Pistons are made an easy fit to the cylinder bore, a steam-tight fit between the two being obtained by means of the piston rings.
Solid pistons are provided with snap piston rings.
A snap piston ring is one that is larger in diameter than the cylinder bore, and is closed in to get it into the cylinder, while it depends on its own spring outwards for its fit to the cylinder bore, having no supplementary rings or springs to force it out.
Piston rings that are expanded by supplementary springs should be tapering in thickness, the thickest part being opposite to the split, and the thinnest at the split. This causes the ring to conform itself to the cylinder bore, and makes it sit more evenly around its whole circumference. These rings are made larger in diameter than the cylinder bore, in proportion of about 1⁄8 inch per foot of diameter, the split being closed when the ring is sprung into place in the cylinder. But if made of brass, the split must be left open enough to allow for the expansion, or otherwise the ring expanding more than the cylinder will seize and cut single.
The split of a piston ring should be placed on the bottom of the piston (in a horizontal engine), so that the piston head, in resting on the cylinder bore, will cover up the opening of the ring.
When two or more rings are employed, the splits may be placed on the lower half of the cylinder, so as to cover up their splits as much as possible.
The follower of a piston is a plate or cover that is employed to hold the piston rings in place, and the piston rings should be so fitted that the follower should be bolted firmly up, or otherwise the bolts may come loose and work out, and getting between the piston and the cylinder cover, may cause the piston to knock the cylinder cover out.
Piston followers are necessary when the rings are set out by springs or other parts adjustable within the piston head. Snap piston rings, however, permit the use of a solid piston, dispensing with the need for a follower.
The effectiveness of a piston ring may be tested, when the construction of the engine will permit it, by disconnecting the valve for the head end, setting it so that it covers the port, and then taking off the cylinder cover at the head end and admitting steam through the crank end steam port, when any leak in the piston rings will be seen by the escape of the steam.