed
water to be blown into the lower divisional part 1, of the admission pipe or tube C,
upon the end of which the nut E, is screwed up to the side of the stuffing box to make
a secure joint and to keep the pipe or tube C, in position. C, is the continuation or
divisional part of the steam passage way and to admit same under pressure through
the tube C, from the main. G, is the cock or valve for regulating the admission of
the pressure, into the annular double metal cylinder or case. H, is a small pipe or
tube, with cock or valve J, in connection with the division tube space C and the dip
tube F, to permit of the escape of the condensed water. K, is the packing placed
between the piston rod and the inner face or part of the double cylinder or case B, as
at and upon pressure being admitted behind it within the double cylinders A, B a
very uniform and steady pressure is given off against the entire face or surface of the
packing, closing and keeping it securely against the piston or other rod.
A metal ring or rings or other like or similar equivalents L, M, may be provided
and placed in the gland just above and beneath the external and internal cylinders A
and B, and beneath and above the said metal or other rings L, M, flexible packing
would be introduced.
In Figure 3, I have shewn the inner and outer circular hollow or double cylinders A, B,
(as shown in section Figure 2); but being in segments A1, B1, they may be formed
either lap jointed, tongued or in other manner so as to "but" or be brought together.
In this view instead of using one pressure admission pipe or tube, (as shewn in
Figures 1 and 2), I employ two pipes or tubes C³, C, to supply each segment, but
the same arrangement for blowing off the condensed water, is likewise applicable as
previously described.
Although I have shown at Figures 2, and 3, the inner or internal portion of one of
the double cylinders, as corrugated in section. I may prefer in most cases that the
sides be formed plain, but that the upper and lower portions which connect the inner
and outer cylinders together, be corrugated or of similar or like section to assist in the
inner effort or working of the internal case or barrel of the cylinder, as somewhat
similar to or like a "diaphragmn" in action as shewn in Figure 5.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, 1 declare that what
I claim is :-
The application of an internal and external cylinder or hollow case to be filled with
steam or other pressure (and made perfectly pressure tight) so that the said pressure
will act upon the inner or smaller diameter of the case and press against the packing
surrounding the inner portion against the piston rod to keep the gland tight and
reduce friction, substantially in manner hereinbefore illustrated and described.
Dated this 10th day of May 1890.
S. A. JOHNSON.