Improvements in and relating to Pipe Joints.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 12th Apr., 1893
Complete Specification Left, 12th Jan., 1894-Accepted, 17th Feb., 1894
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to Pipe Joints.
I, WILLIAM SYKES of the Town Hall, Walham Green, in the County of
Middlesex, Surveyor, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
This invention relates to improvements in and relating to pipe joints, and is
designed to provide for the connection of lengths of sewer pipes of stoneware,
earthenware, concrete or the like, by means of screw joints in a more easy and
effectual manner than heretofore, whilst at the same time allowing a certain amount
of play to permit of adjustment for levelling and bringing the various lengths into
line. The said invention further provides for coupling pipes to bends or angle
pieces in an easy and efficient manner.
A pipe joint according to this invention comprises a spigot and socket each
having securely connected thereto by casting, a screw threaded tube of suitable
impervious and non-corrodible material such as hereinafter referred to the male
thread on the spigot and the corresponding female thread in the socket being made
of such a form in cross section, that instead of the two screw threads being in
contact at all parts of their adjacent surfaces when the joint is screwed up, as has
been heretofore usual, they have a certain amount of play and only make contact
with each other along a spiral line, preferably on the rise of a thread, so that the one
part of the joint can rock or move to a slight extent on the other at the commence-
ment of screwing them together and thus permit of one length of pipe being
slightly adjusted relatively to the other without putting an undue strain on the
socket, a gas and water tight joint being formed between the connected ends of
the pipes by means of packing formed of impervious and non-corrodible_material
made by intimately mixing Archangel or Stockholm tar with Portland, Roman or
other suitable cement or lime, in the proportions say of about two bushels of
cement or lime to one and a half gallons of tar. This material in a plastic state
is compressed between the end of the socket and a collar on the spigot when the
joint is screwed up and each of which is or may advantageously be grooved or
serrated to obtain a good joint. By the construction described not only is a tight
joint formed between the collar and the end of the socket but the two screw threads
will be pressed tightly against each other along a spiral line and thus form a
supplementary joint.
The tube on the spigot may advantageously be formed with a flange united to
the collar on the spigot, for the purpose of removing any irregularity of the surface
of such collar. The tube in the socket may also for a like purpose be formed with
a similar flange united to the outer end of the socket. The outer surfaces of these
flanges may in each case be grooved or serrated to obtain a good joint.
By the use of screw threaded tubes as described the form of the jointing
surfaces can be made quite accurate which is impracticable when the jointing surfaces
are formed of stoneware or earthenware that is subsequently burnt, in consequenc
of the warping or distortion of the various surfaces produced by such burning.
Also by providing play or clearance between the screw threads, the entrance of
particles of sand or grit between such screw threads will not seriously interfere
with the screwing up of the joint.

page_text: The screw threaded tubes may advantageously be made of a composition formed
by boiling together gas tar, pitch, sulphur and ground limestone in suitable
proportion and run into position whilst hot.
The said tubes, whether with or without flanges are moulded by placing inside
the socket for the female. thread, and outside the spigot for the male thread, a
mould preferably of cast iron and having on the outer or inner surface, as the
case may be an accurately turned screw thread the converse of that which is to
be formed, that is to say having a groove where the thread is to be. A space
is left between the mould and the exterior of the spigot and the interior of the
socket pipe, and also between the collar on the spigot and the end of the socket
when the tubes are to be formed with flanges as described, and into such space the
composition is introduced in a semi-liquid state. The moulds are preferably slightly
taper so that they can be unscrewed and withdrawn from the composition, when
the latter has set, without injury thereto.
The surface of the pipe on or in which the tube, or tube and flange is or are
moulded, is ribbed serrated or otherwise roughened in order to effect a secure union
between it and the tube or tube and flange. The grooves or serrations in the outer
surface of the flange or flanges can be produced by suitably serrating the moulds.
Preferably each screw may advantageously be caused to make about one and a half
turns, the pitch varying with the length of the spigot and socket.
