AN IMPROVED UNIVERSAL JOINT FOR COUPLING PIPES AND FOR STOPPERING BOTTLES
Year: 1876

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Robert Watkinson, of Salford, in the County of Lancaster,
Brass Founder, and Thomas Stafford, of the same Place, Manager of Cotton
Mills, for the Invention of "AN IMPROVED UNIVERSAL JOINT FOR COUPLING
PIPES AND FOR STOPPERING BOTTLES."
Scaled the 22nd August 1876, and dated the 1st May 1876.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Robert Watkinson and
Thomas Stafford at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 1st May
1876.
ROBERT WATKINSON, of Salford, in the County of Lancaster, Brass Founder, and
"AN IMPROVED
THOMAS STAFFORD, of the same Place, Manager of Cotton Mills.
UNIVERSAL JOINT FOR COUPLING PIPES AND FOR STOPPERING BOTTLES."
The joint is made by means of an india-rubber, cork, or other suitable ring, which
is let into a recess in the end of one pipe, and an annular projection at the end of
the adjoining pipe, the ends of the pipes are drawn together by a bayonet fastening
formed partly by segmental ribs at the end of one pipe and by segmental recesses
in the union coupling pieco loose on the end of the other pipe, or the segmental
recesses may be made in the end of the pipe itself, or the pressure of the fluid in
the pipo may be made to act on the ring above described to form the joint. By this
means pipes can be coupled and uncoupled in the most expeditious manner, and no
bolts and nuts are required.
When our Invention is applied to stoppering bottles the ring above referred to is
placed in a recess in the ucck of the bottle, and the stopper is secured by a bayonet
fastening as described.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Robert Watkinson and Thomas Stafford in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 28th October 1876.
"
ROBERT WATKINSON, of Salford, in the County of Lancaster, Brass Founder, and
THOMAS STAFFORD, of the same Place, Manager of Cotton Mills. AN IMPROVED
UNIVERSAL JOINT FOR COUPLING PIPES AND FOR STOPPERING BOTTLES."
The joint is made by means of an india-rubber, cork, or other suitable ring, which
is let into a recess in the end of one pipe, and an annular projection at the end of
the adjoining pipe, the ends of the pipes are drawn together by a bayonet fastening
formed partly by segmental ribs at the end of one pipe, and by segmental recesses
in the union coupling piece loose on the end of the other pipe, or the segmental
recesses may be made in the end of the pipe itself, and the pressure of the fluid in
the pipe may be made to act on the ring above described to form the joint. By this
means pipes can be coupled and uncoupled in the most expeditious manner, and no
bolts and nuts are required.
When our Invention is applied to stoppering bottles the ring above referred to is
placed in a recess in the neck of the bottle or in the stopper, and the stopper is
secured by a bayonet fastening as described.
And in order that our Invention may be fully understood and readily carried
into operation, we will proceed to describe the accompanying Sheet of Drawings.
Fig. 1 represents a section through a coupling for hose pipes.
Fig. 2 is a side view of one part of the joint, and Fig. 3 is a plan of another part
of the joint.
n
a is the bush or tail piece, which is secured in the ordinary manner to the end of
the hose pipe, to this bush are cast projections for the screws of the swivels b. At
the end of the bush a is an annular recess to receive the flange of the india-rubber
or other elastic packing ring c, and at the outside of the end of the bush are cast
segmental projections or cams d, forming part of the bayonet coupling; e is a second
bush or tail piece, which is secured to the end of the other hose pipe, the end of the
bush e fits on the end of the india-rubber or other ring c, and the flange f projecting
from the bush e serves as abutment for the union coupling piece g, shewn detached
in Fig. 3, which is also provided with segmental ribs or cam i and recesses corre-
sponding to those marked d on the end of the bush a. The bush e is also provided
with lugs h.
When the two hose pipes are to be coupled the segmental projections or cams i
on the union coupling piece are passed between the projections or cams d
on the bush a, the coupling piece is then turned partly round to lock the
bayonet coupling, the inclined surfaces of the segmental projections or cams (
and cause the end of the bush e to compress the india-rubber or other ring c
thereby forming an air and water-tight joint. The elasticity of the ring c forms
a spring, which causes the shoulder on the segmental projection or cam d, shewn
in Fig. 2, to lock the parts together. When the water is passing through the
hose pipes the pressure of the water acting on the ring c also assists in keeping the
joint tight, and by expanding the packing ring increases the aperture for the passage
of the fluid. In uncoupling the hose pipes the attendant must exert sufficient
end pressure on the bushes a and e to liberate the shoulder above referred to,
after which the union coupling piece can be turned back to unfasten the bayonet
or cam joint.
Fig. 4 represents another of our improved universal joints for hose pipes;
in this case the bush a with the swivels b and the elastic ring c are similar
to those above described, but the end of the bush a and the inside of the
union coupling piece gare screwed, the joint is formed by screwing the union
coupling piece g on to the end of the bush a to compress the elastic ring c. This
modification of our Invention is particularly adapted to couplings of the ordinary
construction.

