NEW OR IMPROVED CONSTRUCTIONS OF ELASTIC AND FLEXIBLE METALLIC OR COM- POSITE PACKINGS FOR THE STUFFING BOXES AND OTHER WORKING AND JOINTING PARTS OF STEAM ENGINES AND MACHINERY."
Year: 1870

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Paton, of Johnstone, in the County of
Renfrew, North Britain, Manufacturer, for the Invention of "NEW
OR IMPROVED CONSTRUCTIONS OF ELASTIC AND FLEXIBLE METALLIC OR COM-
POSITE PACKINGS FOR THE STUFFING BOXES AND OTHER WORKING AND JOINTING
PARTS OF STEAM ENGINES AND MACHINERY."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Paton: at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
20th October 1870.
I, WILLIAM PATON, of Johnstone, in the County of Renfrew, North
Britain, Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of the said Inven-
tion for "NEW OR IMPROVED CONSTRUCTIONS OF ELASTIC AND FLEXIBLE METALLIC
OR COMPOSITE PACKINGS FOR THE STUFFING BOXES AND OTHER WORKING AND
JOINTING PARTS OF STEAM ENGINES AND MACHINERY," to be as follows, that is
to say :-
This said Invention has reference to certain new constructions of or
improvements in or upon that class of the ordinary forms and con-
structions of the said packings used for the stuffing boxes and other

page_text: 66
working and jointing parts of steam engines and other mechanism,
heretofore made in the form of solid or hollow platted or woven
gaskets;" and when made solid, as in the first case, having the central
part formed by a solid core of india-rubber or parallel or twisted strands
of ordinary cordage or rope, or of a combination of these, and all as
heretofore manufactured by the petitioner and other makers of packing,
and as is well known, from the various vegetable fibrous materials of
flax, hemp, cotton, and jute, or their mixtures prepared in the form of
twisted strands or many narrow fillets of these soft threads or bands,
platted or woven, in long or continuous lengths, usually in one, two, or
three layers or coverings over each other, or over the core part, and of a
circular cross section; upon or by any of the ordinary forms and con-
structions of the well-known platting or weaving machines used for
making platted work, as braided bands, tapes, and cords, or coverings to
these and metal bands; although also capable of being so made of other
cross sectional shapes, as flat or polygonal, and in short lengths, and
looped at the ends when it is desired to have no loose ends and to form
them into rings of the diameter required, and so as thus to be used.
either in the form of annular rings with their ends attached, or in spiral
coils of the length required to suit all cases.
And this said Invention or its nature, substantially and mainly,
consists, first, in the use of wire or of very thin and narrow strips or
bands formed of brass, iron, steel, or other metal, to form the whole or
any proportionate number of the said strands of any one, two, three, or
more of the said layers to be woven or platted either by or with them-
selves or with the vegetable fibrous strands, and either with or without
the flexible and elastic core formed of india-rubber and textile strands,
or with both, all otherwise as herein-before described or heretofore
practised, and so as to give to any one or more of the said outer or body
layers or coverings and the said packings by this new or improved means
a metallic and much greater elasticity, strength, and durability than
these packages have had as heretofore constructed, and which nevertheless
still possesses great and sufficient flexibility.
Although platting only has been described for laying or working on
the new or improved metal wire or band coverings it will be quite
understood that these may be wound, twisted, or lapped on spirally in
one or more directions, although this would not hold the whole of the
strands together so well as the platting or weaving would do.

page_text: In addition to these first improvements of giving elasticity and
wearing durability to the outer body of the said packings by interlacing
or overlaying them with stripes of wire and metal, another improvement
refers to the cores or centre of such packing, and consists in giving
these also greater elasticity and flexibility by the introduction and use of
a hollow spiral or helical metallic wire core or centre, or a good vul-
canized india-rubber tube, or a combination of these with the wire core,
either inside or outside of the vulcanized tube, which might have layers
of canvas in it, all covered with the improved metallic or composite
coverings herein-before described, and which packing when so made and
cut to the annular or spiral lengths to make the joint may have the ends
of the vulcanized tube strongly tied with wire or cord, so as to enclose
the air, and thus give greater elasticity with flexibility at the same time
to the whole packing.
.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said William Paton in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 17th April 1871.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
PATON, of Johnstone, in the County of Renfrew, North Britain, Manu-
facturer, send greeting.
'
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twentieth day of October, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy, in the thirty-
fourth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give
and grant unto me, the said William Paton, Her special licence that I,
the said William Paton, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or
such others as I, the said William Paton, my executors, administrators,
and assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others, from time
to time and at all times thereafter during the term therein expressed,
should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend, within the
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and
Isle of Man, an Invention for "NEW OR IMPROVED CONSTRUCTIONS OF ELASTIC
AND FLEXIBLE METALLIC OR COMPOSITE. PACKINGS FOR THE STUFFING BOXES AND
OTHER WORKING AND JOINTING PARTS OF STEAM ENGINES AND MACHINERY," upon
the condition (amongst others) that I, the said William Paton, my exe-

