Improvements in the Construction of Water-tight and Fire-proof Pipes, Roofings, Walls, and Linings.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 15th May, 1891-Accepted, 27th June, 1891
CALL ULD
Improvements in the Construction of Water-tight and Fire-proof
Pipes, Roofings, Walls, and Linings.
I, PETER KRAUS, of I Seilergasse 6, Vienna, in the Austrian Empire, Engineer,
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:-
This invention relates to a process for constructing water-tight pipes of large
diameter, suitable for conduits and similar works, such construction being applicable
also for roofings, walls and linings, which, as well as the pipes, may, when required,
be fire proof.
In constructing pipes according to this invention employ a
number of
I or T girders set in a circle on an annular frame having the diameter of the pipe
and fasten them together by hoops or bands arranged outside and inside the girders
at suitable intervals, the whole being secured by bolting, rivetting or coiling over
with wire ropes. The cavities between the girders are then filled in with suitable
material, which, on hardening, makes the pipe air- and water-tight and increases
its strength.
In the same way, fire-proof and water-tight walls and linings for buildings,
ships, etc., as well as roofings, can be constructed, the I or T girders being arranged
to form plane or curved surfaces of any required form.
The inner and outer rings which serve to connect together the I or Tirons and
also to form in the pipes points of great strength, may be arranged in various ways
according to the purpose for which the structure is intended. The accompanying
drawings illustrate the construction of large pipes according to this invention.
Figs. 1 and 2 illustrate respectively a vertical and a horizontal method.
Figs. 3 and 34 are horizontal sections through - and y-y of Fig. 1, and
Fig. 3 is a horizontal section illustrating a modification.
Fig. 4 is a part section to an enlarged scale shewing the mode of connecting the
girders with the hoops surrounding them and with the flanges which serve for
joining two pipes together.
Fig. 5 is a view of part of the construction.
Figs. 6, 7 and 8 show how several pipes may be connected to form a conduit
under water.
As shown in the drawings, a number of I or T girders a are arranged touching
each other on a ring frame which according to the intended shape of the pipe, may
be circular or elliptical, of the size of the interior of the pipe.
The ring frame is, as shown in Fig. 1, fastened to a revolving plate or turn
table o on which the girders a are set vertically being fastened together either by
means of hoops cc or iron bands & d' arranged on the inner and outer flanges of
the girders a.
The lowermost hoops or bands rest on supports e; the higher bands are put in
place by means of suitable hoisting gear. The parts are held together by bolts or
rivets, inserted through bolt- or rivet-holes which are preferably bored beforehand
through the webs of the girders.
As shown in Fig. 2 the ring frame b is fastened to a horizontal revolving drum
on which are first arranged the hoops e¹ or bands d'. The first of the girders a is
then pushed along lengthwise till it reaches the frame b; then the exterior hoops c
or bands d are put on and the parts are bolted or rivetted together. This being
done the drum is then partly rotated by means of the crank i or other suitable gear
to a position suitable for pushing on and fixing the next girder, and so on, until all

page_text: the girders connected together constitute a pipe frame the interion diameter of which
corresponds with the diameter of the drum.
When girders al are employed, their separate webs radially projecting outside,
are tightly bound, as shown in Fig. 3, with strong wire-ropes.k, above, which are
placed the outer hoops cor bands d, which are afterwards connected, as above
described, with the corresponding inner hoops c¹ or bands d
The cavities between the girders are closed at one end of the pipe by an annular
plate secured to the girders a or a by angle irons m rivetted to the flanges as
shewn in Fig. 3 and 4 or to the webs as shewn in Fig. 5 of the girders. This
plate forms a flange projecting both inside and outside the girders. The cavities
are then filled through the open end of the pipe with concrete or other mixture not
liable to decomposition, for instance a pasty mixture of pulverized cork and
bituminous or resinous material which afterwards hardens.
The filling in material, which adds considerably to the strength of the pipes, but
which has mostly for its object to make them air- and water-tight, is pressed into
the cavities by hydraulic or screw pressure, or is rammed in by hand. After it has
become hard, the open end of the pipe is closed by means of another flange-plate,
as above described. The separate lengths of pipes can then be connected by bolting
their flanges together with suitable packing for making the joints tight.
For pipes which are not subject to considerable pressure | irons can be employed,
without wire-ropes being coiled round them; in that case, after fitting up and
securing the inner and outer hoops, it is necessary to pour the filling-in material
separately into each cavity between two webs, and to ram it in firmly.
When these pipes are to be connected under water to form a conduit or the like,
the first pipe is partly embedded, as shewn in Fig. 6, in the slope of the shore, the
end projecting into the water being closed, preferably by a lead plate p which is
intended afterwards to make the joint tight, and, when necessary, this plate may be
supported inside against the external water-pressure. The succeeding pipes are
sunk either separately, or in numbers connected and suitably ballasted, and closed,
at their ends by lead-plates. After adjusting them to the pipe end already
immersed, the inner flanges are temporarily bolted together, the inner joint is
caulked, and then the internal parts of the lead-plates are cut out and the two
lengths finally bolted together.
In order to prevent the pipes from floating up they may be moored by wire
ropes », after which their ballast can be removed.
When the bolting and caulking of the pipe joints can be done outside by divers,
the
temporary bolting of the inner flanges may be dispensed with.
In order to protect the pipes from oxidation or corrosion, they may be coated
with tar, rosin, asphalt or other preserving composition and, wire may also be coiled
on the coating.
When the pipes are of such size as to form a tunnel, they may be lined internally
with bricks, stones or cork-cement bricks.
By the same method can be built water-tight and fire-proof walls and linings for
· buildings, ships, etc., as well as roofings, the girders being arranged so as to form
plane or curved surfaces as required.
The composition of the filling-in mixture can in each case be selected-to suit the
conditions of the structure.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is
First. The herein described process for constructing a large pipe by arranging
upon a ring framing parallel I or T girders, then connecting them by bolting. or
rivetting to outer hoops or bands, and to the inner framing, and filling with suitable
composition the cavities between the girders.
Second. Fire-proof and water-tight pipes, walls, roofings or linings, constructed
as set forth in the preceding claim.

page_text: Third. The herein described process for connecting under water, lengths of pipe
such as are above referred to, by closing their ends with lead-plates, mooring them
in position, bolting them together, and finally cutting out the internal parts of the
lead plates.
ABEL & IMRAY,
Agents for the Applicant.