Nash Engineering Company, headquartered in Norwalk, Connecticut, was a manufacturer of liquid ring vacuum pumps, centrifugal pumps, and priming systems for marine, industrial, and naval applications. Nash supplied the United States Navy with vacuum pumps, condenser vacuum maintaining equipment, centrifugal priming pumps, and auxiliary service pumps for installation in naval vessels across multiple ship classes throughout the mid-20th century. Nash liquid ring vacuum pumps were used in naval propulsion plant condenser vacuum maintaining service, exhauster service, and process vacuum applications throughout the engineering plant. Nash pump stuffing boxes incorporated asbestos-containing braided packing materials sealing the pump shaft against fluid leakage, and Nash pump casing flanged joints used asbestos-containing compressed gasket materials at the pump casing connections. Machinist’s Mates maintaining Nash pumps in naval engineering spaces performed routine pump repacking and maintenance operations that involved direct handling and disturbance of asbestos-containing packing and gasket materials in the pump assembly.

Pump Stuffing Box Packing Asbestos

Nash pump stuffing box packing incorporated asbestos-containing braided packing:

  • Vacuum pump shaft packing — Nash liquid ring vacuum pumps used in Navy condenser vacuum service incorporated asbestos-containing braided packing in the pump shaft stuffing box, sealing the rotating shaft against air in-leakage on the vacuum side and liquid leakage on the liquid side of the pump assembly. Machinist’s Mates repacking Nash vacuum pumps removed compressed asbestos packing rings from the pump shaft stuffing box and installed replacement packing during routine maintenance, with the packing removal operation disturbing the compressed asbestos braided packing and releasing asbestos fiber at the pump work area
  • Centrifugal priming pump packing — Nash centrifugal priming pumps used for main condenser vacuum establishment and pump priming service in naval vessels incorporated asbestos braided packing in the pump shaft stuffing boxes. Machinist’s Mates performing packing maintenance on Nash priming pumps encountered asbestos packing materials in the pump stuffing box during each repacking evolution

Pump Casing and Flange Gasket Asbestos

Nash pump casing joints and flanged connections used asbestos gaskets:

  • Pump casing end cover gaskets — Nash pump casing end cover joints used asbestos-containing compressed gasket materials at the end cover-to-casing flange face, providing a liquid and vacuum-tight seal on the pump casing assembly. Machinist’s Mates performing pump overhaul operations requiring casing end cover removal encountered and replaced the asbestos end cover gasket during the pump disassembly and reassembly process
  • Suction and discharge flange gaskets — Nash pump suction and discharge flange connections to ship’s piping used asbestos-containing compressed gasket materials at the flanged connections. Engineering ratings separating pump flange connections for pump removal or piping repair encountered asbestos-containing flange gasket materials at each pump piping connection point

VA Claims for Veterans Exposed to Nash Products

VA presumptive service connection under 38 CFR § 3.309(d) covers asbestos exposure from Navy pump maintenance activities. Machinist’s Mates and engineering ratings who repacked and maintained Nash Engineering pumps in naval vessel engineering spaces and have since been diagnosed with mesothelioma, asbestosis, or asbestos-related lung cancer may qualify for VA disability benefits.