Improvements in Pipe-couplings.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 28th Apr., 1890
Complete Specification Left, 2nd Sept., 1890-Accepted, 25th Oct., 1890
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Pipe-couplings.
I, WILLIAM CAREY C.B. Colonel Royal Artillery, of 15 Anglesea Place:
Southampton in the County of Hants, do hereby declare the nature of this invention
to be as follows:-
My invention relates to pipe-couplings or joints of the kind or class described in
the Specification filed with my application for Letters Patent No 4467 dated
21st March 1890 and is partly designed to render such couplings more efficient for
resisting high internal pressures.
My said invention is also designed to facilitate the operations of taking the said
couplings or joints to pieces and the putting of them together without delay.
According to one part of my present invention 1 provide an external cap, cover or
fastening which encircles the outer sphere of the joint and very effectually retains the
two halves or parts thereof in contact with each other and prevents the separation
thereof by internal pressure.
I find it advantageous to make this cap or cover of hemi-spherical or nearly herui-
spherical form so that it will fit the upper part of the two halves of the said outer
sphere, and I provide the said cap or cover with a suitable opening to permit of its
being passed over the divided cylindrical or tubular extension formed upon the said
outer sphere. The said hemispherical cap or cover is held in place by the socket on
the pipe which is connected with the said cylindrical or tubular extension as described
in the said former Specification. The said hemispherical cap or cover is very advan-
tageous when the pipe is to be used for hydraulic purposes necessitating the
employment of high internal pressure.
According to another part of my said invention, instead of making the tubular piece
or socket at the extremity of the pipe to be connected to the said cylindrical tubular
extension, in one piece with the said pipe, I make it as a collar or sleeve to slide
thereon, so that in order to connect the parts, it is only necessary to move the said
sliding socket, collar or sleeve along the pipe and place the said pipe against the end
of the said extension and then to slide the said socket, collar or sleeve over the
junction or dividing line between the said pipe and extension and secure it in position
by means of a pin or in any other convenient manner.
The said sliding socket, collar or sleeve is made with suitable recesses or grooves in
its internal surface for the introduction of rings or bands of india-rubber or other
suitable elastic material to form a water, gas or air tight joint when the parts are fitted
together. The said tubular piece is adapted to abut against the aforesaid hemispherical
cap or cover when the same is in position and thus prevent any displacement
thereof.
1000
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
"
45, Southampton Buildings, London, Agents for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Pipe-couplings.
1, WILLIAM CAREY C.B. Colonel Royal Artillery, of 15 Anglesea Place,
Southampton in the County of Hants, 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:-
My invention relates to pipe couplings or joints of the kind or class described in
the Specification of former Letters Patent granted to me and dated 21st March

page_text: The said invention is designed to render such couplings more efficient for resisting
high internal pressures, and to facilitate the operations of taking the said couplings to
pieces and putting them together. And my said invention comprises various
improvements hereinafter set forth.
According to one part of my present invention I provide an external cap, cover or
fastening which encircles the outer sphere of the joint and very effectually retains the
two halves or parts thereof in contact with each other and prevents the separation
thereof by internal pressure. I find it advantageous to make this cap or cover of
hemispherical or nearly hemispherical form so that it will fit closely the two halves of
the said outer sphere, and I provide the said cap or cover with a suitable opening to
permit of its being passed over the divided cylindrical or tubular extension formed
upon the said outer sphere. The said hemispherical cap or cover is held in place on
the outer sphere by a socket or sleeve which connects the said cylindrical or tubular
extension with the adjacent pipe-section. The inner sphere is preferably made with an
elongated opening of approximately the same width as the bore of the said tubular
extension, the india-rubber or other substance for ensuring tightness of the joint being
applied around this opening. Moreover I prefer to form the pivots on the exterior of
the inner sphere.
The said hemispherical cap or cover forms a very advantageous fastening for
holding together the parts of tho outer sphere, in cases where the pipe and coupling
are to be used for hydraulic purposes and have to withstand high internal
pressure.
I sometimes employ in addition to the said hemispherical or nearly hemispherical
cap or cover, a ring, band or zone which fits upon the two halves of the outer sphere
and is secured thereon in any convenient manner, the hemispherical cap being on one
side and the band or zone on the other side of the centre of the sphere.
According to another part of my said invention, the tubular piece or socket at the
extremity of the pipe to be connected to the said cylindrical tubular extension, instead
of being formed in one piece with the said pipe, is made as a collar or sleeve to slide
thereon, so that, in order to connect the parts, it is only necessary to move the said
sliding socket, collar or sleeve along the pipe and place the said pipe against the end
of the said extension and then to slide the said socket, collar or sleeve over the
junction or dividing line between the said pipe and extension, and secure it in position
by means of a pin or pins or in any other convenient manner.