In order to effect the jointing of bends and junctions which cannot usually be
turned about their axis for screwing together, I provide a coupling pipe which
preferably for distinction is somewhat shorter than the other lengths of pipe, and
has at one end a right hand thread and at the other end a left hand thread formed
of material of the kind bereinbefore referred to applied in the manner described
-the-ends-being-respectively_spigot_and_socket as in the other cases. The screw
threads on corresponding ends of the junction or bend and of the last length-of-
pipe are made to correspond with those on the coupling pipe, so that in order to
work in a bend or junction it is only necessary to place such a coupling pipe between
the end of the last ordinary length of pipe and the junction or bend, and to rotate
the coupling piece in order to cause the various threads to engage with each other
and draw the pipes together so as to compress the packing material placed between
them and form a fluid tight joint. Preferably the screw threads on the coupling
pieces make two complete turns, instead of only one and a half turns as stated for
the ordinary pipes.
The adjacent ends of the pipe and junction or bend may in some cases, each be
spigots. In such cases they may be formed one with a right hand and the other
with a left hand screw thread, the coupling piece being simply a short tube or
collar formed with corresponding screw threads adapted to screw over the said
right and left hand screw threads so as to draw the ends of the pipe and junction or
bend together and compress the packing placed between their collars and the ends
of the connecting tube or collar.
For temporarily closing junctions the same system of screw threads may be used
a female thread being formed in the junction, and a male thread on the stopper so
that the latter can be screwed home and made tight with a washer if necessary of
suitable material as for example a clay band. Pipes jointed as described can be
laid in or under water.
DL: 10ch IS A 1000

page_text: Improvements in and relating to Pipe Joints.
I, WILLIAM SYKES, formerly of the Town Hall, Walham Green, in the County
of Middlesex, but now of 18 New Bridge Street, Blackfriars, in the City of London,
Surveyor, 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 :-
This invention relates to improvements in and relating to pipe joints, and is
designed to provide for the connection of lengths of sewer pipes of stoneware,
earthenware, concrete or the like, by means of screw joints in a more easy and
effectual manner than heretofore, whilst at the same time allowing a certain amount
of play to permit of adjustment for levelling and bringing the various lengths into
line. The said invention further provides for coupling pipes to bends and junction
or angle pieces in an easy and efficient manner.
And in order that the nature of this invention may be clearly understood I will
proceed to explain the same by aid of the accompanying drawings in which,
Figs. 1 and 2 show in longitudinal section, a pipe joint according to this
invention. This joint comprises a spigot 1 and socket 2 formed on the adjacent
ends of two lengths of pipe and each having securely connected thereto by casting,
a screw threaded tube 3 or 3" of suitable impervious and non-corrodible material
such as hereinafter referred to, the male thread on the tube 3 (hereinafter referred
to as the sleeve) of the spigot, and the corresponding female thread in the tube 3ª
(hereinafter referred to as the lining) of the socket, being made of such a form in
cross section, and of such relative diameters, as shown, that instead of the two screw
threads being in contact at all parts of their adjacent surfaces when the joint is
screwed up, as has heretofore been usual, they have a certain amount of play, and
only make contact with each other along a spiral line, preferably on the rise of a
thread as shown at 3*, so that the one part of the joint can rock or move to a slight
extent on the other at the commencement of screwing the two parts together, and
thus permit of one length of pipe being slightly adjusted relatively to the other
without putting an undue strain on the socket, a gas and water tight joint being
formed between the connected ends of the pipes by means of packing or jointing
material 4 formed of impervious and non-corrodible material such for example as is
made by intimately mixing Archangel or Stockholm tar with a suitable cement
such as Portland or Roman cement, or with lime, in the proportions say of about
two bushels of cement or lime to one or one and a half gallons of tar. Such a
composition forms the subject of another application for Letters Patent filed by me
of even date herewith, No. 7499, and therefore in itself forms no part of my present
invention. The jointing material referred to plays an important part in making an
effectual pipe joint. It is mixed just previous to use, and applied in a plastic-state
of about the consistency of putty, and in the form of a fillet or ring, to the spigot as
