IMPROVEMENTS IN OR APPLICABLE TO APPARATUS FOR TIGHTENING OR ADJUSTING THE PACKING-RINGS OF PISTONS."
Year: 1879

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Benjamin Williams, Engineer, and Jacob Scott Matthews,
Gentleman, both of Cardiff, in the County of Glamorgan, for the Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN OR APPLICABLE TO APPARATUS FOR TIGHTENING OR
ADJUSTING THE PACKING-RINGS OF PISTONS."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Benjamin Williams and Jacob
Scott Matthews at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 21st
August 1879.
BENJAMIN WILLIAMS, Engineer, and JACOB SCOTT MATTHEWS, Gentleman, both
of Cardiff, in the County of Glamorgan. "IMPROVEMENTS IN OR APPLICABLE TO
APPARATUS FOR TIGHTENING OR ADJUSTING THE PACKING-RINGS OF PISTONS."
This Invention relates to improvements in or applicable to apparatus for tightening
or adjusting the metallic or other material packing rings of pistons, the object being
to increase or reduce the degree of contact of said packing rings with the interior
surface of the cylinder without breaking joints or removing the cylinder cover, and
to exert upon the packing rings an equal pressure alike all round, and ensure an
uniform contact surface.
The tail end of the piston rod is according to this Invention provided with an
outer casing, that is, a hollow rod or sleeve, to which sleeve on the inner end thereof
is keyed on or made of a piece therewith a disc formed as a spur wheel, which
wheel is recessed into the junk ring. This spur wheel is in gear with three, four,
or more smaller toothed wheels or pinions, also recessed into the junk ring, and
carried on spindles arranged around the outer edge of the junk ring, and said
spindles of these pinions have a screw thread on their inner ends, said screws
taking into or passing through cone or wedge shaped nuts or a wedge shaped ring
inside the piston, said cones or wedges acting on springs which in their turu act on
the metallic or other packing rings.
;
Now on turning the casing or sleeve of the piston rod, and along with it the
spur wheel, the pinions will be turned and with them their spindles, so that tho
screws on the end thereof will act to draw up or force down, as the case may be,
the cones or wedges to act on the springs, and so expand the packing rings; or by

page_text: making every other one of the said pinion spindle screws with right and left hand
thread, and reversing the alternate corresponding cones or wedges they will be
alternately raised and lowered and act simultaneously upon the packing, ring or
rings, and thus counter-balance the frictional action on the springs and force out
the packing band or bands regularly and evenly, and allow of the adjustment of
the frictional contact of the packing rings to the greatest nicety.
For the purpose of locking the piston rod casing or sleeve so as to prevent it
from shifting after being adjusted a screw thread is formed on the extremity of the
tail of the piston rod, and a coned or other shaped screw nut or cap is screwed down
on to the end of the said sleeve to jam or hold tightly in position, and also prevent
any escape of steam between said sleeve and piston rod.
The spindles of the pinions, instead of being formed on their inner ends with
screws for actuating the cones or wedges, inay be formed with cam shaped swells
thereon, which will when turned by the action of the spur and pinions act upon the
tightening springs of the packing bands, or directly upon the packing bands to
adjust same.
According to a modification, instead of making the cams on the spindles of the
pinions, a second pinion will be formed on each spindle, which second pinion will
be geared with a rack formed on circumferential horizontal wedges, so as to act
when said spindles are turned to expand the springs of the packing rings.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Benjamin. Williams and Jacob Scott Matthews in the Great Seal
Patent Office on the 21st February 1880.
4
BENJAMIN WILLIAMS, Engineer, and JACOB SCOTT MATTHEWS, Gentleman, both
of Cardiff, in the County of. Glamorgan. IMPROVEMENTS IN OR APPLICABLE TO
APPARATUS FOR TIGHTENING OR ADJUSTING THE PACKING RINGS OF PISTONS."
This Invention relates to improvements in or applicable to apparatus for tightening
or adjusting the metallic or other material packing rings of pistons, the object being
to increase or reduce the degree of contact of said packing rings with the interior
surface of the cylinder without breaking joints or removing the cylinder cover, and
to exert upon the packing rings an equal pressure alike all round, and ensure an
uniform contact surface. The adjustment may be effected by this apparatus in a
few moments and without stopping the engine, and the construction is durable.
In the Drawings Fig. 1 is perspective view, partly in section, of piston fitted
with this simultaneous tightening apparatus; Fig. 2 is plan with covering plate
removed; Fig. 3, a like view with junk ring removed; Fig. 4 represents in sectional
plan a modification of apparatus, that part of the Figure to the left showing the
junk ring removed; Fig. 4a is side view, partly in section, of Fig. 4; Figs. 5 and
5 are sectional plan and side views respectively of modification of apparatus
illustrative of the use of bevil wheels in place. of the spur and pinions shown in
Figs. 1 to 4.
The tail end A of the piston rod is according to this Invention provided with an
outer casing A', that is, a hollow rod or sleeve, to which sleeve A on the inner end
thereof is keyed on or made of a piece therewith a flange or disc formed as a spur
wheel B, which wheel is recessed into the junk ring C. This spur wheel is in gear
with three, four, or more smaller toothed wheels or pinions D, also recessed into the
junk ring C, and carried on spindles arranged around the outer edge of the junk
ring, and said spindles of these pinions D have a screw thread on their inner ends,
said screws taking into or passing through cone or wedge shaped nuts E acting on
wedge shaped ring segments F inside the piston, said cones or wedges and segments
E, F, acting on the springs G, which in their turn act on the metallic or other
packing rings, which last are of ordinary construction.
Now in turning the casing or sleeve A¹ of the piston rod, and along with it the
spur wheel B, the pinions D will be turned, and with them their spindles, so that
the screws on the ends thereof will act to draw up or force down, as the case may
be, the cones or wedges to act on the springs and so expand the packing rings; or
by making every alternate one of the said spindle screws with right hand
thread, and the intermediate spindle screws with a left hand thread, and reversing
the alternate corresponding cones or wedges, the said cones or wedges will be alter-
nately raised and lowered and act simultaneously upon the packing ring or rings,
and thus counterbalance the frictional action on the ring segments F, and force out
the packing band or bands regularly and evenly, and allow of the adjustment of
the frictional contact of the packing rings to the greatest nicety.
For the purpose of locking the piston rod casing or sleeve A' so as to prevent it
from shifting after being adjusted, a screw thread is formed on the extremity of the
tail of the piston rod A, and a coned or other shaped screw nut or cap H is screwed
down on to the end of the said. sleeve AI to jam or hold it tightly in position, and
also prevent any escape of steam between said sleeve and piston rod. The hand
wheel A2 is fast to the sleeve A¹, and is provided for facility of turning the wheel B.
K is a covering plate, and the bolts which serve to secure the junk ring to the body
of the piston are shown in the Drawings.
The spindles of the pinions, instead of being formed on their inner ends with
screws for actuating the cones or wedges E, may be formed with cam shaped swells
thereon, which will when turned by the action of the spur wheel B and pinions D

