AN IMPROVED METHOD OF JOINING PIPES, TUBES, AND DUCTS
Year: 1855

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Louis Ambroise. Michel Mouchel, of Paris, in the
Empire of France, and of 166, Fleet Street, London, Merchant, for the
Invention of "AN IMPROVED METHOD OF JOINING PIPES, TUBES, AND DUCTS."
-A communication.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Louis Ambroise Michel
Mouchel at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his
Petition, on the 4th April 1855.
I, LOUIS AMBROISE MICHEL MOUCHEL, of Paris, in the Empire of France,
and of 166, Fleet Street, London, Merchant, do hereby declare the nature of
the said Invention for "AN IMPROVED METHOD OF JOINING PIPES, TUBES, AND
DUCTS," (communicated to me by a foreigner residing abroad,) to be as
follows:-
According to this Invention, the abutting ends of the pipes, tubes, &c. to be
jointed together are formed with flanges thereon, the flange on one of the said
ends being at right angles to the pipe, and the flange on the other of the said
ends being inclined thereto, or forming, as it were, a single thread of a screw.
A groove is formed in one of the abutting ends, into which is inserted a washer
of india-rubber, or other suitable elastic material; and a projection is formed

page_text: on the other of the abutting ends, which fits into the groove and against the
elastic washer. A loose collar with two or more clip hooks is fitted over the
two flanges by means of a bayonet joint, so that by turning the collar partly
round, the clip hooks will be made to act against the inclined flange, and thus
force the abutting ends of the pipes, tubes, &c. together, compressing the
india-rubber or other flexible washer between them, and producing a tight
joint. By turning the collar in the opposite direction, the pipes, tubes, &c.
will be disunited. When it is not convenient to form the flanges on the ends
of the pipes, tubes, &c., they may be formed on supplementary pieces, which
can be fitted to the pipes, tubes, &c. in any convenient manner.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Louis Ambroise Michel Mouchel in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 3rd October 1855.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, LOUIS
AMBROISE MICHEL MOUCHEL, of Paris, in the Empire of France, and of 166,
Fleet Street, London, Merchant, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Fourth day of April, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-five, in the eighteenth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said Louis Ambroise Michel Mouchel, Her special licence that I, the said
Louis Ambroise Michel Mouchel, my executors, administrators, and assigns,
or such others as I, the said Louis Ambroise Michel Mouchel, my execu-
tors, administrators, and 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 lawfully 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 "AN IMPROVED METHOD OF JOINING PIPES, TUBES,
AND DUCTS," (communicated to me by a foreigner residing abroad), upon the
condition (amongst others) that I, the said Louis Ambroise Michel Mouchel,
by an instrument in writing under my hand and seal, should particularly
describe and ascertain 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.

page_text: NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Louis Ambroise Michel Mouchel, 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 thereof, reference being had to the Drawings
hereunto annexed, that is to say:-
According to this Invention, the abutting ends of the pipes, tubes, &c. to
be jointed together are formed with flanges thereon, the flange on one of the
said ends being at right angles to the pipe, and the flange on the other of the
said ends being inclined thereto, or forming, as it were, a single thread of a
screw. A groove is formed in one of the abutting ends, into which is inserted
a washer of india-rubber, or other suitable elastic material; and a projection
is formed on the other of the abutting ends, which fits into the groove and
against the elastic washer. A loose collar with two or more clip hooks is fitted
over the two flanges by means of a bayonet joint, so that by turning the collar
partly round, the clip hooks will be made to act against the inclined flange,
and thus force the abutting ends of the pipes, tubes, &c. together, compressing
the india-rubber or other flexible washer between them, and producing a tig
joint. By turning the collar in the opposite direction, the pipes, tubes, &c.
will be disunited. When it is not convenient to form the flanges on the ends
of the pipes, tubes, &c., they may be formed on supplementary pieces, which
can be fitted to the pipes, tubes, &c. in any convenient manner.
In the Drawings hereunto annexed, Figures 1 and 2 are section and external
elevation of an arrangement for joining two non-metallic pipes or tubes. A is
a metal tube, made conical at both ends to fit into a second metal tube B at
one end, and at the other into the non-metallic tube C. The lower end of the
tube B is also made conical, to fit the end of the non-metallic tube C¹. The
exterior surface of the cones, where they are to have the non-metallic pipes
fitted over them, is roughened, or cast with a series of rings, to facilitate and
increase the adherence of the non-metallic tubes thereto. The tube B, shewn
separately in section at Figure 3, and in plan at Figure 4, has two projections
a, a, which are made to enter into the inclined grooves a¹ in the collar D,
shewn separately in elevation at Figure 5, in section in Figure 7, and in plan
Figure 6, in section through the line 1, 2.
Figures 9 and 10 are section and elevation of a similar joint, in which the
moveable collar is dispensed with, and the union is effected directly with the
pipe B.
Figures 11 and 12 represent, in section and elevation, another joint in which
a caoutchouc washer is used, in order to form a hermetic joint. The tube A
is provided with two projecting pieces b, c, between which the caoutchouc