shown in Fig. 1. The spigot and socket are then screwed up, the screw thread in
the socket being preferably first well greased, whereby the jointing material 4 is
compressed between the end of the socket and the rim or collar 5, on the spigot end
of the pipe, so as to form between these parts an effective water and gas tight
joint. Furthermore the two screw threads will, in consequence of their peculiar
formation, be pressed tightly against each other along a spiral line so as to thus
form a supplementary joint, and a portion of the jointing composition will, as shown,
be forced, by the pressure to which it is subjected in screwing up the pipes, into the
space left by the play or clearance between the threads and thus aid in forming an

page_text: effectual closure capable of resisting considerable fluid pressure. The said jointing
material is capable of resisting water and sets extremely hard both in and out of
water; it offers slight elasticity, and adheres firmly to the pipe; it is as
imperishable as the stoneware of which the pipes are made, and is capable of
resisting the action of all acid or other matters met with in sewage. The end of 5
the socket 2 and the opposite face of the collar 5, may advantageously be grooved
or serrated as shown at 6, 6ª respectively, so as to form a good joint with the
jointing material 4 and effectually hold the same in place.
Fig. 3 shows in vertical section, several lengths of pipe jointed together in the
manner hereinbefore described.
The sleeve on each spigot 1 may be formed with a rim or flange 7, united to
the grooved or serrated face of the collar 5 as shown in Fig. 4, for the purpose of
removing any irregularity of the surface of such collar. The tubular lining 3" in
the socket may also, for a like purpose, be formed with a similar rim or flange 7*
united to the outer serrated end of the socket. The outer surfaces of these rims or
flanges may in each case be grooved or serrated, as shown, to form a good joint
with the jointing material 4.
The face of the collar 5 and the adjacent end of the socket, may be made plain
and inclined to each other as shown in Fig. 5, so that when the pipes are screwed
together, they form an annular space of dovetail form in cross section in which the
jointing material 4 will be firmly held. Or the face of one only of the said parts
may-be-thus.inclined, the other being either plain, or formed with an annular recess
that may be of any convenient-form-in_cross section, as for example concave as
shown at 8 in Fig. 6, or angular as shown at 8 in Fig.7
By the use of screw threaded sleeves 3 and linings 3ª formed and secured-to-the-
spigots and sockets respectively as described and shown, the form of the jointing
surfaces can be made quite accurate, which is impracticable when the jointing
surfaces are forined of stoneware or earthenware that is subsequently burnt, owing
to the warping or distortion of the various surfaces produced by such burning.
Also by providing play or clearance between the screw threads, the entrance of
particles of sand or grit between such screw threads will not seriously interfere with
the screwing up of the joint.
The screw threaded sleeves and linings may advantageously be made of a
composition formed by boiling together gas tar, pitch, sulphur and ground limestone
in suitable proportion and run into position whilst hot. This composition is a known
product, and in itself forms no part of my present invention.
The said sleeves and linings, whether with or without rims or flanges 7, 7ª, are
moulded by placing inside the socket 2 for the female thread, and outside the
spigot 1 for the male thread, a mould 9 or 9" as shown in Figs. 8 and 9 respectively,
these moulds being preferably made of cast iron and having on the outer or inner
surface, as the case may be, an accurately turned screw thread the converse of that
which is to be formed in the lining or on the sleeve, as the case may be. An
annular space is left between each mould 9 and 9* and the exterior of the spigot
and the interior of the socket pipe respectively, and into such space the composition
of which the sleeve and lining is formed, is introduced in a liquid or semi-liquid
state. When a flange 7 (Fig. 4) is to be formed on the sleeve 3, an annular space
is left between the bottom of the mould 9. and the collar 5 on the spigot, as indicated
by dotted lines in Fig. 9, the outer end of this space being conveniently closed by
an india rubber band. In this case the mould 9 is supported on the end of the
spigot by cross bars 9* fixed to the mould. When a hange 7" (Fig. 4) is to be
formed on the lining 3", the mould 9 is provided with a detachable ring 9, as
indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 8, so as to form with the end of the socket and the
mould, an annular space that is closed at the exterior by an india rubber band 9°
and into which the composition is introduced through holes in the said ring. The
formation of the flange 7 is effected immediately after the formation of the lining.
