IMPROVED MEANS OF AND APPARATUS FOR MAKING GAS AND WATER-TIGHT FLEXIBLE JOINTS TO PIPES AND TUBES
Year: 1869

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Charles Marsden, of Kingsland Road, in the
County of Middlesex, for the Invention of "IMPROVED MEANS OF AND
APPARATUS FOR MAKING GAS AND WATER-TIGHT FLEXIBLE JOINTS TO PIPES
AND TUBES."
Sealed the 27th July 1869, and dated the 25th March 1869.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Charles Marsden at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 25th March 1869.
I, CHARLES MARSDEN, of Kingsland Road, in the County of Middlesex,
do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVED MEANS
OF AND APPARATUS FOR MAKING GAS AND WATER-TIGHT FLEXIBLE JOINTS TO PIPES
AND TUBES," to be as follows:-
My Invention relates to the construction of gas and water-tight
flexible joints for pipes and tubes, whereby the pipes or tubes are free
to follow the undulations or irregularities of the ground in or on which
they may be placed.
My Invention consists in forming a flange on one end of a pipe, say
No. 1 end, upon which flange a screw thread, rings, or other circular

page_text: projections are formed; the opposite end of the pipe, say No. 2 end, is
formed with a bulge or protruberance on the exterior thereof, which bulge
has also a thread, rings, or circular projections on it in a similar manner
to the end No. 1. The spaces between the threads or rings are filled
with yarn or other packing medium. Two of the pipes are brought
together, that is to say, the No. 1 end of one pipe is brought against
No. 2 end of another pipe; the two ends are connected by being enclosed
between two half rings or plates. Sometimes these rings or plates are
made of segments which are caused to bear upon the packing of the
flange and bulge by means of set screws which pass through a ring or
rings placed over the half rings. The inner edge of each end of the pipe
is chamfered or inclined in order to give freedom to them at the ends or
joints and admit of their following the undulations of the ground which
may be caused by the sinking of the ground in or on which the pipes
are laid. The two meeting faces of the half rings or plates are made so
as to fit one within the other, and I place packing between them. In
the case of pipes already made I form a screw thread on each end and
over one end, say No. 1 end, I screw or secure a collar corresponding in
shape to the bulge before mentioned; the other end of the pipe, say
No. 2 end, is chamfered or inclined so as to fit and bear against the
bulge on No. 1 end of the next pipe. On the No. 2 end I screw a collar,
one end of which is bell-mouthed to fit the bulge; the exterior of the
bell-mouth portion is threaded for a flanged collar to take into and
draw the ends together to form a flexible gas-tight joint, packing being
employed between the parts where necessary. In some cases I also
employ packing on a flange on one end of the pipe and secure the
same by a screw collar passing over the two half rings or plates.
Another improvement which is chiefly applicable to pipes of large
diameters consists in fitting one end of the pipe with a series of stepped
or curved plates which are secured in place by screws or rivets, the
adjoining end of the next pipe is fitted with a bulge or socket. Another
series of plates are employed, one end of which are forced under the
open end of the stepped plates; they are prevented falling out by being
guided into position by a number of rings fitted on the end of the pipe.
Another ring is employed on the outside to hold the plates. A portion
of this ring is looped or pocketed to enable the plates being placed in
position, and when so passed they are made to slide round in succession
to meet each other until the whole diameter of the pipe end is covered;

page_text: they are then firmly secured in place by keys or screws being driven in
between them and the ring. The loop or pocket is then filled in with
a wedge piece. Packing of any kind may be fitted between the plates
and the socket. Sometimes I form channels or grooves in the under
side of one or both series of plates to ensure perfect packing and to
prevent any escape of fluid with which the pipe may be charged.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Charles Marsden in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 25th September 1869.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, CHARLES
MARSDEN, of Kingsland Road, in the County of Middlesex, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twenty-fifth day of March, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-nine, in the thirty-second
year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and
grant unto me, the said Charles Marsden, Her special licence that I,
the said Charles Marsden, my executors, administrators, and assigns,
or such others as I, the said Charles Marsden, my executors, adminis-
trators, 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 "IMPROVED MEANS OF AND APPA-
RATUS FOR MAKING GAS AND WATER-TIGHT FLEXIBLE JOINTS TO PIPES AND TUBES,"
upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Charles Marsden,
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 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 Charles Marsden, do hereby
declare the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same
is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in

