the Outside by Hydraulic Pressure.
Year: 1888

page_text: Date of Application, 9th Feb., 1888
Complete Left, 18th Apr., 1888
Complete Accepted, 15th June, 1888
the Outside by Hydraulic Pressure.
We, JOHN WOTHERSPOON of the Clyde Tubo Works Coatbridge, in the County of
Lanark, North Britain, Iron Tube Manufacturer, and ANDREW & JAMES STEWART
Limited of Clyde Tube Works Coatbridge & 41 Oswald Street, Glasgow in the County
of Lanark, North Britain, Iron Tube Manufacturers do hereby declare the nature of
our invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR TESTING BOILER OR OTHER TUBES
FROM THE OUTSIDE BY HYDRAULIC PRESSURE to be as follows 11
"3
This Invention which relates to apparatns for testing boiler or other tubes from the
outside by hydraulic pressure, consists in placing the tube to be tested, within a
testing chamber, which may be made of a single cylinder, where the tubes to be
tested are of equal length, or it may be a double or telescopic chamber, the inner
cylinder being movable within the outer to suit varying lengths of tubes.
The testing chamber is secured to a bed or other suitable fixture.
We will proceed, first, to describe the apparatus as arranged for tubes of equal
length, and afterwards set forth the additional parts required in the apparatus when
testing tubos of varying lengths.
Attached to each end of the testing chamber is a flange with a suitable groove to
receive the end of the tube being tested, and the necessary packing to prevent
leakage at the joint. These flanges are also provided with a half-circle wedge shaped
snug, which, passing into the interior of the chamber, serves to guide the tube into
the beforementioned grooves. In the centre of each of these flanges is a circular
hole, slightly smaller than the internal diameter of the tube being tested, by means
of which holes any defect in the tube can be easily detected.
Mounted on the already referred to bed, and at that end of the testing chamber
through which the tubes are inserted, is a carriage connected by a screw and nut to
a saddle piece attached by distance bolts or otherwise to one of the grooved flanges,
which when desired can be withdrawn from the end of the testing chamber by means
of a rack and pinion or other suitable mechanism, causing the carriage and its adjuncts
to move longitudinally along the bed. By this sliding arrangement the tubes to be
tested can be put into and taken out of the testing chamber with great facility.

page_text: Near that end of the chamber through which the tubes are inserted is placed a
small air valve to allow the air to escape, as the water which enters near the other end
of the chamber, gradually fills the annular space between the said chamber and the
tabe to be tested." On closing the air valve the desired pressure can then be put on
the outside of the tube.
When a double or telescopic testing chamber is required, besides the adoption of
the outer stationary and inner sliding cylinders already referred to, a short cylindrical
piece is attached to and moves with the grooved flange connected to the travelling
carriage, and has its internal diameter of sufficient size to allow it to slide over the
end of the projecting portion of the inner moveable cylinder. The said cylindrical
piece has a section similar to its nearer end of the outer stationary cylinder, and it is
provided like the other with the ordinary hydraulic cup leather packing held tightly
in place by small spiral or other springs.
The mode of operation in both cases is the same, and is as follows. The tube to
be tested having been inserted into the testing chamber the carriage with its adjuncts
is moved forward by means of the rack and pinion until the grooved flange strikes
against the end of the tube. The carriage is then made fast to the bed by screw
pins or otherwise, and the joint at each end of the tube is made by pressing up the
grooved flanges against the ends of the tube, through the operation of the screw and
nut in the carriage thus compressing the jointing material in the grooves, and making
a perfect joint.
Dated this Fighth day of Tuhinnan 1000
D. DRYSDALE AUSTIN,
101, St. Vincent Street, Glasgow,
Petitioners' Agent.

