IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF JOINTS FOR WATER, GAS, AND OTHER PIPES
Year: 1871

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Mathieu Léon Somzé, of Brussels, in the King-
dom of Belgium, Engineer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS
IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF JOINTS FOR WATER, GAS, AND OTHER PIPES."
Sealed the 7th November 1871, and dated the 20th June 1871.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Mathieu Léon Somzé
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 20th June 1871.
•
I, MATHIEU LÉON SOMZÉ, of Brussels, in the Kingdom of Belgium,
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "
IM-
PROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF JOINTS FOR WATER, GAS, AND OTHER PIPES,"
to be as follows :-
This Invention consists in forming a perfectly water-tight and gas-
tight joint between two tubes or pipes by introducing between the end
of one pipe and the inside of the socket of the pipe to which the first
is to be connected an india-rubber ring or washer, which when the parts
are brought together and the rubber ring is compressed between them

page_text: will closely and tightly fit all round the inserted pipe and form a
perfectly tight joint.
In carrying out my Invention the end of the pipe which is to be
inserted into the socket of the adjoining one is made slightly conical
externally, and at its extreme end is a rounded flange which fits up
against the inner end of the socket of the adjoining pipe when the two
parts are brought together and are driven home. The sockets- are also
made slightly conically internally to correspond with the conical ends of
the other pipes, and at the outer extremity of the sockets is made a
rounded flange or enlargement with a groove all round the inside thereof.
The rings of rubber are made round in section or nearly so, and they are
sprung over the flange at the end of the male pipe, and when this latter
is inserted in the socket of the adjoining pipe the groove on the inside of
the latter will come against the rubber ring and will roll it over and
drive it back on the end of the male pipe until the flange of the latter
is driven home in the socket.
In order to prevent the pipes from becoming accidentally separated
their ends are secured in one another by means of keys which are
driven -through holes made for the purpose in the outer flange of the
socket. When the ends of the pipes have been secured in place the
space between them may be plugged with tow or other suitable
substance.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Mathieu Léon Somzé in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 20th December 1871.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, MATHIEU
LÉON SOMZÉ, of Brussels, in the Kingdom of Belgium, Engineer, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twentieth day of June; in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-one, in the thirty-
fourth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said Mathieu Leon Somzé, Her special
licence that I, the said Mathieu Leon Somzé, my executors, adminis-
trators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Mathieu Leon Somzé,

page_text: -
my executors, administrators, and 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 THE CONSTRUCTION OF JOINTS FOR WATER, GAS, AND OTHER
PIPES," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, -the said Mathieu
Leon Somzé, my executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing
under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals, 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 Mathieu Leon Somzé, do hereby
declare the nature of my 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 Drawings here-
unto annexed and to the letters and figures marked thereon (that is to
say):
This Invention consists in forming a perfectly water-tight and gas-
tight joint between two tubes or pipes by introducing between the end
of one pipe and the inside of the socket of the other pipe to which the
first is to be connected an india-rubber or other elastic ring or washer,
which when the parts are brought together and the rubber ring is com-
pressed between them will closely and tightly fit all round the inserted
pipe and form a perfectly tight joint.
In carrying out my Invention the end of the pipe which is to be
inserted into the socket of the adjoining one is made slightly conical
externally, and at its extreme end is a rounded flange which fits up against
the inner end of the socket of the adjoining pipe when the two parts
are brought together and are driven home. The sockets are also made
slightly conical internally to correspond with the conical ends of the
other pipes, and at the outer extremity of the sockets is made a rounded
flange or enlargement with a groove all round the inside thereof. The
rings of rubber are made round in section or nearly so, and they are
sprung over the flange at the end of the male pipe, and when this latter
is inserted in the socket of the adjoining pipe the groove on the inside
of the latter will come against the rubber ring and will roll it over and