page_text: and by the following statement thereof, reference being had to the
Drawings hereunto annexed, that is to say :-
My Invention relates to the construction of gas and water-tight
flexible joints for pipes and tubes, whereby the pipes or tubes are free
to follow the undulations or irregularities of the ground in or on which
they may be placed.
My Invention consists in forming a flange on one end of a pipe, say
No. 1 end, upon which flange a screw thread, rings, or other circular
projections are formed; the opposite end of the pipe, say No. 2 end, is
formed with a bulge or protuberance on the exterior thereof, which
bulge has also a thread, rings, or circular projections on it in a similar
manner to the end No. 1. The spaces between the threads or rings are
filled with yarn or other packing medium. Two of the pipes are brought
together, that is to say, the No. 1 end of one pipe is brought against
No. 2 end of another pipe, the two ends are connected by being enclosed
between two half rings or plates; sometimes these rings or plates are
made of segments, which are caused to bear upon the packing of the
flange and bulge by means of set screws which pass through a ring or
rings placed over the half rings. The inner edge of each end of the pipo
is chamfered or inclined in order to give freedom to them at the ends
or joints and admit of their following the undulations of the ground,
which may be caused by the sinking of the ground in or on which the
pipes are laid. The two meeting faces of the half rings or plates are
made so as to fit one within the other, and I place packing between
them. In the case of pipes already made I form a screw thread on
each end and over one end, say No. 1 end, I screw or secure a collar
corresponding in shape to the bulge before mentioned, the other end
of the pipe, say No. 2 end, is chamfered or inclined so as to fit
and bear against the bulge on No. 1 end of the next pipe. On the
No. 2 end I screw a collar, one end of which is bell-mouthed to fit
the bulge, the exterior of the bell-mouthed portion is threaded for a
flanged collar to take into and draw the ends together to form a flexible
gas-tight joint, packing being employed between the parts where
necessary. In some cases I also employ packing on a flange on one
end of the pipe, and secure the same by a screw collar passing over the
two half rings or plates.
And in order that my Invention may be well understood I annex the

page_text: following description, which by the aid of the accompanying Drawings
render the Invention perfectly comprehensible.
Figure 1 is an external view of the two ends of a pipe, one end a
being formed with a flange b, upon or in which ringed recessses or
grooves c are made for receiving prepared clay, tarred yarn, or other
material suitable for packing. The other end d of the pipe is formed
with a bulge or protuberance upon it, the bulge being formed with a
groove or recess e for the reception of packing, in a similar manner to
the groove at the other end. Each pipe of a series I propose to make in
the way above described, and when I wish to connect any number of
them together end to end I bring the ringed end of one pipe against the
bulged end of another pipe, and by means of a collar or socket formed
of two half rings or plates f, as represented in Figure 2, which is a view
showing the ends of two pipes in close connection. In this Figure it
will be observed that the two half plates are formed internally with
corresponding shaped spaces for the ring of one pipe and the bulge of
the next adjoining pipe to fit into, and in order that the two half rings f
may be kept in close contact with the packing of both ends I fit a
ring g or other appliance over or round them, and keep it in place by
means of a set screw or screws, as clearly shewn in Figure 2. The
degree of pressure exerted upon the two half plates and the packing by
the screw which passes through the outer ring g is sufficient to prevent
any escape or leakage at the joint, and by my improved means or system
of the bulge, which I prefer should be a sphere or a portion of a sphere,
the pipes are free to follow any sinking of the ground, or they may be
caused to take any curve or bend (within certain limits) at the time of
fixing them.
Figure 3 represents one of the pipes has being level, while the other
is bent at the joint upwards. In this Figure the spaces in the two half
plates or sockets are recessed in the middle to a greater degree than the
sides, so that a larger amount of packing, which of course is spread over
a larger surface, may be used so as to insure a perfect sealing at the
joint, notwithstanding any amount of movement the pipes may have at
their joints.
Figure 4 is a sectional view of the ends of two pipes fitted in a similar
manner to that shown in Figure 3, but in this Figure both pipes are at

