Improvements in Metallic Packings.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 15th July, 1890-Accepted, 16th Aug.. 1890
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Metallic Packings.
I, WILLIAM ISAAC PAGE, of Boston, County of Suffolk, State of Massachusetts,
United States of America, Merchant, 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 :-
My invention relates to Improvements in Metallic Packing to be used on valve-
stems, piston-rods, or in similar locations, where a steam, water or gas-tight joint is
required. The object of my invention is to produce a solid packing which is to be
capable of taking up wear and enabling the joint to be kept tight simply by advancing
the adjusting gland.
My invention in brief consists of a single piece of Babbitt or other suitable metal
cast or otherwise formed as follows:-A short cylinder is bored lengthwise or cast with
a diameter to fit the rod or valve-stem, while upon its exterior surface are cut or
otherwise produced a series of annular grooves, which extend some distance into the
body of the metal, thereby reducing or crippling the metal at that point.
Thus
When this integral ring is subjected to pressure the metal at the bottom of the
grooves, or at the weakest portion yields and is thrust inwardly upon the rod.
the enlargement of the bore of the packing consequent upon wear is compensated for
and fresh metal is supplied. In this way a solid packing ring can be made, which has
all the advantages of packings possessing elastic or yielding characteristics after the
manner of fibrous packing in general use.
The drawings represent in Fig. 1 a sectional elevation of a metallic packing
embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a sectional view showing the packing adapted for
multiplication.
Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section of a packing piece after compression.
perspective view of the compression ring.
Fig. 4 is a
The object of my invention is to produce a solid ring packing which shall be capable
of compression about the rod or shaft upon which it is applied in order to compensate
for the wear, or in case it should become necessary to render the joint tight against
increased pressure or for other incidental causes. This packing 2 is composed of some
soft metal, or alloy such as is used for bearings, and commonly termed Babbit. Its
construction is as follows: in general shape a hollow cylinder, the internal diameter
being such as to fit the rod or valve-stem about which it is to be applied. The exterior
surface of this packing is formed with alternate annular ribs 3 and grooves 4, the
cross-section of the latter are U shaped, preferably oval or circular at the bottom, and
cut of such a depth as to leave a thin weh 5 of metal which interconnects the two
adjacent ribs or rings 3. The purpose of such construction is to present the weakest
portion of the web 5 centrally between the ribs; hence when pressure is brought to
bear upon the packing 2 said rings are forced together and the metal forming the web
is thrust against the rod or valve-stem. In this way a fresh packing surface is presented
which compensates for wear and maintains the joint tight.
These packing pieces 2 are adapted for multiplication upon a rod in which event
their ends are tapered or of conical shape, while the contiguous ends are termed
respectively male and female. This construction is shown in Fig. where the male
end 6 is shown as fitting tightly to the rod, while the female 7 is slightly flared at this
point and adapted to receive the male end, the latter crowding between it and the rod.
In connection therewith I employ a compression ring 8 of some hard metal which is
reversely tapered interiorly to coincide with the tapered ends of the packing pieces 2.
At the meeting of the said tapers a flat surface is created which is adapted to prevent
the metal of the packing from spreading outwardly, when pressure is exerted against
the opposite ends of the said packing pieces. Thus when the gland forces said pieces

page_text: together the metal composing them and located beneath the compression ring is only
thrust the more forcibly against the rod. By such arrangement the required packing
surface may be made of any extent and continuous along the rod.
Having thus created several of thes epacking pieces 2 I proceed as follows: to the end
of a steam-chest or cylinder-head 9 shown in part Fig. 1, I secure a packing-case 10,
separably united with a flanged base 12 rigidly bolted to said steam-chest. The
interior central portion of said base is disked or concave and adapted to receive a
bearing-plate 13, which is co-incident in curvature with the concave portion of the
base, the bore both of the base and that of the bearing plate are of larger diameter
than the rod which thus passes freely through. That portion of the bearing-plate
contiguous to the packing 2 is preferably cut away or flared to receive the tapered end
of such packing, pressure from the gland at the opposite end serving to crowd the soft
metal packing snugly about the rod. A packing piece 2 is now passed over the rod 15
a compression ring follows and then a second packing piece, finally the follower 14 is
added and the gland 14 is then positioned engaging with the other end of the
casing 10. The gland is now screwed down until the desired pressure is obtained.
It is to be observed that the follower 14 is adapted to receive the tapered end of the
packing contiguous thereto after the manner of the bearing-plate, while the bore of
both follower and gland exceed the diameter of the rod to permit of lateral divergence
of the reciprocating rod should such occur.
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 :-
1st. A metallic packing composed of a hollow cylinder of some soft metal and
exteriorly formed with alternating annular ribs and grooves and adapted for multipli-
cation, substantially as herein specified.
2nd. A metallic packing ring provided with outwardly tapering ends, and an
intermediate cylindrical part, grooves and ribs being formed alternately therein,
substantially as set forth.
3rd. The combination of a packing case, an adjustable gland, and a reciprocating
rod with a metallic packing having its ends tapered outward, and an intermediate
cylindrical portion in which alternating grooves and ribs are formed, substantially as
set forth.
4th. The combination with a packing case 10, its adjustable gland 14, the bearing-
plate 12 and a follower 13, of two or more packing rings, 2 provided with alternate
annular ribs, and grooves, the contiguous ends being tapered and adapted to engage
as set forth, and a compression ring 8 of some hard metal clasping the joint produced
by the contact of said ends substantially as stated.
5th. Two or more packing pieces each composed of a hollow continuous cylinder of
some soft metal, and exteriorly formed with alternate annular ribs and grooves, con-
bined with a compression ring of some hard metal overlapping the contiguous ends of
said pieces, and covering the joint at this point, substantially as described.
Dated this 14th day of June 1890.
Q
WILLIAM ISAAC PAGE.