Improvements in or relating to Packing Plates or Strips for Vibrating, Oscillating, or Rotary Engines.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 10th June, 1891
Complete Specification Left, 10th Mar., 1892-Accepted, 4th June, 1892
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to Packing Plates or Strips for
Vibrating, Oscillating, or Rotary Engines.
Wc, SAMUEL WITHERS of 21, Masboro' Road, West Kensington, Mechanical
Engineer, and D'ESTAING SALISBURY COVERT of 7, Bridge Avenue, Hammer-
smith, Gentleman, both in the County of Middlesex do hereby declare the nature
of this invention to be as follows:-
-
The object of this invention is a combination of packing plates or strips with
the edges of pistons also around their trunnions in a vibrating or rotary engine so
that the packing plates or strips in the edges of the piston or blades shall move
longitudinally as well as laterally and make a close, elastic, automatic and durable
joint at all times between the piston or blades and the walls of the chamber in
which it moves, and which shall be gas or steam tight under continued wear and
pressure.
The invention consists of the combination with the end and side edges of a
piston or blade of packing plates or strips having the form and arrangement herein
described which are inserted in longitudinal recesses or grooves in said edges, and
also the same in combination with packing rings around the trunnions and pressing
against said piston packing plates or strips or against a shoulder of the trunnion.
The edges of the piston at their ends and sides are longitudinally recessed to receive
the improved packing plates or strips. These plates or strips are in sets of two or
more for each edge, are made to fit closely in the recess in single widths filling the
recess except at the meeting points when they have lapped joints with springs under
the surface and between to force them apart longitudinally and with springs under
them to force them out laterally or they may be placed in sets of two or more
side by side with grooves or recesses cut under the surface in contiguous sides
with the ends of the recesses not quite opposite to each other, so that springs,
spiral or otherwise may be placed partly in one plate or strip and partly in the
other in such a way as to force them apart longitudinally, and also with springs
under all of them in the recess of the piston to force all of them out laterally.
At the corners of the piston where the piston packing plates or strips come
against the angles of the chamber the packing plates or strips are either halved
with meeting packing plate or strip of the adjoining edge of the piston or they
are arranged so that where more than one width of plate is used in a groove
they shall alternate in length against the end walls of the chamber opposite to
them that is to say when two or more strips are laid in the-grooves parallel
the end of one shall butt against the wall of the chamber and the adjoining one
shall butt against the packing strip of the next edge adjoining it so that the joints
of one set of strips shall be broken or covered by the strips of the adjoining edge
of the piston overlapping it, in this way the corners and sides of the chamber will
at all times be filled and the piston continues to be steam or gas tight. By making
these plates or strips of a proper size they will wear equally with any known form
of engine packing. Around the trunnion, and preferably fitted into grooves or
recesses of the cover is placed one or more rings (if open rings with lapped joints)
which are forced outwards by springs (preferably spiral) set in the recess behind
them. The trunnion may be turned down to form a shoulder next the piston
blades and these rings pressing against this shoulder and against the end of the
packing plates or strips make a perfectly steam and gas tight joint.
Dated this 10th June 1801

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to Packing Plates or Strips for
Vibrating, Oscillating, or Rotary Engines.
SAMUEL WITHERS of 21 Masboro' Road W. West Kensington, Mechanical
Engineer, and D'ESTAING SALISBURY COVERT, of 7 Bridge Avenue "Hammer-
smith, Gentleman, both in the County of Middlesex, 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 :-
The object of this invention is to provide a combination of packing plates or
strips with the edges of pistons, and also around their trunnions, in a vibrating,
oscillating or rotary engine, so that such packing plates or strips shall move
longitudinally as well as laterally and make a close, elastic, and durable joint,
at all times, between the piston or blades, and the wall of the chamber in which
it moves, and which shall be gas, steam, or watertight under continued wear and
pressure.
Fig. 1. is a plan view of part of the edge of a vibrating piston showing the
packing strips in sets of two.
Fig. 2. is a vertical section of same showing part of one edge and end.
Fig. 3. is a side clevation and plan view of part of one of the packing strips.
Fig. 4. is a plan view of a modified form of the end joints of the packing strips.
Fig. 5. is a vertical section of a slightly modified form of the means for forcing
the packing strips both longitudinally and laterally.
Fig. 6. is a plan view of part of the edge of a vibrating piston, showing the,
packing strips in single widths.
Fig. 7. is a vertical section of saine showing part of one edge and end.
