Year: 1886

page_text: I, THOMAS KENNEDY, of the Glenfield Company, Limited, East Shaw Street,
Kilmarnock, in the County of Ayr, North Britain, Hydraulic Engineer, 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, that is to say :-
My said Invention has for its object to improve the construction of hydraulic
pipe testing machines, and to render the same more convenient in use; and a
machine as made with my improvements is represented on the accompanying sheet
of explanatory drawings.
Figure, 1, of the drawings is an elevation of one end of the machine, figure, 2, is
a plan, figure, 3, is a longitudinal vertical section, and figure, 4, is an elevation of
the other end of the machine. In figures, 2, and 3, parts are supposed to be broken
away to reduce the lengths of the figures; and a pipe, 5, is represented as in
position for being tested in the machine.
The machine comprises two fixed heads, 6, 7, which are connected by strong tie
rods, 8; and near one, 6, of these fixed heads there is a movable head, 9, which
when the pipe, 5, to be tested has been placed in the machine, is moved towards
the other fixed head, 7, so as to compress the pipe endways between the heads and
close its ends in a watertight manner, a suitable compressible packing being, as
usual, interposed between the ends of the pipe, 5, and the heads, 7, 9. For the
purpose of moving the movable head, 9, as mentioned, the fixed head, 6, is fitted
with an hydraulic cylinder, 10, the ram, 11, of which is arranged to bear against
the outer side of the movable head, 9. The hydraulic cylinder, 10, is formed with
a concentric smaller cylinder, 12, which faces the opposite way, its ram, 13, working
through a stuffing box at the outer end of the cylinder and having fixed on it a
crosshead, 14, which is connected by tie rods, 15, to the movable head, 9. The
small cylinder, 12, and ram, 13, are for drawing back the movable head, 9, after a
pipe has been tested. The two cylinders, 11, 13, may be worked by water forced
directly by pumps but I prefer to use water from a suitably loaded accumulator.
The passages communicating with the interiors of the two cylinders, 11, 13, are
connected by pipes, 16, to a single valve box, 17, to which are also connected the
supply and exhaust pipes, 18; and the valve is worked by a hand lever, 19, which
is partly controlled by a tappet piece, 20, fixed to the crosshead, 14, this tappet

page_text: piece bringing the lever to its middle position as the crosshead approaches either
end of its stroke. The movable head, 9, is supported from the upper main tie
rods, 8, of the machine, being fitted with rollers, 21, running on the tie rods and
allowing of the easy movement of the head.
The water for testing the pipe, 5, is as usual admitted through the fixed cross-
head, 7, at the other end of the machine, the bulk of the water being supplied
through a comparatively large pipe, 22, and sluice valve, 23, whilst after the
pipe, 5, has been filled the test pressure is applied by water from an accumulator
or pump admitted through a small pipe, 24, and valve, 25. A pressure gauge, 26,
is fitted to the pipe piece, 27, through which the water has access to the inlet in
the head, 7; and this pipe piece is also fitted with an escape valve, 28, which is
loaded to the pressure to which it is intended to test the pipe, 5, and which shows
when that pressure is attained by allowing water to escape. The escape of air
from the pipe, 5, whilst being filled with water is provided for by a small cock, 29,
communicating with a passage formed in the fixed head, 7, this passage having in
communication with it a number of holes in the inner face of the head. These
holes are fitted with screw plugs, 30, and are provided to suit pipes (5) of different
diameters, that plug being taken out, in any case, which is just within the pipe (5)
so that the air may escape from the highest possible point.
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
1-The combination of parts constituting my improved pipe testing machine as
a whole substantially as herein before described.
2-The combination of hydraulic cylinders (11, 13) for moving the movable
head (9) in both directions substantially as hereinbefore described.
Dated this twentieth day of July 1886.
EDMUND HUNT,
Applicant's Agent.