Definition

1. Noun:
   • A small chamber in which packing is compressed around a reciprocating shaft or piston to form a seal: A "stuffing box" is a mechanical assembly designed to prevent leakage of fluid (like water, steam, or oil) along a moving shaft or piston rod that passes through a container wall or housing. It contains a soft, deformable packing material that is compressed to create a tight seal.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • The engineer inspected the pump's stuffing box for signs of wear.
  • A properly maintained stuffing box is essential to prevent water from leaking into the bilge of a ship.
  • They replaced the old packing material inside the stuffing box.

Advanced Usage

• "To repack a stuffing box": To replace the worn-out sealing material inside the chamber.
  • The maintenance schedule requires us to repack the stuffing box annually.
• "Stuffing box gland": Often refers to the specific component (the gland nut or flange) that applies pressure to compress the packing.
  • Tighten the stuffing box gland gradually to adjust the seal.

Variants and Related Words

• Packing gland: A common synonym for "stuffing box."
• Seal chamber: A more general term for a cavity containing a sealing mechanism.
• Mechanical seal: A modern, often more efficient, alternative sealing device that sometimes replaces a traditional stuffing box.

Synonyms

• Packing box
• Gland box

Related Phrases

• Stuffing box packing: The specific material (often braided rope, graphite, or Teflon) used inside the box to create the seal.
  • We need to order more graphite-impregnated stuffing box packing.

Noun

1. a small chamber in which packing is compressed around a reciprocating shaft or piston to form a seal