IMPROVEMENTS IN JOINING OR CONNECTING PIPES
Year: 1854

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Michael Scott, of Great Georgo Street, in the City of
Westminster, Civil Engineer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
JOINING OR CONNECTING PIPES."
Sealed the 25th July 1854, and dated the 30th May 1854.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Michael Scott at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 30th
May 1854.
I, MICHAEL SCOTT, of Great George Street, in the City of Westminster,
Civil Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN JOINING OR CONNECTING PIPES " to be as follows:-
These improvements consist in forming, first, a new species of flange joint;
and, second, in forming a new species of socket joint, for pipes of all kinds.
The peculiarity of these joints as applied to cast iron pipes is, in the case of the
first mentioned or flange joints, simply the preparing each length of pipe with
a flange, so formed, that when two pipes are joined together the points of contact
are kept as far distant from the centre of the pipes as possible, a portion or
space being thus left to allow for any contraction or expansion that may occur.
This is effected by hollowing out or recessing the junction faces of the flanges,
leaving merely a ring round the circumference to form the junction surface
and to receive the tightening bolts, the principle involved being that the actual
points of contact are kept at such a distance from the centre of the pipe that

page_text: contraction or expansion may take place without injury to the metal. It is
obvious that many different modifications of this general mode of joining pipes
may be adopted for the several different purposes for which pipes are employed,
and the same principle may also be adopted in combination with a joint
partially elastic.
In the second form of joint the socket is formed to receive a joint ring of
soft elastic metal or other suitable material, so arranged, that when the joint is
in its place, and the spigot of one pipe inserted into the socket of another, one
side or part of the exterior of the joint ring bears against the socket, and the
other exterior side against the end of the spigot of the other pipe; and as the
interior of the joint ring communicates with the fluid in the pipes, this fluid,
by pressing upon the interior surface of the joint ring, tends to keep the exterior
surface of the ring in contact with the pipes, thus forming a tight joint between
the pipes. Should the pipes contract in length the sides of the joint ring
diverge, and if the pipes elongate by expansion the joint ring collapses; but in
both cases the exterior of the joint ring is kept in contact with the pipes. The
advantages of these arrangements are, that an allowance is made for the con-
traction and expansion, and that a very secure junction is effected, by which
the pipes will admit of vibration without being injured thereby.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Michael Scott in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
30th November 1854.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, MICHAEL
SCOTT, of Great George Street, in the City of Westminster, Civil Engineer,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Thirtieth day of May, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-four, in the seventeenth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said Michael Scott, Her special license that I, the said Michael Scott,
my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said
Michael Scott, my executors, administrators, or assigns, should at any time
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 "IMPROVEMENTS IN

page_text: JOINING OR CONNECTING PIPES," upon the condition (amongst others) that I,
the said Michael Scott, by an instrument in writing under my hand and seal,
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 Michael Scott, 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 state-
ment, reference being had to the accompanying Drawings, and to the letters
and figures marked thercon, that is to say:-
My said Invention relates to certain peculiar constructions and arrange-
ments of pipe joints, whereby the longitudinal expansion and contraction of the
pipes is allowed for, and consists, first, in forming a new species of flange joint;
and second, in forming a new species of socket joint for pipes. The peculiarity
of these joints as applied to cast iron pipes is (in the case of the first mentioned
or flange joint) simply the preparing each length of pipo with a flange, so
formed, that when two pipes are joined together the contact surfaces are kept
as far distant from the centre or axial line of the pipes as possible, a space or
recess being thus left to allow for any contraction or expansion that may occur
in the length of the pipes. This is effected by hollowing out or recessing the
junction faces of the flanges, leaving merely a ring near the circumference to
form the junction surface and to receive the tightening bolts, the principle
involved being that the actual points of contact are kept at such a distance
from the centre of the pipe that contraction or expansion may take place
without injury to the metal. It is obvious that many different modifications
of this general mode of joining pipes may be adopted for the several different
purposes for which pipes are employed, and the same principle may also be
adopted in combination with a joint partially elastic or soft, if the flanges are not
faced. When wrought-iron or copper pipes are used, the joint may be found by
simply inserting a metal ring A, Figs. 7 and 8, between the flanges in plan of
receiving such flanges, this ring answering the same purpose as the projecting
part of the flange in the cast-iron pipes. In the second form of joint the
socket is formed to receive a joint ring of soft or elastic metal or other
suitable material, so arranged, that when the joint is in its place, and the
spigot of one pipe inserted into the socket of another, one side or part of
the exterior of the joint ring bears against the socket, and the exterior
part against the end of the spigot of the other pipe, and as the interior
of the joint ring cominunicates with the fluid in the pipes, this fluid, by

