AN IMPROVED COUPLING FOR GAS, AIR, OR WATER PIPES
Year: 1879

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Thomas Sugg, of Vincent Street, in the City of
Westminster, for the Invention of "AN IMPROVED COUPLING FOR GAS, AIR,
OR WATER PIPES."
Sealed the 19th March 1880, and dated the 23rd September 1879.
.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Thomas Sugg at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 23rd September 1879.
WILLIAM THOMAS SUGG, of Vincent Street, in the City of Westminster.
"AN IMPROVED COUPLING FOR GAS, AIR, OR WATER PIPES."
The principal object of this Invention is to provide a secure and readily detachable
coupling for connecting the gas supply pipe or hose with the gas reservoirs on
railway carriages when the latter are lighted with gas.
These reservoirs are supplied with gas at a high pressure, and the means hitherto
employed for connecting the supply hose with the reservoir when it is desired to
fill the latter have not been found effective in preventing the escape of the gas at
the connection.
In carrying out my Invention I attach one part of the coupling which I will call
the carriage portion to the railway carriage, and the other part which I will call the
cap portion to the supply pipe or hose.
The carriage portion consists of a casting provided with lugs or ears to receive
bolts by which the casting is to be bolted to the end of a railway carriage. Standing
up from the base of this casting is a circular block, the upper face of which is turned
smooth to receive the cap piece of the supply pipe. In the centre of this block a
vertical passage is bored to meet a horizontal passage in the base of the casting, and
with this horizontal passage the reservoir is connected in any suitable manner.
The cap piece is formed with a laterally projecting hollow handle to which the
supply pipe or hose is to be attached. In this cap piece a seat is turned to receive
a leather or other washer, and at its centre this cap piece is bored out vertically to
meet the horizontal passage in the handle. Fitted to the casting which carries the
circular block is a horizontal stud pin for receiving a cam shaped lever that overlies

page_text: the circular block. When the cap piece is placed over the block and the cam is
brought round to bear upon it a tight joint will be formed between the coupling
pieces.
Cocks may be provided on both portions of the coupling to close the passages to
the reservoir, or self closing valves may be used in place thereof, the same being so
arranged as to open by the act of attaching the coupling, light springs being
provided to return them to their seats.
It will be evident that this coupling is equally applicable for connecting air or
water pipes, and whether the fluid to be conveyed in such pipes be under pressure
or not.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said William Thomas Sugg in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 23rd
March 1880.
WILLIAM THOMAS SUGG, of Vincent Street, in the City of Westminster.
"AN IMPROVED COUPLING FOR GAS, AIR, OR WATER PIPES."
The principal object of this Invention is to provide a secure and readily detach-
able coupling for connecting the gas supply pipe or hose with the gas reservoirs of
railway carriages.
. These reservoirs are supplied with gas at a high pressure, and the means hitherto
employed for connecting the supply hose with the reservoir when it is desired to
fill the latter have not been found effective in preventing the escape of gas at the
connection.
My improved coupling consists of two portions, which I call respectively the
carriage portion and the cap portion, the former of which I attach to the railway
carriage and the latter, which is intended to fit into the carriage portion, I attach
to the supply pipe or hose.
In the accompanying Drawing, Fig. 1 is a front elevation partly in section of my
improved coupling, and Fig. 2 is an inverted plan view of the same; Fig. 3 is a
front elevation partly in section of the carriage portion only, and Fig. 4 is a side
elevation of the same, and Figures 5 and 6 are a plan view and longitudinal section
respectively of the cap or detachable portion.
The carriage portion consists of a casting A which is provided with lugs or ears B
to receive bolts by which the casting is to be bolted to the end of a railway carriage.
Standing out from this casting is a circular block A' the face of which is turned
smooth to receive the cap piece D of the supply pipe. In the centre of this block a
vertical passage a is bored to meet a horizontal passage a' in the base of the casting,
and with this horizontal passage a' the reservoir is connected by a pipe E. This
pipe E may be provided with a cock F, by which the communication between the
carriage portion A and the reservoir can be closed to prevent the escape of gas from
the reservoir through the coupling should the means for automatically closing the
passage become inoperative.
The block A' is provided with a self closing flexible clack valve G which is made
to open inwards and is caused to close against its seat by a coiled spring. This
valve with its spring is contained in a circular recess made in the block A¹, and the
valve is secured by a screw to the inner face of a ring H which forms its seat, and
is screwed into the circular recess.
The cap piece D is cast with a hollow handle or tubular extension D' to which
the supply pipe or hose is to be attached. In the face of this cap piece a seat b is
turned to receive a leather or other washer c, and at the centre of this cap piece a
circular recess is formed into which the horizontal passage in the handle D¹ enters.
This recess is fitted with a self-closing valve I, which will be opened by the act
of attaching the parts which constitute the coupling. This valve has a conical seat J
and is formed with a tubular stem pierced with lateral openings to allow of the
flow of the gas (when the valve is open) through the coupling. The valve, seat J
is screwed into the recess d of the cap piece D. The valve is maintained against
its seat by a coiled spring, and when closed the tubular stem will project beyond
the turned down face of the cap piece as shewn in Fig. 6. When, however, the
two parts of the coupling are brought together the valve will be forced down into
the open position shewn at Fig. 1 by its hollow stem coming in contact with the
face of the block A¹, at which time the gas will be free to pass in the direction
shewn by arrows through the coupling to the receiver.
The cap piece D may be provided with a cock in addition to the self-closing
valve I for closing the supply pipe in case of the derangement of this automatically

page_text: acting valve. The pressure of the gas will assist the coiled spring in keeping the
valve to its seat.
Fitted to a pendent portion A² of the casting A is a horizontal stud pin A³ for
receiving a cam-shaped lever K that underlies the circular block A¹.
When it is desired to couple up, the cam lever K is brought into the position
shewn at Fig. 3, and the cap piece is fitted to the block A¹. The cam lever is then
brought round to the position shewn at Fig. 1, so that the cam shall bear on the
underside of the cap piece and a tight joint will thus be formed between the coupled
pieces A and D.
It will be evident that this coupling is equally applicable for connecting air or
water pipes, and whether the fluid to be conveyed in such pipes be under pressure
or not.
Having now described my Invention of "An Improved Coupling for Gas, Air, or
Water Pipes," and explained the manner of carrying the same into effect, I wish it
to be understood that under the above in part recited Letters Patent I claim,―The
construction of coupling as above described whereby a tight joint is secured,
communication being opened automatically between the pieces constituting the
joint as they are attached, and the passages for the air or gas closed as the pieces
are disconnected.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Thomas Sugg, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, the Twenty-second day of March, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and eighty.