IMPROVEMENTS IN FLEXIBLE PIPES
Year: 1884

page_text: I, STEPHEN ALLEY, of Sentinel Works, Polmadie, in the County of Renfrew,
North Britain, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of my said invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN FLEXIBLE PIPES "
to be as follows, that is to say :—
My said Invention has for its object to improve the construction and modes of
attachment of flexible pipes such as are used for connecting the parts of pneumatic
brake apparatus and various other apparatus and my Invention is applicable
whether the pressure of the air or other fluid passing through the pipes is greater
or less than that of the atmosphere.
My improved flexible pipes are designed for attachment to the ends of rigid
pipes or nozzles of the apparatus and for the attachment to their own ends of the
couplings by which lengths of the pipes are connected together. My improved
piping is not only flexible so as to accommodate itself to varying relative positions
of the rigid parts which it connects, but it is also very durable and capable of
withstanding rough usage.
My improved flexible piping is made up of short lengths of metal, preferably
a tough quality of steel, and the metal lengths are joined together by rubber rings
protected externally by separate metal rings, or by enlargements or faucets formed
each on the end of one of the metal lengths at each joint. When a separate
external metal ring is used, the metal pipe lengths have their ends formed each
with a hollow outwardly projecting rim or torus, and the rubber joint ring is
made with grooves into which the rims or tori project, whilst the external metal
ring is made with inward flanges so as to embrace and confine the rubber ring.
The external metal ring may be made in two pieces to facilitate its application;
and the rubber ring may be made and cured separately and be sprung into its
place, or it may be cured after the parts are put together. In order that an
elongating strain may not act too severely on the rubber an internal metal ring is
introduced this ring being formed with outwardly projecting flanges which engage
in the hollows of the rims or tori of the pipe lengths.
When a faucet formed on one of the metal pipe lengths is used instead of a
separate external joint ring, the end of the other pipe length is by preference
reduced or contracted like a spigot and is made with a flange or rib to project into
a groove formed for it in the rubber ring.

page_text: For attaching the flexible piping to the end of the fixed piping or to the
coupling piece, a plain rubber ring may in each case be used, such rubber ring
being retained on the pipe end or coupling nozzle by a rib or annular projection
formed round the pipe end or coupling nozzle. Each end length of the flexible
piping is made with an enlargement or faucet to fit tightly over the rubber ring,
and with an outwardly projecting flange at its extreme end. The faucet is secured
upon the pipe end or nozzle by an outer ring which is split or made in halves and
fixed on with one or more screws, this ring being made with a lip which encloses
and holds the flange on the extreme end of the pipe length.
Dated this clowenth day of December 1884.

page_text: I, STEPHEN ALLEY, of Sentinel Works, Polmadie, in the County of Renfrew,
North Britain, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of my said invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN FLEXIBLE PIPES," 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 to improve the construction and modes of
attachment of flexible pipes such as are used for connecting the parts of pneumatic
brake apparatus and various other apparatus; and my Invention is applicable
whether the pressure of the air or other fluid passing through the pipes is greater
or less than that of the atmosphere.
My improved flexible pipes are designed for attachment to the ends of the rigid
pipes or nozzles of the apparatus, and for the attachment to their own ends of the
couplings by which lengths of the pipes are connected together. My improved
piping is not only flexible so as to accomodate itself to varying relative positions
of the rigid parts which it connects, but it is also very durable and capable of
withstanding rough usage.
My improved flexible piping is made up of short lengths of metal, preferably
a tough quality of steel, and the metal lengths are joined together by rubber rings
protected externally by separate metal rings, or by enlargements or faucets formed
each on one end of one of the metal lengths at each joint. The external metal
ring may be made in two pieces to facilitate its application; and the rubber ring
may be made and cured separately and be sprung into its place or it may be cured
after the parts are put together,
On the accompanying sheet of explanatory drawings, figure, 1, is a side elevation
of a portion of flexible piping as made according to my Invention. Figure, 2, is
a longitudinal section corresponding to figure, 1; and figure, 3, is a longitudinal
section of a modification in which longer metal pipe lengths are used. Figure, 4,
is a longitudinal section showing an internal addition for longitudinal strain; and
figures, 5, and 6 are transverse sections. In these drawings the same reference
numerals are used to mark the same or like parts wherever they are repeated.
My improved flexible piping consists of a combination of short tube lengths, 7,
and external rings or couplings, 8, with rubber rings or belts, 9, (shown black in
the drawings) interposed. Each joint is constructed so as to allow of a small
amount of bending, and the aggregate bending of a number of the joints gives as
much general flexibility as is required for the purposes for which the piping is
designed. The maximum flexibility is obtained by making the tube lengths, 7,
short as shown in figures, 1, and 2, and when less flexibility is required the tube
lengths, 7, may be made longer as shown in figures, 3, and 4. Each tube length, 7,
(excepting the terminal tube length, 10) has formed at each end of it a hollow
outwardly projecting rim or torus, 11, and the rubber joint rings or belts, 9, are
each made with two internally grooved or hollowed parts to fit upon the outsides
of the rims or tori, 11, of the adjacent tube lengths, 7. Each external ring or
coupling, 8, is made with internally grooved or hollowed parts to fit on the outside
of the rubber belt, 9; and towards its opposite edges or ends is contracted so as at