The said sliding
socket, collar or sleeve or the said pipe and tubular extension are made with suitable
recesses or grooves, for the introduction of rings or bands of india-rubber or other
suitable elastic material to form a water, gas, or air tight joint when the parts are
fitted together. The said tubular piece is adapted to abut against the aforesaid
hemispherical cap or cover when the same is in position and thus prevent any
displacement thereof."
In the accompanying drawings I have shown how my said invention may be
conveniently and advantageously carried into practice.
Figure 1 is a side elevation,
Figure 2 a front elevation, and
Figure 3 an end elevation of a flexible pipe-coupling constructed according to my
present invention.
Figures 4 to 8 are separate views of the cap or cover and ring or band hereinafter
described.
Figure 9 is a front elevation, ..
.Figure 10 a side elevation, and
Figure 11 an end elevation, showing the internal spherical part of the coupling
detached.
Figures 12 to 14 are similar views showing the external spherical part of the
coupling detached.
Figure 15 is a side elevation of a pipe-section adapted for connection with my
improved coupling, and
Figure 16 is a side elevation of the sleeve hereinafter described.

page_text: Like letters indicate corresponding parts throughout the drawings.
a is a hollow sphere formed on or firmly attache to one end of a pipe band forming
one portion of my flexible coupling. c, care two hollow hemispheres, each of which
is provided with a hollow semi-cylindrical extension d, and which are adapted to be
fitted over the said hollow sphere a, the edges of the said hemispheres meeting around
the sphere a.
The said sphere a is formed with external projecting pivots or
trunnions a' situated at diametrically opposite parts of the sphere, preferably at right
angles to the axis of the pipe b; and the hemispheres c are provided respectively with
recesses, holes or bearings c into which fit the pivots al; by arranging the pivots in
this manner I effectually obviate the liability to leakage around the same. A recess c⭑
is formed in each hemisphere e in such a minner that, when the two hemispheres are
placed together, the said recesses form a slot or opening adapted to embrace the pipe 6,
the said slot being of such a length as to allow of the hemispheres turning about the
pivots a through any desired angle of flexibility of the coupling. The hemispheres
are secured together by an external hemispherical cap or cover e having an opening el
to allow of its being passed over the divided tubular extension d. The said cap or
cover is constructed to fit accurately the surface of the hemispheres, and, when held
down on the said hemispheres, effectually prevents their separation by internal
pressure.
I retain as much as is practicable of the inner sphere so that the fluid-pressure is
only allowed to act upon a limited area of the surface of the divided outer sphere. It
is only necessary, in order to allow the free passage of the fluid through the coupling
at all times, to cut out a portion of the inner sphere equal in width to the bore of the
pipe connected with the divided outer sphere, and of such length that, when one
sphere is at either extremity of its angular movement relatively to the other sphere,
the aperture of the said pipe will not be closed or covered.
A slot a having semicircular ends is, for this purpose, formed in the sphere a
opposite to the pipe and at right angles to the axis of the pivots a. The width of
this slot is equal to the hore of the divided tubular extension d and its length is such
that the thoroughfare through the tubular extension d will always be fully open what-
ever may be the position of the outer sphere relatively to the inner sphere, that is to
say, the slot is so formed as to permit the turning of the one sphere relatively to
the other sphere to either extremity of its angular movement, without at any time
closing or covering the aperture of the tubular extension d.
To provide for retaining the cap or cover e in contact with the divided sphere e, the
pipe (Figure 15) to be connected with the coupling may be constructed with a socket
adapted to fit over the tubular extension d and abut against the cap e.
I prefer, how-
ever, in lieu of forming a socket on the pipe f, to merely arrange the said pipe so that
it abuts against the end of the tubular extension d, and to provide a collar or sleeve g
which can slide to and fro upon the said pipe and tubular extensions d, the said collar
or sleeve being secured, when in position, by pins g' passing through holes in the
sleeve and entering grooves f¹, d, formed around the pipe and extensions d
respectively. The united shearing strength of the pins g¹ must be sufficient to resist
any reasonable stress that may be brought to bear on the joint. Grooves f, d² are
formed in the pipe and extension & respectively, and the said grooves are filled
with metallic or with india-rubber or other suitable elastic rings to ensure a
tight joint.
It will be seen that my improved joint or coupling is capable of rotary motion about
the axis of the pipe f, as well as of the bending or angular movement about the pivots
or trunnions a¹.