Fig. 8. is an end view of a piston showing the trunnion and shoulder of same,,
and
Fig. 9. is a vertical section of Fig. 8, of the arrangements of packing plates or
rings for the joints of the trunnions or shaft of a vibrating or rotary engine.
The same letters refer to similar parts in all the figures.
This invention consists of the combination with the ends and side edges of a
piston or blade A of packing plates or strips B. Bi having the form and arrange-
ment herein described, which are inserted in longitudinal recesses or grooves C.
(Figs. 1 & 6) in said edges and also the same in combination with packing rings D.
(Fig. 9) around the trunnion E. and pressing against said piston packing plates or
strips or against a shoulder D' of the trunnion E.
The edges of the piston A at its ends and sides are longitudinally recessed to
receive the improved, packing.plates or strips B. B' referring to Figs. 6 and 7 of
the drawings, the plates or strips B. B' are in sets of two or more 'for each edge,
and are made to fit closely in the recess in single widths filling the recess, except,
at the meeting points where they have lapped or halfened joints F. E. Springs G.
placed under the surface of, and between the plates or strips, force them apart
longitudinally, and springs H. under such plates or strips force them out laterally,
or, such plates or strips B. B₁ may be placed in sets of two or more side by side
(Figs. 1 and 2) with grooves or recesses I (Figs. 1. 2. and 3) cut under the surface
in, contiguous sides, with the ends of the recesses not quite opposite to each other,
so that springs J (preferably of spiral form) may be placed partly, in the recess
in one plate or strip, and partly in the recess, in the other, in such a way as to force.
them apart longitudinally, while springs H, under all of them in the recesses in the
piston, force them all out laterally.
4°
At the corners of the piston where the piston packing plates or strips come
against the angles of the chamber, the packing plates or strips are either halved
with the meeting packing plate or strip of the adjoining edge of the piston, or they are
arranged so that where more than one width of plate is used in a groove, they shall

page_text: alternate in length (Fig. 4) against the end walls of the chamber opposite to them,
that is to say, when two or more strips are laid in the grooves parallel, the end of
one shall butt against the wall of the chamber, and the adjoining one shall butt
against the packing strips of the next edge adjoining it, so that the joints of one
set of strips shall be broken or covered by the strips of the adjoining edge of the
piston overlapping it. In this way the corners or sides of the chamber will at all
times be filled and the piston continue to be steam or gas tight.
Fig. 5. shows a method of forcing the packing plates or strips both longitudinally
and laterally, by means of a simple set of springs K. placed in an oblique
direction, and towards the direction the plates or strips are required to move longi-
tudinally.
Around the trunnion or shaft E (Figs. 8 and 9) and preferably fitted into grooves
or recesses in the cylinder cover L. is placed one or more rings D. (if open or
divided rings, same will have lapped joints) which are forced outwards or towards
the piston A by springs M. (preferably spiral) set in recesses behind said rings in
the cover L.
The trunnion E may be turned down to form a shoulder D' (Fig. 8) next the
piston blades, and these rings pressing against this shoulder and the ends of the
packing plates or strips B' pressing against such ring or rings D. make a perfectly
steam or gas tight joint.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is
1. The improved packing for the pistons of vibrating oscillating, or rotary
engines, consisting in plates or strips with overlapping joints, let. into grooves in
the ends and side edges of such pistons, and having recesses in each to receive
springs, one end of which bears against the end of a recess in one of the plates or
strips, while the other end of same bears against the opposite end of a recess in
the adjacent plate or strip, so as to force such adjacent plates longitudinally in
opposite directions, while springs placed under the bottom of the packing plates or
strips, force same outwards laterally substantially as specified.
2. The improved packing for the pistons of vibrating, oscillating, or rotary
engines, consisting in plates or strips with overlapping joints, and let into grooves
in the ends and side edges of such pistons, and having oblique or inclined recesses
in each, while corresponding recesses are formed in the bottom of the grooves into
which the plates or strips fit, the recess for one plate or strip being at an opposite
or reverse angle to that in the adjacent plate or strip, so that springs inserted in
the recesses in the plates or strips and also in the bottom of the grooves will force
two adjacent plates or strips longitudinally in opposite directions, and also out-
wardly laterally substantially as specified.
3. The improved packing for the trunnion or shaft of the pistons of vibrating,
oscillating or rotary engines, consisting in a ring or rings surrounding such trunnion
and forced by springs against the side of the piston in combination with plates or
strips let into the side of such piston and forced by springs against the periphery
of such ring or rings, substantially as specified and shown in Figs. 8 and 9.
Dated this 9th day of March 1892.
ALLISON BROS.,
Agents for, the Applicants.