The moulds 9, 9* are preferably made slightly taper, so that they can be unscrewed

page_text: and. withdrawn from the composition, when the latter has set, without injury
thereto.
The surfaces of the spigots and sockets on and in which the sleeves 3 and:
linings 3 are moulded, aro ribbed, serrated or otherwise roughened as shown
at 10, in order to effect a socure union between them and the sleeves and linings.
The grooves or serrations in the outer surface of each rim or flange 7 or 7*.
Fig. 4 when these are provided, can be produced by suitably serrating the
bottom end of the mould 9*, or the lower surface of the ring 9b. Each screw
thread may advantageously be caused to make about one and a half turns, the
pitch therefore varying with the length of the spigot and socket.
In order to effect the jointing of bends and junctions which cannot usually be
turned about their axes for screwing together, I provide a coupling pipe 11 of the
kind shown partially in side elevation and partly in longitudinal section in Fig. 10,.
& connected to other lengths of pipe. This coupling pipe which, for distinction,.
may be made somewhat shorter than the other lengths of pipe, has at one end a
right hand screw threaded sleeve 11, and at the other end a left hand screw
threaded lining 11' each formed of material of the kind hereinbefore referred to
applied in the manner described, the ends being respectively spigot and socket as-
in the other cases. The screw threads on the corresponding ends of the junction 12,.
or it may be a bend, and of the last length of pipe 13, are made to correspond with.
those on the coupling pipe, so that in order to work in a junction, or bend, as the
case may be, it is only necessary to place such a coupling pipe between the end of
the last ordinary length of pipe 13 and the junction 12, or bend, and to rotate the
coupling piece in order to cause the various threads to engage with each other and
draw the pipes together so as to compress the packing or jointing material 4 placed
between them and form a fluid tight joint. Preferably the screw threads on the
socket of the coupling piece and the spigot of the junction, or bend, make two.
complete turns instead of only one and a half turns, as hereinbefore stated for the.
ordinary lengths of pipes, so as to enable the coupling piece to be partly screwed to
the junction, or bend, before being connected to the last length of pipe 13.
each 'be-
The adjacent ends of the pipe and junction, or bend, may in some cases,
a spigot. Fig. 11 is a longitudinal section showing a bend 12* and part of an.
adjacent length of pipe 13 with the adjacent ends each formed as a spigot. In this
case one of the said ends is formed with a right hand screw threaded sleeve and the
other with a left hand screw threaded sleeve, the coupling piece being simply a
short tube 11* provided with a lining 3* formed with corresponding screw threads.
adapted to screw over the said right and left hand screw threads so as to draw the
ends of the pipe 13 and bend 12* together and compress the packing or jointing
material 4 placed between their collars 5 and the ends of the coupling tube as-
shown.
Fig. 12 is a similar view to Fig. 11, showing a modification in which the collars 5.
on the pipe ends shown in the latter figure are dispensed with. In this case the
coupling tube is simply rotated upon the spigots until their adjacent ends are caused
to tightly compress a fillet 4 of packing material previously placed within the said
tube and held partly within an annular recess 13 left between the right and left.
handed screw threaded linings 3* secured therein. The ends of the coupling tube
may be made square as shown at the left hand side of Fig. 11, or they may be
made bell-mouthed as shown at the right hand side of the said figure so as to admit.
of the insertion therein of a fillet 4° of jointing material to serve as a supplementary
joint. The ends of the said tube may advantageously be strengthened by external
beads as shown.