page_text: cutors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under my, or their,
or one of their hands and seals, should particularly describe and ascertain
the nature of the said. Invention, and in what manner the same was to
be performed, and cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent
Office within six calendar months next and immediately after the date of
the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said William Paton, do hereby declare
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to
be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement in writing, reference being had to the accompanying
Sheet of Drawings, and to the letters and figures marked thereon, that is
to say :-
My said Invention has reference to certain new constructions of or
improvements in or upon that class of the ordinary forms and con-
structions of the said packings used for the stuffing boxes and other
working and jointing parts of steam engines and other mechanism,
heretofore made in the form of solid or hollow, platted or woven,
'gasket;" and when made solid, as in the first case, having the central
part formed by a solid core of india-rubber, or of parallel or twisted
strands of ordinary cordage or rope, or of a combination of these, and all
as heretofore manufactured by the petitioner and other makers of
packing, and as is well known from the various vegetable fibrous
materials of flax, hemp, cotton, and jute, or their mixtures prepared in
the form of twisted strands, or many narrow fillets of these soft threads
or bands platted or woven in long or continuous lengths, usually in one,
two, or three layers or coverings over each other, or over the core part,
and generally circular in cross section, upon or by any of the ordinary
forms and constructions of the well known platting or weaving machines
used for making platted work, as braided bands, tapes, and cords, or
coverings to these, and metal bands; although also capable of being so
made of other cross sectional shapes, as flat or polygonal, and in short
lengths, and having the strands looped at the ends when it is desired to
have no loose ends, and to form them into rings of the diameter required,
and so as thus to be used either in the form of annular rings, with their
ends attached or in spiral coils of the length required to suit all cases.
And this said Invention (or the nature and mode and means of
earrying it into effect or practice) substantially and mainly consists,
first, in the use of wire or of very thin and narrow strips or bands formed

page_text: of brass, iron, steel, or other metal to form the whole or any proportional
number of the said strands of any one, two, three, or more of the said
layers to be woven or platted either by or with themselves, or with the
ordinary forms and constructions of vegetable fibrous strands, and either
with or without the said flexible and elastic core formed of india-rubber
or textile strands, or both, all otherwise as herein-before described or
heretofore practised. Thus these new or improved modes and means of
constructing the said joint packings give to any one or more of their
said outer or body layers or coverings, and proportionally to the whole
"gasket" or packing so made a metallic and much greater elasticity,
strength, and durability than these platted packings have had as here-
tofore constructed, and which nevertheless still possess great and sufficient
flexibility.
Although platting only has been described for laying or working on
the new or improved metal wire or band coverings, it will be quite
understood that these may be wound, twisted, or lapped on spirally in
one or more directions, although this mode will not hold the whole of
the strands together so perfectly as the platting or weaving does.
In addition to these first improvements of giving elasticity and
wearing durability to the outer body of the said packings by interlacing
or overlapping them with stripes of wire and metal, another improve-
ment in my said Invention refers to the cores or centres of such packing,
and consists in giving these also greater elasticity and flexibility by the
introduction and use of a hollow, spiral, or helical metallic wire core or
centre, or a good vulcanized india-rubber tube, or a combination of these
with the wire core either inside or outside of the vulcanized tube, which
might have layers of canvas in it, all covered with the new or improved
metallic or composite coverings herein-before described, and which
packing when so made and cut to the annular or spiral lengths to make
the joint may have the ends of the vulcanized tube strongly tied with
wire or cord, so as to enclose the air and thus give greater elasticity with
flexibility at the same time.
And in order that my said Invention may be properly understood and
be performed or put into effect or practice, I will now proceed to describe
the several illustrative Figures upon the Sheet of explanatory Drawings
which I have hereunto appended for the purpose of showing the best
modifications and means which I am at present aware of for so doing
and carrying my said Invention or improvements into effect or practice;

page_text: the same reference letters and numerals being employed to indicate the
same or equivalent and like parts in all the Figures where they are
shown.
Figures 1 to 12 on the Sheet of Drawings are side and end views
respectively of small pieces of my said new or improved packing, as used
for stuffing boxes and other parts of steam engines, showing various
modifications or constructions thereof.
Referring to Figures 1 and 2 which show my said improvements
applied to a round form of packing, having an ordinary small solid core
of vulcanized india-rubber a surrounded by a thickish annular. layer of
longitudinal strands 6 of cotton, hemp, or other equivalent fibre secured
within three platted or woven coverings c, all so far made in a usual
manner and by the ordinary means and mechanism which therefore need
not be described, except that the two outer platted coverings c dis-
tinguished by the letters C¹, C", have a part or number of their strands C
formed of metallic wire, shown coloured yellow to indicate brass wire-
"hard drawn," to give elasticity and strength to each covering C¹, C",
and to the whole gasket or packing thereby. In the covering C¹ it will
be seen that there are two narrow strips or bands made of strands or
fillets of fine brass wire platted or twisted spirally in the direction of
left to right, thus shown as formed in my new or improved composite
manner of wire C and strands of cotton, hemp, or their equivalents, while
in the outer covering C" the whole of the strands or wire so interlaced or
platted and coiled in the opposite direction, or from right to left, are
shown formed of the said wire in this new or improved composite
manner, showing longitudinal interlacing ridges of brass (in the latter
case C") and spiral intermittent lacing bands in the former case C³.
Figures 3 and 4 are much the same as the former Figures 1 and 2,
described, except that the wire is only shown as applied to the outer
covering C¹ in the form of broader spiral interlacing fillets from right to
left on a central part (without the india-rubber elastic core a) made in
the form of a soft twisted rope of cotton or hemp, with an ordinary
platted covering c¹ interlaced all as usual out of strands of fibrous
materials, as cotton, hemp, and not of wire.
Figures 5 and 6 show my improvements applied to a form or con-
struction of ordinary platted hollow "gasket" or packing, that is
without a central core; in this case the packing or "gasket" is shown
as formed of five coatings or coverings c, formed over each other in the