page_text: the Outside by Hydraulic Pressure.
We, JOHN WOTHERSPOON of the Clyde Tube Works, Coatbridge, in the County
of Lanark, North Britain, Iron Tube Manufacturer, and ANDREW AND JAMES STEWART
Limited of the same place, and of 41 Oswald Street, Glasgow, in the County of
Lanark, North Britain, Iron Tube Manufacturers, do hereby declare the nature of
LL... vention and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement :-
In order that our said Invention may be most fully understood and readily carried
into effect, we will proceed to describe the drawings hereunto annexed.
Figure 1 is a longitudinal section of the apparatus as arranged with a single cylinder
the carriage and its adjuncts (which are similar to those represented on Figure 3)
having been removed to show the figure on a larger scale, Figure 2 is a transverse
section of the same on the line A B, and Figure 3, is a part longitudinal section and
part elevation of the apparatus as arranged with a double or tolescopic chamber, the
testing cylinders with the pipe to be tested within the same, and the bed, having each
a part broken away to reduce the length of the figure. In these figures the same
letters of reference indicate the same parts.
Our present invention consists in placing the tube to be tested within a testing
chamber, which as represented at Figure 1, may be made of a single cylinder C, wliere
the tubes F, to be tested are of equal length. This arrangement I will describe first
and afterwards set forth the additional parts required in the apparatus when testing
various length of tubes as represented at Figure 3.
Attached to each end of the testing chamber or cylinder C, is a flange D,.with a
suitable groove E, to receive the end of the tube F and the necessary packing at the
joint. These flanges D, are also provided with a half circle wedge shaped piece G,
which passing into the interior of the chamber C, serves to guide the tube F, into the
beforementioned grooves E. In the centre of each of these flanges is a circular hole H,
slightly smaller than the internal diameter of the tube F, by means of which hole H, any
defects in the tube F, can be easily detected. The flanges D, at each end of the
chamber C, are interchangeable. Sets of flanges being provided with different
diameters of grooves E, and holes H, to suit the various diameters of pipes to be
tosted.
Mounted on the bed I, at that end of the testing chamber C, through which the
tube F, is inserted is a carriage J, Figure 3, connected by a screw shaft K, and nut L,
to a saddle piece M, attached by distance bolts N to one of the grooved flanges D,
which when desired can be withdrawn from the end of the testing chamber C, Figure 1,
or C, Figure 3, by.means of a rack 0, and pinion P, or other suitable mechanism,
causing the carriage J, and its adjuncts to move longitudinally along the bed.
The escape of air from the annular space W, between the tube F, and chamber C,

page_text: whilst being filled with water is provided for by an ordinary air valve or lock screwed
into the cylinder at the hole Q.
The test pressure is applied by water from an accumulator or pump, admitted by a
small pipe R, on which the ordinary stop valve and pressure gauge are fitted.
When a double or telescopic testing chamber is required as represented at Figure 3,
besides the adoption of the outer stationary cylinder C, and inner sliding cylinder S,
a short cylindrical pieco C", is attached to and moves with the grooved flange D,
connected to the travelling carriage J, and has its internal diameter of sufficient size
to allow it to slide over the projecting portion of the inner movable cylinder S. The
said cylindrical piece ", is provided like its nearer end of the outer stationary
cylinder C, with the ordinary hydraulic cup leather packing T, held tightly in place
by small spiral or other springs U. A guiding bracket or support V, which rests on
the bed I, is placed between the stationary cylinder O, and sliding cylindrical piece O",
to form a bearing for the inner movable cylinder S.
The method of testing the pipe F, is the same for the single cylinder apparatus,
Figures 1 and 2, as for the telescopic cylinder apparatus, Figure 3, and is as follows.
The tube F to be tested having been inserted into the testing cylinder or cylinders,
the carriage J, with its adjuncts is moved forward by means of the rack O, and pinion P,
until the groove flange D, strikes against the end of the tube F,-The carriage J is
then made fast to the bed I, by screw pins or otherwise, and the joint at each end of
the tube F, is made by pressing up the grooved flanges D, against the ends of the
tube F, through the operation of the screw K, and nut L, in the carriage J, thus
compressing the jointing material in the grooves E, and making a perfect joint. The
water for testing the pipe F, is then admitted through the pipe R, into the annular
space W, the air valve having been previously opened to allow the air to escape, until
the said annular space W is filled with water.
The air valve is then closed and the test pressure applied on the outside of the
tube F, By means of the holes H, in the grooved flanges D, any defect in the pipe F,
can be easily detected.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said Invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is.―
First. The combination of parts constituting the improved pipe testing apparatus
as arranged with the telescopic tube S, for the purpose of suiting various lengths of
pipes, substantially as herein before set forth with reference to the annexed drawings.
Second. The combination of parts constituting the improved pipe testing apparatus
as arranged without the telescopic tube S, for pipes of one fixed length, substantially
as hereinbefore described with reference to the annexed drawings.
Third. In apparatus for testing boiler or other tubes from the outside the flanges D,
with groove E, guide G, and sight hole H, the said flanges being interchangeable and
arranged to suit the various diameters of the tubes being tested, substantially as and
for the purposes hereinbefore set forth with reference to the annexed drawings.
Fourth. The small movable section or chamber (, the removing of which gives
ready access to the testing chamber S, substantially as described and shewn, and for
the purpose specified.
Fifth. The spiral or other springs U, for supporting the packing T, in its place
substantially as hereinheform set forth with reference to aha.
D. DRYSDALE AUSTIN,
Applicants' Agent.