The spherical joint is made air, gas, and water tight by the means described in the
aforesaid Specification No. 4467 A.D. 1890. I prefer, however, that the groove for
containing the elastic or metallic jointing ring, when such is employed, should be
formed in the exterior surface of the inner sphere a around the edge of the slot or
opening a, as shown at a³ in Figures 9, 10 and 11 thus avoiding any leakage past
the said slot and ensuring that the only pressure allowed to bear on the enclosing

page_text: hemispheres is that due to the surface exposed by the said slot a²; or 1 ensure tightness
of the joint by making the waterproof substance adhere to the exterior surface of
the sphere around the slot a².
It is not necessary to make the divided sphere c of sufficient strength to alone
resist the internal pressure acting on the surface exposed by the slot or opening a²,
inasmuch as the said sphere is reinforced by the external closely fitting cap or cover e
which bears a portion of the stress. I therefore make the sphere e of sufficient
strength, for example, to resist half the internal pressure or thereabouts, and the
cover e of sufficient strength to resist the remainder of such pressure. I, moreover,
prefer to minimize the weight of the joint by making the cover e of the desired
thickness for resisting the internal pressure only at that part which is exposed to the
pressure, that is to say, at that part which is immediately over the slot a², the remainder
of the cap or cover being tapered gradually from this thickness down to the smallest
desirable thickness consistent with the nature of the material of which the cover is
made and the purpose for which it is intended. The part of the cover having the
maximum thickness forms a spherical strip of the same width as or slightly
wider than the opening a², and the reduction or tapering of the thickness of the
remainder of the cover is clearly indicated in Figures 3, 5 and 6.
In some cases, where the amount of flexibility required of the joint is such that the
slot or opening a would not be entirely covered by the cap e when the joint is bent
to the full extent, I provide an additional supporting or reinforcing ring, band or
zone, which is passed over the pipe and secured on the sphere e by pins passing
through holes formed in the ring and entering suitable grooves in
the divided sphere c. Or I retain the cap or cover e and the ring or band h
upon the divided sphere e by securely fastening together the said cap and ring
or band.
It is obvious that my improved coupling offers special facilities for putting together
and taking to pieces, to examine when necessary the interior, without disturbing the
lines of pipes, and, moreover, mistakes cannot occur in refixing without the error
being apparent before the coupling is brought into use.
In some cases I may use, in lieu of the pivots, ball-bearings as described with
reference to the shoulder-joint of the diving-dress, in the Specification No. 3083
A.D. 1890.
Although my improved coupling is specially adapted for resisting internal pressure,
it is obvious that my improvements are also applicable to couplings to be used for
resisting external pressure.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I wish it understood that
I claim :-
First. The combination, with the inner and outer spheres of the pipe-coupling, of
a fastening consisting of a closely fitting hemispherical cap or cover, or of a
ring, band or zone of a sphere, substantially as, and for the purpose, above
specified.
Second. The combination of the inner sphere provided with the external pro-
jections or pivots and the enclosing divided sphere having recesses, holes or
bearings for the said pivots, substantially. as, and for the purpose, above
specified.
Third. The combination, with the two hollow cylinders or tabes abutting against
each other, of a tubular piece or sleeve arranged to slide longitudinally thereon and
secured in place by pins or otherwise, in such a manner that the said tubes are
capable of rotation relatively to each other substantially as, and for the purposes,
above specified.
Fourth. The modification of my pipe-coupling wherein the inner sphere is made
with an elongated opening equal or about equal in width to the bore of the pipe,
substantially as, and for the purposes, above specified.

page_text: Fifth. The modification of my pipe-coupling wherein the elastic or other material
for making the joint fluid-tight is applied around the opening in the inner sphere,
substantially as, and for the purpose, above specified.
Sixth. The combination, with the inner and outer spheres, of the hemispherical
cap or cover and the reinforcing ring or zone, substantially as described and for the
purposes specified.
Seventh. The modification of my invention wherein I make the cap or cover of
varying thickness, substantially as, and for the purpose, above specified.
Eighth. The modification of my pipe-coupling wherein I employ ball-bearings
instead of the pivots, substantially as hereinbefore described.
Ninth. The improved pipe-coupling consisting of the parts constructed and combined
substantially as described with reference to the accompanying drawings for the purposes
above 'specified.
Dat is Iwenty-one day of August
WM. CAREY, C.B., Colonel R.A.,
15, Anglesea Place, Southampton.
Haseltine, Lake & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, Agents for the Applicant.