IMPROVE- .MENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE. OF WATER TRAPS,' AND IN THE APPARATUS EMPLOYED THEREIN
Year: 1859

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Henry Johnson, of 47, Lincoln's Inn Fields,
in the County of Middlesex, and of 166, Buchanan Street, in the City.
of Glasgow, North Britain, Gentleman, for the Invention of "IMPROVE-
.MENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE. OF WATER TRAPS,' AND IN THE APPARATUS
EMPLOYED THEREIN."-A communication from abroad by James A. Lowe,
of New York, in the United States of America.
Sealed the 17th February 1860, and dated the 20th December 1859.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Henry Johnson at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on tho
20th December 1859.
I, JOHN HENRY JOHNSON, of 47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, in the County of
Middlesex, and of 166, Buchanan Street, in the City of Glasgow, North
Britain, Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF WATER TRAPS,' AND IN THE APPARATUS'
EMPLOYED THEREIN," a communication from abroad by James A. Lowe, of:
New York, in the United States of America, to be as follows:-
This Invention relates to the manufacture of "water traps" or pipes, formed
with S bends, as used by plumbers. According to the ordinary mode of
making water traps two bent pipes are soldered together, and are consequently
found to be very liable to break at the seam by reason of the tin being eaten
out of the solder by the action of acid, and also by reason of the straining of

page_text: the traps from the settling of buildings, such traps being found to be generally
thinnest at the bends, where in reality the most strength is required. Now,
in constructing water traps according to this Invention, these objections are
completely obviated, as the entire trap or bend is cast in one piece, but as a
-difficulty would occur in withdrawing the core, it is proposed to employ a core
of a peculiar construction, which constitutes one of the main features of this
Invention. This improved core is made of metal, and consists of segments of
the bend put together separately upon a series of square blocks joined together
by links, the segments fitting into dovetails on the external surfaces of the
blocks in such a manner that they will form a curved metal core of a round
section, the end and lateral joints by the component parts being sufficiently
close to insure a smooth surface in the pipe or trap. A hollow cylinder is
screwed on the end of the bend, on which cylinder is shrunk a ring, which fits
a shoulder in the end of the core, and presses them against the screwed
cylinder, which thus holds the core firmly. The cylinder with the bent core
screwed on is placed in the mould, and by drawing the other half of the core
(for the reverse bend) tightly against it, all the end joints will be closed
whilst the dovetail, if properly fitted, will hold the longitudinal joints tight.
The metal is now poured in, so as to completely enclose the core, and when
sufficiently cool the core is withdrawn by first unscrewing the cylinders and
removing them, then inserting a sheet metal pipe in the trap to hold the
segments of the core in their places whilst the plugs are withdrawn by means
of a hook, leaving the segments inside, which latter are easily removed
individually, leaving the cast-metal trap clear.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said John Henry Johnson in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 20th June 1860.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN
HENRY JOHNSON, of 47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, in the County of Middlesex,
and of 166, Buchanan Street, in the City of Glasgow, North Britain, S
Gentleman, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twentieth day of December, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-nine, in the twenty-third year
of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant s
unto me, the said John Henry Johnson, Her special license that I, the said

page_text: John Henry Johnson, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such
others as I, the said John Henry Johnson, my executors, administrators,
or assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others, from time to time
and at all times thereafter during the term therein expressed, should and law.
fully might make, use, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of
Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an
Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF WATER TRAPS,' AND IN
THE APPARATUS EMPLOYED THEREIN," a communication from abroad by James
A. Lowe, of New York, in the United States of America, upon the condition
(amongst others) that I, the said John Henry Johnson, by an instrument
in writing under my hand and seal, should particularly describe and ascer-
tain the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same was
to be performed, and cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent
Office within six calendar months next and immediately after the date of the
said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said John Henry Johnson, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is
to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement, reference being had to the accompanying Drawings, and
to the letters and figures marked thereon, that is to say:-
The said Invention relates to the manufacture of "water traps" or pipes
formed with S bends as used by plumbers. According to the ordinary mode
of making water traps two bent pipes are soldered together, and are conse-
quently found to be very liable to break at the seam by reason of the tin being
eaten out of the solder by the action of acid, and also by reason of the straining
of the traps from the settling of buildings, such traps being found to be
generally thinnest at the bends whero in reality the most strength is required.
In constructing water traps according to this Invention these objections are
completely obviated, as the entire trap or bend is cast in one piece; but as a
difficulty would occur in withdrawing the core, it is proposed to employ a core
of a peculiar construction, which constitutes one of the main features of this
Invention. This improved core is made of metal, and consists of segments of
the bend put together separately upon a series of square blocks joined together
by links, the segments fitting into dovetails on the external surfaces of the
blocks in such a manner that they will form a curved metal core of a round
section, the end and lateral joints of the component parts being sufficiently
close to insure a smooth surface in the pipe or trap. A hollow cylinder is
screwed on to the end of the bend, on which cylinder is shrunk a ring which
fits a shoulder in the end of the core, and presses them against the screwed

