IMPROVEMENTS IN COUPLINGS FOR PIPES USED FOR CONVEYING FLUIDS UNDER PRESSURE
Year: 1882

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Matthew Henry Simpson at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 25th July 1882.
MATTHEW HENRY SIMPSON, of Phoenix Foundry, Lancaster, in the County of
Lancaster, "IMPROVEMENTS IN COUPLINGS FOR PIPES USED FOR CONVEYING
FLUIDS UNDER PRESSURE,"
My invention relates to couplings used for the purpose of connecting and
disconnecting the ends of flexible or other pipes used for conveying elastic or
non-elastic fluids under pressure, as for instance the pipes used for compressed air
actuating brakes on railway carriages, or used for driving mining or other
machinery. It is also applicable to pipes used for conveying water under pressure.
It has for its object novel methods of constructing and arranging such couplings, in
which the act of connecting together the pipes opens a cock or valve through
which the fluid is to be conveyed, whilst the act of disconnecting them closes the
cock or valve, and thus loss of compressed air or other fluid is prevented.
In order to put my invention in operation, assuming that it is to be used as a
coupling for connecting together the ends of the pipes conveying compressed air for
actuating brakes on railway carriages in the ordinary well-known way, I make two
separate hollow conical seats of brass or other suitable material, each sent being
provided with a corresponding hollow plug or valve, the two smaller ends of which
are open and are placed face to face. Each plug is held in its seat by a nut
screwed upon its smaller end, and each nut is provided with one or more projections
which engage with corresponding projections upon the other nut so that the
two plugs turn together in their seats, and one or more rings of india rubber or
other sufficiently soft material are interposed between the nuts, so that when the
two conical seats in which the plugs fit, together with the latter, are drawn
together end to end, a tight joint is made between the plugs. The inner ends of
the seats are provided with projecting flanges each having a notch in its
circumference through which passes a hooked lever or catch hinged upon the
outside of the opposite seat, in such manner that when the two seats are brought
together the hooked ends of the levers pass through the notches but when the seats
are then turned round in opposite directions the hooks pass behind the flanges
which are thus held together.
The levers are pressed down by india rubber or other springs, but have the hooks
slightly bevilled or rounded, so that if the two seats and valves are violently

page_text: separated (as for instance by the accidental separation of a train of carriages) the
hooks rise over the flanges without being injured. The other ends of the hollow
conical seats are provided with screws by which the ends of the compressed air
pipes can be connected to them by union joints or nuts, and the pressure of the air
in the apparatus tends to hold the two conical seats and valves together. The
outer end of each conical plug or valve is closed, but it is provided with a sufficient
number of lateral openings at its outer or larger end, and a similar number of
corresponding recesses are made in each conical seat opposite to these openings, the
recesses communicating with the space outside the closed end of the valve, in such
manner that if the openings in both valves are opposite to their respective recesses a
clear passage is made for the compressed air through the entire apparatus; whilst
if the valves are turned so that the openings are no longer opposite the recesses the
former are closed and no air can pase, even when the two halves of the apparatus
are separated.
I fix a transverse bar across the end of the hollow seat outside the closed end of
each plug or valve, and I arrange a screw in the centre of each bar by which the
conical plug or valve is pressed into its seat. Each transverse bar is also provided
with one or more curved slots into which fits a pin upon the end of the plug
or valve, the length of the slots being such that they limit the extent to which the
plug or valve can turn in its seat.
The action of the apparatus is as follows:-When the two parts of the apparatus,
one of which is attached to a flexible air tube upon the end of each carriage, are
separated the openings in each plug are necessarily closed and the compressed air in
the pipes is retained without loss. When it is desired to couple together the two
parts of the apparatus they are brought together with sufficient pressure, the hooks
upon the levers passing through the notches upon the flanges. The two parts are
then turned partly round in opposite directions and the operation of so turning
them opens the passages through the plugs and allows a free passage for the
compressed air through the apparatus. The hooks upon the levers at the same
time pass behind the flanges and retain the two parts of the apparatus in contact,
aided by the pressure of the air against the larger ends of the plugs. In the event
of any accidental breaking away of the carriages and the consequent separation of
the two parts of the apparatus, the hooks upon the levers are forced over the edge
of the flanges and allow their separation without injury. In such case the air
passages remain open, so that the brakes upon the different carriages are at once
automatically applied.
Apparatus constructed according to my invention is simple, cheap, and easily
applied, and it may be used for making joints in pipes through which water,
steam, or other fluid under pressure has to pass.