Improvements in High-pressure Flexible Tubing.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 22nd Mar., 1890-Accepted, 3rd May, 1890
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
[Communicated from abroad by PIERRE DUBAULT and LEON CHICARD, of La Celle,
St Cloud, in the Republic of France.]
Improvements in High-pressure Flexible Tubing.
1, HENRY HARINGTON LEIGH, Fel. Inst. P.A. Assoc. Mem. C.E., practising as
Phillips & Leigh, at No. 22, Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane, in the County
of Middlesex, Engineer & Patent Agent, 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 :-
My invention relates to improvements in high pressure flexible tubing or tubes, and
is especially intended to render them capable of resisting both internal and external
pressures.
Up to the present time, numerous attempts have been made to strengthen flexible
tubing against external pressure, but without achieving any practical result.
Amongst such attempts, recourse has been had to the use of internal or external
metallic spirals, but this device has been characterized by the drawback of inability
to protect the tubing uniformly, and also of guaranteeing it against wear and tear.
External metallic shields and casings have also been used, but if such casing-
necessarily thin, has sensibly increased the power of resistance to internal pressure,
it has been absolutely ineffectual against external pressure.
For the purpose of remedying these drawbacks, we propose to cover the said
flexible tubing with a continuous inetallic envelope, which is itself flexible.
In order that my invention, and the means by which the same is to be carried into
practical effect, may be thoroughly understood, I will now describe them in detail,
referring in so doing to the accompanying drawings, which are to be taken as part of
this specification and read therewith.
Fig. 1. is a longitudinal elevation of a piece of tubing made according to my
invention.
Fig. 2. is a sectional longitudinal elevation corresponding therewith.
Fig. 3 is a sectional longitudinal elevation, but on a larger scale.
A is the flexible tube of indiarubber or any other suitable material.
B is a metallic envelope consisting of a spiral, which is in cross section similar to
a S, the several circles of which engage with each other and is so wound round the
flexible tube.
Although I show this spiral as of an S cross section, I wish it to be distinctly
understood, that this invention is not limited in respect of this detail; and that any
other cross section may be made use of; or, even a combination of several spirals.
Moreover, I wish to point out, that this invention permits of the introduction into
the flexible tube of a metallic spiral similar to the above described or any of them.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said invention,
and the means by which the same is to be carried into practical effect, I declare that
what I claim is :-
Flexible high pressure tubes, consisting of tube of any suitable flexible material,
strengthened by one or more metallic spirals wound round it in such a way as to form
about, or within, or both, the said flexible tube, a continuous and practically integral
shield adapted to protect the said tube against external or internal pressures, without at
the same time interfering with the flexibility of the tube.
Dated this 22nd day of March 1890.
HENRY H. LEIGH.