IMPROVEMENTS IN ASBESTOS PACKING RINGS FOR THE JOINTS OF VESSELS SUBJECTED TO INTERNAL PRESSURE, AND IN THE MODE OF MANUFACTURING SAID RINGS
Year: 1880

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Hermann Wedekind, of 158, Fenchurch Street, in the
City of London, Engineer, for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN ASBESTOS
PACKING RINGS FOR THE JOINTS OF VESSELS SUBJECTED TO INTERNAL
PRESSURE, AND IN THE MODE OF MANUFACTURING SAID RINGS." A commu-
nication from abroad by Henry Bollinger, of Milan, in the Kingdom of Italy,
Engineer
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION loft by 'the said Hermann Wedekind at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 12th July 1880.
HERMANN WEDEKIND, of 158, Fenchurch Street, in the City of London,
Engineer. "IMPROVEMENTS IN ASBESTOS PACKING RINGS FOR THE JOINTS OF
VESSELS SUBJECTED TO INTERNAL PRESSURE, AND IN THE MODE OF MANU-
FACTURING SAID RINGS." A communication from Henry Bollinger, of Milan, in
the Kingdom of Italy, Engineer.
These improvements relate to the packings of the joints of steam boilers and of
other vessels and receptacles subjected to internal pressure, to high temperatures,
and to the corrosive influences of acids, rust, etc. Ordinary packings being made of
vegetable substances are soon destroyed. In order to avoid this objection the joint
herein described is employed. It consists of a ring of asbestos, thread, or rope of a
circular, elliptical, or flat section, and either with or without a core of metal or
india rubber. To afford this ring greater resistance and durability it is wound
round spirally with wire.
For the manufacture of a ring of this description a special machine is employed.
It carries out two main objects, firstly, to produce an endless rope with or
without a metallic or a caoutchouc core from asbestos thread; secondly, to cover
the same with a spiral of wire. The first operation is carried out by winding a
hank of asbestos thread over a pair of rollers set opposite each other, and one of
which is rotated off the driving pulley of the machine by means of a pair of conical
wheels. The second roller runs loose, and the pin on which it turns is adjustable
to a greater or lesser distance from the fixed roller, according to the sizes of the
rings it is wished to manufacture. In the stead of a hank or strand of asbestos

page_text: thread a ring of wire or of india rubbor may be taken to form the core. During
the forward movement of the hank over the rollers a bobbin or spool, fixed on a
box, which is made hollow for the passage of the rope, and rotated at a suitable
speed by spur gearing, supplies the thread which is wound spirally over the rope.
When the endless rope has attained a certain thickness the bobbin is taken off and
replaced by another supplied with metallic wire. At the samo time the pair of
conical wheels is uncoupled, and a worm wheel.brought into gear so as to slacken
the speed of the hank over the rollers. By means of tho bobbin wire is now wound
spirally over the hank. In order that the ring thus formed may be removed out of
the box the latter is mado with a slot through its length. To prevent any inter-
ruption in rotation through the break in the continuity of the, spur wheel on the
box the same is driven by two separate spur wheels adjusted to take it at different

