Adjusting device for the gland packing of a flat slide-valve

In a valve of the type comprising a valve housing having means defining an aperture to be controlled, a flat slide valve within said housing mounted for movement toward and away from said aperture to selectively open and close said aperture, a gland packing within said housing, said packing being of elongated flat-surfaced substantially rectangular configuration and having one of its elongated flat surfaces in engagement with one side of said flat slide valve, and adjustment means for controlling the engagement pressure between said packing and said slide valve, the improvement wherein said adjustment means comprises at least one elongated flat-sided lamination mounted with a flat side thereof disposed adjacent and substantially parallel to a second flat surface of said packing opposite to said one flat surface and remote from said slide valve, said elongated lamination including a plurality of slots therein extending parallel to one another and at an inclination to the direction of elongation of said lamination, a plurality of fixed axles extending through said plurality of slots respectively in direction transverse to the direction of elongation of said lamination, and control means operable from the exterior of said valve housing for moving said elongated lamination in the direction of its elongation whereby the coaction between said slots and said axles simultaneously causes said elongated lamination to move within said housing in a direction transverse to its direction of elongation toward said gland packing.