IMPROVEMENTS IN METALLIC PACKING FOR PISTON RODS, VALVE RODS, AND OTHER RODS OR SHAFTS REQUIRING TO BE SIMILARLY PACKED
Year: 1872

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Furness, of Church, near Accrington, in
the County of Lancaster, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
METALLIC PACKING FOR PISTON RODS, VALVE RODS, AND OTHER RODS OR
SHAFTS REQUIRING TO BE SIMILARLY PACKED."-A communication from
abroad by James Charles Furness, of Boston, Massachusetts, in the
United States of America.
Sealed the 17th January 1873, and dated the 19th November 1872.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Furness at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
19th November 1872.
I, JOHN FURNESS, of Church, near Accrington, in the County of
Lancaster, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "Ix-
PROVEMENTS IN METALLIC PACKING FOR PISTON RODS, VALVE RODS, AND OTHER RODS
OR SHAFTS REQUIRING TO BE SIMILARLY PACKED,” (a communication to me from
abroad by James Charles Furness, of Boston, Massachusetts, in the
United States of America), to be as follows:-
This Invention relates to metallic packing for piston rods, valve rods,
1

page_text: gland fixed by bolts on the cylinder or valve box end (or other place
where the rod to be packed passes through), and containing two pairs of
semi-annular packing pieces, the inner sides of which are bored to fit
the rod, and their outer circumference are somewhat less than the
interior of the box.
In the exterior of each packing piece is formed a recess in which is
placed a short spiral spring, which acting against the interior of the box
or gland forces the packing pieces inwards against the rod.
Each pair of packing pieces is so formed that the ends of one form
parallel slides wherein the ends of the other fit, so that when put together
they form a complete ring capable of expanding and contracting in the
direction of the slides.
The two pairs of packing pieces are placed in the box or gland one
above the other and with their slides in-opposite directions, so that they
"break joint" and are pressed against the piston or valve rod at right
angles to each other. They are maintained in this position by means of
a pin fixed in one taking into a recess formed in the other. Between
this packing box or gland and the cylinder and valve box end there is
placed an annular washer of copper fitted to the piston or valve rod, and
having holes drilled through it communicating from the ordinary packing
box (which is left empty) to the space outside the packing pieces so as
to admit steam from the cylinder or valve box, and assist in keeping the
packing pieces up to their work.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said John Furness in the Great Seal Patent Office 25
on the 19th May 1873.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN
FURNESS, of Church, near Accrington, in the County of Lancaster, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters 30
Patent, bearing date the Nineteenth day of November, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-two, in the thirty-
sixth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give

page_text: and grant unto me, the said John Furness, Her special license that
I, the said John Furness, my executors, administrators, and assigns,
or such others as I, the said John Furness, my executors, admini-
strators, 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 IN METALLIC
PACKING FOR PISTON RODS, VALVE RODS, AND OTHER SIMILAR PURPOSES,” (a com-
munication to me from abroad by James Charles Furness, of Boston,
Massachusetts, in the United States of America,) upon the condition
(amongst others) that I, the said John Furness, my executors or ad-
ministrators, 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 within six calendar months next and immediately after the date
of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said John Furness, do hereby declare
) the nature of the said 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 Drawings (that is to say) :—
This Invention relates to metallic packing for piston rods, valve rods,
and other similar purposes, and consists principally of a packing box or
5 gland fixed by bolts on the cylinder or valve box end (or other place
where the rod to be packed passes through), and containing two pairs of
semi-annular packing pieces of white or other suitable metal, the inner
sides of which are bored to fit the rod, and their outer circumference are
somewhat less than the interior of the box.
In the exterior of each packing piece is formed a recess in which is
placed a short spiral spring, which acting against the interior of the box
or gland forces the packing pieces inwards against the rod.
Each pair of packing pieces is so formed that the ends of one form
parallel slides wherein the ends of the other fit, so that when put
5 together they form a complete ring capable of expanding and contracting
in the direction of the slides.

page_text: The two pairs of packing pieces are placed in the box or gland one
above the other, and with their slides in opposite directions, so that they
"break joint" and are pressed against the piston or valve rod at right
angles to each other. They are maintained in this position by means of
a pin fixed in one taking into a recess formed in the other. Between this
packing box or gland and the cylinder or valve box end there is placed
an annular washer of copper fitted to the piston or valve rod, and having
holes drilled through it communicating from the ordinary packing box
(which is left empty) to the space outside the packing pieces so as to
admit steam from the cylinder or valve box and assist in keeping the
packing pieces up to their work.
Such being the nature and object of the said Invention I will now
proceed to describe more in detail the manner in which the same is to be
or may be performed or carried into practical effect, and in order that
the same may be clearly understood I have annexed hereunto a Sheet
of Drawings illustrative thereof, and have marked the same with figures
and letters of reference corresponding with those in the following
explanation thereof.
In the annexed Drawing Fig. 1 represents a sectional view showing
the application of the improved metallic packing to the packing box of
a piston or pump rod.
a, a, is the piston or pump rod to be packed; b, b, is part of the
cylinder cover; and c, c, is the ordinary packing box which is to be left
open for a purpose hereafter described; d, d, is the cap or box which
contains the metallic packing, and which may be bushed with brass, as
shown at e, e, or otherwise, as may be preferred; f, f, is the upper pair
of packing pieces; and g, g, is the lower pair of packing pieces which
as shown in the underneath plan view, Fig. 2, and also the detached view,
Fig. 3, are so formed that the ends of one piece form parallel 'slides
wherein the ends of the other fit; h, h, are small spiral springs fitting
into recesses in the outside of the packing pieces and bearing against
the interior of the box d, d, so as to press the packing pieces inwards
against the rod.
It will be seen that the two packing pieces ƒ and g are placed in the
box with their slides at right angles to each other so that their
springs h, h, act in four different directions, and they are kept in this
relative position by means of a pin i fixed in the ring 9, g, taking into a
recess & formed in the ring f, ƒ.

page_text: Between the ordinary packing box c, c, and the cap or box d, d, there
is inserted an annular plate or ring of copper 1, 1, (see also detached view
Fig. 4,) in which are drilled holes m, m, so situated as to form a com-
munication between the interior of the ordinary packing box c, c, and
the space in the box d, d, outside the packing pieces, so that steam is
thereby admitted from the cylinder into the said space, and assists the
springs h, h, in keeping the packing f, f, and 9, 9, close up against
the piston rod.
Figs. 4 and 5 show a modification of the above, wherein four packing
pieces (each having its own spring ) are employed to form each ring.
A further modification combining both plans is shown at Fig. 7,
wherein the two packing pieces n, n, are formed with two projecting
blocks o, o, of the same thickness as the other two packing pieces,
which are of the form shown at h, h. Other modifications might also
be made.
-
Having now described the nature and object of the said Invention,
together with the manner in which the same is to be or may be performed
or carried into practical effect, I wish it to be understood that I claim as
the Invention communicated to me by the said James Charles Furness
the construction of metallic packing for piston rods and other similar
purposes, substantially in the manner herein-before described and illus-
trated by the Drawings annexed.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Furness, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Seventeenth day of May, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-three.
Witnessed by
GEORGE DAVIES, O.E.,
Patent Agent,
Manchester.
JOHN FURNESS. (L.S.)