Improvements in Packing Rings and the Springs Connected there- with for Pistons, Piston Valves, Plungers, and Pump Buckets of Steam, Hydraulic, or other Engines.
Year: 1886

page_text: Date of Application, 30th Mar., 1886.
Complete Left, 29th Dec., 1886.
Complete Accepted, 8th Feb., 1887.
Improvements in Packing Rings and the Springs Connected there-
with for Pistons, Piston Valves, Plungers, and Pump Buckets of
Steam, Hydraulic, or other Engines.
1, WILLIAM LAING, of No. 1 Colin Place, Southwick, Sunderland in the County of
Durham, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:--
My invention has special reference to pistons for steam engines working with the
now prevailing high pressures of steam and at high speeds and I will therefore
describe the improvements as I propose to apply them in pistons their application to
piston valves, plungers and pump buckets being analogous.
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The object of my invention is to construct a piston, with one external packing ring,
either the full depth or nearly so between the piston flange, and the "junk-ring" or
cover and to counteract the tendency of such deep ring to cant over or set out
unequally against the cylinder by the pressure of the springs behind it which springs
act direct and without the intervention of an inner ring or rings. Further to provide
for the end wear of the packing ring and to keep it always steam tight between the
piston flange and the junk-ring by the action of said springs, which are of peculiar
form, having elasticity both radially and axially, and form a part of my invention.
I make the packing ring preferably of section and provide in the top of vertical
flange a groove bored out to receive a shallow ring of section, the vertical flange
of which is turned to fit into said groove in main ring and the horizontal flange is in
contact with the "junk-ring." The springs used may be of various forms which will
give both radial and axial pressures but I propose to make thein in end section
thus OOO placed in cavity behind the packing ring so that the outer surfaces
of the three ovals press against its interior surface and the end pressure is produced
by the junk-ring forcing the spring together axially between the flanges of the main
packing ring and the shallow ring which is grooved into it.

page_text: The effect is that any tendency of the main packing ring to cant over upon its
flange is counteracted by the shallow ring pressed into contact with the junk-ring by
the springs. Both rings are cut and tongued and are perfectly free to expand in
unison radially as they and the cylinder wear, and the axial pressure of the spring
keeps them steam tight endwise by keeping the flange of main ring in contact with
piston flange and the flange of shallow ring in contact with the junk-ring.
The shallow ring may be made of T section so as to bring its flange flush with
outer diameter of the main ring and give greater bearing against the "junk-ring."
W. LLOYD WISE,
46, Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, W.C.,
Agent for the Applicant.
Improvements in Packing Rings and the Springs Connected there-
with for Pistons, Piston Valves, Plungers, and Pump Buckets of
Steam, Hydraulic, or other Engines.
I, WILLIAM LAING, of No. 1 Colin Place, Southwick, Sunderland in the County
of Durham, Engineer, 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 has special reference to pistons for steam engines working with the
now prevailing high pressures of steam and at high speeds, and I will therefore
describe the improvements as I propose to apply them in pistons; their application to
piston valves, plungers and pump buckets being analogous.
The object of my invention is to construct a piston, with one external packing ring
either the full depth or nearly so between the piston flange and the "junk-ring" or
cover and to counteract the tendency of such deep ring to "cant" over or set out
unequally against the cylinder by the pressure of the springs behind it, which springs
act direct and without the intervention of an inner ring or rings.
Further, to provide for the end wear of the packing ring and to keep it always
steam tight between the piston flange and the "junk-ring" by the action of said
springs, which are of peculiar form, having elasticity both radially and axially, and
form a part of my invention.
I make the packing ring preferably of L section and provide in the top of vertical

