Improvements in Metallic Packings.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 25th Aug., 1891-Accepted, 26th Sept., 1891
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Metallic Packings.
I, HENRY FRANKLIN WHEELER, of 6 London Street, Boston, County of
Suffolk, State of Massachusetts in the United States of America, Mechanic, 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 :-
This invention relates to metallic packings employed to prevent the escape or
leakage of steam, and particularly applicable for use on piston-rods or like
mechanism, where one part is movable with respect to other coöperating but
stationary parts.
It is well understood that metal is peculiarly well adapted for packings in such
places, as above premised, since they resist wear and heat much better than any
fibrous vegetable material, which quickly burns out. Metallic packings heretofore
to my knowledge have been made of metal, cast or run into the required shape
about the rod, hence in many instances are made in sections to enable them to be
the more readily applied without disconnecting the parts as in a piston of a steam
engine.
The purpose of my invention is to overcome the objection of forming the packing
in sections, and at the same time employ metal. To this end I purpose using thin
ribbons or turnings of any soft suitable metal preferably Babbitt. This material or
fibrous metal, as I term it, is to be applied after the manner of vegetable fibrous
packing, and then compressed to form a homogeneous mass of metal about the
piston-rod, or other part requiring the packing.
The drawings accompanying this Specification represent in
Fig. 1. a longitudinal sectional elevation of a packing embodying my invention
applied to a rod.
Fig. 2 is a plan.
Fig. 3 is a side elevation of a metallic ring after compression, but removed from
the rod.
Fig. 4 represents a metallic ribbon or turning of which the packing is composed.
In the drawings 2 represents a packing gland, so called, composed of the case
proper 3, the compression ring 4, and the cap 5 for adjusting the position of the
ring and for compensating for wear of the packing, or in case the latter leaks for
increasing the pressure about the rod 6. This rod, as seen by reference to Fig. 1.
is surrounded by an integral metallic ring or packing 7, composed of a mass, or
number of metallic ribbons or turnings 8. These latter need not be of designated
length or thickness, but by experiment I find that such, as would be produced from
a turn-lathe, are of the most desirable form, since they are easily produced and
perfectly flexible.
Thus taking a piece of cast Babbitt, as the most suitable metal I propose to
reduce it to a fibrous mass, either by turning or otherwise, separating it into flexible
lengths, such as is shown in Fig. 4 as a sample. This material may be manufactured
and sold in quantity.
The application of this packing is as follows; removing the cap 5 and slipping
back the compression ring, I wrap a portion of thin fibrous metal about the rod 6,
and then tap or drive it into the case until a sufficient quantity has been introduced.
The ring 4 is then advanced, while the cap, engaged with the case, is finally screwed
up until the joint is rendered steam-tight. By such compression the packing is
reduced in bulk, and an integral ring of homogeneous character is created about the
rod. Should wear or leak occur subsequently, further compression is applied, and
as the packing is of a slightly spongy nature, when the ring 4 is forced within the

page_text: case, the packing 7 is necessarily flattened and enlarged in diameter causing it to
hug the rod more closely.
Owing to the loose, disposition of the several strips or ribbons comprising the
packing a mixture of litharge and tallow, or other lubricating compounds can
readily be poured thereupon previous to the application of the packing about the
rod. Hence, when the packing is made. into an integral ring about said rod, the
lubricating substance, intimately commingled therewith, forms a part of the packing,
and as the metal' wears, such lubricant is brought into contact with the rod, thus
saving wear of both packing and rod, as likewise reducing the friction, which
necessarily ensues more or less between such parts.
The gist of my invention I consider is embodied in forming an integral metallic
packing ring about a piston, or other rod, such packing being homogeneous or
practically so, and composed of metallic strips, ribbons, or otherwise, massed
together in contradistinction to metallic packing cast or run about a rod, as is
generally practised, or to the use of metallic packing previously cast in sections of
the desired shape.
Several obvious advantages arise; one is, that the packing can be readily applied
to any rod small or large, since the packing-ring formed, depends merely upon the
size of the rod, for a core, while the packing case serves as a mold. Further by
using the packing after my invention suitable lubricants can be incorporated
throughout the packing, which is not practicable, when the metal' is cast.
:
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is:
1st. As a new article, a metallic packing composed of a fibrous mass of metal,
reduced to strips, ribbons or otherwise, and adapted to form an integral metallic
ring about a piston or other rod, substantially as and' for purposes set forth.
2nd. A steam packing consisting of a mass.of strips or turnings of metal applied
about a piston, or other rod to create an integral ring, combined with a lubricating
substance incorporated throughout such integral packing being produced by
compression in contradistinction to being cast, substantially as specified.
Dated the 10th day of August 1891.
HENRY FRANKLIN WHEELER..