normally closed with a pipe plug 120 the stuffing box assembly of the present invention has many advantages over prior art devices it simply safely reliably and inexpensively provides a static seal for the shaft 14 when packing 42 is replaced the high pressure and constant flow of lubricating fluid in the clearance 98 between the seal ring 34 and the shaft 14 insures that deposits of solids and corrosion cannot build up in this region furthermore the pressure of the fluid acts to maintain the seal ring spaced apart from the shaft this is unlike the prior art device described in u s pat no 1 028 758 where the pressure of fluid acts to force the packing ring against the shaft another advantage of the present invention is that only a small amount of axial movement of the seal container 38 in the order of about 0 75 inches is required to radially force the sealing ring 34 against the shaft such a small amount of axial movement is easily attained and corrosion preventing such axial movement is not a problem this is unlike the prior art device described in u s pat no 2 853 321 where for deep well geothermal pumps at least four inches of axial movement are required and corrosion can prevent the required axial movement to insure that the sealing ring returns to its open position especially after long service the pipe plug 120 can be removed to open the by pass hole.