page_text: flange (speaking of a vertical cylinder engine) a groove bored out to receive a shallow
ring of section, the vertical flange of which is turned to fit into said groove in
main ring and the horizontal flange is in contact with the "junk-ring." The springs
used may be of various forms which will give both radial and axial pressures
but I propose to make them in end section of the form shewn in the drawings
placed in cavity behind the packing ring, so that the outer surfaces of the three
ovals press against its interior surface, and the end pressure is produced by
the junk-ring forcing the spring together axially between the flanges of the main
packing ring and the shallow ring which is grooved into it.
"
The effect is that any tendency of the main packing ring to "cant over upon its
flange is counteracted by the shallow ring pressed into contact with the "junk-ring"
by the springs. Both rings are cut and tongued and are perfectly free to expand in
unison radially as they and the cylinder wear, and the axial pressure of the spring
keeps them steam tight endwise by keeping the flange of main ring in contact with
piston flange and the flange of shallow ring in contact with the "junk-ring."
The shallow ring may be made of T section so as to bring its flange flush with
outer diameter of the main ring and give greater bearing against the "junk-ring."
DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS.
On the accompanying sheet of drawings, I have illustrated the application of my
invention to a steam engine piston 24 ins. dia. as actually applied, the drawings,
being full size. For piston valves, pump plungers and other purposes the mode of
application is practically the same.
Fig. 1. shews a section of part of the piston with the main packing ring (A),
shallow ring (B), spring (C), and "junk-ring" in position.
Fig. 2 shews a section of the main packing ring (A) taken through the cut in the
shallow ring (B) and through the "tongue" piece (D) by which the cut is made
steam tight.
Fig. 3 is an external face view of Fig. 2.
Fig. 4. is a plan of top of shallow ring (B) shewing the "tongue" piece (D) let
into it and secured on one side of cut by a screw bolt.
Fig. 5 shows a section of main packing ring (A) and shallow ring (B) taken
through the cut of main ring and shewing the "tongue" piece (E) by which the cut
is made steam tight.
Fig. 6 is an external view of the main packing ring with the "tongue" piece
secured on one side of the diagonal cut by screw bolts.
Fig. 7 is a plan in section through line A. B Figs. 5 and 6.
The spring (C) shewn in end view on Fig. 1 and partially in side view on Fig. 1ª
is formed of steel wire (either in sections or in one continuous length for required
circumference of piston) worked hot over studs suitably disposed to give the peculiar
form to the spring which form enables it to expand radially by its elasticity, when
compressed behind the main packing ring (A), and to resist compression axially
between the main packing ring (A) and the shallow ring (B) by the screwing down
of the junk ring." The ends of the spring are fitted upon a curved bolt and the
radial pressure on back of the packing ring (A) is restored or regulated by nuts, or
otherwise.
The spring is retained in position in the groove in packing ring (A) and the
projecting spigot shallow ring (B) being then placed in the recessed groove in top of
packing ring and the "junk ring" put on and screwed down the spring (C) is
compressed axially and exerts a pressure upon the flange of the packing ring (A)
against the piston flange and upon the flange of the ring (B) against the junk ring
thus preventing looseness or leakage by end wear, while the radial action of the
spring keeps the packing ring tight against the interior of the cylinder with an equal
pressure all round and the tapered spigot on ring (B) fitting into the plain or slightly
tapered groove on top of packing ring prevents any tendency to cant outward upon
its flange.

page_text: I prefer that when the radial and axial pressures of the spring (C) are properly
adjusted and the junk ring screwed down there shall not be more than about inch
open between the top of packing ring (A) and bottom of ring (B) so that any
excessive screwing down of the junk ring" and undue compression axially of the
spring, tending to expand it radially and thus cause excessive friction between the
piston and cylinder, may be prevented.
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 :
First. The construction or use of packing for pistons, piston valves etcetera,
consisting of a single packing ring grooved to receive a spigot on a shallow ring
between the internal flanges of which rings is a spring of such formation as to give
radial expansion and axial resistance to compression, with the objects set forth
substantially as described and shewn.
Second. The construction or application to packing rings of pistons, piston valves
etcetera of springs of the peculiar form, substantially as shewn and described, which
will give radial expansion and axial resistance to compression.
T. J. DANSON, Fel. Inst. P.A.,
Newcastle upon Tyne,
Agent for the Applicant.
T. J. DANSON, Fel. Inst. P.A.,
Newcastle upon Tyne,
Agent for the Applicant.