AN IMPROVED UNION JOINT OR COUPLING FOR PIPES AND TUBES
Year: 1879

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Ralph Lowrie, of South Union Terrace, Newcastle-on-
Tyne, in the County of Northumberland, Gentleman, for the Invention of
"AN IMPROVED UNION JOINT OR COUPLING FOR PIPES AND TUBES."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Ralph Lowrie at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 5th August 1879.
RALPH LOWRIE, of South Union Terrace, Newcastle-on-Tyne, in the County of
Northumberland, Gentleman. "AN IMPROVED UNION JOINT OR COUPLING FOR
PIPES AND TUBES."
The plan now generally used for connecting beer engines with the barrels in the
cellar is a pipe which is attached to the tap by means of a screw and nut, which
arrangement presents certain disadvantages.
To obviate these and to facilitate the attachment of the pipe to the tap I propose
to employ an elastic tube, which I form with a cup or bell shaped mouth having a
flange round the edge, and the tap which enters the barrel I form at its outward
extremity with a spherical knob, having a central perforation over which the bell
shaped mouth of the tube can be easily slipped. The tube I secure in position by
means of a cap or cover, which is slipped over the tube prior to fitting the same on
to the end of the tap. This cover is slotted to fit loosely over two projecting arms
at the base of the spherical termination of the tap, and by means of a bevelled
surface to these armis I am enabled by giving the cap or cover a quarter turn, to
jam the flange of india rubber or other elastic material tightly between the cap
and the flat base of the spherical termination of the tap.
This method of coupling may also be applied to pipes for air, or water, or other
fluids, as the joint thus made is both air and water tight.
This tap and coupling is suited to side, down, and up "draught."
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Ralph Lowrie in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 3rd February
1880.
RALPH LOWRIE, of South Union Terrace, Newcastle on Tyne, in the County of
Northumberland, Gentleman. "AN IMPROVED UNION JOINT OR COUPLING FOR
PIPES AND TUBES."
The plan now generally used for connecting beer engines with the barrels in the
cellar is a pipe which is attached to the tap by means of a screw and nut, which
arrangement presents certain disadvantages.

page_text: To obviate these and to facilitate the attachment of the pipe to the tap I propose
to employ an elastic tube, which I form with a cup or bell shaped mouth having a
flange round the edge, and the tap which enters the barrel I form at its outward
extremity with a spherical knob, having a central perforation over which the bell-
shaped mouth of the tube can be easily slipped. The tube I secure in position by
means of a cap or cover which is slipped over the tube prior to fitting the same on
to the end of the tap.
•
This cover is slotted to fit loosely over two projecting studs at the base of the
spherical termination of the tap, and by means of a bevilled surface to these studs,
I am enabled by giving the cap or cover a quarter turn to jam the flange of india
rubber or other elastic material tightly between the cap and the flat base of the
spherical termination of the tap.
In the accompanying Drawing Fig. 1 shows in longitudinal central section iny
improved coupling as adapted to a beer or spirit tap; Fig. 2 is a plan view of the
tap modified for the purposes of this Invention; Fig. 3 is a corresponding view of
the cover which fits over the spherical end of the tap, and Fig. 4 is an inner face
view of the cover.
A is the tap of any ordinary construction terminating in a spherical end A², at
the base of which termination is a flange or shoulder a; B is the elastic pipe
which is intended to be connected with the tap A, and for this purpose it is by
preference shaped at its end as shewn at B¹, Fig. 1, the termination of the elastic
pipe being here represented as a counterpart of the end of the tap.
In place however of thus moulding the end of the pipe B, the shape requisite
for a close joint may be obtained by straining the elastic material of the pipe over
the spherical termination A¹, and forcing its edge against the flange or shoulder a.
C is a metal cap or cover which is intended to fit closely over the spherical end
of the tap when the elastic tube has been applied thereto. This cover is cast
with a central hole for the passage through it of the end of the tube B, and it has
an internal flange c, the inner edge of which is recessed as at c' for the purpose
of forming a bayonet-joint fastening. Projecting laterally from the flange a of
the tap are studs a', which when the cover is applied will pass through the recesses
c¹, and will present an inclined face to one end of these recesses. The cover C
is strung on to the elastic tube before the latter is applied to the tap, and when
.60 applied it is caused to press the mouth B¹ of the tube firmly against the part A¹
by giving it a slight axial motion, and thus passing the flange c under the inclined
faces of the studs a'.
This method of coupling may also be applied to pipes for air, or water, or other
fluids, as the joint thus made is both air and water tight. This coupling it will
be understood is suited to side, down, and up draught.
Having now set forth the nature of my Invention of "An Improved Union
Joint or Coupling for Pipes and Tubes," and explained the manner of carrying
the same into effect, I wish it to be understood that under the above in part
recited Letters Patent I claim, the arrangement of clamping coupling above
described for connecting flexible and other draught pipes with their taps, and for
connecting pipes together.
In witness whereof, I, the said Ralph Lowrie, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, the Thirtieth day of January, in the year of our Lord One
thousand night hundred and sights
RALPH LOWRIE. (L.S.)