Improvement in Pipe Couplings.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 28th Aug., 1891-Accepted, 3rd Oct., 1891
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvement in Pipe Couplings.
I, THOMAS WILSON WELSH, Mechanical Engineer, residing at Wilmerding, in
the County of Allegheny, State of Pennsylvanin, and United States of America,
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 detachable couplings for pipes or hose, of the class or
type in which two counterpart coupling sections or half couplings are held in
connection and a tight joint maintained between them, by the engagement of a
hook or curved flange upon each section with a counterhook or groove upon the
other. The object of my invention is to simplify and economize the construction of
couplings of such character by the provision of means whereby the gaskets or
packing rings which abut to make the joint may be readily and securely inserted
and maintained in position, without the employment of the accessory fastening
devices heretofore required for snch purposes.
To this end, my invention, generally stated, consists in the combination of a
coupling section having an opening in its face for the passage of fluid, and a packing
ring fitting in said opening and having a circumferential flange fitting in a tapered
groove formed in the coupling section around said opening. The improvement
claimed is hereinafter fully set forth.
In the accompanying drawings:
Fig. is a plan view of one of the halves or sections of a pipe coupling embodying
my invention, and;
Fig. 2, a longitudinal section through the same at the liner, a, of Fig. 1.
In the practice of my invention I provide two hollow or chambered coupling
sections I, which are shown in this instance, as of the standard Westinghouse type
and are therefore counterparts one of the other. Each section is provided with a
hook or curved flange 9, and a counterhook, catch, or grooved projection 7, which
are arranged on opposite sides of an opening 4, in the face 5 of the section, for the
passage of fluid to or from the chamber 2 of the coupling section, the sections being
connected by their hooks and counterhooks in a manner well known in the art.
The sections, are connected to their respective lines of pipe or lose by tubular
extensions 3, which communicate freely with the interior of the sections and the
fluid openings 4:
In order to make and maintain an absolutely tight joint between the two sections
of the coupling, their fluid openings have been provided with packing rings or
gaskets of rubber or analogous material, adapted to be brought into close contact
under pressure induced in and by the connection of the coupling sections. The
special appliances heretofore employed for enabling the packing rings to be inserted
and held in their normal positions in the coupling sectious, involve the objection of
a certain degree of structural complication and expense, which my improvement is
designed to obvinte, without, in any wise, impairing the function of the packing
rings as the abutting members of a continuous fluid way in a connected coupling.
To this end I provide cach coupling section with a packing ring or gasket 10, of
rubber or similar material, which is of substantially cylindrical form and has one of
its ends turned outwardly so as to form a circumferential flange 11. An inclined
sided groove or recess 12 is formed in the wall of the fluid opening 4, the depth of
snid groove being sufficient to receive the flange 11, which is sprung or forced
thereinto, the cylindrical body of the packing ring fitting closely in the fluid
opening 4 above said groove, with its opposite end, that is to say, its abutting face,
projecting a short distance above the face 5 of the coupling section.

page_text: The groove 12 being formed of outwardly tapering section, or, in other words,
increasing in width from its bottom towards the opening 4, the flange 11 can be
wedged into and held firmnly in the groove. The outer diameter of the body 10 of
the ring is substantially equal to or only slightly greater than the diameter of the
opening 4, so that the inner end of the body does not abut against the metal of the
coupling section, and is exposed to the fluid pressure therein. The ring of each
section is thereby permitted to yield slightly, by a limited degree of inward
movement of its body, when brought into contact with that of the ring of the other
section, thus permitting the connection and disconnection of the sections as required,
while enabling the requisite longitudinal pressure to be exerted upon the bodies of
the rings for effecting and maintaining the close contact of their abutting ends or
faces when the coupling sections are connected.
:
It will be seen that the packing rings can be readily inserted, without requiring
a special tool or a skilled operator, and that they will be held securely in position
by the engagement of the flanges 11 and grooves 12. Further, there is no tendency
to their displacement in connecting the ecctions, inasmuch as the application of
pressure tends to force the flanges more closely into the grooves. The economy
and advantage attained by dispensing with the supplemental fastening devices
heretofore employed, will be obvious, on inspection, to those familiar with fluid
pressure brake construction, for application in which my improvement is specially
designed.
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 :
1. The combination, in a detachable pipe coupling, of a coupling section having
an opening in its face for the passage of fluid, and a cylindrical packing ring fitting
in said opening and having its axis coincident with the axis thereof, and having a
circumferential flange, substantially at right angles to the cylindrical portion, at its
inner end, fitting in a tapered groove formed in the metal of the coupling section
surrounding said opening, substantially as set forth.
2. The combination, in a detachable pipe coupling, of a coupling section provided
with an opening in its face for the passage of fluid, and a cylindrical packing ring
fitting in said opening and having the inner end of its body clear of or out of contact
with the metal surrounding the same, and provided with a circumferential flange
substantially at right angles to the cylindrical portion and fitting in a tapered
groove formed in the wall of the opening, substantially as set forth.
Dated at Pittsburgh, Pa., U.S.A., this First day of August A.D. 1891.
Witnesses:
J. SNOWDEN BELL.
F. E. GAITHER.
THOMAS WILSON WELSH.