An Improvement in Flexible Pipe Joints.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 11th May, 1897-Accepted, 11th July, 1897
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Improvement in Flexible Pipe Joints.
I, OLIVER IMRAY, of No. 28 Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane, in the
County of London, Chartered Patent Agent, do hereby declare the nature of this
invention, (as communicated to me from abroad by James C. Bayles, of East Orange,
in the County of Essex, State of New Jersey, United States of America) and in what
manner the same is to be performed to be particularly described and ascertained in
and by the following statement :-
The invention relates to joints for flexibly connecting lengths of rigid pipes; more
particularly such as convey fluids at low pressures, as for instance gas.
The object is to provide a yielding connection which will allow movements of the
lengths of pipe when laid due to unequal sinking, lateral displacement, expansion and
contraction and the like without leakage or constriction of the area of passage, as
will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.
Fig. 1 is a side elevation of one end of a length of pipe constructed to co-operate
with the flexible coupling.
Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the flexible coupling sleeve.
Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section shewing two ends of pipes and the flexible coupling
one end of the coupling being shown compressed.
Fig. 4 illustrates similar parts, one end of the coupling ring shewn caulked.
Fig. 5 is a cross-section of one of the coupling rings to an enlarged scale.
A represents one of the pipe lengths having near its end an annular rounded bead B
preferably integral with the pipe. Cindicates the flexible coupling sleeve, made
of ductile metal such as lead capable of compression, flexure or expansion. The
inside diameter of the ends D is such that they can pass over the beads B. The
body of this coupling sleeve has preferably an essentially greater diameter than its
ends, this rendering the coupling less liable to rupture.
E is an internally ribbed ring which receives the ends of the adjacent pipes and
centres and holds these ends preventing their lateral displacement but allowing a
little play.
F indicates the coupling rings, the inner face of each having the form substantially
as shewn in Fig. 5, G being the outer edge and H the inner edge, and the smallest
internal diameter being slightly greater than the exterior diameter of the bead B.
In assembling the parts of this joint, the coupling rings F are passed over the.
ends of the pipes and the coupling sleeve C is then passed over the end of one
of the pipes. Then the two pipe ends are engaged in the ring E, and the
coupling sleeve C is brought to position covering the ends of both pipes; each of
the coupling rings is then brought to the position shewn on the left of Fig. 3,
and these coupling rings are driven over the ends of the coupling sleeve,
contracting them and pressing them against the beads B as shewn on the right of
Fig. 4.
After this, the ends of the sleeve are calked the metal being driven into
the recesses I of the coupling rings, as shewn on the left of Fig. 4 and held by the
overhanging edges G of the rings.
The rings F are thus held firmly to the pipes and the coupling sleeve C is clamped
between the rings and the beads B finally completing the joint.

page_text: As the tightness of the joint is, chiefly due to the compression of the coupling sleeve
between the beads B and the bevelled portions of the rings F there is no necessity for
complete caulking.
.
If the sleeve is sufficiently compressed upon the pipe by the rings so as to prevent
them from slipping, the essential purpose of caulking is accomplished. These rings
can be readily driven home without driving their under sides which may be at the
bottom of the trench side in which the pipe lies.
A joint such as is above described permits considerable relative deflection of the
pipe lengths, the bulbous coupling accomodating itself to their movements without
undue stretching or compressing and without tearing or otherwise rupturing, and
such a joint makes no reduction of the area of passage for fluid along the pipe.
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 :-
For connecting two lengths of rigid pipes having beads near their ends, the
combination of an internally ribbed ring engaging the ends of the pipes, a bulbous
sleeve of ductile metal overlapping the ends of the pipes and extending beyond their
beads, and rings compressing the metal of the sleeve between them and the beads
and having the ends of the sleeve caulked under them, substantially as and for the
purposes set forth.
1005
ABEL & IMRAY,
Agents for the Applicant.