page_text: Figure 5 is a sectional view of portions of two adjoining pipes, say,
gas pipes, of the ordinary construction having the ends formed with
screw threads on them, so that a threaded collar or ring may be screwed
on to them to make a connection. Now in order to make the joint
flexible I remove the threaded ring and screw on to the end of one pipe
an internal threaded bulge i, and a threaded ring on the adjoining end
of the other pipe, I then envelope the bulge and the ring by two half
plates, as herein-before described, and I securo the plates thereon by a
ring and set screw. In some cases I dispense with the set screws and
drive a key or keys k between the external ring and the half plates, as
shown in Figure 6. In the case of pipes through which steam or other
fluid of great pressure passes, I sometimes make an additional groove or
recess near the mouth of the pipe, and a corresponding space in the two
half plates for the reception of packing, so that a double security against
leakage is obtained.
Another way of securely sealing the joint is by forming slits or
recesses upon the meeting faces of the two half rings, as indicated in
Figures 7 and 8, for the purpose of receiving packing, which I prefer
should be previously moulded into the required shape so as to offer no
impediment to workmen easily fitting it in place. This packing when
fitted is brought into contact with the ring and groove packing, so that
when the pressure of the external ring comes upon the two half plates
both packings are as it were smashed into one. The mouths of each end
of the tubes I chamfer or round, so that the passage of water or other
fluid when the pipes are at an angle is not broken or delayed, and thus
a much smoother "way is provided than if the edges were left sharp
or square.
Figure 9 represents the meeting ends of two pipes where the bulge is
dispensed with. In this arrangement both ends of each pipe are alike,
and by surrounding the ends with packing and covering them with two
half plates and a tightening ring a flexible joint in two directions is
obtained. I round off the two ends by making them so that they
describe a segment of a circle to admit of the pipes sinking with the
ground in or on which they may be placed, or the pipes may be bent
upwards at the joint to overstep an obstacle, or to follow the curve or
undulation of the ground or other surface where it may be placed.
From the foregoing description it will be gathered that I allude to pipes
made of iron or other hard metal, but I do not wish to confine myself to

page_text: such pipes, for I can make flexible joints to soft metal pipes, such as
those that are made of lead or a composition with equal facility.
In Figure 10 I have shewn one method of preparing the ends of
leaden pipes for the reception of the two half plates and tightening ring.
The two half plates for these pipes I propose should be of hard metal so
as to resist the crushing action of the screw or key, whichever may be
employed. In the Figure I have shown both ends as being spread out
by a tool or spreader, one end being spread out to a larger diameter than
the other, so that it can embrace or overlap the smaller one, as shown.
Packing is placed over the two ends in sufficient quantity to fill the
space in the two half plates left for its reception before the half plates
are put on; sometimes I joint the two half plates together by a linge
joint, as shown in Figure 11, and I secure them in position by a pin or
bolt, which is passed into a hole made in lips which project from the
other side of the plates. I also in some cases fit one half of the two
half rings in a piece with the end of one pipe fluted or plain, on which
the end of a pipe may be secured by solder or otherwise, or when a
leather or a vulcanized or other pipe or hose is attached it may be bound
on by wire or a binding cord. These two half rings may be loose and
connected by pins or screws being passed into lugs or projections formed
on them, or the lugs or projections on one side only may be hinged, and
the other lugs secured in any suitable manner. This last system of
construction is clearly represented in Figures 12 and 13.
Figure 14 shews another method of securing the bulge on the end of
a pipe of the ordinary construction. In this case the bulge is shown as
being made of two pieces, which are secured in place by screws being
passed through them into the end of the pipe, and so that the bulge may
pass freely into the mouth of the neighbouring pipe. I chamfer or round
the internal edge of the same to admit of the bulge doing so. The
neighbouring pipe is formed with a socket or end of larger diameter than
the body, so that the lesser end of the first pipe may be secured in it by
a leaden joint or other filling in material. Now over this larger. end I
screw or otherwise attach a ring which forms a shoulder for the packing
placed round it to abut against. I place two half rings, either jointed
or not, and secure them together by a ring and screw, or by a key, or I
secure the ring by driving it up an inclined projection formed on one of
the half rings, as shown in the Figure. I also fit the bulge on to the
end of a pipe so that it projects from its end, and I screw a washer over

