INSTANTANEOUS CONNECTION AND COUPLING OF PIPES AND HOSE OF EVERY DESCRIPTION, BOTH FIXED AND MOVEABLE
Year: 1884

page_text: I JAMES THOMAS MASON of 9, Hill Street, Goods Station Road Tunbridge Wells,
in the County of Kent, Plasterer Modeller and Designer, do hereby declare the
nature of my Invention for THE INSTANTANEOUS CONNECTION AND COUPLING OF
PIPES AND HOSE OF EVERY DESCRIPTION, BOTH FIXED AND MOVEABLE to be as
follows:-
The ends of the two pipes which it is intended to connect are brought together-
one of these having attached to it an undercut rim divided into eight parts. Four
of these parts are taken out. On the other pipe is a sliding collar with a flat rim
which is also divided into eight parts four of these parts being taken out so as to
allow insertion into the lower undercut rim. One slight action of turning the
moveable collar fixes and completes the junction of the two pieces of pipe or hose.
The connection is rendered permanent by a key spring. By the withdrawal of
the key spring and moving the collar back, a length of pipe or hose of any
description can be taken out from the position in which it has been fixed and
replaced without disturbing any of the other lengths of pipe or hose.
The connection is instantaneously made.
The Invention owing to its simplicity is particularly applicable to fire engine
hose, gas water and steam pipes of every description.

page_text: I, JAMES THOMAS MASON, of 9 Hill Street, Goods Station Road, Tunbridge Wells,
in the County of Kent, Plasterer, Modeller, and Designer, do hereby declare the
nature of my Invention for "THE INSTANTANEOUS CONNECTION. AND COUPLING OF
PIPES AND HOSE OF EVERY DESCRIPTION, BOTH FIXED AND MOVEABLE," and in
what manner the same is to be performed to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement :-
The object of my Invention is the production of an union or coupling for pipes
and hose of every description; whether fixed, as gas and water pipes; or moveable,
as fire engine or garden hose. It is also adapted for coupling the pipes used in
sinking artesian wells, and is well adapted for use as a brake coupling.
With the various kinds of unions now in use for connecting pipes and hose,
considerable inconvenience is caused by the comparatively long time occupied in
connecting them up, as well as in disconnecting them, and whenever it has been
necessary to insert a length of pipe in a long run, or to remove one, neither of
these alterations could be accomplished without being obliged to disturb the
adjacent lengths, to the extent of pushing them back, before a length of new
pipe, with the half unions on its ends, can be placed in line, or an old one
taken out.
Both the drawbacks described above are removed by my improved system.
The ordinary screwed union requires from balf a dozen to a dozen complete
turns to screw it up, while in my improved system of making connections less than
one eighth of a turn suffices.
When it is necessary to take a length of pipe out of a run laid with my
improved union the operation consists in reversing two unions less than one
eighth of a turn each. The length in question is then free, and can be lifted out
without having to push back one, or perhaps both, of the adjacent lengths, as
would be necessary were the pipes laid with the unions now in general use.
the operation of inserting a length is equally simple. The new length, with its
half unions on its ends, is placed in position, and the two slight turns given to the
unions make both joints sound.
And
In order that my Invention, and the means of putting the same into successful
operation, may be thoroughly understood, I will now describe the same, reference
being made to the accompanying Drawings which form a part of this Specification,
and in which the same letter of reference is used, throughout the Figures, to
indicate corresponding parts.
Figure 1 is a side elevation, shewing my improved union, made with two female
ends screwed for iron pipe.
Figure 2 shews the parts of the union separately, as they would appear in the
act of coupling up.
Figures 3 and 4 are plans of the adjacent faces of the socket, a, and of the
sliding collar, h, respectively.
Although I have shewn my improved union with two screwed ends, as applied
to two lengths of iron pipe, I would have it understood that my Invention can be
as easily adapted to lead or tin pipes requiring tinned ends to the union, or it can
be made when necessary, with flanged or any other pattern end, according to the
requirements of the particular case to which it is to be applied.
The socket, a, carries four tabs, b, projecting radially towards its axis, and flush
with its face. Each tab is equal in area to the adjacent space, c, and has its front
and back faces parallel although I may make them with the back faces tapered,