For temporarily closing junctions such as shown at 14 in Fig. 10, the same-
system of screw threads may be used, a female thread being formed in the
lining 3* secured in the socket end of the said junction, and a male thread on 'the
sleeve 3 of the stopper 15, so that the latter can be screwed home and made tight,.
with a washer 16, if necessary, of suitable material, as for example a clay or 'india.
rubber band.

page_text: The screw threads on the sleeves and linings are in each case made of the form
in cross section hereinbefore described and shown more clearly in Figs. 1 to 7
inclusive for the purpose specified.
Pipes jointed in the manner hereinbefore described possess many important
practical advantages of which the following may be mentioned. They can be laid
without skilled labour in or under water, and during frost; they can be laid water
and gas tight in bad ground there being sufficient play in the thread to prevent the
presence of sand or even small stones affecting the screwing up of the joint; and
as the jointing material does not set very rapidly and will yield slightly for a time
to a severe strain, the pipes and the joint are not materially affected by settlement
of the ground.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. In a pipe joint in which the connected pipe ends or connected parts are
formed as a spigot and socket fitted respectively with a sleeve and lining of
impervious material such as herein referred to having corresponding male and
female screw threads forming the said screw threads substantially of the shape in
cross section described and shown so that when screwed together the said threads
will have a small amount of play and will make contact with each other only along
a spiral line as set forth for the purpose specified.
2. A pipe joint comprising a spigot and socket provided respectively with a
sleeve and lining of impervious and non-corrodible material such as herein described
having corresponding male and female screw threads so formed and arranged that
when screwed together they have a small amount of play and make contact with
each other only along a spiral line, and impervious non-corrodible packing or
jointing material compressed between the said spigot and socket substantially as
_herein.described-for-the-purposes specified.
3. A pipe joint of the kind referred to in the preceding claim in which the ends
of the sleeve 3 and lining 3 adjacent to the collar on the spigot and the end of the
socket respectively, are provided each with a rim or flange such as 7 or 7" for the
purpose specified.
4. A pipe joint for junctions and bends, comprising a coupling pipe formed at its
ends with a spigot and socket provided respectively with a sleeve and lining of
material of the kind herein referred to having right and left handed screw threads
formed as described, a pipe length, and junction or bend provided with a corre-
spondingly formed and arranged screw threaded lining and sleeve respectively
engaging the screw threaded sleeve and lining of the coupling pipe, and packing
or jointing material of the kind herein referred to compressed between the adjacent
ends of the several pipes, substantially as herein described for the purpose
specified.
5. A pipe joint for junctions and bends comprising the two pipes to be coupled
together these having their adjacent ends each formed as a spigot provided with a
sleeve of material of the kind herein referred to, one sleeve being formed with a
right handed screw thread of the form herein described and the other with a left
handed screw thread of the form herein described, a coupling tube provided with a
lining or linings having correspondingly formed screw threads adapted to screw
onto those on the spigots and draw the ends of the pipes together, and packing or
jointing material of the kind herein referred to compressed in place by the
drawing together of the pipes so as to thereby effect a fluid tight joint, substantially
as herein described.
6. My improved pipe joints constructed and arranged substantially as herein-
before described with reference to and shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3; or modified
according to Fig. 4; or to Fig. 5; or to Fig. 6; or to Fig. 7 of the drawings
annexed.
7. My improved pipe joints for junctions and bends constructed and arranged

page_text: substantially as hereinbefore described with reference respectively to and shown in
Fig. 10; in Fig. 11 and in Fig. 12 of the drawings annexed.
Dated this 12th day of January 1894.
For the Applicant.
substantially as hereinbefore described with reference respectively to and shown in
Fig. 10; in Fig. 11 and in Fig. 12 of the drawings annexed.
Dated this 12th day of January 1894.
For the Applicant.
W. LLOYD WISE,
46 Lincoln's Inn Fields London. W.C.. Chartered Patent Agent.