page_text: the threaded end of the neighbouring pipe, so that when the two pipes
are brought together the washer can be screwed up to the bulge until a
rounded internal portion touches it. Over a portion of the bulge I slide
a flanged collar made with an internal rounded smooth surface to fit the
bulge, and over this again I pass an internal threaded ring, the threads
of which take into the external threads of the washer, as shown in
Figure 15. Packing may be used in this arrangement, if necessary, or
a layer of white or red lead, or other stiff moist material may be
employed. Although I have mentioned as only employing one ring and
one set screw over the two half-plates, two or any number of rings and
screws or keys may be used, and the meeting faces of the half rings
may be shaped to fit into one another in any suitable manner, and
packing may or may not be employed at those parts. And again I do not
confine myself to fitting the bulge or ring on the ends of metal pipes, as
the Invention is equally applicable to pipes made of clay or pottery-
ware, such as are used for drain and sewage pipes, in which case I
prefer to make the bulge and the ring in the process of making the pipe.
This can be accomplished by employing the "former," or shape repre-
sented in Figure 16, which reduces the exterior of the pipe and the ends
at the same time while the material is moving round in a circular
direction upon the "potter's wheel." The chamfer of the internal edge is
made by the hinged or jointed plate 1, as shown. Of course it will be
understood that "formers" of a shape corresponding to the shaped end
or ends required would be employed.
Another improvement, which is chiefly applicable to pipes of large
diameters, consists in fitting one end of the pipe with a series of stepped
or curved plates, which are secured in place by screws or rivets; the
adjoining end of the next pipe is fitted with a bulge or socket. Another
series of plates are employed, one end of which is forced under the open
end of the stepped plates; they are prevented falling out by being guided
into position by a number of rings fitted on the end of the pipe;
another ring is employed on the outside to hold the plates; a portion of
this ring is looped or pocketed to enable the plates being placed in
position, and when so placed they are made to slide round in succession
to meet each other until the whole diameter of the pipe end is covered;
they are then firmly secured in place by keys or screws being driven in
between them and the ring. The loop or pocket is then filled in with
a wedge picce. Packing of any kind may be fitted between the plates
and the socket.

page_text: Sometimes I form channels or grooves in the under side of one or both
series of plates to ensure perfect packing, and to prevent any escape of
fluid with which the pipe may be charged. This arrangement is repre-
sented in Sheet 2 of the accompanying Drawings, where Figure 17 is a
view of a pipe of larger diameter, one end is fitted with a ring secured
thereon; I then fit a series of stepped plates, one of which is shown
detached in Figure 18 on the same end. These plates are formed with
a series of rivet holes, so that they can be secured to the pipe or tube, a
strip of packing being placed between the meeting edges. Over the
stopped portion of the plates I place a ring m formed at one part with a
recess or pocket n in the inner periphery of the width of two of the
plates. I then pass the bulged end of the neighbouring pipe into the
ring of stepped plates, and slip another set of plates o, called socket
plates, Figure 19, over the bulge and under a ring p, which acts as a
guide to the socket plates in passing round the exterior of the bulge.
There are two other rings on the plain end of the pipe which act as a
guide or tramway for guiding the portion of the socket plates that goes
under the stepped plates into position. My pipe or tube when of large
diameter may be composed of two skins, an inner one and an outer one;
these may be kept at a distance apart by angle irons or flanged ribs of
longitudinal or circular shape, which may act as stretchers or division
plates, so that great strength may be imparted to the tube. When a
tube of very large diameter is required, such as could be made available
for passing carriages through, I introduce in the part of it which is to
be at the bottom a girder, Figure 20, which may be solid or of open
worked bars like trelliswork to add additional strength at that part.
The tube may support lines of rails so that flanged wheels of railway or
tramway carriages may run upon them. Gas and water mains may be
supported in the upper part of the tube, as shewn in Figure 21. I
provide spaces at intervals in a tube of a great length for carriages to be
run into to allow other carriages to pass them. These spaces or sidings
also serve for the protection of plate layers or other workmen engaged
in the tube, see Figure 22. When the tube is intended to be employed
between the two sides of a river, lake, or other body of water, I fit
wings q on the sides of the tubes for the chains or other appliances for
lowering them to be attached. The tube or tunnel may be ventilated
by means of a pipe r, Figure 23, running along its upper part, the pipe
being slotted, so that the air forced into it may become spread or dis-
tributed in the tunnel. Figure 24 is a view of a tunnel of the above

page_text: construction laid on the bottom of the sea, say, the English Channel
between Dover and Calais.
And having now described the nature of my said Invention, and in
what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that I claim as my
Invention, the general arrangements and combinations of parts of flexible
joints for pipes and tubes, as herein-before described and represented
in the several Figures of the Drawings hereunto annexed.
In witness whereof, I, the said Charles Marsden, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Twenty-fifth day of September One
thousand eight hundred and sixty-nine.