Year: 1886

page_text: I, PHILIP CHARLES LAWLESS, of 7 Montpelier Parade, Monkstown, in the
County of Dublin, Ireland, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this
invention to be as follows, that is to say :-
My said Invention has for its object the construction of improved flexible piping
suitable for pneumatic brake apparatus, and for any other apparatus requiring
flexible piping for transmitting a fluid under any pressure greater than, equal to,
or less than that of the atmosphere.
My improved piping is made up of short tube lengths of steel, or iron, or other
suitable metal, coupled together by joints acting like hinges. At each joint there
is a socket at the end of one tube length, whilst the end of the other tube length
is made with a hollow part journal to work inside of the socket. The axis of the
joint is across the tube length and the journal is made with lateral cylindrical
segments and with more or less rounded ends. The socket on the other tube
length is of a form corresponding to that of the journal, and a packing of leather
or other suitable compressible and sufficiently elastic material is inserted between
the socket and the journal, whilst a hinge pin is fixed across through the ends of
the socket and journal, or separate short pins may be fixed at each end. The
journal and the socket and the end opening in the latter are shaped so that the
journal can be got into the socket before the packing put into its place; and
when the parts are in position they are completely secured by the hinge pin or
pins. The space for the packing between the interior of the socket and the
outside of the journal is shaped to suit the pressure of the fluid for conveying
which the piping intended. If the pressure inside of the piping is to be greater
than that of the atmosphere the outer part of the space is made narrower than the
inner part so that the pressure tends to force the packing into the narrower part;
and when the internal pressure is to be less than that of the atmosphere the inner
part of the space is made narrower.
The tube lengths may be made each with a socket at one end and a journal at
the other, or there may be lengths with sockets at both ends and other lengths
with journals at both ends; and a series of lengths may be made so that the
angular movement is in the same direction at all the joints, or so that it may be
in different directions at different joints.
1000

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Flexible Piping for Pneumatic Brakes and
other Apparatus.
I, PHILIP CHARLES LAWLESS, of 7 Montpelier Parade, Monkstown, in the
County of Dublin, Ireland, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement, that is to say :-
My said Invention has for its object the construction of improved flexible piping
suitable for pneumatic brake apparatus, and for any other apparatus requiring
flexible piping for transmitting a fluid under any pressure greater than, equal to
or less than that of the atmosphere.
My improved piping is made up of short tube lengths of steel or iron, or other
suitable metal, coupled together by joints acting like hinges. At each joint there
is a socket at the end of one tube length, whilst the end of the other tube length
is made with a hollow part journal to work inside of the socket. The axis of the
joint is across the tube length, and a packing of leather or other suitable com-
pressible and sufficiently elastic material is inserted between the socket and the
journal, whilst a hinge pin may be fixed across through the ends of the socket, or
as I now prefer separate short pins may be fixed at each end.
The tube lengths may be made each with a socket at one end and a journal at
the other end, or there may be lengths with sockets at both ends and other lengths
with journals at both ends; and a series of lengths may be made so that the
angular movement is in the same direction at all the joints, or so that it may
be in different directions at different joints.
On an accompanying sheet of explanatory drawings figure, 1, is a longitudinal
section showing one modification of my flexible piping, figure, 2, being an elevation
of the socket end of one of the tube lengths. Figures, 3, and 4, a sectional plan
and an end elevation of a second modification figure, 5, being a side elevation
partly corresponding to figure, 3. Figures, 6, and 7, show modifications of parts
of the flexible piping. In these drawings the same reference letters are used to
mark the same or like parts wherever they are repeated.
The various modifications shown in the drawings differ only in the confirmation
of the parts forming the joints, the essential peculiarities, however, remaining the
same in all the modifications.
Each short tube length is formed with a larger or socket end, A, and with a
smaller or journal end, B, both being of an oblong form in cross section or as seen
in figure, 2. Each tube length may have its ends with their larger transverse
dimensions in the same plane as shown in figures, 2, 3, 4, and 5, and in the tube
lengths, C, in figures, 1, and 7, or one or more of the tube lengths may be made
with the longer transverse dimensions of its ends at right or other angles as
shown at, D, in figures, 1, 6, and 7. The journal end, B, of each tube length is
shaped like a portion of a cylinder with rounded ends, the axis of the cylinder
coinciding with the longer transverse dimension of the tube length at that part;
and each journal end, B, is entered into the socket end, A, of the next tube length;

page_text: whilst the series of tube lengths are articulated or jointed together by pins, E,
which may be screwed through the socket ends into pivot holes in the journal ends
as shown in figures, 1, to 6, or through small horns, G, formed on the journal ends
into pivot holes in the socket ends as shown in figure, 7. The socket ends, A, are
formed with internal grooves to hold rings or bands, H, of rubber or other suitable
packing material, these rings or bands, H, being shown in figures, 1, 3, 5, 6, 7, in
section and as depicted solid black. The grooves for the packing rings or bands, H,
may be made to pass round the outer sides of the pivot pins, E, as shown in
figure, 1, but I believe it to be better to make the grooves pass round the inner
sides of the pivot pins, E, as shown in figures, 3, to 7; but in any case the grooves
should at the sides of each socket be as near as conveniently possible to the
transverse plane passing through the axis of the joint. When vulcanised rubber
is used as the packing material it is by preference prepared by being steeped for
some time in melted paraffin wax which renders it not only less liable to harden
but also makes it act with less friction.
The body parts connecting the socket and journal ends, A, B, may be made of
any desired length, but when made short a certain amount of flexibility is obtained
with a comparatively small angular movement at each joint.
With the object of insuring fluid-tightness between the socket ends, A, and
journal ends, B, I believe it to be advantageous to introduce between each packing
ring or band, H, and the groove in the socket, at the side of the ring subjected to
the greater pressure, a lining of a permeable material such as wire gauze. This
permeable lining, which is shown at, K, in figures, 3, and 5, as arranged for the
case in which the pressure is greater inside the piping, allows the pressure to act
on a part of the outer surface of the ring or band, H, so as to press the ring or
band firmly upon the journal end, B.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
Invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim is:
The improved flexible piping consisting of short tube lengths of metal formed
with socket ends and journal ends connected by pivot pins so as to be transversely
hinged together, with rings or bands of rubber or other suitable packing material
placed in grooves in the sockets to make the joints fluid-tight, the parts being
constructed substantially as herein before described and as shown in the accom-
panying drawings.