page_text: round form shown in end view, Figure 6, or in the square (or other
equivalent rhomboidal or polygonal) form desired, shown at Figure 6",
the inner hollow web C' is all shown as formed of the wire strands C
interlaced in both directions, and having the outer covering C" formed
with one half of the strands C (interlaced and wound from left to right)
of wire in my new or improved manner.
Figures 7 and 8 show another modification of more limp constructions
of hollow "gasket,” which may be woven or platted in the form of a flat
oval, or of a round shape in end view, as shown in Figure 8 or 8ª,
respectively, with either one or two strips c of platting, in this case
shown of two layers C₁, c¹, the outer one C₁ having that half of the
strands C running and interlacing spirally from left to right, all formed.
in my said improved manner of metal wire, while the other layer c¹ has
all the strands formed as usual of cotton or hemp, or a mixture of these or
other equivalent vegetable fibrous material, and this form of "gasket " is
suitable for making flat ring joints, as for the flanges of pipes and
vessels requiring to be made fluid pressure tight.
Figures 9 and 10 show á modification of my improvements in which
the central part (composed of an elastic india-rubber core a, and
surrounding body of twisted cordage of cotton, hemp, or other such like
fibre) is covered with a layer C¹ of wires C, twisted from left to right,
and an outer layer C₁ formed all of wires twisted in the reverse direction
or from right to left, and which mode of binding and covering or forming
the packings, although not so efficient as that shown in the former
Figures 1 to 8 of my said improvements, is yet serviceable for many
purposes in the same manner as the former.
Figures 11 and 12 show one modification of my improved elastic
centres or cores for packings or "gaskets" for joints. The core in this
case is shown formed of a hollow spiral or conoidal cylindrical structure,
formed of fine elastic wire D covered on the outside with a vulcanized
india-rubber tube E, but either the former or latter may be made to form
the core alone, and when also both are used the latter may when pre-
ferred be placed within the coil of wire, and in either case the outer
coverings c may be made of four or other number of the said ordinary
or improved platted textile coverings c¹, c¹¹, c¹¹, C₁, formed over the said
core and each other, or having one or more of the layers as C¹ with wire
strands C when preferred, and when these "gaskets" so formed are cut
into lengths for the ring or coil to form the joint the two ends, as shown

page_text: at F, of the india-rubber tube E may be tightly tied with a wire or cord,
so as to enclose the air within the hollow core which will give it and
the whole "gasket" greater elasticity thereby.
<<
It will be understood that these improved centres or cores, so con-
structed are equally applicable for the ordinary platted forms of
gaskets" or packings as heretofore constructed, as for my said new
or improved constructions of these with metallic or composite layers or
coverings, and that although plain round brass wire has been shown
and described as used for the spiral core and for the strands of the new
coverings, it will be understood that twisted wires or thin narrow strips
of sheet metal may be used in the same way, and that other metals, as
-iron or steel may be employed as well as brass, and that any proportional
number of the strands of each, or any number of the coverings or
layers of these packings, may be thus made of metal besides the
necessary limited examples described and shown in the Drawings.
These improved metallic and composite packings are platted or
worked in the platting or weaving and twisting machines heretofore
used and employed for making the like forms and constructions of
packings made from cotton, hemp, flax, and other vegetable fibres and
mixtures of these, so that I make no special claim of novelty in the
construction of the said machinery for making my said improved
packings.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of my
said Invention and the manner in which the same is or may be used or
carried into effect, I would observe that what I consider novel and
original, and therefore claim as the Invention secured to me by the
herein-before in part recited Letters Patent is,-
""
First. The making (or platting, weaving, or interlacing and twisting)
of any part of the strands of the body and outer coverings of "gasket'
or packing for the joints of steam engines and other machinery of metal
wire or bands, substantially in the new or improved manner and for the
purposes herein described, and shown in the accompanying Drawings
under the first part of my said Invention.
Second. The construction and use of a centre or core in gasket or
packing for steam engines and other machinery formed of a hollow
helical parallel coil of metallic wire or of a tube of vulcanized india-
rubber, or of both combined, substantially in the new or improved

page_text: manner and for the purposes herein described and shown in the
accompanying Drawings under the second part of my said Invention.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Paton, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Fifteenth day of April, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-one.
Witness,
JOHN THOMSON,
Patent Agent,
.
20, Buchanan Street,.
Glasgow.
W. PATON. (L.S.)