page_text: drive it back on the end of the male pipe until the flange of the latter is
driven home in the socket.
In order to prevent the pipes from becoming accidentally separated
their ends are secured in one another by means of keys which are driven
through holes made for the purpose in the outer flange of the socket.
When the ends of the pipes have been secured in place the space
between them may be plugged with tow or other suitable substance.
In the accompanying Drawing I have shewn various views of parts of
pipes and joints constructed according to my Invention. The smaller
end of the pipe, or that which is to be inserted into the socket of the next
pipe, is provided at its extremity with a rounded projecting flange A,
Figures IV., V., and VI., which projects sufficiently to hold or retain a
ring of rubber or other elastic material when the end of the pipe is intro-
duced into the socket of the next pipe, as shewn at Fig. V. The use of this
rounded flange is to keep the end of the pipe practically central in its
socket and to prevent the clastic ring from being crushed by the weight
of the pipe. A second flange or enlargement C cast on the pipe or
afterwards fixed thereto or attached thereto also assists in keeping the
elastic ring in its place and prevents it from sliding back when the end
of the pipe is being inserted in the socket. It will be evident that
the projection C and the space behind it will when the tube is forced
forward cause the elastic ring to be compressed and to fill the annular
space provided for it. If it should be considered desirable to insert the
end of the pipe further into a longer socket, a series of projecting rings
similar to that shewn at C may be made, as shewn at Fig. VI., which
will penetrate the elastic ring and expand or compress it uniformly and
prevent it from slipping on the pipe. Instead of the rings being made
to project they may be countersunk or made in the form of semicircular
grooves, as in Fig. VIII. An analogous form of parts may be adapted
to the interior of the socket and the annular rings may be made either
to project or they may be made in the form of semicircular grooves. By
the use of these grooves or projections a telescopic action may be given to
two or more of the pipes (when connected together) without interfering
with or deranging the completeness or tightness of the joint. The thick-
ness or external diameter of the pipe will gradually increase for about
three or four inches immediately after the second groove or projecting
ring. This length will of course depend upon the depth of the socket of
the adjoining pipe. This construction of the parts will give the end of

page_text: the pipe a conical form, which will facilitate the introduction of the pipe
into the socket and will admit of imparting to the elastic ring any
desired amount of compression depending upon the distance the pipe
is forced into the socket. At a distance from the end of the pipe cor-
responding to the depth of the socket the pipe may (if it be required to
sustain considerable internal pressure) be provided with another similar
annular depression or projection to receive another ring, as shewn at
Fig. VI. This ring may be made either of hemp, tow, lead, mastic,
cement, or other suitable substance, and it will not be employed for the
purpose of rendering the joint more gas or water tight, as this object
will be sufficiently secured by the elastic rubber ring at the inner end
of the socket, but will only serve to prevent the rubber ring from being
forced out of the socket by very high pressure. For resisting very great.
pressure the conical end of the pipe and the entrance of the socket
should by preference be made in the form shewn in Fig. IV. For
supply pipes such as gas pipes which will never be subjected to great
pressure this arrangement will not be necessary, as a simple rubber ring
without any stopping or plugging will form a perfect joint even for,
pressures much greater than those incidental to gas mains. The internal
diameter of the socket must of course be somewhat greater than the
largest diameter of the conical end of the pipe that is to be inserted into
it. Its depth may be varied. Near to its entrance or open end there
is a semicircular groove inside the socket as at D, Figures IV.,. V.,
and VI., and the mouth of the socket is bevilled off to fit over and
gradually compress the elastic ring when it is being introduced into the
socket. The groove D in combination with the semicircular seat C for
the elastic ring causes the latter to be nipped and made to roll over in
its place as the pipe is pushed forward. This will be understood on
reference to Figures I., II., and III. The stopping or plug at the entrance
of the joint is simply a rubber ring of circular section and of diameter
corresponding to that of the joint to be secured. In general the
diameter. A, Fig. VII., of the ring is smaller than the external diameter
of the end of the pipe so as to obtain a more uniform and regular
tightening. The thickness or sectional diameter D of the elastic ring
is at least equal to twice the amount of play allowed between the
external end of the pipe and the internal diameter of the socket at the
point where the pipe is inserted. It may be even much greater if
desired. This difference in thickness will be required even when the
pipes or joints are only intended to sustain a very moderate pressure, as
4

