Improvements in or connected with Expansible Drain Plugs or Stoppers.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 16th June, 1898-Accepted, 16th July, 1898
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or connected with Expansible Drain Plugs or
Stoppers.
I, ROBERT GEORGE LAING BURN, of 23 and 24, Charing Cross, Whitehall, in the
County of London, Sanitary 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:-
Considerable difficulty is frequently experienced in applying and expanding an
expansible plug or stopper, for the purpose of testing, to the end of a branch
drain in an inspection chamber, particularly when such branch drain is in
connection with a channel bend of three-quarter section and sharp curve.
Now the object of my invention is to overcome this difficulty and to enable
drains to be plugged with greater facility.
To carry out this object I employ an expansible plug having an operating
spindle, which extends above the axis of the plug and by which the latter is
operated, for example as hereinafter described.
In order that my invention may be readily understood I will now proceed to
describe same with reference to the accompanying drawings, whereon Fig. 1 is
a vertical longitudinal section of my improved expansible drain plug or stopper,
and Fig. 2 is a cross section of same taken about the line XY of Fig. 1.
The expansible plug or stopper is composed of two plates A and B, capable of
insertion into the pipe into which it is intended that the stopper shall be inserted,
and between these two plates A and B there is located an annulus C of india-rubber
of suitable section, which by the closing together of the discs A and B is forced
outwards so as to increase the diameter of the plug and thereby close the drain,
after the plug or stopper has been placed therein.
In order to mechanically close the plates A and B together the plate A has an
extending tube or spindle D) passing freely through the plate B and through a
bearing collar B₁ thereon, the collar having a groove E therein to receive a
feather F on the spindle D, as shewn, or a groove may be formed in the spindle
and a feather in the collar, whereby the plate B is prevented from turning on the
said spindle, while the plate B can move longitudinally on the said spindle.
The end of the spindle D, I form with a screw thread to receive a screw threaded
bevil gear wheel G which acts as a nut and bears against the end of the collar B¹.
The bevil gear wheel G meshes with a bevil pinion H on a spindle H¹ extending
upwards and provided at its upper end with means such as a handle H2 by which
it may be turned; the spindle H is carried in a bracket bearing part J formed
with or fixed to the plate B, and the handle H2 may be detachable.
The plug or stopper inserted into the drain with the spindle H¹ and
handle H2, projecting through the three quarter section channel bend, and then
having been properly adjusted in position, the spindle H³ is rotated, it being in a
convenient position for the operator to actuate same, and the plug is thereby
expanded with great facility, and despatch.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I claim is:-
1. A mechanically actuated expansible plug or stopper having a spindle extend-
ing vertically or at an angle upwards above the axis of the plug, by the rotation
of which spindle the mechanism is operated to effect the expansion of the plug,
substantially as set forth.
2. A plug or stopper composed of two plates, an annulus of india rubber
between the plates, and a screwed tube or spindle fixed to one plate and passing
freely through the other, in combination with a nut on the screwed end of the
spindle, bevil gear teeth on the nut, a toothed pinion gearing with the nut wheel,
and a spindle to carry the toothed pinion, extending upwards and supported by a
bearing bracket from the front plate, and means such as a handle by which the
spindle may be operated to rotate the nut wheel, effect closure of the plates and
the expansion of the plug, substantially as and for the purposes described.
3. A plug or stopper composed of two plates, an annulus of india rubber, and
a screwed tube or spindle fixed to one plate and passing freely through the other
plate and through a collar thereon, in combination with a feather on the tube or
spindle engaging with a longitudinal groove on the plates and collar, or a groove
in the tube or spindle and a feather in the aperture of the plate, and a nut on
the screw, by which the plates may be caused to approach each other and the
plug expanded thereby together with means by which the nut may be operated,
substantially as set forth.
4. The general construction and combination of parts composing my improved
expansible drain plug or stopper all arranged and acting substantially as and for
the purposes described with reference to the accompanying drawings.
Daved
Town way
TO
BREWER & SON,
London and Leeds, Agents for the Applicant.