IMPROVE- MENTS IN APPARATUS FOR MAKING CONNECTIONS WITH GAS, WATER, AND OTHER. MAINS
Year: 1861

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to George Simmons, of 40, Frederic Place, Hamp-,
stead Road, in the County of Middlesex, for the Invention of "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN APPARATUS FOR MAKING CONNECTIONS WITH GAS, WATER, AND OTHER.
MAINS."
Sealed the 12th September 1861, and dated the 14th March 1861.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said George Simmons at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 14th
March 1861.
I, GEORGE SIMMONS, of 40, Frederic Place, Hampstead Road, in the
County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of the
Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR MAKING: CONNECTIONS WITH GAS
AND WATER MAINS," to be as follows:-
This Invention has for its object improvements in apparatus for making
connections with gas and water mains. For these purposes, in order to pre-
vent as much as may be the escape of gas or water when a connection is
being made with a main, a hollow box or cover is used which is open at the
lower part, but which is yet capable of being rendered gas and water-tight
where it is placed on a main, and when it is fixed thereto; at the upper part.
of such hollow box or cover is a slide or moving part, which is capable of
being moved a distance after a hole has been drilled through the main, in

page_text: order to bring a screw tap into position to tap the hole so made with a screw
thread. Or, in some cases, the drill and screw tap are combined in such
manner that the screw tap may come into action when the drill has passed
through into the main in a somewhat similar manner to that in which a drill
and screw tap have before been combined. The upper moving or sliding part
is also capable of being again moved so as to bring into position a short length
of tubing previously tapped at its lower end with a male screw to correspond
with the screw formed in the main as above explained. The upper moveable
or sliding part of the hollow box or cover, has through it three openings, when
the drill and screw tap are separate instruments; one opening is for the
passage of the drill, another for the passage of the screw tap, and the third for
the passage of the short length of tubing, which, as before stated, is screwed at
its lower end, and capped or plugged at its outer end; provision is made to
render the three passages gas and water-tight, and yet admit of the drill, the
screw tap, and the short length of tubing being turned round.
and the tap are combined only two passages will be required. It is preferred
that there should be one or more glazed passages through the side or other
convenient part of the hollow box or cover, to enable the workman to see into
the interior.
When the drill
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said George Simmons in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
14th September 1861.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, GEORGE
SIMMONS, of 40, Frederic Place, Hampstead Road, in the County of Mid-
dlesex, send greeting.
'
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Fourteenth day of March, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-one, in the twenty-fourth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said George, Simmons, Her special licence that I, the said George
Simmons, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such. others as I, the
said George Simmons, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at
any time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times there.
after 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 "IMPROVEMENTS IN

page_text: APPARATUS FOR MAKING CONNECTIONS WITH GAS, WATER, OR OTHER MAINS, AND
CISTERNS OR BOILERS CONTAINING LIQUID OR STEAM," upon the condition (amongst
others) that I, the said George Simmons, 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 George Simmons, 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 and by the following
statement, that is to say :-
:
This Invention has for its object improvements in apparatus for making
connections with gas, water, or other mains, and cisterns or boilers containing
any liquid or steam. For this purpose I employ an apparatus such as shown
in the Drawings hereunto annexed, of which Figures 1, 2, 3, represent one
mode of carrying out the said Invention, and Figures 4, 5, 6, represent another
mode of doing the same.
.
Figures 1 and 4 are longitudinal sections; Figures 2 and 5 are transverse,
sections through the stuffing-box; and Figures 3 and 6 are plans. It consists of
a hollow box or cover, which is open, sufficiently large to admit of a drill, boring
bit, screw tap, either separately or combinedly, and a plug or connecting piece
of pipe having a cap or cock attached thereto, passing freely through such at
one and the same time, or otherwise separately, as they may be placed in
position during the operation to be hereafter described. The box has a slide
or valve, which is for the purpose of rendering the same gas and water-tight.
when attached to a main, with or without a drill, screw tap, and piece of pipe
being inserted in such slide or valve accordingly as the box may be constructed..
The part a, Figures 1, 2, has a flange 6 to connect the apparatus to the gas or
water main by means of clips or bands, with bolts and nuts or otherwise. This.
may be also accomplished by straps over the part b, b, Figures 4, 5, when found.
more convenient. The part a has a seat d for the valve to travel upon.
washer d' of leather or other compressible material well saturated with oil or
grease may be fixed on the seat d, and carried over the end of the box, or this
washer may be attached to the face of the slide valve l, as shown in Figures
4, 5. Bolts or thumbscrews e, e, Figures 1, 2, 3, are screwed in at intervals.
in the part a, which, when turned round into their respective places, press the
slide valve to its seat d, and yet permit the same to slide without any escape
of gas or water. For this purpose also springs e', e', Figure 5, or
.other
any.o
A

