Improvements in Couplings for the Heating and other Pipes of Railway Carriages and the like.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 25th Feb., 1896
Complete Specification Left, 25th Nov., 1896-Accepted, 6th Feb., 1897
Improvements in Couplings for the Heating and other Pipes of
Railway Carriages and the like.
I, JAMES JOHN NEEDHAM, of 1, Lind Street, St. John's, Deptford, in the
County of London, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be
as follows:-
My invention relates to couplings chiefly designed for connecting the pipes of
railway carriage heating apparatus between the carriages but also applicable for
connecting other pipes and it comprises the improvements hereinafter described.
According to my invention I arrange that the pressure within the pipes shall
act-behind the jointing washers of the coupling members and press the same into
close contact so as to form tight joints and for this purpose the jointing washer of
each member fits into a recess in the face of the member and is held therein by
means of a hollow nut over the flange of which the washer also fits the said
flange being recessed internally and provided with a series of holes to permit of
the pressure passing through the said holes behind the face of the washer so as to
press it outwards against the corresponding face when the two members are
coupled together.
Instead of fitting the washer over the flange of the nut the washer may be
flanged on its inner end and a nut screwed into the face around the washer to press
upon the said flange and hold it in place.
My invention is very advantageously applied to the coupling known as the
"Clayton" coupling and when I use this coupling I advantageously provide the
lug of each member, which fits into a corresponding slot on the other member,
with a pin to prevent the two parts from becoming separated. I also in some
cases provide the coupling with a jacket to prevent the condensation of steam
passing through the coupling and also with a drip valve to allow of the escape of
the water of condensation.
1
1 Jan 1906
G. F. REDFERN & Co.,
4, South Street, Finsbury, London, Agents for the Applicant.
Improvements in Couplings for the Heating and other Pipes of
Railway Carriages and the like.
I, JAMES JOHN NEEDHAM, of 1, Lind Street, St. John's, Deptford, in the
County of London, 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:-
My invention relates to couplings chiefly designed for connecting the pipes of

page_text: railway carriage heating apparatus between the carriages -but also applicable for
connecting other pipes and it comprises the improvements hereinafter described.
According to my invention I arrange that the pressure within the pipes shall act
behind the jointing washers of the coupling members and press the same into
close contact so as to form tight joints and for this purpose the jointing washer
of each member fits into a recess in the face of the member and is held therein
by means of a hollow nut over the flange of which the washer also fits, the said
flange being recessed internally and provided with a series of holes to permit of
the pressure passing through the said holes behind the face of the washer so as to
press it outwards against the corresponding face when the two members are
coupled together.
My invention is very advantageously applied to the coupling known as the
"Clayton" coupling and when I use this coupling I advantageously provide the
lug of each member, which fits into a corresponding slot on the other member,
with a pin to prevent the two parts from becoming separated. I also in some
cases provide the coupling with a jacket to prevent the condensation of steam
passing through the coupling and also with a drip valve to allow of the escape of
the water of condensation.
To enable my invention to be fully understood I will describe the same by
reference to the accompanying drawings, which illustrate my improvements as
applied to a coupling of the kind known as the "Clayton" coupling and in
which:-
Figure 1 is a sectional elevation of a coupling shewing the arrangement wherein
the jointing washers are held in place by flanged nuts over which the washers fit:
Figures 2 and 3 are an elevation and section of the flanged nut; and,
Figures 4 and 5 are similar views of the washer:
Figure 6 is a sectional view of one part of a coupling illustrating a modification
of my invention.
Figure 7 is a sectional elevation shewing the arrangement for forming a jacket
around the coupling; and,
Figure 8 is a section on the line 8-8 Figure 1 illustrating the arrangement of
the drip valve.
a, a' are the two parts or members of a coupling each of which is provided with
a finger band with a tongue or lug c, the fingers b, b being designed to engage with
each other, as shewn at Figure 1, and the tongue c of each coupling part to
enter a slot adapted to receive it in the other part of the coupling in a well
known manner.
d'is the pin which I sometimes attach to each member of the coupling and which
is designed when the two parts are fitted together to enter the hole e formed in
the tongue c of the other member of the coupling the said pin being held by a
chain to prevent it from being lost.
ff are the hollow flanged nuts, shewn detached in Figures 2 and 3, and 9, 9 are
the washers, shewn detached in Figures 4 and 5, the said washers being recessed to
fit the flanges of the nuts and made of india-rubber or other flexible material
which will permit of their being stretched to pass them over the flanges of the said
nuts as shewn in Figure 1. h, h are the grooves or recesses formed in the said
flanges and i, i are the holes formed through the flanges and allowing the pressure
in the pipes to act behind the said washers in order to force them into contact in
a manner which will be understood by reference to Figure 1.
Instead of fitting the-washer over the flange of the nut as shewn in Figure 1 the
washer may be flanged on its inner end as shewn in Figure 6 and secured in position
by a nut screwed into the face of the washer. As shewn in the drawing a recess h
and holes i are represented as being formed in the body of the coupling; such
recess and holes, however, are not necessary if a slight amount of longitudinal
movement is provided for the flange of the washer behind the nut, as in this case
the steam or other fluid under pressure penetrates between the back of the washer
and the bottom of the recess in the casing in which the said washer is located.

page_text: When jacketing the coupling to prevent condensation each member is made in
two parts as shewn in Figure 7 the outer part j fitting over the inner tubular part k
so as to leave a space, the two parts being connected together by a union joint as
at l. In the drawing the washer g is represented as being held in place against
the face of the tubular part k of the coupling by means of a flange m on the part j.
If desired, however, the said washer may be held according to either of the methods.
hereinbefore described.
n, Figures 1 and 8, is the drip valve which I sometimes make use of in connection
with my coupling. In this drip valve the valve proper is in the form of a ball o.
which is held against its seat so long as any pressure acts against the back of the
same but which, so soon as the pressure is released, drops away from its seat to
allow any water of condensation to escape.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-.
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. A coupling for railway carriages and the like wherein the joint washers are
arranged, substantially as described with reference to Figures 1 to 5 or to Figure 6.
of the drawings, so that the pressure within the coupling shall act behind the said
washers and force them into contact, for the purpose specified.
2. A coupling for the pipes of railway carriages and the like having a jacket,.
substantially as described with reference to Figure 7 of the drawings.
3. The combination with a pipe coupling of the kind described, of a drip valve
arranged substantially in the manner hereinbefore described and illustrated in..
Figures 1 and 8 of the accompanying drawings.
DL with day of November 1896.
G. F. REDFERN & Co.,
4, South Street, Finsbury, London, Agents for the Applicant..