page_text: cylinder, which thus holds the core firmly. The cylinder with the bent core
screwed on is placed in the mould, and by.drawing the other half of the core
(for the reverse bend) tightly against it, all the end joints will be closed, whilst
the dovetails, if properly fitted, will hold the longitudinal joints tight. The
metal is now poured in so as to completely enclose the core, and when
sufficiently cool the core is withdrawn by first unscrewing the cylinders and
removing them, then inserting a sheet metal pipe in the trap to hold the
segments of the core in their places whilst the plugs are withdrawn by means
of a hook, leaving the segments inside, which latter are easily removed indi-
vidually, leaving the cast metal trap clear.
And in order that the said Invention may be fully understood, I shall now
proceed more particularly to describe the same, and for that purpose I shall
refer to the several Figures on the Sheet of Drawings hereunto annexed, tho
same letters of reference indicating corresponding parts throughout all the
Figures.
Figure 1 represents a side elevation of an S trap or bend which it is
proposed according to this Invention to cast in one piece; Figure 2 represents
a longitudinal section of the mould and core to be used in casting S water
traps; and Figure 3 is a transverse section of the peculiar core taken through
the bend.
This improved core consists of a number of blocks A (Figure 3), of a square
'or other convenient transverse section, having dovetailed grooves or projections
formed on the sides thereof, into or on to which grooves or projections are
fitted the segments B, B, and C, C, which are turned so as to form a round or
circle transversely when put together in their places round the several blocks A,
and are also so shaped or curved longitudinally as to correspond to the
required bend in the trap, as shown in Figure 2; each block is connected to
its neighbour by the links and pin joints D, D, so as to form a flexible chain
before the curved segments are fitted therein. In one half of Figure 2
the segments are represented in their places in the mould fitted on
to the internal blocks A, A, as when in use, and the other half shows.
the segments with the internal blocks drawn out preparatory to the
entire removal of the core after the casting is made. In completing the core
of the mould, a cylinder E is screwed on to each end of the bend of the core,
the segments having portions of screw threads formed on them internally for
that purpose, and on these cylinders. are shrunk the ring F, which fits into a
-shoulder turned on the segments, and presses them against the screw, which
now holds them firmly. One of these cylinders, with the bend (or segments
screwed on, is now placed in the mould with long bearings, as shown, and

page_text: is screwed up firmly; the other half of the core is drawn tightly against it,
so as to close all the end or cross joints of the several segments, the dovetails,
if properly fitted, holding the lateral or longitudinal joints tight. On pouring
in the metal, the core will be completely enveloped, and in order to withdraw
the core the cylinders are first unscrewed and removed, and a pipe of thin
sheet metal is introduced into the mould, and pressed against the ends of the
segments, so as to hold them back whilst the inner blocks are drawn out,
which it is proposed to accomplish by the aid of a hook inserted into the
mould, and connected to the link of the first or outer block. The sheet metal
pipe is now removed, and the outer segments B, B, of the bend are removed
by a hook fitting a hole bored in the interior thereof, after which the seg-
ments C, C, are easily withdrawn, and the interior of the trap left perfect.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of the said
Invention, and the manner in which the same is or may be used or carried
into effect, I would observe, in conclusion, that what I consider to be novel
and original, and therefore claim as the Invention secured to me by the hercin-
before in part recited Letters Patent, is,-
First, the general system or mode of casting water traps in one piece, as
herein-before described.
Second, the peculiar construction and arrangement of cores for casting
water traps in one piece, as herein-before described.
Third, the application and use of S-shaped water traps cast in one piece, as
herein-before described and illustrated by the Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Henry Johnson, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Twentieth day of June, One thousand eight
hundred and sixty.
J. HENRY JOHNSON. (L.S.)