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Hermann Wedokind in the Great Scal Patent Office on the
12th January 1881.
HERMANN WEDEKIND, of 158, Fenchurch Street, in the City of London, Engineer.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN ASBESTOS PACKING RINGS FOR THE JOINTS OF VESSELS
SUBJECTED TO INTERNAL PRESSURE, AND IN THE MODE OF MANUFACTURING SAID
RINGS." A communication from Henry Bollinger, of Milan, in the Kingdom of
Italy, Engincer.
These improvements relate to the packings of the joints of steam boilers, and of
other vessels and receptacles subjected to internal pressure, to high temperatures,
and to the corrosive influences of acids, rust, &c. Ordinary packings being made
of vegetable substances are soon destroyed. In order to avoid this objection tho
joint herein described is employed. It consists of a ring of asbestos throad or rope
of a circular, elliptical, or flat section, and either with or without a core of metal or
india rubber. To afford this ring greater resistance and durability it is wound
round spirally with wire.
For the manufacture of a ring of this description a special machine is employed.
It carries out two main objects, firstly, to produce an endless rope with or
without a metallic core from asbestos thread; secondly, to cover the same with a
spiral of wire. The first operation is carried out by winding a hank of asbestos
thread over a pair of rollers set opposite each other, and one of which is rotated off
the driving pulley of the machine by means of a pair of bevelled wheels. The
second roller runs looso, and the pin on which it turns is adjustable to a greater or
lesser distance from the fixed roller, according to the sizes of the rings it is wished
to manufacture. In the stead of a bank or strand of asbestos thread a ring of wire
or of india rubber may be taken to form the core. During the forward movement
of the hank over the rollers a bobbin or spool fixed on a box, which is made hollow
for the passage of the rope, and rotated at a suitable speed by spur gearing, supplies
the thread, which is wound spirally over the rope. When the endless rope has
attained a certain thickness the bobbin is taken off and replaced by another supplied
with wire. At the same time the pair of bevelled wheels is uncoupled, and a worm-
wheel brought into gear so as to slacken the speed of the hank over the rollers.
By means of the bobbin wire is now wound spirally over the hank. In order that
the ring thus formed may be removed out of the box the latter is made with a slot
throughout its length. To prevent any interruption in rotation through the break
in the continuity of the spur wheel on the box, the same is driven by two separate
spur wheels adjusted to take it at different parts of its periphery.
Having thus set forth the nature of this Invention, I shall now proceed to more
fully describe the same by means of the accompanying Sheet of Drawings. In
these Fig. 1 shews one of the asbestos packing rings of the shape usually adopted
for the mau hole doors of steam boilers. Its cross section may be either circular,
elliptical, or flat, as required. It is formed with or without a metallic or also an
india rubber core, and it may be strengthened on its outer surface by means of wire
wound spirally thereon.
The machine for manufacturing these packing rings is shown in Figs. 2, 3,
and 4, which indicate respectivoly a sectional elevation, a cross section, and a plan
of the same.
The operation of forming an endless asbestos rope is carried out by winding a
hank of asbestos thread a over the two rollers b, b¹. One of these rollers b is
rotated off the driving pulley c by intermediate gearing.
The other roller b runs
loose, and the pin on which it turns being carried by a block adjustable in a
horizontal slot can be set further in or out, according to the sizes of the rings to be

page_text: manufactured. The block is steadied by means of a counterweight p held by a
cord running over a pulley, as shewn. A ring of wire or india-rubber is taken in
lieu of the bank of asbestos thread when it is wished to have a metallic or a caoutchouc
core. During the forward movement of the hank or core a over the rollers b, b¹,
the spool fixed on the revolving box h gradually winds thereon the asbestos
thread. On the asbestos ring thereby attaining a suitable thickness, should it be
wished to give it a covering of wire, the spool is taken off and replaced by another
similar spool supplied with wire. At the same time the pair of bevelled wheels e
are uncoupled, and the worm and wheel g coupled in. By this means the hank is
caused to progress at a slower speed, getting gradually covered during its advance
. by the wiro off the spool f. In order that the annular packings a, as they get
-formed, inay be taken out of the box it is made with a slot i throughout its
length. To prevent any interruption in the rotation-a-second-spur-wheel...in.
addition to the wheel, is caused to goar into the teeth on the hollow boss or
box . Both these wheels, as more fully shewn in Fig. 3, are driven off the spur
wheel m which is keyed on the main shaft. By this means the spur wheel k
drives the box h while the slot i is passing through b, and on the other hand the
wheel drives the box during the period that the wheel passes the slot i. On
the endless packing ring being finished and entirely covered with wire, the
cover n, which is locked by a catch o, is turned back, and the completed. ring
removed.
Having now fully set forth the nature of this Invention, and in what manner
the same is to be performed, I declare that I claim,―
-1- The-manufacture of endless packing rings of asbestos by means of a machine,
substantially as described and illustrated.
2. The construction of a machine for the manufacturing asbestos packing rings,
embodying a hollow box formed with a slot throughout its length, for the purposes
as described and illustrated.
In witness whereof, I, tho said Hermann Wedekind, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twelfth day of January, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and eighty one.
HERMANN WEDERINT
HERMANN WEDEKIND.
(L.S.)