page_text: pressing upon the interior surface of the joint ring, tends to keep the
exterior surface of this ring in contact with the pipes, thus forming a
tight joint. Should the pipes contract in length the sides of the joint ring
are caused to diverge by the pressure of the fluid contained therein; and if the
pipes elongate by expansion the joint ring collapses; but in both cases the
exterior of the joint ring is kept in contact with the pipes. The advantages
of these arrangements are that an allowance is made for the contraction and
expansion without detriment to the joints, and that a very secure and simple
junction is effected, by which the pipes will admit of vibration without being
injured thereby.
And in order that my said Invention may be more readily understood, I
shall now proceed to describe the several Figures on the Sheet of Drawings
hereunto annexed. Figure 1 on the accompanying Sheet of Drawings repre-
sents a longitudinal section of my improved flange joint, applicable to gas
mains; and Figure 2 is a corresponding end elevation of the same; Figure 3
is a longitudinal section of a socket joint applicable to water pipes, showing the
metallic or other joint ring contained therein; and Figure 4 is a corresponding
end elevation and transverse section through the centre of the joint ring;
Figure 5 represents a longitudinal section of another modification of the same
kind of joint, the ring in this case being tubular, with lateral apertures to
admit the fluid therein; and Figure 6 is a transverse section and end eleva-
tion of the same, taken through the centre of the joint ring; Figure 7 is a
longitudinal section of a modification of the flange joint, as applied to wrought-
iron or.copper pipes; and Figure 8 is a side elevation of the face of the flange,
shewing tho metal joint ring. The flanges A, A, in Figure 1, are hollowed
out or recessed at their inner portions, so as to leave merely a projecting rim
near their circumference at B, sufficiently wide to admit the tightening bolts C.
The faces of these projecting rims may be turned up in a lathe to obtain
a better and truer junction surface. By this arrangement packing rings of
all kinds may be dispenset with, a little white lead or similar material being
all that is requisite to form a perfectly tight joint. In cases where these faces
are not turned up, an ordinary hacking ring is to be introduced, so as to
compensate for the inequalities of the surface.
In cases where the flanges are of wrought iron or copper, and recessed and
faced, the joint will be perfect with the addition of white lead or similar
material only; where the flanges are recessed and not faced, a joint ring of
some soft and suitable material is to be introduced, so as to compensate for the
inequalities of the surface; and if the flanges are not recessed, but kept apart
by the interposition of a metallic ring, as shewn in Figures 7 and 8, this ring

page_text: may be lapped or covered over with any soft and suitable material, so as to
compensate for the inequalities of the surfaces; this last-mentioned arrangement
may, where from particular circumstances it is deemed advisable, be adapted to
cast-iron pipes. It will thus be seen, on reference to the Drawings, that the actual
contact surfaces are as far removed as possible from the centre line of the pipes,
in place of being situated in a line with the body of the pipes, as is ordinarily
the case; by this means a space or recess is left between the minor portions of
the junction flanges, which allows them to spring slightly, and so admit of free
expansion and contraction, without starting or loosening the bolts, or injuring
the joint in any way. The socket joint, shewn in Figures 3 and 4, is kept tight
by the insertion of a joint ring A, composed of gutta percha, lead, tin, pewter,
or other soft metal or alloy, between the two junction surfaces of the pipes; or
the joint ring may be of a harder and elastic metal if coated with the softer
materials above mentioned. These surfaces are slightly grooved or recessed
to receive the joint ring, as shown in the Drawings, which ring may be turned
by opening a tube longitudinally and turning over the lips until it assumes the
form shown in the Drawings, the ends being brought together and united. This
ring having been coated with red lead or similar material may be placed in
the socket of a pipe, and the spigot end of the next length of pipe brought hard
up against it, by means of screws acting in nuts temporarily attached to each
pipe. A series of wedges B are then driven in all round to keep the pipes
together, the intervening spaces between the wedges allowing any fluid which
may leak through the joints to escape. The interior of the joint is open to the
fluid in the pipe, the pressure of such fluid exerted against the inner surface of
the joint ring tending to swell it out, and keep its external surface in close
contact with the junction surfaces of the pipes. In order to facilitate this
action of the fluid, and render the joint still less liable to leakage, the internal
area of the joint ring is made greater than the area of the actual contact
surface of the exterior of the ring.
It will be obvious that any ordinary expansion or contraction of the lengths
of pipe may occur without impairing the soundness of the joint, as the ring
will be always kept in close contact with the junction surfaces by the pressure
of the fluid in the pipe. A modification of the herein-before last-described
joint is represented at Figures. 5 and 6. In this arrangement the joint ring A
is composed of a tube, which is perforated on one side, and then beut round
into a circular form and the ends united. The inner or perforated side of the
tubular ring thus formed is then divided throughout its whole length, the
division being made through the centres of the perforations previously formed;
such division allows the ring to open in disc of the joint surfaces of the pipes

page_text: receding from each other. This ring is placed in corresponding grooves or seats
formed in the junction surfaces of the pipes, and the pipes may be tightened
up by a screws, as herein-before described. The fluid in the pipes enters by
the internal perforations in the joint ring, and, pressing upon the interior of
the ring, keeps the exterior of the ring in contact with the joint surfaces of the
pipes.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of my said
Invention, and the manner in which the same is or may be used or carried into
effect, I would observe, in conclusion, that I do not confine or restrict myself
to the precise details or arrangements which I have had occasion to describe or
refer to, as many variations may be made therefrom without deviating from
the principles or main features of the said Invention; but what I consider to be
novel and original, and therefore claim as the Invention secured to me by the
herein-before in part recited Letters Patent, is,-
First, the general construction and arrangement of joints or connections for
pipes, as herein-before described.
Second, the system or mode of allowing for the longitudinal expansion
or contraction of metal pipes by forming the bearing or junction as far as
possible from the axial line of such pipes, whether such junction surfaco be
found by reversing the flanges or by inserting a metal ring, as herein-before
described and illustrated by Figures 1 and 2 and 7 and 8 of the Drawings.
Third, the application and use of a joint ring, composed of soft metal or other
suitable or elastic material, which is acted upon internally by the pressure
of the fluid in the pipes, as herein-before described and illustrated by Figures
3, 4, 5, 6 of the Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said Michael Scott, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, the Thirtieth day of November, One thousand eight
hundred and fifty-four.
MICHAEL SCOTT. (L.S.)