AN IMPROVED METHOD OF AND DEVICES FOR UNITING THE ENDS OF PIPES OR TUBES
Year: 1869

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Robert Lake, of the "International
Patent Office," No. 8, Southampton Building, Chancery Lane, in
the County of Middlesex, Consulting Engineer, for the Invention
of "AN IMPROVED METHOD OF AND DEVICES FOR UNITING THE ENDS OF
PIPES OR TUBES."-A communication from abroad by Augustus
Weyermann, of St. Gall, Switzerland.
Sealed the 15th June 1869, and dated the 18th January 1809.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Robert Lake
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 18th January 1869.
I, WILLIAM RODERT LAKE, of the "International Patent Offico,',
No. 8, Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane, in the County of
Middlesex, Consulting Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of
the said Invention for "AS IMPROVED METHOD OF AND DEVICES FOR
Price 8d.1

page_text: follows:-
My Invention relates to a method of coupling or uniting the ends
of water, steam, or gas pipes, and is more especially adapted to pipes
having a diameter of one inch and more.
The object of the said Invention is to provide a cheap, durable, and
convenient method of securing together the ends of lengths or sections
of pipes arranged at any desired angle or inclination to each other. I
provide the ends of each length or section with a movable flange,
which is kept in place by collars or projections on the end or head of
the pipe. The collars extend only partially around the pipe, and the
lcose flange is formed with recesses or apertures, which when brought
opposite the collars will pass over them, so that the flange may be con-
veniently placed on the end of the pipe, or removed from the same.
Between the two ends to be connected I place an annular connecting
piece or coupling, which is recessed on each side to receive a ring of
india-rubber, leather, or other suitable packing material, against which
the end of each pipe is bedded. These connecting pieces are made
with their faces either at right angles to the bore of the pipes, or with
one or both faces oblique or inclined at any desired angle to the same.
The loose flanges are connected by bolts and nuts, by which the two
ends of the pipes are drawn towards each other and upon the packing
rings, thereby making the joint perfectly tight and secure.
a short
necting inclined or oblique pipes to form short curves
supplementary flanged piece may be placed between two of the annular
connecting pieces. The bolts are passed through the loose flanges
and through the flange of the supplementary piece. The head or end
of each pipe is preferably made somewhat larger in diameter than the
intermediate part of the pipe, in order that there may be a sufficient
area in contact with the packing ring to insure a tight joint and firm
connection. The bolt holes in the flanges must be made far enough
from their centre to let the bolt heads and nuts be quite clear of the
pipes at whatever angle or inclination to each other the said pipes
may be arranged. The different sections or lengths of pipe by means
of the oblique or inclined connecting pieces may be laid at any desired
angle, and by turning the said pieces each length or section may be
made to diverge or incline in either a horizontal, vertical, or inter
In con-

page_text: mediate direction. The recesses in the annular connecting pieces must
bo so large that the ends of the pipes may be adjusted therein to any
desired position without touching the sides of the said recess. The
inner diameter of the said connecting piecos and of the packing
rings should not be less than the bore of the pipes. The flange of the
intermediate pipo which I sometimes employ is provided with a double
series of holes to receive the bolts from the loose flanges on both sides,
of the said intermediate pipe; or the latter may be provided with a
flange at each end. A blank flange or disc provided with a packing
ring may be used for closing the ends of the pipes and connections,
the said flange being secured to the said pipe or connection without
the annular connecting piece. The outer diameter of the packing rings
should be equal to that of the' recess in the connecting piece. Leather
packing rings should be used for water pipes, but for steam, pipes I.
prefer to make the packing rings of vulcanized in:lia-rubber.
It is obvious that my Invention may be applied to elbow and
T pieces, bent pieces, cocks, and other joints and connections. For,
convenience the connecting bolts or screws should be made of four
different lengths, and thoy must be of such a diameter as to pass freely
through the flanges of the pipes to be connected thereby at whatever
anglo'the said-pipes may be placed to each other.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Lettors Patent,
filed by the said William Robert Lake in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 12th July 1860.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME I, WILLIAM
ROBERT LAKE, of the "International Patent Office," No. 8, Southampton
Buildings, Ohancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Consulting
Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the thirteenth day of January, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-nine, in tho
thirty-second year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and suc-
cessors, give and grant unto me, the said William Robert Lako,
Her special licence that I, the said William Robert Lake, my