page_text: washer d is inserted; two hooked arms e, e, are also connected to the bottom
of the pipe A. The tube B is enlarged at the mouth, and hollowed out on the
inside for the reception of the projection c on the pipe A; the mouth of this
tube B rests against the caoutchouc washer d. The circular collar D carries
two inclined planes f, against which the two hooks e, e, are brought to bear,
passage being left between the inclined planes for the hooks to enter and grip
them on the under side. The tube A is shewn detached in section Figure 13,
in elevation Figure 14, and in plan Figure 15.
Figure 16 is a sectional view of the tube B; Figures 17 and 18 are
respectively elevation and plan of the collar D; Figure 19 is a sectional view
of the same through the line 5, 6. The collar D is also provided with two
projecting pieces g, by turning which the tubes are connected or disconnected.
Figure 20 is a section, and Figure 21 an elevation, of another arrangement
for connecting two tubes, an india-rubber washer being interposed between
them. A and B are the tubes; they are connected together by spring catches
h, h, the catches of which pass through lugs or projections i, i, on the wide part
of the tube A, and catch against them. a¹ is an india-rubber collar, the inside of
which is fitted over the hollow ring on the tube B, while the outside fits into
and presses against a corresponding swelling on the end of the tube A, as shewn
at Figure 20. The tubes are disconnected by pressing the spring catches h, h,
towards each other, and withdrawing them from the lugs; or levers k, k,
(colored red, Figure 21,) may be substituted for these springs. These levers
are centred at 1; they carry at bottom pins which take into eyes. m, n, are
springs which keep down the pins into the eyes.
Figure 22 is a section of a joint, in which hooks p are substituted for the
springs or levers.
Figures 23 and 25 are section and elevation, and Figure 24 is a plan, of
an arrangement for joining pipes by means of cotters or pins. The pipes A
and B are provided with lugs or projections, which are dovetailed into each
other, as shewn in the Figures 23, 24, and 25. A tight joint is formed
by inserting an india-rubber washer between the pipes, and by driving pins
or keys through the apertures in the lugs. This arrangement is especially
adapted for underground ducts, and also for gas and water pipes, as it forms
a tight joint, not likely to be put out of order even in the case of the ground
sinking.
Figure 26 is a view of a modification in which the pipes are held together
by means of screw, pins instead of plain pins or keys.
Figure 27 shews another arrangement, adapted for connecting the tender
pipe with the pipe of the feed pump of locomotive engines. E is a pipe,

page_text: having collars F and G at both ends. The collar G presses against an india-
rubber washer in, placed in a groove in the shoulder of the tube H, which is
hollowed out at one end to receive a brass or copper tube I. J is an india-
rubber tube surrounding the pipes H and I; one end of this tube is brought
round and bent back over the end of the tube H. K is another india-rubber
tube which surrounds the tube I. P, P¹, are stays which keep the tubes K
and J apart. This arrangement of coupling adapts itself to the curves and
bends to which the pipes connecting a locomotive to its tender must necessarily
be subjected, and with less chanco of leakage than in any other form of
connection.
Figures 28 and 29 are sectional elevations of my arrangement of coupling,
applied to taps or cocks for liquids, gas, &c. r is an india-rubber casing round
the plug; M is the top of the scat, which is provided with a sockets, round
which one end of the india-rubber tube N is fitted, while the other end fits
into the socket s¹, which holds the rod or handle of the plug. q is a spring,
which is placed between the sockets s, s², and which helps to force the plug
into the seat.
Figure 29 is a modification of a cock or tap, specially adapted for gas
burners. t, t, are two arms or branches, the lower ends of which take into
the toothed piece u, so as to regulate the space to which the orifice may be
opened.
Figures 30, 31, 32, and 33 are modifications of the joint represented at
Figures 1 to 19.
Figure 84 is an external elevation of my method of joining stoppers to glass
bottles and glass jars. The neck of the bottle or jar has cast on it two or more
portions of rings a, a, the bottom surfaces of which are inclined and grooved.
Spaces are left between the portions of rings to allow of fastening hooks pass-
ing under them. 6 is a disc or cap of metal with as many hooked arms c, c,
depending therefrom as there are portions of rings cast upon the bottle. These
arms are so shaped at bottom as to take into the grooves on the under surface
of the portions of rings. d is a cork or other stopper attached to the under
side of the disc which enters into the mouth of the bottle. In order to fasten
the stopper on to the bottle, the hooked arms are brought over the mouth of
the bottle in a line with the spaces between the portions of rings, they are then
pressed down and turned slightly round, in order to cause the hooks to grip
into the grooves; and by turning the disc further round, in a direction to cause
the hooks to travel down the inclined surface of the bottom of the portions of
rings, the fastening will be tightened.
And having now described the nature of the said Invention, and in what

page_text: manner the same is to be performed, I declare that I claim the joining of
pipes, tubes, and ducts in the manner herein-before described, and represented
in the Drawings hereunto annexed.
In witness whereof, I, the said Louis Ambroise Michel Mouchel, have
hereunto set my hand and seal, this Twenty-sixth day of September,
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-five.
L. MOUCHEL. (L.S.)