page_text: Fig. 5 represents one of our improved universal joints for pipes in which a
vacuum is to be formed, and for other purposes; the bush a is provided with
segmental projections (, similar to those shown in Figs. 1 and 2, but the elastic
packing ring c fits in an annular recess in the end of the bush a. The end of the
bush e fits in the same recess as the ring c, and is pressed against it by the segmental
inclined projections on the inside of the union coupling piece g, which is similar to
that shewn in Fig. 3. When a vacuuin is formed in the pipes the pressure of the
atmosphere on the ends of the bush a and on the piece 7 compresses the ring c and
tightens the joint.
Fig. 6 represents our improved mode of coupling a nozzle to the end of a branch
pipe. In this view jis the nozzle, which is provided with a flange f for the union
coupling pieco g, shewn in Fig. 1, and the end of the nozzle fits on the elastic ring c,
the flange of which fits in an annular recess in the end of the branch pipe k. The
union coupling picco g is held on the nozzle j by the screwed ring 1. The bayonet
joint is formed by the segmental projections or cams d, cast on the end of the branch
pipe k, and the segmental projections i on the inside of the union coupling piece g,
the exterior of which is milled.
Fig. 7 represents a modification of our Invention applicable to foot warmers and
for other purposes. In this case m is a bush secured to the foot warmer or other
vessel or article, the end of the bush is provided with an annular projection fitting
into a recess in the cap or plug n, this recess also contains an elastic ring c, the
joint is formed by screwing the cap or plug n into the bush m to compress the
elastic ring c. The cap or plug is made with a square or other hole to receive an
ordinary carriage key, or a key of any other description, or the edge of the cap or
plug may be milled, or the joint may be formed by a bayonet fastening as above
described, or by an external screw.
Fig. 8 represents our improved universal joint suitable for gas connections, in
this arrangement the joint is formed in the manner described in reference to
Figs. 1, 4, 5, and G.
Fig. 9 represents another modification of our Invention particularly suitable for
connecting steam pipes. In this arrangement the exterior of the union coupling
piece forms a screw nut, and the joint is formed by screwing up the union
coupling piece g to compress the ring c, which may be made of soft metal or other
inaterial.
Fig. 10 represents our improved universal joint for stoppering bottles, jars, and
other vessels or articles. In this case the elastic ring c is placed in a recess in the
stopper o, which is secured to the neck of the bottle or other article by a bayonet
fastening as before described. The Drawing represents an ordinary portable ink-
stand with a hollow stopper, which can be removed for cleaning purposes, but when
an air-tight joint is to be formed I prefer the stopper being made solid. In some
cases the recess for the ring c can be made in the neck of the bottle, jar, or other
vessel.
Having thus stated the nature of our Invention and described several modes of
performing the same, we declare that what we claim as our Invention is-
First. The improved universal joints shown and described in reference to Figs. 1,
2, 3, 4, and 6, in which the elastic packing ring fits in a recess in one part of the
joint and on a shoulder on the other part, the two parts being compressed and
locked together by inclined segmental projections or cams forming a bayonet
fastening or by other equivalents.
Secondly. The improved packing ring shewn and described in reference to Figs. 1,
4, and 6, or any modification in the shape thereof, by which the pressure of the
fluid passing through the joint expands the ring, thereby increasing the tightness of
the joint, and enlarging the orifice for the passage of the fluid.
Thirdly. The improved universal joints shewn and described in reference to
Figs. 5, 7, 8, and 9, in which the packing ring is compressed in an annular
recess in one part of the joint, and by an annular projection in the other part.

page_text: And Fourthly. The improved joint for stoppering bottles, jars, and other vessels
or articles as shewn and described in reference to Fig. 10.
In witness whereof, we, the said Robert Watkinson and Thomas Stafford, have
hereto set our hands and seals, this Twenty-sixth day of October One
thousand eight hundred and seventy-six.
ROBERT WATKINSON. (L.s.)
THOMAS STAFFORD.
(LS.