Well I never knew that – Cluppert Ring

[OldironParticipant @oldiron]

Happened across this video from PetersRailway whilst browsing the interweb. I have never heard of a Clupert Piston Ring. They say you learn something new everyday. A very interesting manufacturing process.

Link to Youtube video. Clupert Piston Rings

regards

[OldironParticipant @oldiron]

Clupert Piston rings.

[DMBParticipant @dmb]

Old iron,

Several years ago, Keith Wilson did a long series of Model Engineer articles entitled "How to make em" in which he described his methods of producing 7.25"G GWR loco models. Somewhere in those articles he mentions using Clupet rings. A very impressive set of articles, e.g., quartering driving wheels by keyway broaching, a simple regulator in the smokebox design.

John

[JasonBModerator @jasonb]

Popular with the traction engine guys, many of them use that type of ring

[duncan webster 1Participant @duncanwebster1]

Manufactured by Solway Tool and Gauge, at least they were, but the guy who ran it must have retired by now. They are initially attractive as they eliminate the gap between the ends of the ring, but another source of leakage is down one side, underneath and up the other. Two rings in 2 grooves give a much more tortuous path for this. As far as I know none of the big railways used Clupet, they used lots of narrow rings in separate grooves.

I once had a chap enthusing about Clupet, his engine was leaking badly, so he re-bored it and fitted Clupets, after which it leaked a lot less. Doesn't prove a thing, 2 conventional rings in 2 grooves might well have been just as good if not better, in fact 2 rings in one groove with the gaps offset would be worth a try.

[bernard towersParticipant @bernardtowers37738]

Always wondered how and now will have to try it!

[Howard LewisParticipant @howardlewis46836]

I think that the rights to the Clupet piston ring are owned by one of the preserved railway companies. (Ravenglass and Eskdale?? )

I think that the idea was to make the leakage path as long as possible (Around the the ring to the gap, rather bthan straight to the gap )_

Howard

[Martin ConnellyParticipant @martinconnelly55370]

The coiled phone cables that always ended up as a tangle were made tight by moulding them loose then reversing the direction of the coil similar to the post heat treatment move in the video. It may also be used on the coiled nylon air lines that also end up as a tangle.

Martin C

[Tim StevensParticipant @timstevens64731]

Do you know when, where* and by whom the way a piston ring worked was first discovered?

*Not the geographical location, but the surrounding circumstances.

Tim

[Tim StevensParticipant @timstevens64731]

PS – Or, for the historians amonst us – Ramsbottom's Metallic Packing.
An extra bonus point if you can say who Ramsbottom was.

Tim

Edited By Tim Stevens on 07/06/2023 14:19:26

[duncan webster 1Participant @duncanwebster1]

John Ramsbottom, chief engineer LNWR back end of 1800s

[duncan webster 1Participant @duncanwebster1]

Posted by Howard Lewis on 07/06/2023 10:45:36:

I think that the rights to the Clupet piston ring are owned by one of the preserved railway companies. (Ravenglass and Eskdale?? )

I think that the idea was to make the leakage path as long as possible (Around the the ring to the gap, rather bthan straight to the gap )_

Howard

When the company that made Clupets gave up the R&ER bought all the machines and set up to make them, but it didn't turn out to be the success they anticipated. The then Chief Engineer's brother took it over, I doubt there are any 'rights' involved after all this time apart from the trademark.

[FulmenParticipant @fulmen]

Posted by Howard Lewis on 07/06/2023 10:45:36:

I think that the idea was to make the leakage path as long as possible (Around the the ring to the gap, rather bthan straight to the gap )_

Turns out that's not as useful as one could imagine. From what I've learned about flow, most of the pressure loss comes from the change in cross section. Cross drilling the slot first to create a series of expansion chambers would probably make it much more effective.

[duncan webster 1Participant @duncanwebster1]

Clupet is a contraction of Clewes Peters on, the 2 chaps who patented them in 1919, so the patent will have well run out.

[Tim StevensParticipant @timstevens64731]

No-one has offered answer, so I feel an article comming on …

Tim

[duncan webster 1Participant @duncanwebster1]

There was an article in ME many years ago about how piston rings work. Can't provide detailed reference I fear

[HopperParticipant @hopper]

Posted by Tim Stevens on 07/06/2023 14:19:08:

PS – Or, for the historians amonst us – Ramsbottom's Metallic Packing.
An extra bonus point if you can say who Ramsbottom was.

Tim

Edited By Tim Stevens on 07/06/2023 14:19:26

Were 'e young Albert's father?

[Mick B1Participant @mickb1]

Posted by Hopper on 08/06/2023 01:44:35:

Posted by Tim Stevens on 07/06/2023 14:19:08:

PS – Or, for the historians amonst us – Ramsbottom's Metallic Packing.
An extra bonus point if you can say who Ramsbottom was.

Tim

Edited By Tim Stevens on 07/06/2023 14:19:26

Were 'e young Albert's father?

Aye, an' if yer've 'eard 'ow 'e managed to pay nobbut fivepence fer three to old Ted in 'Runcorn Ferry' …

Holloway Runcorn Ferry

… yer might recognise a relationship 'tween complexity of a solution an' its value.

Meks yer wunder…

[MichaelRParticipant @michaelr]

Posted by Tim Stevens on 07/06/2023 22:42:28:

No-one has offered answer, so I feel an article comming on …

Tim, Its all here Link

MichaelR

[Clive Brown 1Participant @clivebrown1]

Posted by duncan webster on 07/06/2023 17:36:31:

When the company that made Clupets gave up the R&ER bought all the machines and set up to make them, but it didn't turn out to be the success they anticipated. The then Chief Engineer's brother took it over, I doubt there are any 'rights' involved after all this time apart from the trademark.

I've lost touch with the R & E personnel that were then involved, so can't confirm any detail, but it seems thar Clupet rings are still made by Rufforth Steam Works somewhere uo here in the NW. see here.

[HopperParticipant @hopper]

Posted by Mick B1 on 08/06/2023 09:06:53:

Posted by Hopper on 08/06/2023 01:44:35:

Posted by Tim Stevens on 07/06/2023 14:19:08:

PS – Or, for the historians amonst us – Ramsbottom's Metallic Packing.
An extra bonus point if you can say who Ramsbottom was.

Tim

Edited By Tim Stevens on 07/06/2023 14:19:26

 

Were 'e young Albert's father?

 

Aye, an' if yer've 'eard 'ow 'e managed to pay nobbut fivepence fer three to old Ted in 'Runcorn Ferry' …

Holloway Runcorn Ferry

… yer might recognise a relationship 'tween complexity of a solution an' its value.

Meks yer wunder…

Ee aye lad. Sounds like me in the workshop. Spend $100 on tools and materials and two days of work to make a $50 part to save buying one.

Edited By Hopper on 08/06/2023 10:59:38

[HopperParticipant @hopper]

I'd like to see how they turn those larger Cluppert rings "inside out" before heat treatment. Looks like it would be quite the trick without cracking them. Tyre levers or a cunning jig of some sort?

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