IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANU- OF WATER AND DRAIN PIPES
Year: 1868

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Alfred Robins, of 23, Great St. Helen's, in the
City of London, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANU-
OF WATER AND DRAIN PIPES." -A communication from
abroad by John Edward Hughes, of 23, Great St. Helen's, aforesaid,
but now residing at the City and County of San Francisco, in the
State of California, in the United States of America, and Isaac
Sherman Church, also residing at the City and County of San
Francisco, aforesaid. ..
Sealed the 1st April 1869, and dated the 15th October 1868.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Alfred Robins at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
15th October 1868.
I, ALFRED ROBINS, of 23, Great St. Helen's, in the City of London,
5 do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS
IN THE MANUFACTURE OF WATER AND DRAIN PIPES," (communicated to me
from abroad by John Edward Hughes, of 23, Great St. Helen's, aforesaid,
but now residing at the City and County of San Francisco, in the State
of California, in the United States of America, and Isaac Sherman

page_text: Church, also residing at the City and County of San Francisco, alore-
said,) to be as follows:-
The Invention consists in constructing a strong, durable, and cheap
pipe composed of oakum and cordage separately and connectedly, and
cementing the same compactly with pitch, tar, or asphalt, and coating
the same within and without with the same material, and in addition
thereto a coating of brickdust, sand, or coke dust is supplied as a
protection against the rays of the sun where the pipe is to be exposed
to it.
In effecting the improvements there is provided an open caldron
arranged over a furnace. Within this caldron near the bottom and
to one side is placed a roller or cylinder lengthwise of the caldron; over
the middle of the caldron is placed the form or core over which the pipe
is formed; this form is constructed of, say, three parts, which when
united form the core or pipe centre. The core has cranks and handles,
or other suitable means for revolving it as it rests on its journals in
boxes located at each end of the caldron. Immediately over the core
a heavy roller is suspended, and caused to press heavily and firmly on
the material on the core, yet so as to admit of its receding from the core
as the thickness of the pipe is increased. This cylinder should be heated
by steam to avoid sticking to the pipe and retarding the revolving of
both pipe and cylinder roller. The above comprise the utensils necessary
for manufacturing the pipe. Next the oakum or other similar fibrous
substance is secured to a closely made net, or is tacked on to a narrow
strip of canvas or other woven or net material, which may serve as a
vehicle for conveying the oakum to and around the core; one end of the
net or canvas containing the oakum is passed beneath the roller located
near the bottom of the caldron and drawn thence to and make fast to
one end of the core. The caldron being filled with melted rosin, pitch,
or asphalt, the latter being preferable, the core is revolved and the oakum
wound around spirally from one end of the core to the other and then
back again, it being kept within the melted asphalt for complete
saturation. After having in this manner made up the pipe to the desired
thickness where extreme strength is desired one or more layers of cords
'may be wound around the pipe spirally or at right angles. The cords
will seldom be required in connection with oakum, but will alone con-
'stitute an excellent pipe, being made substantially in the same manner
as above described for making the pipe with oakum; but in either case

page_text: after making the pipe the desired thickness the core with the pipe on is
taken to a table and there rolled and kept in motion until thoroughly
cooled. The core being in parts is now easily withdrawn, and the newly
made pipe is submerged end foremost into an upright tank of melted
asphalt and withdrawn immediately and rolled in brickdust, sand,
gravel, or other suitable material. In the manner above set forth an
extremely strong, durable, and cheap pipe is made. The process
described may be varied. An excellent pipe may be made by moulding
asphalt and fibre together.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Alfred Robins in the Great Scal Patent Office on
the 13th April 1869:
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, ALFRED
ROBINS, of 23, Great St. Helen's, in the City of London, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Fifteenth day of October, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-eight, in the
thirty-second year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and suc-
cessors, give and grant unto me, the said Alfred Robins, Her special
licence that I, the said Alfred Robins, my executors, administrators, and
assigns, or such others as I, the said Alfred Robins, my executors,
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 "IMPROVEMENTS IN
THE MANUFACTURE OF WATER AND DRAIN PIPES," communicated to me from
abroad by John Edward Hughes, of 23, Great St. Helen's, aforesaid, but
now residing at the City and County of San Francisco, in the State of
California, in the United States of America, and Isaac Sherman Church,
also residing at the City and County of San Francisco, aforesaid, upon the
condition (amongst others) that I, the said Alfred Robins, my executors
or administrators, by an instrument in writing under my, or their, or
one of their hands and seals, should particularly.describe and ascertain
the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same was