page_text: executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said
William Robert Lake, 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, exorcise, and vend, within the United
Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle
of Man, an Invention of "AN IMPROVED METHOD OF AND DEVICES FOR
UNITING THE ENDS OF PIPES OR TUBES," upon the condition (amongst others)
that I, the said William Robert Lako, 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 William Robert Lake, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same
to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement, reference being had to the accompanying
Drawing, forming a part of this Specification:-
My Invention relates to a method of coupling or uniting the ends of
water, steam, or gas pipes, and is more especially adapted to large pipes
or tubes, or such as are not less than about one inch in diameter.
The object of the said Invention is to provide a cheap, durable, and
convenient method of securing together the ends of lengths or sections
of pipe arranged at any dosired angle or inclination to each other, so
that when a line of pipe or tube for gas, water, or other purposes requires
to be frequently curved or inclined in various directions the joints may
be made as readily and as perfectly tight and sound as when it follows a

page_text: joints; Figures 5 and 0 are sections of such connecting pieces for
oblique joints. Like letters indicate the same parts throughout the
Drawing.
In practising my Invention I provide the ends of each pipe or each
length or section of pipe a with a movable flange b which is kept in
place by collars or projections on the end or hond a' of each tube. The
collars c extend only partially around the tube, and the loose flango bis
formed with recesses or apartures 6' which when brought opposite the
collars, as shewn in Figure 3, will pass over them, and which may be
turned partially around behind the said collars, the flange being thereby
securely held on the pipe. By this means tho flanges 6 may be con-
veniently placed on the end of the pipe or removed therefrom, and may
bo adjusted to receive the bolts & whereby the pipes aro secured together.
Between the two pipes or onds to be connected I place an annular cou-
necting pieco or coupling e which is recessed on each side to receive a
ring of india-rubber, leather, or other suitable packing material against
which the end of each pipe is bodded. These connecting pieces are
made with their faces either at right angles to the bore of the pipes, as
in Figure 4, or with one fuco, as in Figure 5, or both faces, as in Figure 6,
oblique or inclined at any desired angle to the same. When these con-
necting pieces e are properly arranged between the ends of the pipes the
loose flanges b are connected by the bolts and nuts, as shewn in Figures
1 and 2, and by screwing down the said nuts the two euds of the pipe
are drawn together and made to bed closely on the packing rings, thereby
making the joint perfectly tight and secure. In connecting inclined or
obliquo pipes to form short curves a short supplementary flanged piece g
may be placed between two of the annular connecting pieces e. The
bolts & are passed through the loose flanges 6 and through the flange y¹
of this supplementary piece, as seen in Figure 1. The head or ends a² of
each pipe is preferably made somewhat larger in diameter than tho
intermediate part of the pipe in order that there may be a sufficient area
on the face a³ in contact with the packing ring to insure a tight joint
and firm connection. The bolt holes in the flanges 6 and g' must be
made far enough from their centre to let the bolt heads and nuts be
quite clear of the pipes at whatever angle or inclination to each other
the said pipes may be arranged. In laying the pipes or tubes the dif-

page_text: ferent sections by means of the oblique or inclined connecting pieces may
be arranged at any desired angle, and by turning the said pieces each
part or section may be made to diverge or incline in either a horizontal,
vertical, or intermediate direction. The recesses in the annular con-
necting pieces must be so large that the ends of the pipes may be
adjusted therein to any desired position without touching the sides of the
said recesses. The inner diameter of the said connecting pieces and of
the packing rings should not be less than the bore of the pipes. The
flange g of the intermediate pipe 9 is provided with a double series of
holes to receive the bolts from the loose flanges on both sides of the said
intermediate pipe; or the latter may be provided with a flange at each
end. A blank flange or disc provided with a packing ring may be used
for closing the ends of the pipes and connections, and the said flange
may be secured upon the end of the said pipes or connections without
the annular connecting piece. The outer diameter of the packing rings f
should be equal to that of the recess e' in the connecting piece e. Leather
packing rings should be used for cold-water pipes, but for steam pipes
I prefer to make the said packing rings of vulcanized india-rubber. It
is obvious that my Invention may be applied to elbow and T pieces,
bent pieces, cocks, and other joints and connections. For convenience
the connecting bolts or screws & should be made of four different lengths,
and they must be of such a diameter as to pass freely through holes in
the flanges of the pipes to be connected thereby at whatever angle the
said pipes may be placed to each other.
Having thus fully described the said Invention, as communicated to
me by my foreign correspondent, and shown how the same may be
conveniently and advantageously carried into practice, I claim,-
First. The recessed connecting pieces e with their faces either parallel
or inclined on one or both sides at any desired angle, and provided
with packing rings f of leather, india-rubber, or other suitable material,
substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
Second. Providing the end of the pipe or tube with the adjustable or
loose flange b formed with openings 6' and arranged in combination with
the collars c, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
Third. Securing the ends of the pipes or tubes in contact with the
packing rings in the connecting piece by means of the loose flanges 6

page_text: and bolts d, and with or without the intermediate piece 9, substantially
as set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Robert Lake, have
hereunto set my hand and seal, this Twelfth day of July, in
the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-
nine.
WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE. (L.S.)