Improvements in and relating to Stopping or Closing Devices for Pipes or Conduits.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 27th Oct., 1898-Accepted, 17th Dec.,
1898
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to Stopping or Closing Devices for
Pipes or Conduits.
We, FREDERICK TEMPLAR FARRER, of 17, Flood Street, Chelsea, in the County
of London, Sanitary Engineer, and WILLIAM WALTERS BROWN, of 2, Raasay
Street, Chelsea, in the same county, Plumber, 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:-
Our invention relates to an improved device for stopping or closing more particu-
larly drain pipes or pipes of a similar description so that a water or other test
may be applied to such pipes for the purpose of sanitary examination.
The object of our invention is to provide means whereby such device, (hereinafter
called the stopper) or the principal and most costly part thereof can be adapted
to close the openings of pipes of various diameters without the necessity of employ-
ing a separate stopper for each size of pipe that it is desired to close and to enable
the said stopper to be used in a curve, bend, or irregularity in such pipes, in which
stopper having a rigid connection between the ends thereof could not be
employed, and furthur, to provide novel and efficient means to secure the connec-
tions and protecting coverings to the flexible bag. For this purpose we provide
a cylindrical bag having hemispherical ends, or approximately hemispherical
ends, to one of which is attached a short tube with suitable connections for the
inflation of the said bag.
a.
We make this bag of flexible material such for instance as india rubber, and
of such substance that its range of expansion shall be several inches, but we
preferably make the hemispherical ends, which are not supported by the walls
of the pipe or drain of greater thickness.
To support and strengthen these ends and to protect the said bag generally,
we employ in conjunction therewith a set of covers of various diameters which we
secure in the manner hereinafter described.
In order that our invention may be more clearly understood we will proceed to
describe the same by reference to the accompanying drawings in which:-
Figure 1 is a longitudinal section of our improved stopper showing the inner
bag in its normal condition.
Figure 2 is a front end view of the same.
Figure 3 represents a modification of the means we employ to connect the
pipe B to the said bag and
h
Figure 4 shows the stopper in position and inflated in an ordinary drain pipe.
Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the several figures.
A represents the flexible bag having hemispherical, or approximately hemi-
spherical ends a, a¹, to one of which is attached the tube B. This tube is provided
with a flange having a circular groove for the purpose hereinafter described.
a screw thread e, nut d, projecting pin e, and circumferential grooves f, f¹ f².
A loose flange, having a circular bead g', corresponding in position to the
groove and an octagonal boss h, is adapted to pass over the threaded portion
of the pipe B. This boss h is provided with a slot i, with which the projecting
pin e is adapted to engage:

page_text: In the end of the flexible bag A, we cut or form a circular opening of the
diameter of the screw thread c so that upon stretching this opening the flange b
can be inserted; the flange g is then adjusted so that the pin e enters the slot i
and prevents the flange turning or cutting or abraiding the end of the flexible bag.
Upon screwing down the nut d, during which operation the octagonal boss may
be held with a spanner, the india rubber or other flexible material will be com-
pressed between the flanges band and at the same time be forced into the
circular groove and thus become more firmly and efficiently secured than by
the means hitherto employed.
C represents one of the casings or covers of our improved stopper, of which we
provide a set of various sizes for use with the flexible bag.
In constructing these covers we preferably use a short length of seamless hose,
of canvas or of other suitable material, so that the cylindrical part when distended
by the inflation of the flexible bag shall have more intimate contact with the inner
circumference of the pipe or drain than could be obtained by the use of a cover
in which seams were employed, thus not only better preventing the passage of
water past such cover, but also ensuring a more perfect grip on the walls of the
pipe or drain.
In order to provide greater strength where it is most needed we make the ends
of these covers also hemispherical or approximately so, and as in these parts
inequality in the thickness or surface of the material is of little importance, such
ends may be made up of segments k, k, 12 k³, k, k, k, k7, Fig. 2, from a continua-
tion of the said hose, these segments being firmly stitched together after the
manner of a football covering or in some other suitable way, or the inner end may
be woven and form an integral part of the cover the outer end only being built up.
Around the opening in the end of the cover provided for the passage of the boss
we provide a hem j. To enable the bag A to be readily inserted into the cover, we
leave a slit or opening 1, Fig. 2, say between the two segments k, 7, the edges of
which are strengthened by a hem and provided with a set of eyelet holes m through
which is passed a thong or lace n for the purpose of closing the said opening,
after the insertion of the flexible bag.
Figure 3 represents a modification of the means we employ to secure the tube B
to the bag A, we attach to the said bag a tube o, of india rubber or other suitable
material having the extremity thereof opening outwards at o, in this case we
provide a short metal pipe provided with the flange and having an external
screw thread and conical mouth. To this mouth we fit the tube B in such
manner that its conical end s shall engage with the enlarged part of the tube o¹,
and when screwed home by means of the cap t, form an air tight joint with the
tube o.
In some cases we employ a set screw to prevent the cap t becoming loose.
In putting our improved stopper into operation we permanently attach to the
tube B a suitable length of flexible tubing provided in some convenient position
with a stop cock or its equivalent for retaining the air necessary to inflate the
stopper or for discharging the same when it is required to entirely withdraw the
stopper or to let out water from the drain. Having inserted the bag A into a
suitably sized cover for the pipe or drain it is desired to close, we lace up the
opening by means of the thong and secure the ends thereof. We then place
the stopper into the pipe or drain and inflate the same by means of an air pump or
other suitable contrivance.
In conjunction with the bag A and cover C we may employ an intermediate
cover of stouter and more yielding material than the said outer cover, as a further
protection to the said bag.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what we
claim is:-
1. In an expansible stopper for closing pipes or other conduits, the employment
in conjunction with a flexible bag having hemispherical ends or anproximatele

page_text: hemispherical ends, of a set of covers of various sizes also having hemispherical
or approximately hemispherical ends, constructed and arranged substantially as
and for the purposes herein before described.
2. In an expansible stopper for closing pipes or other conduits the improved
means of securing the inflating tube to the flexible bag, consisting in the employ-
ment of a flange having a circular groove, in conjunction with an opposing
flange having a corresponding bead adapted to engage with the said groove' sub-
stantially as described and for the purposes specified.
3. In an expansible stopper for closing pipes or other conduits, the improved
means of securing the cover or covers to the flexible bag, consisting in the employ-
ment of an opening for the insertion of such bag, and the closing thereof after
such insertion by means of a thong or lace passing through eyelet holes arranged
substantially as described.
4. The combination of the several parts constituting our improved stopper
constructed and arranged substantially as and for the purposes hereinbefore
described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
Dal
0711 1
1000
F. T. FARRER.
W. W. BROWN.