page_text: contrivance may be used. The sides and ends of the apparatus may be made
of any elastic material, such as india-rubber or leather; but it is preferable for
general application that they should be made of metal or other rigid material
which is gas, water, or steam-tiglit. On both sides of the part ȧ, Figures 2, 3,
a rack fis made with teeth and spaces fitted to the cogs of the wheels t, t.. A
spring with small ping is attached to the part a, to regulate the distance
which it is desired that the slide / should travel. Glazed passages h, Figures 1, 2,
enable the workman to see the drill or tap when in operation. Such passages
may also be made, if preferred, in any other convenient part of the apparatus.
The part a, Figures 4, 5, 6, is made in two pieces bolted together with bolts
and nuts by flanges q', q', having washers s¹ intervening. It is made with a
stuffing-box n¹.with a gland in two pieces to hold a drill, screw tap, or con-
necting piece of pipe respectively as required. A further precaution is taken
for rendering the apparatus gas-tight when fixed on to a gas main. A casing
Figures 1, 2, 3, made water-tight, is fixed to the part a, but allowing of the
slide to move therein as required, and small pipes k, k, connect this casing
with the compartments c, c, so, that when necessary. water is poured over the
slide l, and by communicating with the compartments c, c, effectually prevents
any gas from escaping during the operation to be hereafter described. The
slide valve, Figures--1, 2, 3, has accordingly, as may be required, two or
three openings or stuffing boxes having glands, where necessary, working in
such, bored to fit the stock of a drill, boring bit, screw tap, and piece of pipe or
plug, so that when these are placed in their respective places in the slide valve 1,
the openings thereof shall be rendered gas and water-tight. The slide valve 7,
as shown in the Drawings, Figures 1, 2, 3, has three apertures in the same,
the two marked r and n being stuffing boxes, having glands for admitting a
drill. and tap respectively. The third aperture p admits a piece of gas or water
pipe, with cap or. cock attached thereto. And in this instance, no stuffing-box
nor gland is required, as the slide valve is made in two pieces across the
aperture p,
each piece having a flange q, Figure 3. Two washers s, of leather,
india-rubber, or other compressible material, are made to fit the face and semi-
circular part of each piece, and the two pieces, with these washers intervening,
are bolted together. It is convenient in some instances to make the slide
valve in one piece, and then it may be necessary to have the aperture.p
sufficiently large to pass freely through the same a cap or cock attached.to
the pipe to be connected to the main. A gland can then be made. in .two
pieces, which when bolted or otherwise fastened together, with washers inter-
vening, forms the aperture in such gland of the same dimensions as the, outside:
of the pipe to be connected. The slide valve is made to fit easily in its

page_text: "
.:'
working part, and in Figures 1, 2, of sufficient length, so that at any time during
it's travel it shall cover any part of its seat d, without allowing thereby any gas
or water to escape. In Figures 4, 5, 6, it is made in one piece, and as may
be desirable, its two sides are elongated with an opening of sufficient size to
pass freely the drill tap or connecting piece of pipe. The valve may be made
to work on a pivot, either horizontally or vertically, according to the shape
given to the box: It may also, if preferred, be made to close the hole drilled
in the main. Grooves m, m, are made on either side on the slide valve l
Figures 2, 3, from end to end; into which grooves the ends of the bolts e, e;
are fitted, in order that the slide may pass along in regular course. Two
pinions or wheels t, t, with cogs fitted to the racks f. f, move the slide l'as
may be required. The wheels t, t, and racks f, f, may be placed'in any other
convenient position in the apparatus, or any other convenient method may
be adopted for moving the slide 1, such as shown in Figures 4, 6; by a valve
rod t, with its stuffing box and gland z. Three holes u, u, u¹¹, are made in
the slide valve 1, Figures 1, 3, at requisite distances to allow of the pin attached
to the spring g falling into the same, and thus regulate the travel of the slide
valve during the operation.
When a connection is about to be made to a gas, water, or other main, I
grease well the washer d', I oil the stuffing in the boxes r, n, Figures 1, 2, 3,
and n', z, Figures 4, 5, 6. The flanges q; q. Figures 1, 2, 3, and q', q³,
Figures 4, 5, 6, are then drawn tight together. I place in r, n', a drill a of
such dimensions as will make in the main a hole suited for forming a thread in
the same by means of the screw tap w. I prefer making the drill of the shape
shown in the Drawings, it being a fluted cylinder in its cutting part and
tapered to a point at such end. I then place in the stuffing box n, Figures 1, 3,
a screw tap w, suited and equivalent in its thread to the screw at the end of
the pipe v. The screw tap w and drill x are made parallel in the parts that work
in the glands so as to move in the same regularly, and are of sufficient length
to remain in the glands while they are passing through the surface of the
main. The glands are then pressed so as to render the apertures gas or water
tight. The piece of pipe v, Figures 1, 3, having a cock or cap attached
thereto at one end and screwed at the other or open end, is fixed in the
aperture p. The slide-valve is then fixed in the relative position to the
part a, as shown in the Drawings, Figures 1, 4; and the bolts e, e, Figures 1,
2, 3, are screwed in sufficiently tight to allow of the slide valve / moving.on'
its seat longitudinally without any escape of gas or water. I then place a
washer made of felt or other compressible material well saturated with oil or
grease on the surface y. An india-rubber washer may also be attached to

