ANTI-FRICTION STUFFING-BOXES
Year: 1884

page_text: I, DAVID ROBERTSON, of 47 Langlands Road, Govan, in the County of Renfrew,
do hereby declare the nature of my Invention for IMPROVED ANTI-FRICTION
STUFFING-BOXES to be as follows:-
This stuffing-box may be used wherever a stuffing-box is required, on
reciprocating oscillating, or revolving, rods, shafts or trunnions, or expansion joints
of pipes of steam or other engines.
Where the rod works through, a spherical valve in the form of a ring has a
corresponding seat. The back of this ring forms a flat seat, on which fits a
corresponding face on the box, which forms an ordinary stuffing-box with gland, as
shewn.
This box and ring are held to one another & the seat by springs, spiral or other.
The stuffing-box is very much smaller than those at present used, thus reducing
friction, & consequently wear, as the whole box accomodates itself to every
motion of the rod.
This arrangement is suitable for all reciprocating rods, spindles, or plungers.
For revolving or oscillating shafts, trunnions, or expansion joints the spherical
faced ring is not required as also shewn.

page_text: I, DAVID ROBERTSON, of 47 Langlands Road, Govan, in the County of Renfrew,
Engineer do hereby declare the nature of my Invention for IMPROVED ANTI-
FRICTION STUFFING-BOXES and in what manner the same is to be performed, to
be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement:—
I intend to lessen the friction, & consequently tear & wear in stuffing-boxes, and
thus in steam-engines reduce the consumption of steam & fuel, by making the
whole box accomodate itself to every wearing or straining motion of that which
works through it.
This is accomplished as follows:-For reciprocating rods. The outside edge of
the hole through which the rod works. & which is of a larger diameter than the rod,
forms a seat for a ring-shaped valve, the face of which is spherical, & is ground to
its seat. The inside diameter of the ring is also larger than the rod. The back of
this ring is a flat face. which forms a seat for a corresponding face on the bottom
of the stuffing-box proper. These faces are also ground together. The bottom of
the stuffing-box has a flange outside, which fits over studs screwed into the cylinder
end, or cover, or whatever the stuffing-box is fixed on. These studs are made long
enough to carry the springs, which hold the box in its place and nuts for adjusting
the power of these springs The holes in the flange of the box, and in the caps of
the springs, through which these studs pass, are much larger than the studs, to
allow vibration of the box, and the caps of the springs are rounded, the better to
allow oscillation.
The stuffing-box is neither large nor deep and the gland is very light, as no
great pressure is required on the packing to keep a tight working joint.
The spherical face of the ring allows for oscillation of the rod, & the flat face
for vibration, and the springs keep the box & ring to one another and the seat.
The power of the springs will depend on the weight & position of the box, and
the resistance to be overcome.
For expansion joints of pipes the spherical faced ring may be dispensed with.
For revolving or oscillating shafts or trunnions the spherical faced ring may be
dispensed with. On a revolving shaft the stuffing-box revolves with the shaft,
and the flat face on the bottom of the box, has a corresponding Hat-seat. The
power of the springs is adjusted by set pins screwed through a Hange in front of
the box, which flange is fixed to the shaft in halves. A projecting pin in this
flange carries the box round with the shaft.
For an oscillating trunnion the outside or fixed flange is fixed on the pipe leading
into the trunnion. The box remains stationary on the pipe, being held against the
oscillating face of the trunnion by the springs.