Improvements in Pipe or Drain Stoppers.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 24th July, 1896-Accepted, 5th Sept., 1896
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Pipe or Drain Stoppers.
I, JOHN JONES of 40 Sydney Street, Chelsea in the County of London, Sanitary
Specialist, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the
sanie is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by
the following statement:-
This invention has reference to pipe or drain stoppers such as are used for testing
with water the soundness of drains, and which comprise a flexible expansible
waterproof bag to be placed in the pipe or drain and then to be inflated with air
by means of a pump so as to damn the pipe or drain, and prevent any escape of
water during the testing operation.
After a bag has been inflated and a test has been made by producing a great
pressure of water behind it it is necessary to partially deflate the bag in order to
allow of its removal from the pipe; it is also sometimes desired to relieve or reduce
the water pressure during the test, and this with the present stoppers can only be
done by partially deflating the bag so as to allow some of the water to pass
between it and the wall of the pipe. But when the bag is thus partially deflated
and is no longer forced tightly against the wall of the pipe, the water pressure is
liable to drive it out suddenly and to carry it into or through the intercepting trap
unless the charging tube is held by some person, and even then the bag is liable to
break away from the charging tube.
Now the object of my invention is to provide means whereby the pressure of
water behind the inflated bag can be reduced or relieved without any deflation
of the bag.
For this purpose I construct the bag with a longitudinal pipe or conduit
extending through it, one end of this pipe, preferably the back end, being per-
manently open and the other end being fitted with a cap, plug, cock or the like by
means of which it can be opened and closed as required. The invention also
comprises a special construction and arrangement of fittings for this longitudinal
pipe or conduit.
The accompanying drawings will serve to illustrate my invention and the manner
in which it may be carried into effect :-
Figure 1 is a longitudinal section of a stopper constructed in accordance with
this invention in its preferred form.
Figure 2 is a view on the front end that is to say the end at the left hand of
Figure 1.
Figure 3 is a view of the rear end.
a is the flexible waterproof bag which is preferably when inflated of the barrel
form shown. b is the tube by which the bag is inflated in the usual manner by
means of a pump at the other end of the tube. This tube is connected to the front
end of the bag at one side of the centre instead of at the centre as has been usual.
c is a pipe extending longitudinally from end to end of the bag and passing through
central apertures in the said ends. This pipe is preferably made of vulcanized
india rubber strengthened externally with spirally wound wire, which is in it- turn
covered with rubber solutioned canvas. dd are collars which serve to line the end
apertures of the bag and also to receive the pipe c. The collars d d have flanges ee
and are screw-threaded externally to receive a correspondingly threaded plate f
having a hexagonal head g to enable it to be readily turned by a spanner. The
ends of the bag a are turned down over the flanges e e of the collars d d which

page_text: flanges have holes i to receive rubber solution or ceinent to aid in holding the
ends of the bag in place; the plates ff are then screwed up tight against the bag.
I preferably interpose between the flange e of the collar d and the plate / at the
rear end of the bag, a flanged washer k of india rubber or other suitable material,
of a diameter equal to or somewhat exceeding the largest diameter of the bag;
this washer assists in forming a stanch joint between the pipe or drain and the
stopper. When this washer is not employed it is desirable to insert between the
flange e and the plate fa small rubber or other washer such as is seen at 7 at
the front end of the stopper. m m are short metal tubes inserted in the ends of
the pipe c in order to protect and strengthen them. n is a piece screwed upon the
outer end of the collar d at the front end of the stopper and having an externally
threaded part of smaller diameter to receive a screw cap p.
The drawings show the stopper in position with the bag fully inflated and the
screw cap p in place. Consequently when water is forced under pressure into the
drain or pipe behind the stopper it is unable to pass the stopper; it enters the pipe c
but cannot pass through this pipe because of the cap p. When it is desired to
relieve or reduce the water pressure the cap p is unscrewed, so that the water is
able to flow through the pipe c to the front of the stopper. y is a ring on the
stopper p for the attachment of a cord or wire to prevent liability of the cap p
being lost when unscrewed. Instead of the cap pa cock or other suitable device
for opening and closing the front end of the pipe e as required may be employed.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim in respect of pipe or drain stoppers of the kind herein referred to is :-
1. The provision of a longitudinal pipe or conduit in the expansible bag one end
being permanently open and the other end being normally closed by a removable
cap, a cock or the like, substantially as and for the purpose herein before described.
2. The special construction and arrangement of fittings for the longitudinal
pipe or conduit in the expansible bag, substantially as and for the purpose
hereinbefore described.
3. The improved pipe or drain stopper constructed substantially as hereinbefore
described and represented in the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 24th day of July 1896.
J. C. MEWBURN & ELLIS,
55 and 56 Chancery Lane, London, Chartered Patent Agents.