PROVEMENTS IN THE MEANS OF AND APPARATUS FOR REMOVING OBSTRUCTIONS FROM GAS PIPES
Year: 1872

page_text: 66
LETTERS PATENT to George Goldsmith and James Dilkes, both of
Leicester, in the County of Leicester, for the Invention of IM-
PROVEMENTS IN THE MEANS OF AND APPARATUS FOR REMOVING OBSTRUCTIONS
FROM GAS PIPES."
Sealed the 11th January 1873, and dated the 4th November 1872.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said George Goldsmith and
James Dilkes at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with
their Petition, on the 4th November 1872.
We, GEORGE GOLDSMITH and JAMES DILKES, both of Leicester, in the
County of Leicester, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention
IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MEANS OF AND APPARATUS FOR REMOVING OBSTRUC-.
TIONS FROM GAS PIPES," to be as follows:-
for
-
The mains and service pipes used for the supply of gas are liable to
become choked with naphthaline and other deposits, whereby the flow of
gas is interrupted or entirely stopped. When this occurs great incon-
venience has been experienced from the want of some simple method for
effectually clearing the pipe.
The object of this Invention is to afford a ready means for meeting
what has hitherto being a difficulty, and consists in constructing a plug.

page_text: with a barrel or chamber attached. Into the outer or breech end of
the plug a percussion cap nipple is screwed, the hole in the nipple being
in communication with the barrel, which is furnished at the other end
with a ring having a taper female thread, so that it can be screwed on to
the extremity of the barrel.
The mode of applying the apparatus is as follows:-The barrel or
chamber of the plug is filled with gunpowder or other suitable explosive
substance; a piece of tissue or thin paper is put over the end of the
barrel, and the ring screwed on to keep the paper in its place, and
prevent the powder from escaping. A coupling piece is attached to the
offending pipe, and the plug charged as described is screwed into it, the
barrel extending a short distance within the pipe. A percussion cap is
then applied to the nipple, and upon the cap being struck by a hammer,
or otherwise, an explosion of the powder follows, the result being the
removal of any obstruction that may exist in the pipe. This apparatus
is specially adapted for the clearing of services, but with slight modi-
fication it may be made suitable for operating upon pipes of larger
calibre.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said George Goldsmith and James Dilkes in the Great
Scal Patent Office on the 2nd May 1873.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, GEORGE
GOLDSMITH and JAMES DILKES, both of Leicester, in the County of
Leicester, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Fourth day of November, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-two, in the
thirty-sixth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and suc-
cessors, give and grant unto us, the said George Goldsmith and James
Dilkes, Her special licence that we, the said George Goldsmith and
James Dilkes, our executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others
as we, the said George Goldsmith and James Dilkes, our 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

page_text: vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the
Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
THE MEANS OF AND APPARATUS FOR REMOVING OBSTRUCTIONS FROM GAS PIPES,"
upon the condition (amongst others) that we, the said George Goldsmith
and James Dilkes, our executors or administrators, by an instrument in
writing under our, 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 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 we, the said George Goldsmith and James
Dilkes, do hereby declare the nature of our said Invention, and in
what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described
and ascertained in and by the following statement, reference being had
to the accompanying Drawings, and to the letters and figures marked
thereon, that is to say :-
The mains and service pipes used for the supply of gas are liable to
become choked with naphthaline and other deposits, whereby the flow of
gas is interrupted or entirely stopped. When this occurs, great incon-
venience has been experienced from the want of some simple method for
effectually clearing the pipe.
The object of this Invention is to afford a ready means for meeting
what has hitherto been a difficulty, and consists in constructing a plug
in which a barrel or chamber is formed. Into the outer or breech end
of the plug a percussion cap nipple is screwed, the hole in the nipple.
being in communication with the barrel, which is furnished at the other
end with a ring having a taper female thread so that it can be screwed
on to the extremity of the barrel.
In order that the foregoing may be more easily understood Drawings
are attached hereto, of which the following is a description:-Fig. 1
represents the apparatus in elevation, and Fig. 2 a vertical section of
the same. A is the chamber or barrel partially filled with gunpowder;
B, B, the ring with taper thread; C, the nipple upon which the per-
cussion cap is placed when it is to be discharged, and D, D, a washer.
The mode of applying the apparatus is as follows:-The barrel or
chamber of the plug is filled or partially filled with gunpowder or other
suitable explosive substance; a piece of tissue or thin paper being put

page_text: over the end of the barrel, and the ring (which is formed with a taper
thread will thus admit of the intervention of a piece of paper) is then
screwed on to keep the paper in its place, and prevent the powder from
cscaping. A coupling piece is attached to the offending pipe, and the
plug charged as described is screwed into it, the barrel extending a
short distance within the pipe. A percussion cap is then applied to the
nipple, and upon the cap being struck by a hammer or otherwise an
explosion of the powder follows, the result being the removal of any
obstruction that may exist in the pipe. This apparatus is specially
adapted for the clearing of services, but with slight modifications it may
be made suitable for operating upon pipes of larger calibre.
Having now described and particularly set forth the nature of this
Invention, and the manner in which the same is or may be used or
carried into effect, we would observe in conclusion that we do not confine
or restrict ourselves to the precise details or arrangements which we
have described or referred to, as variations may be made therefrom
without deviating from the principles or main features of this Invention,
but what we consider to be novel and original, and therefore claim as
the Invention secured to us by the herein-before in part recited Letters
Patent is,―
Firstly. The application of gunpowder or other suitable explosive
material, in the manner described, for removing obstructions from gas
pipes.
And Secondly. For the construction and application of the apparatus
herein bescribed for the purpose herein-before set forth.
In witness whereof, we, the said George Goldsmith and James
Dilkes, have hereunto set our hands and seals, this First day of
May, in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and