IMPROVEMENTS IN PIPE JOINTS
Year: 1872

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Henry Johnson, of 47, Lincoln's Inn
Fields, in the County of Middlesex, Gentleman, for the Invention
of "IMPROVEMENTS IN PIPE JOINTS."-A communication from abroad
by John Frothingham Ward, of Jersey City, County of Hudson,
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Henry Johnson
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 13th November 1872.
I, JOHN HENRY JOHNSON, of 47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, in the County
of Middlesex, Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of the said
Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN PIPE JOINTS," a communication to me
from abroad by John Frothingham Ward, of Jersey City, County of
Hudson, State of New Jersey, United States of America, to be as
follows

page_text: them with facility across rivers and creeks or other places difficult of
access, and allowing them to adjust themselves to uneven beds without
impairing the joints.
In carrying out this Invention one end of each length of pipe to be
connected is made bell shaped, and has an inwardly projecting annular
flange around its mouth, thereby making the interior of the diameter
greater than the diameter of the mouth of the bell. The other end of
cach length of pipe is made spherical, and of such size as to just enter
the mouth of the bell-shaped end of the adjoining pipe.
A packing of soft metal is run while in a molten state into the bell-
shaped end of the pipe around the spherical or spigot end of the length.
The inner surface of the interior of or larger part of the cavity of the
bell-shaped end has one or more annular grooves formed around it, and
these grooves in connection with the flanged mouth of the bell securely
retain the soft metal therein, while the sphere or spigot is free to turn in
the packing, at the same time as the latter projects beyond the centre of
the sphere, the latter cannot be drawn outwards from the bell, in fact
the only effect of attempting to draw the spigot out will be to pack the
soft metal closer in its place. A joint of this construction also permits
the ready tamping of the soft metal packing when necessary to com-
pensate for shrinkage.
The soft metal packing is poured into the bell and confined within the
same in one direction by the annular rib, and in the other direction by a
flange at the mouth of the bell. The rib may be formed upon the
forward end of the sphere or spigot if desired, it being immaterial upon
which it is formed so long as it serves as a stop or retainer for the
nacking.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said John Henry Johnson in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 5th May 1873.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN
HENRY JOHNSON, of 47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, in the County of
Middlesex, Gentleman, send greeting.

page_text: WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Thirteenth day of November, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-two, in the
thirty-sixth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said John Henry Johnson, Her special
license that I, the said John Henry Johnson, my executors, adminis-
trators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said John Henry Johnson,
my executors, administrators, or assigns, should at any time agree with,
and no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter during
the term therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use,
exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain
and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN PIPE JOINTS," a communication to me from abroad by
John Frothingham Ward, of Jersey City, County of Hudson, State of
New Jersey, United States of America, upon the condition (amongst
others) that I, the said John Henry Johnson, my executors or ad-
ministrators, by an instrument in writing under my hand and scal,
should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said
Invention, and in what manner the same was to be performed, and
cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within six
calendar months next and immediately after the date of the said Letters
Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said John Henry Johnson, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the
same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement, reference being had to the accom-
panying Drawings, and to the letters and figures marked thereon, that
is to say:
The said Invention consists in forming the joints for water and gas
pipes in the peculiar manner described hereafter, with the view of
laying them with facility across rivers and creeks or other places
difficult of access, and allowing them to adjust themselves to uneven
beds without impairing the joints.
In Figure 1, A & A¹ represent two lengths of pipe connected
together by the improved joints. The end a of each length is made bell
shaped, and has an inwardly projecting annular flange e around its

page_text: mouth as shown in the Drawing, thereby making the interior of the
The
diameter greater than the diameter of the mouth of the bell a.
end 6 of each length is made spherical and of such size as to just enter
the mouth of the bell-shaped end of the adjoining pipe.
A packing E of soft metal is run while in a molten state into the
bella of the length A around the spherical or spigot end of the
length A. The inner surface of the interior of or larger part of the
cavity of the bell a has one or more annular grooves formed around it,.
and these grooves, in connection with the flanged mouth e of the bell
securely retain the soft metal therein, while the sphere or spigot is free
to turn in the packing; at the same time as the latter projects beyond
the centre of the sphere the latter cannot be drawn outwards from the
bell, in fact the only effect of attempting to draw the spigot out will be
to pack the soft metal closer in its place. A joint of this construction
also permits the ready tamping of the soft metal packing when necessary
to compensate for shrinkage.
In the modification shown in Figure 2, an annular rib fis formed in
the interior of the bell, and against this rib the forward end of the
sphere or spigot may strike when the two lengths are put together.
The soft metal packing is poured into the bell and confined within the
same in one direction by the annular rib f, and in the other direction by
the flange e at the mouth of the bell. The rib f may be formed upon
the forward end of the sphere or spigot if desired, it being immaterial
upon which it is formed so long as it serves as a stop or retainer for the
packing.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of the
said Invention, and the manner in which the same is or may be used or
carried into effect, I would observe in conclusion that what I consider
to be novel and original, and therefore claim as the Invention secured
to me by the herein-before in part recited Letters Patent is,-
First. The combination of the spherical spigot b of one length of pipe,
with the bell-shaped and grooved or recessed end a of an adjoining
length, and the intervening soft metal packing, all substantially as
described and illustrated in Figure 1 of the Drawing.

page_text: Second. The annular rib f formed in the interior of the bell-mouthed
pipe end, or on the exterior of the spherical end as and for the purpose
described.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Henry Johnson, have to
this my Specification set my hand and seal, this Twenty-ninth
day of April One thousand eight hundred and seventy-three.
J. HENRY JOHNSON. (L.S.)