page_text: this surface y if preferable: The apparatus is placed on the main so as to
bring the point of the drill over the part of the same where it is required to
make the connection, and bolted thereto by means of a set of clips: The
casing j, Figures 1, 2, 3; is filled with water where necessary: A cross-head
having a set screw in its centre, and supported by bars fixed on to the clips, is
then raised over the drill x; and by means of a ratchet; brace; or other lever
applied to the part a¹ of the same a hole is bored in the main. The drill x is
then drawn out of the main until the point thereof clears the seat of the
valve ; but it is still left in the apparatus. The ratchet brace and cross-head
are moved aside. The pin g; Figures 1, 2, 3, is drawn from the hole u, and
the wheels t, t; being turned round, it drops into the hole u so as to bring the
screw tap w over the hole so made by the drill a;, but in Figures 4, 5, 6,
the valve rod t¹ is pushed into the apparatus, thereby closing the aperture n¹¹.
by means of the valve 1. The drill is then entirely drawn out of the
gland n; and the screw tap made with a similar thread to the one win
Figures 1, 2, 3; is then inserted into the same until the fluted part of the tap
shall pass through the stuffing in the box. The valve is then drawn into its
position again as shown in Figure 4 by means of the valve rod t'. A lever is
applied at the part w¹ of the screw tap w and the hole in the main is tapped.
The screw tap is then drawn out of the main until the bottom part thereof
clears the seat of the valve . The pin g, Figures 1, 2,.3, is again raised;
änd the wheels t, t; being turned round the connecting pipe v is brought into
its required position by the pin g dropping into the hole u. But in Figures 4;.
5, 6; the valve is again made to close the aperture n¹, and the screw tap is
entirely drawn out of the gland n¹. The connecting pipe is then inserted in
the gland n', so as to pass the screwed part of the same through the stuffing
in the box. The connecting pipe is then screwed into the main by means of a
pair of pliars suitable for the purpose. The bolts connecting the flanges 9, 9,
Figures 1, 2, 3, are then unscrewed, and the two parts of the slide valve / are
drawn asunder; but in Figures 4, 5, 6, the gland n¹ is drawn asunder, and
the bolts connecting the flanges q', q, are unscrewed. The clips are then
taken away and the apparatus is removed from the main, leaving the connecting
pipe screwed into the same.
By means of this apparatus, as above described, a service or other pipe can
be connected to a gas, water, or other main or boiler charged with any amount
of pressure of gas, water, or steam, without any gas, water, or steam passing
from such, excepting into the interior of the apparatus ; but where necessary. the
gas or water so passed into the box may be drawn off by means of a small pipe
with cock attached thereto being connected with the apparatus and communi-

page_text: cating with the interior of the same, so that by the application and use of this
apparatus connections may be made with gas and water mains or boilers with
pressure of steam in same on any occasion without risk of fire or other damage
resulting either to the men engaged in such work, or to the materials or
property in the vicinity of the place where it is desirable to carry on such
operation, and by the regular and easy manner by which a main may have a
service pipe connected thereto, this apparatus avoids the cracking or breaking
of such main and disturbance of the joints of the same. Further, it prevents
the irregular shaking of any lights which may be supplied from a gas main
so operated upon, and avoids the necessity of using bladders on such
occasions.
In witness whereof, I, the said George Simmons, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this 14th day of September, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-one.
GEORGE SIMMONS. (L.S.)