Improvements in Pneumatic Packing for Rods, Plungers, Pistons, and the like.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 3rd Aug., 1899-Accepted, 30th Sept.,
1899
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Pneumatic Packing for Rods, Plungers, Pistons,
and the like.
We, ROBERT EDWARD BYLE, of Dorranceton, Machinist, HARRY ATHERTON
FILLMORE, of Forty Fort, Civil Engineer, and ROBERT HARLE NICHOLSON, of
Wilkes-Barre, Draughtsman, all in the County of Luzerne, and State of Penn-
sylvania, one of the United States of America, 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 pneumatic packing for rods, plungers, pistons, and
the like; and it consists in the novel construction and combination of the parts
hereinafter fully described and claimed.
In the drawings, Figure 1 is a partial longitudinal section through a stuffing
box provided with packing according to this invention. Figure 2 is a partial
longitudinal section showing the packing applied to a pump plunger and pro-
vided with means for setting it up automatically. Figure 3 is a detail end view
of the packing. Figure 4 is a partial longitudinal section through a piston pro-
vided with packing according to this invention.
The piston rod or plunger 6 is kept tight by means of packing material c which
is pressed against it by an inflatable tube d. The packing material e preferably
consists of a series of rings of fibrous material arranged side by side. The
inflatable tube d is formed into a ring and is made of any approved elastic material,
or composition, such as india rubber and canvas. The tube d is provided with an
inflating pipe e, and a check valve (not shown) of any approved construction.
A spring band is arranged between the inflatable tube and the packing material,
and is preferably formed with overlapping end portions. The spring band is pre.
ferably arranged to press against the packing material irrespective of the
inflatable tube, and it supports the packing material when the tube is deflated
and enables the packing material to be arranged in position without first inflating
the tube. The packing is arranged in a packing chamber g, which is constructed
and supported in any approved manner.
When the packing is used in a steam engine, or where subjected to heat, the
packing chamber may be protected with a liner of non-heat-conducting material,
as shown in Figure 1. Two liners h of asbestos, cup-shaped in form, are shown in
Figure 1 fitting within the packing chamber g with their edges abuting against
each other.
The inflatable tube can be expanded with or by any approved fluid, such as
air or water.
Instead of inflating the tube periodically by hand, the tube may be inflated
automatically as shown in Figure 2. A lateral passage i is formed in the packing
chamber, which connects the interior of the tube d with the interior of the pump
barrel or other source of pressure.
The passage is provided with a valve j which opens inward and which is
normally held to its seat by a light spring k. If desired, the other side of the
packing chamber may have a similar passage and valve and may be connected
to the pump barrel, or other source of pressure, by a pipe.