IMPROVEMENTS IN PIPES AND CONDUITS, AND IN THE JOINTS THEREOF
Year: 1869

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Collett Homersham, of 2, Willes Road,
Kentish Town, in the County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, for
the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN PIPES AND CONDUITS, AND IN THE
JOINTS THEREOF."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Collett Homer-
sham at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 15th December 1869.
I, WILLIAM COLLETT HOMERSHAM, of 2, Willes Road, Kentish Town,
in the County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN PIPES AND CONDUITS, AND
IN THE JOINTS THEREOF," to be as follows:-
My Invention consists in the first place in gradually thickening the
spigot end of the pipe externally for at least the whole length of the
joint while preserving the bore of the pipe uniform throughout, and in
making the faucet end of the pipe with its internal surface parallel or
nearly parallel with the external surface of the spigot end when fitted in

page_text: its place. When not parallel the widest part of the space between the
spigot and faucet is towards the outside of the joint, that form of packing
giving less rigidity to the joint. Or the internal surface of the faucet
may be made parallel to the bore of the pipe, and an internal lip be
formed at the outer end of the faucet. The spigot end of the pipe is
formed in the manner above stated in order to give strength in that part
of the pipe which is liable to fracture both in use and in carriage.
My Invention consists in the sceond place in substituting for the
hemp or tow usually employed in commencing the packing of pipe joints
a length of lead pipe or of lead rolled in a trough form, thereby obviating
the liability of impeding the action of small service pipes by hemp or
tow working through the joint and passing into such pipes. The
material used by preference for filling in between the spigot and faucet
& making the joint as required is a compound of lead, antimony, and
bismuth or other suitable alloy of lead and other metal. In some cases
the extreme end of the spigot is further increased in thickness and made
slightly conical, the faucet being adapted to receive the same.
And my Invention consists in the third place in the combination of
the above stated form or forms of chamber for the packing with the well
known turned and bored joint for pipes..
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said William Collett Homersham in the Great Seal
Patent Office on the 14th June 1870.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
COLLETT HOMERSHAM, of 2, Willes Road, Kentish Town, in the County
of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Fifteenth day of December, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-nine, in the thirty-third
year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and
grant unto me, the said William Collett Homersham, Her special licence
that I, the said William Collett Homersham, my executors, adminis-
trators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said William Collett Homer-
sham, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time

page_text: 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 "Iм-
PROVEMENTS IN PIPES AND CONDUITS, AND IN THE JOINTS THEREOF," upon the
condition (amongst others) that I, the said William Collett Homersham,
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 William Collett Homershamn, 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
hereunto annexed, and to the letters and figures marked thereon (that is
to say):-
:-
My Invention of Improvements in Pipes and Conduits and in the
Joints thereof" consists in the first place in gradually thickening the
spigot end of the pipe externally for at least, the whole length of the joint
while preserving the bore of the pipe uniform throughout, and in making
the faucet end of the pipe with its internal surface parallel or nearly
parallel with the external surface of the spigot when fitted in its place.
When not parallel the widest part of the space between the spigot and
faucet is towards the outside of the joint, that form of packing giving
less rigidity to the joint. Or the internal surface of the faucet may be
made parallel to the bore of the pipe, and an internal lip be formed at
the outer end of the faucet. The spigot end of the pipe is formed in the
manner above stated in order to give strength in that part of the pipe
which is liable to fracture both in use and in carriage.
My Invention consists in the second place in substituting for the
hemp or tow usually employed in commencing the packing of pipe joints
a length of lead pipe or of lead rolled in a trough form, thereby obviating
the liability of impeding the action of small service pipes by hemp or
tow working through the joint and passing into such service pipes. In
some cases the extreme end of the spigot is further increased in
thickness and made slightly conical, the faucet being adapted to receive

page_text: Fig. 6 represents an ordinary spigot and faucet joint with the
improved packing. E represents a ring of solid lead of nearly the width
of the packing chamber and about seven-eighths of an inch in depth,
formed of a suitable length, bent round and caulked in to form a basis on
which to caulk the lead pipes or the lead rolled in a trough form C;
D represents lead as ordinarily run in and caulked.
When the pipes are being laid straight and with the ends nearly close
home, as shewn in Fig. 6, the ring of solid lead E may be omitted, and
lead pipe or lead rolled in a trough form C may be caulked in, in place
thercof.
Having thus described the nature of the said Invention and in what
manner the same is to be performed, I hereby declare that what I
claim as of my Invention is,-
First. The gradual thickening of the spigot end of the pipe externally
and the adaptation of the faucet end to it, in the manner and for the
purpose described.
Secondly. The substitution of lead pipe or lead rolled in a trough form
for the ordinary hemp or tow packing in pipe joints.
And, lastly. The use of lead as described for packing in the ordinary
form of joints for pipes.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Collett Homersham, have
hereunto set my hand and seal, the Fourteenth day of June,
in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy.
Witness,
WILLIAM SPENCE,
W*. COLLETT HOMERSHAM. (L.S.)
8, Quality Court,
Chancery Lane.