page_text: those parts to have an internal diameter slightly less than the diameter of the
exteriors of the tori, 11, of the tube lengths, 7. With this construction the tube
lengths, 7, cannot be drawn out of the couplings, 8, even with the rubber belts, 9,
absent, and the couplings, 8, are made in halves to admit of their being put upon
the tube lengths, the halves being fixed together by screws, 12. The rubber ring
or belt, 9, is embraced and confined by the external ring or coupling, 8; and when
bending takes place at any joint, there is a little compression of those parts of the
rubber ring which are between the contracted outer ends of the coupling and the
outer sides of the tori, 11, at the side of the piping which is extended in the bending
action. In the drawings the rubber rings or belts, 9, are shown as made each with
a small internal groove at its middle, and ridges or lips of the rubber project
slightly inwards between this groove and the grooves or hollows which fit upon the
tori, 11. The object of this middle groove is to allow the pressure inside the
piping (when greater than that of the atmosphere) to keep the lips referred to close
against the tori, 11, of the tube lengths, 7, and a narrow metal ring, 13, is shown
as placed in the middle groove to keep it open. This middle groove in the rubber.
belt, 9, with its ring, 13, forms a precaution which may not be required in many
cases. Another precautionary device is shown in figures, 4, 5, and 6, and is for
resisting a strain tending to draw the parts of the piping asunder. This consists
of an internal metal ring, 14, by preference made of thin steel, and introduced at
each joint, and which is formed with outwardly projecting flanges at its edges to
engage in the internal hollows of the tori, 11, of the tube lengths, 7. Each ring
is made of a band bended round with the ends not joined but overlapping, and it
is squeezed together to get it into its place springing out into its full size after
being inserted. The piping may be made of circular section as shown in figure, 5;
but in cases in which there is a risk of the piping being subjected to torsion it will
be preferably made of oval section as shown in figure, 6, in order to prevent the
joints from being turned upon each other and thereby causing injury to the
rubber.
The terminal tube length, 10, is made with an enlargement or faucet, 15, to go
over the nozzle, 16, of the fixed piping (or it might be the nozzle at the half
coupling for connecting one length of flexible piping to another length, as is done
between two carriages of a railway train fitted with pneumatic brake apparatus)..
A rubber ring, 17, is inserted between the nozzle, 16, and the inside of the faucet
being confined between a bead or rounded projection, 18, on the nozzle, and the
narrowing part of the faucet; and the faucet, 15; is secured in position by an
external metal ring, 19, which is in two halves fixed together by screws, and is
formed with a curved and contracted lip, 20, to enclose a bead or Hange formed on
the outside of the end of the faucet, 15.
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 a combination of metal tube lengths
with external metal rings or couplings and with rubber rings or belts interposed
between the tube lengths and external couplings, the parts being constructed and
arranged substantially as hereinbefore described.
EDMUND HUNT,
Applicant's Agent.