IMPROVEMENTS APPLICABLE to Compensating SAFETY METALLIC PISTONS, VALVES, AND ANTI-GALVANIC LUBRICANT FOR SAME, APPLICABLE MORE ESPECIALLY TO STEAK, WATER, AIR, OR GASEOUS ENGINES, TO STUFFING BOXES, TO CIRCULAR OR PISTON VALVES, AND TO AIR AND WATER PUMPS
Year: 1875

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Matthew Prior, of Sheffield, in the County
of York, Engineer, for the Invention of “IMPROVEMENTS APPLICABLE
to Compensating SAFETY METALLIC PISTONS, VALVES, AND ANTI-GALVANIC
LUBRICANT FOR SAME, APPLICABLE MORE ESPECIALLY TO STEAK, WATER, AIR,
OR GASEOUS ENGINES, TO STUFFING BOXES, TO CIRCULAR OR PISTON VALVES,
AND TO AIR AND WATER PUMPS."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Matthew Prior at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
14th May 1875.
I, MATTHEW PRIOR, of Sheffield, in the County of York, Engineer,
do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS
APPLICABLE TO COMPENSATING SAFETY METALLIC PISTONS, VALVES, AND ANTI-
GALVANIC LUBRICANT FOR SAME, APPLICABLE MORE ESPECIALLY TO STEAK, WATER,

page_text: AIR, OR GASEOUS ENGINES, TO STUFFING BOXES, TO CIRCULAR OR PISTON VALVES,
AND TO AIR AND WATER PUMPS," to be as follows:-
These improvements consist in,—
1
First. The use of a curvilinear, corrugated, zig-zag formed spring
packing, which may be made of any suitable material, either cast,
wrought, or otherwise formed, preference being given to steel or brass,
and of any sectional shape or form, material round in section being pre-
ferred, as are also curved bends, so as when formed into a ring (with one
or more suitable joinings for the ends of the spring packing, with if
desired screws attached for readjusting each curve or bend takes an 1
equal share of the pressure upon the spring packing, and such curves or
bends may be so formed that when compressed each one supports the
other, thus opposing great resistance to further compression from the
initial pressure of steam or other causes without increasing the friction
upon the cylinder. When desired the spring packing is made so that 1
each alternate curve or bend projects higher and lower, whereby a double
action may be given to the piston or packing rings, or the spring packing
may be made of an angular or circular form to obtain the same double
action.
-Second. Covering or coating the spring packing with copper or other
incorrodible substance when used for pumps or other purposes.
Third. The conformation of the piston or packing rings so that the
spring packing presses upon two inclined planes, one on each ring, and
has a flange or guard so as to embrace the spring packing, thereby pre-
venting it from being driven in by any sudden shocks, as from priming,
racing, reversing, or other causes.
,
Fourth. The conformation of the tongues which breaks the joints or
openings in the piston or packing rings by making the tongues to fitt if
'required into a recess cut into the edge of each ring to receive the same,
extending equally on each side of the openings, the tongues having two
studs or other suitable projections on one side, which fit into second
recesses cut into the piston or packing rings to receive the same. Or
such studs or other suitable projections might be fixed in the rings and
slots cut into the tongues.
"
Fifth. To lubricate the above I use an anti-galvanic lubricant, useful
for lubricating pistons and valves, and for other purposes, which consists

page_text: of a mixture of oils and other substances, that is, of fish or whale oil,
mineral oil, iodine, talc, French chalk, soapstone, asbestos, mica, and
such like substances, all or some of them, which may be used separately
or mixed with the ordinary lubricant.
SPECIFICATION filed in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters
Patent, and of an Order of the Lord Chancellor, by the said Matthew
Prior in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 27th November 1875.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, MATTHEW
PRIOR, of Sheffield, in the County of York, Engineer, send greeting.
'
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Fourteenth day of May, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-five, in the
thirty-eighth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and suc-
cessors, give and grant unto me, the said Matthew Prior, Her special
licence that I, the said Matthew Prior, my executors, administrators,
and assigns, or such others as I, the said Matthew Prior, 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 "IMPROVEMENTS
APPLICABLE TO COMPENSATING SAFETY METALLIC PISTONS, VALVES, AND ANTI-
GALVANIC LUBRICANT FOR SAME, APPLICABLE MORE ESPECIALLY TO STEAM, WATER,
AIR, OR GASEOUS ENGINES, TO STUFFING BOXES, TO CIRCULAR OR PISTON VALVES,
AND TO AIR AND WATER PUMPS," upon the condition (amongst others) that
I, the said Matthew Prior, 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 Seal Patent Office on or before
December the Eighth, One thousand eight hundred and seventy-five.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Matthew Prior, do hereby declare
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be

page_text: whale oil, mineral oil, iodine, talc, French chalk, soapstone, asbestos,
mica, and such like substance, all or some of them, which may be used
separate or mixed with the ordinary lubricant, such proportions being
used as thought desirable, the main point being that about two table
spoonsfull of the iodine dissolved in alcohol should be used to the gallon
in the generality of cases.
•
Having now described and ascertained the nature of the said Inven-
tion, and intimated or described in what manner the same is to be
performed or carried out in practice, I will now with the aid of the
accompanying Drawings proceed to particularly describe and ascertain
in what manner the same is to be performed or carried out in practice,
that is to say :—
Fig. 1 shows side view of my improved piston with portion cut away,
showing spring packing.
Fig. 2, sectional plan of the piston.
Fig. 3, detail view shewing the piston or packing rings which embrace
the spring packing.
Fig. 4, detail view of tongues which break the joints or openings in
the piston or packing rings, as before described.
In these Figures a is the spring packing fitted to piston, as herein-
before described; 6 is the piston or packing rings and c are the inclined
planes against which the spring packing (a) presses; d are the guards
which embrace the spring packing (a); e are studs on tongue which fit
into corresponding recesses ƒ made in the piston or packing rings, as
herain-before described.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the
said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed or
carried out in practice, I hereby declare that I claim the said Invention
substantially as herein-before set forth and described, wherein the
particularly important features are (1) the construction of spring
packing for the piston, (2) the guard in the packing rings, and (3) the
construction of the tongues, substantially as herein-before set forth and
described, it being understood that I do not limit myself to the use of

page_text: precisely the same details as shewn by the Drawings, and described with
reference thereto, as such details may be varied without departing
substantially from the nature and character of the said Invention; nor
do I claim such details except as constituents of my said Invention, as
herein-before set forth and described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Matthew Prior, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Eleventh day of November, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-
five.
Witness,
ALFRED JOSEPH HARRISON,
50, Ellesmere Road,
Sheffield.
MATTHEW PRIOR. (L.S.)