Improvements in or Appertaining to Stuffing Boxes.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 16th Nov.. 1898-Accepted, 14th Jan., 1899
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or Appertaining to Stuffing Boxes.
I, WALTER SHERRATT, of 82, Derby Road, Farnworth, Widnes, in the County
of Lancaster, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in
what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascer-
tained in and by the following statement:
1
In stuffing boxes at the present time it is found extremely difficult to extract
the packing (especially when it is burnt and brittle) from the bottom of the
stuffing box. Furthermore it is often extremely difficult to lubricate the packing
especially that near the bottom of the stuffing box, consequently with the heat of
superheated or other high pressure steam, the packing is very liable to be burnt.
Now my present invention is designed to enable the packing to be drawn out
with ease, and also to be lubricated while in position. It will be understood
from the following description, reference being had to the accompanying draw-
ings, in which,
Figure 1 is a eross section of my stuffing box through one of the studs;
Figure 2, a detail view of the loose plate with its lifting studs;
Figure 3, a plan thereof;
Figures 4 and 5, detail views of one of the subsidiary glands;
Figures 6, 7, 8 and 9, detail views of the metallic anti-friction packing rings.;
Figure 10, an under side sectional plan of gland with the subsidiary glands in
position.
At the
Referring to these figures, A is the stuffing box, B the gland, CC metallic
packing rings, D hemp or other suitable packing rings, Ę a brass push at bottom
The fdes of the
of stuffing box with rebate e, and F asbestos joint ring.
stuffing box are formed with vertical equidistant circular channels G.
bottom of the stuffing box I place a loose lifting plate H having upright studs I
These studs
attached thereto, and having a rebate corresponding to the rebate e
very loosely fit the circular channels G so as to leave a vacancy between them
and the inside of the channels. In line with these circular channels G, and
dipping down into the spaces are subsidiary glands J which are secured to the
underside of the flanges of the main gland and surrounding the upright bolts,
while forming a channel for the passage of the lubricating grease from the lubri-
cator to the packing. K is the lubricator which may be of the Stauffer or any
other suitable type and L passages in the mein gland for conveying the grease
to the glands J and so to the stuffing box. The metallic packing rings which
are by preference made in halves, are provided with radial passages M with
grooves at end which allow of the oil or grease being distributed and conveyed to
the holes in rings C, and cross passages which convey the lubricant to the
hemp or other packings D. The rings C which are made in segments have
radial perforations conveying the lubricant to the piston. The outside of the
subsidiary glands J fit the channels and surround the bolts for some distance while
leaving preferably a space between the bolts and the said glands.

page_text: The mode of action is as follows:-
--
1.
The loose plate H with its studs I being inserted, and the stuffing box supplied
with its brass bush and stuffed with packing, the grease is inserted in the
auxiliary glands, and in the space round the studs so that it can have free access
to the packing. The main gland is inserted, with the subsidiary glands entering
the spaces between the studs and the circular channels, and the main gland
screwed by the bolts P. The grease in the annular grooves and above
the studs in the subsidiary glands, is compressed, and is free to
move in the threads of the studs. It can thus move round on the screwed
threads, and lubricate the packing, while equalising the pressure between the
grease above the studs, and the grease in the grooves below the glands. When
the stuffing box is required to be lubricated, the lubricator is operated by turn-
ing the cap K', and fresh grease is thereby forced through the passages in the
main gland B into the subsidiary glands J. The circular grooves G going right
down to the bottom, the grease is pressed against the lower part of the packing
or stuffing quite as much as up at the upper part. Instead of using & lubricator
however, the stuffing box may be lubricated by the main gland B being with-
drawn each time, and fresh grease inserted, the main gland being then replaced
and screwed up. When the packing has to be removed, the gland B with its
subsidiary glands is withdrawn, and the studs I supplied with nuts. By turning
the nuts therefore with a spanner, or by prizing them up, the studs together with
the plate below and the packing are withdrawn.
Among the advantages secured by this invention may be mentioned the follow-
ing. It effects a constant lubrication of the moving parts, it lubricates under
pressure, the packing is readily extracted, the invention can be fitted to existing
engines at trifling cost, it is specially adapted for high pressure steam or speed
engines, it overcomes the necessity of asbestos or other expensive packing, any
portion subjected to wear can be replaced without special appliances or
materials, it can be used either as metallic or mixed packings, and it binds the
packing well down to the piston or other rod.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is:-
1. The improvements in stuffing boxes for piston rode or the like which con-
sists in providing in the bottom of the stuffing box a loose plate on which the
packing is supported, and supplying this plate with upright studs reaching above
the top of the box just below the flange of the gland, whereby by prizing up or
otherwise raising the ends of these studs, the plate together with the packing
resting thereon can be easily withdrawn substantially as described.
2. In a stuffing box, forming the side of the box with vertical channels
arranged at intervals apart, and adapted to secure the grease introduced at the
mouth of the box, being pressed against the whole length of the packing from
end to end by the pressure of a gland or glands substantially EB described.
3. In stuffing boxes, in which the box is formed inside with upright channels
adapted to convey the lubricating grease to the packing, providing the main
gland with auxiliary glands secured to the under side thereof, and in line with
the channels aforesaid, so es to dip down into them and form a passage or holder
for the lubricating grease, whereby by screwing down the main gland the grease
is pressed against the whole length of the packing from end to end of the box,
substantially as described.
4. In a stuffing box of the kind described, providing the main gland with a
lubricator of the Stauffer or any other suitable type, and forming in the said
glands passages for conveying the grease from the lubricator to the auxiliary
glands and so to the stuffing box.
5. In stuffing boxes of the kind described, forming the metallic packings of

page_text: the rod with perforations, so arranged as to convey the lubricating grease that is
pressed against the back or outside of the packings, to the rod substantially as
set forth.
6. The general combined arrangement and construction of parts, substantially
ae decoribed
Dated this 15th day of November 1898,
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Of 6, Lord Street, Liverpool, Patent Agents for the Applicant.