page_text: 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 Alfred Robins, 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, that is to say: -
The Invention relates to the manufacture of, water and drain pipes of
oakum, cordage, or other woven fabric or fibrous material combined by
cementing with pitch, tar; rosin, asphalt, or other similar substance, and
then coating the same within and without with the same material; in
addition thereto a coating of brickdust, sand, coke dust, grit, or other
suitable hard particles of matter is applied as a protection to the surface
thereof.
In effecting the improvements there is provided an open caldron or
other suitable vessel arranged over a furnace. Within this caldron near
the bottom and to one side is placed a roller or cylinder lengthwise of it.
Over the middle of the caldron or other vessel is placed the form or core
upon which the pipe is to be formed; this form or core is constructed of,
say, three parts (but this may be varied), which, when united, represent
the internal form of the pipe. The core may have cranks or handles or
other suitable means applied to it for causing it to revolve as it rests in
its bearings over the caldron or other suitable vessel. Pressure is
applied to the surface of the material on the core by means of a roller
suitably placed and adapted by lever pressure or otherwise to admit of
its receding from the core as the thickness of the pipe is increased;
this pressure roller may be heated by steam or otherwise to avoid its
sticking to the pipe being produced and thereby retarding the operation.
The above indicates the utensils and process which have been adopted,
but these may be greatly varied. When oakum or other similar fibrous
substance is used in the manufacture of these pipes it is secured to a
closely made net or is tacked on to a narrow strip of canvas or other
woven or net material to serve as a vehicle for conveying the oakum to
and around the core. One end of the net or canvas containing the
oakum is passed beneath the roller located near the bottom of the
caldron, and drawn thence to and made fast to one end of the core.
caldron being filled with melted rosin, pitch, or asphalt, the latter being
preferable, the core is caused to revolve, and the oakum or other fibrous
The

page_text: material will be wound around spirally from one end of the core to the
other and then back again, it being kept within the melted asphalt or
other similar substance for complete saturation. After having in this
manner made up the pipe to the desired thickness where greater
strength is desired one or more additional layers of cords may be wound
around the pipe spirally or at right angles. The cords will seldom be
required in connection with oakum but will alone constitute an excellent
pipe if used in the manufacture thereof substantially in the manner as
above described for making the pipe with oakum; but in either case after
making the pipe the desired thickness the core with the pipe on is taken
to a table and there rolled in the coating matter until a sufficient coating
is obtained. The core when the pipe is sufficiently cool may be easily
withdrawn, particularly if formed in parts. If desired a further or other
coating of asphalt or such like material may be applied to the interior of
the pipes. In place of oakum or cordage combined with woven fabrics,
woven fabrics may be alone combined with the asphalt, pitch, or such
like material, and treated as described in respect of the oakum or cordage
in the manufacture of the pipes. When employing sheet woven fabric
in the manufacture of these pipes the sheet may be simply laid or wound
with the asphalt or such like material, one part over the other to the
extent desired on the core, in place of spirally as before described. By
these means an extremely strong, durable, and cheap pipe is obtained.
The process described may be varied. An excellent pipe may be made
by simply moulding asphalt and fibre together.
Having thus described the Invention, and means adopted in carrying
the same into effect, I would have it understood that what I claim
as the Invention communicated to me is the manufacture of water
and drain pipes of oakum, cordage, or other woven fabric or fibrous
material cemented together by means of asphalt, rosin, pitch, or other
similar substance, substantially as described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Alfred Robins, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Thirteenth day of March, in the