page_text: to correspond with the taper of the projections, k, on the sliding collar described
further on. The nozzle, d, corresponds in both outside and inside diameters, with
the adjacent face of the ferrule, e. The face d¹, of the nozzle, may be either flush
with that, a', of the socket, but it is better to make it project a little as drawn.
The ferrule carries an annular projection, f, against which bears a corresponding
annular extension, g, on the inside of the sliding collar. The faces, d', e¹, of the
nozzle and ferrule, respectively, are always flat and parallel, any packing that may
be necessary being checked into recesses or grooves cut in either or both of said
faces as indicated at i.
The external and internal diameters of the larger end of the sliding collar, h,
correspond with the annular space, j, between the tabs, b, and the nozzle, d.
Four wedge-shaped projections, k, spring radially, and at equal intervals, from
its periphery, and flush with the face of its larger end.. The area of the face of a
projection is rather less than that of a space, c. Their rear faces, k¹, are always
tapered.
The act of making a joint, according to my Invention is as follows:-
The socket, a, and ferrule, e, having been attached to their respective. pipes, on
one of which has been slipped the sliding collar, h, are brought together, and the
projections, k, are pushed through the spaces, c, the annular extension, g, at the
back end of the collar, bringing, at the same time, the face, e¹, of the ferrule up to
the face, d', of the nozzle. The collar, h, is then turned a little (about one
sixteenth of a revolution when four tabs with their corresponding projections
and spaces are used), in the direction of the taper of the projections, k, bringing
the latter behind the tabs, b, against which their taper faces, k¹, bear, and so make
a perfect joint.
I do not confine myself to the above mentioned number of tabs, b, and the
corresponding spaces, c, and projections, k; as this may be varied according to
circumstances but I illustrate an union with four tabs as I find that a convenient
number for general purposes.
The sliding collar, h, may be made, as to its outer surface, of any convenient
shape, either of a circular section, and with a pin, h¹, for a wrench to grip or of
any other section.
The ends, k², of the projections, are prevented from slipping behind the tabs by
the contact of the ring, g, with the ring, f, and also prevent the sliding collar, h,
from being turned the wrong way..
I make use of the following device to render the joint, made as above described,
permanent, i.e., not liable to be shaken loose by any motion to which the pipe or
hose, e.g., the hose of a fire engine when in use, may be subjected.
The faces of the tab, b, are cut with ratchet teeth, b¹, and on the side of the
sliding collar, h, I pivot a pawl, m, pressed down by a spring, n. As the sliding
collar, h, receives its one-eighth turn (or rather less), as before described, the
nose, m¹³, of the pawl will pass the teeth on the face of the tab, with which it is in
contact, until the taper of the projection stops the movement of the collar, h, when
the pawl will at once engage and effectually prevent any back movement of
the collar.
Tho taper of the projections prevents the collar from being turned as far as
would carry the pawl past the tab. And as each tab is cut with teeth on its face,
there is no time lost in selecting the particular spaces into which the projections
next the pawl are to be inserted. I do not confine myself to the above inentioned
device as any equivalent one may be used. When it is not likely that the joints
will be disturbed, a wedge of lead may be inserted into one of the spaces, o, between
the rear edge, k², of one of the projections and the adjacent edge of the next tab,
or a key, large enough to fill the space can be passed into it through the socket.
I would point out the special adaptability of my improved joint to steam pipes,
the great strength of the joint due to the grip of the tabs upon the wedge shape
projections, with the easy application of any necessary packing, combined with the

page_text: easy making, unmaking, or remaking of the joint, renders my new system of great
utility to steam fitters and users.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is
First. In a pipe or hose union of the herein described type, the use of a
socket, a, with radial tabs, b, and nozzle, d, in combination with taper projections, k,
on a sliding collar, substantially as herein before described with reference to the
accompanying Drawings.
Second. In a pipe or hose union of the herein described type, the pawl and
spring on the sliding collar, h, acting in combination with the ratchet teeth on the
face of any one of the tabs, b, substantially as 'herein described with reference to
the accompanying Drawings.
Third. In a pipe or hose union of the herein described type, the use of a wedge
or key to be driven or inserted into one of the spaces, o, substantially as herein before
described.
Dated this 18th day of September 1884,
PHILLIPS & LEIGH, :
Patent Agents,
22, Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicant.