PACKING GLAND ASSEMBLY

A packing gland assembly mountable on a shaft extending through an opening in a wall member of an apparatus consisting of a main housing member mountable on the shaft, having an opening for receiving the shaft therethrough, the opening being provided with an enlarged section defining an annular space about the shaft when the main housing member is mounted on the shaft with the shaft extending through the opening therein; a split housing member mountable on the shaft including a section receivable in the annular space provided by the main housing section, such section having an opening for receiving the shaft therethrough and being provided with an enlarged section defining an annular space about the shaft when the main and split housing members are mounted on the shaft with the shaft extending through the openings therein; at least one packing ring mountable on the shaft and receivable within the annular space of the split housing member when the main and split housing members are mounted on the shaft in the assembled condition; a follower member mountable on the shaft, including a section received in the second mentioned annular space, in engagement with the packing ring when the main and split housing members, the packing ring and the follower member are mounted on the shaft in the assembled condition; and means for urging the follower member toward the main housing member for compressing the packing ring, causing it to expand radially and thus form a seal between the shaft and the assembly.