page_text: act upon the tightening springs of the packing bands, or directly upon the packing
bands to adjust same, as will be well understood without further illustration.
According to a modification, shown in Figs. 4 and 4ª, instead of providing cones
or wedges E or cams on the spindles of the pinions D, a second pinion E¹ will be
formed on each spindle, which second pinion will be geared with a rack formed on
circumferential horizontal wedges I working in recesses in the piston body so as to
act when said spindles are turned to advance the wedges I, and so expand the
packing rings. In these Figs. 4 and 4ª the sleeve A is short, and the locking and
turning nuts H and A2 are formed so that they may be turned by a box spanner,
which would be introduced through a plug hole in the back cover of the cylinder
so as to effect the simultaneous turning of the packing expanders.
In Figs 5 and 5ª the wheels B, D, are bevil wheels instead of being spur and
pinions, and the ends of the horizontal spindles are screw threaded, and are fitted
with wedge shaped nuts E for pressing out the segmental ring pieces F. These
said horizontal spindles and bevil gearing might equally be employed for acting
upon bow-springs of packing rings, as are frequently used in pistons so as to effect
their simultaneous adjustment and tightening, and it will be equally obvious that
bevil wheels might be used as a mechanical substitute in place of the spur wheel
and pinions B and D, shown in Figs. 4 and 4ª.
Having now described the nature and particulars of the said Invention, and
shown how the same is to be carried into practical effect, we claim,—
1st. The means for tightening or adjusting the packing rings of pistons so as to
.effect the simultaneous turning of the wedge or cam spindles to effect the pressure
on the spring packing through the sleeve A' and spur and pinion or bevil gearing
B, D, as and for the purpose herein set forth and shown by the Drawings.
2nd. In a spring packed piston the sleeve A' carrying the spur wheel B in gear
with pinions D recessed into the junk ring C, the spindles of the pinions D being
screwed into nuts E acting on ring segment pieces F for pressing out the spring
packing of the piston, and provided with the turning wheel A2 and locking nut H,
substantially as and for the purpose herein set forth and shown in Figs. 1 to 3 of
the Drawings.
3rd. The modification of simultaneous piston packing-ring adjustment apparatus,
consisting of the pinions E¹ on the vertical spindles, and the toothed circumferential
wedges I working in their recesses in the piston, substantially as herein set forth
and shown in Figs 4 and 4 of the Drawings.
4th. The bevil wheel B on sleeve A¹ of the piston in gear with the bevil wheels D
carried on the horizontal spindles carrying the wedges E or bow-springs, arranged
and operating substantially as and for the purpose herein set forth and as illustrated
by Figs. 5 and 5ª of the Drawings.
In witness whereof, we, the said Benjamin Williams and Jacob Scott Matthews,
have hereunto set our hands and seals, this Seventeenth day of February;
in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and eighty.
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