page_text: it will be necessary to provide for the inevitable irregularities in the size
of the pipes which may always be expected whatever care may be taken
in their manufacture.
The mode of applying the elastic rings will be best understood by
referring to Figs. I., II., and III.
Fig. I. represents the ring just as it is being introduced into the
socket; Fig. II. represents the joint formed by the ring when it has
been fairly compressed between the parts by being pushed in about
three-quarters of an inch; Fig. III. represents the pipe pushed home
and the joint made complete; Fig. IX. represents what may be termed
a mixed joint showing the advantages of the two plans.
The rubber is placed and adapted in the manner already explained,
and the water-tight joint being made a strip or layer of hemp is placed
in the space M, N, then lead, cement, or mastic is run in or a ring of
iron F is inserted and secured in place by means of a cottar.
When it is required to apply the above-named system for forming
joints in ordinary tubes or pipes, such as those shewn at x, y, Fig. X.,
either of the following plans may be adopted:-The first plan consists
in the use of two pieces of rubber of the form shewn at a and b, Fig. XI.
The piece a is a simple ring of round section and of a thickness about
cqual to that of the space left between the pipes and sockets. The piece b
is a flat cylindrical band with a section such as is shown at b¹, 6", and ¹¹¹.
These pieces are placed on the end of the pipe, as shewn at Fig. XI.
and XII., which represent the state of the ring a and cylinder 6 when
beginning and completing the insertion of the pipe. The ring a by the
insertion of the end of the pipe in the socket rolls forward and assumes
the position and form shewn at Fig. XII. The flat ring 6 neither
advances nor recedes from the point where it has been placed, but
remains stationary while the pipe is being driven into the socket. A
ring of the form shewn at b in a position the reverse of that shewn at
Fig. XI. may be used with advantage when the pressure is from the
outside to the inside of the pipe. In order to facilitate the introduction
of the pipe the entrance of the socket may be bevilled, but this is not
indispensable; Figures XI. and XII. represent the position of the
parts before and after the introduction of the pipe into the socket.
The second plan consists in the use of a piece of rubber of either of
the forms shewn at Figures X., XIV., XV., and XVI. It will be seen
that the piece of rubber is composed of a ring of circular section com-

page_text: pined with a cylindrical piece of rectangular, triangular, elliptical, or
other analogous section, such as those shewn at Figures XVI., XVII.,
and XIX. Before the end of the pipe is inserted in the socket the pipe
is provided with a ring of the form shown at Fig. X., the round part R
being placed against the enlarged mouth or flanged end of the pipe.
On rolling over the part R will draw with it the cylindrical part M to
which it is attached, and which by rolling round it as represented by
the Figures XIV. and XV., will cause the part M to assume the
position shewn in the last-mentioned Figure. In order still further to
increase the security of the joint the part M of the rubber ring may be
covered with some woven fabric. In certain cases the part M may be
made of a woven fabric coated with rubber. This part may be either
attached or not with the rubber ring. The surfaces of the rubber rings
or the parts R and M. may be roughened or corrugated, as shewn at.
Fig. XIX. The system of ring with a cylindrical appendage or of the
ring and cylinder shewn in the first plan above described may also be
adapted to the conical ended pipes shewn in the Drawing. The ap-
pendage M may be made of a woven fabric made of flax, cotton, or
other suitable substance covered or not with some preserving preparation
such as caoutchouc, oil, mastic, white lead, or other suitable material.
The appendage M thus prepared would be rolled round and would'
thereby protect the rubber ring most completely from any matters that
might be liable to affect it whether from within or from without the
pipe, such for instance as corrosive liquids, or from steam at a high
temperature, which may be conveyed along such pipes without any risk
of destroying or deranging the supply pipes or their joints. The elastic
rings may be made of vulcanized rubber or caoutchouc mixed with
metallic oxides or other inert substances which will increase its resistance
to destruction from various causes as is well known.
"
Fig. XX. represents an arrangement of parts for a stopper for closing
the ends of a pipe; the bolts would only be used in cases of high
pressure; Fig. XXI. represents a stopper detached; Fig. XXII.
represents the different parts of an air or water tight reservoir. The
stoppers P, P, may be adapted to the reservoir in the same manner
as the air-tight joints by constructing and arranging them in the
manner shewn at Fig. XXI.
Having now described my Invention of " Improvements in the

page_text: explained the manner of carrying the same into effect, I claim as the
Invention secured to me by Letters Patent as aforesaid, constructing
the ends and sockets of water, gas, and other pipes in the manner
herein set forth, and adapting thereto a ring, washer, or packing made
of any suitable elastic or 'flexible material which by being compressed
between the ends of the two pipes to be connected together will form
a water-tight or air-tight joint, as herein-before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Mathieu Leon Somzé, have here-
unto set my hand and seal, the Sixteenth day of December, in
the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-
one