IMPROVEMENTS IN AND APPARATUS FOR FORMING AND JOINING THE ENDS OF IRON AND OTHER TUBES OR PIPES
Year: 1869

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Hunter Henry Murdoch, of No. 7, Staple Inn,
in the County of Middlesex, Patent Agent, for the Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN AND APPARATUS FOR FORMING AND JOINING THE ENDS
OF IRON AND OTHER TUBES OR PIPES."-A communication from abroad
by Louis Alexandre Farjon, of Brussels, in the Kingdom of Belgium,
Engineer.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Hunter Henry Murdoch
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 6th December 1869.
I, HUNTER HENRY MURDOOH, of No. 7, Staple Inn, in the County
of Middlesex, Patent Agent, do hereby declare the nature of the said
Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN AND APPARATUS FOR FORMING AND JOINING
THE ENDS OF IRON AND OTHER TUBES OR PIPES," to be as follows:-
This Invention consists of improvement on a former Invention for
which Louis Alexandre Farjon obtained Letters Patent, dated the 28th

page_text: November 1866, No. 3136, in which Letters Patent his name was
mis-spelt "Fargon." That Invention relates to certain arrangements
whereby metallic tubes or pipes are connected with each other by
means of a strip of rolled lead placed round the ends of the pipes to
be joined, the said lead being forced into hollows or channels formed in
the outer surface of the pipes and secured in position by a hoop of
wrought iron driven over the lead.
Now the present Invention consists, firstly, of the improved mode
herein-after described of forming the joints of pipes or tubes whereby
greater simplicity and economy are attained. The ends of the pipes on
the outside are formed of rather greater diameter than the body of
the said pipes, tapering down so as to form a conical collar or projection
round the ends of the said pipes. A strip of lead is shaped by casting
or rolling so as to fit the conical projections on the ends of two pipes,
and the said strip of lead is formed with a central rib underneath, which
said rib projects into a space left between the ends of the pipes to
prevent them from touching each other and to allow of their expanding.
The said strip of lead is placed round the respective ends of the pipes
and its two ends are joined by a tenon formed on one end of the
strip taking into a channel or space cut in the other end of the said strip
to receive the said tenon. The said strip is held in position and pressed
on to the ends of the pipes by a band of iron rolled specially for the
purpose, its lower surface being shaped to fit the lead on the pipe ends,
and its upper surface being slightly conical, that is to say, thicker on
one side than on the other. The said band of iron is bent round to
form a ring or hoop which can open to pass on to the lead, and its
diameter being rather smaller than that of the lead the said ring or
hoop forms a circular spring to press upon the said lead and hold it
in position; and the said iron hoop or circular spring is further pressed
on to the lead, and its ends are caused to meet or nearly so by a press
collar of the following construction:-A piece of iron is formed at its
lower end in shape like a crescent or a portion of a circle to fit and
rest upon the circular spring on the pipe ends. On the upper surface
of the said crescent piece is a lug projecting upwards, to which it is
jointed one end of a lever and also one end of a belt of iron or
steel, which said belt passes round the circular spring on the pipe ends,
and is jointed at its other end to the said lever at a little distance from
that end which is jointed to the projecting lug of the crescent piece.

page_text: By turning the lever the belt is drawn tight round the pipe ends
and closes the circular spring upon the lead, compressing the said lead
and forming a perfectly tight joint. The circular spring being thus
firmly fixed a ring or hoop the inner surface of which is conical to fit
the outside conical surface of the circular spring is driven on to the
said spring and firmly binds the whole together. In some cases two
binding hoops may be used, one on each side of the joint. The pro-
truding or superfluous portions of lead are then punched up as is usual
is such cases.
This Invention consists, further, of the improved mode herein-after
described of moulding the ends of the pipes to be joined together
according to this Invention in order to the said ends and the conical
collars or projections upon them being cast perfectly smooth and regular.
A circular bottom plate is formed with a lug on each side, through each
of which lugs passes a key bolt. Upon the said bottom plate is mounted
an iron cylinder with lugs corresponding with the lugs on the lower
plate. The said cylinder is formed of two half cylinders, being divided
longitudinally through its axis or centre and through the said lugs, so
that the two half cylinders may be separated laterally but being keyed
to the lower plate cannot rise. The said half cylinders are secured
together by a hoop of iron placed round them. The pattern of the
pipe end having the conical collar or projection upon it is divided into
five segmental pieces, each formed at the back with a dovetail groove,
into which takes a dovetail projection upon a conical centre piece
moved by a handle. The said pattern is placed in the centre of the
cylinder and bottom plate, and the space between the cylinder and
pattern is filled with moulding sand, which being suitably pressed and
stamped forms the mould for the outside of the pipe.
the said mould out of the frame without injuring it
taken off the outside cylinder, which then separates
which may be easily removed. The centre piece is then removed
from the segmental pattern, and each of the segments may be taken
out without injury to the mould, which is then ready for use and may
be added on to the mould of the body of the pipe.
In order to take
the iron hoop is
into two pieces
The Invention consists also in apparatus for giving back to the
circular springs above mentioned their exact sectional shape, which
may have been injured during the process of bending them into a
circular form. For this purpose a cylindrical die, the inner surface of

page_text: which is conical to suit the required shape of the outside of the circular
spring, is mounted on an iron annular plate and secured thereto by bolts or
studs. The circular spring having been driven into the said die three or
more segmental dies having on their outer surface the required shape
for the inner surface of the said circular spring are placed within the
said spring, and by means of a conical plug driven into the centre of
the segmental dies the said dies are forced against the inner surface of
the said spring and give it its required shape.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Hunter Henry Murdoch in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 26th April 1870.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, HUNTER
HENRY MURDOCH, of No. 7, Staple Inn, in the County of Middlesex,
Patent Agent, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Sixth 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 licirs and successors, give and
grant unto me, the said Hunter Henry Murdoch, Her special licence that
I, the said Hunter Henry Murdoch, my executors, administrators, and
assigns, or such others as I, the said Hunter Henry Murdoch, my exc-
cutors, administrators, and 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
AND APPARATUS FOR FORMING AND JOINING THE ENDS OF IRON AND OTHER TUBES OR
PIPES," a communication to me from abroad by Louis Alexandre Farjon,
of Brussels, in the Kingdom of Belgium, Engineer, upon the condition
(amongst others) that I, the said Hunter Henry Murdoch, my exc-
cutors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under my, or
their, or one of their hands and scals, 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

page_text: 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 Hunter Henry Murdoch, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same
is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement thereof, that is to say :-
This Invention consists of improvements on a former Invention for
which Louis Alexandre Farjon obtained Letters Patent, dated the 28th
of November 1866, No. 3136, in which Letters Patent his name was
mis-spelt "Fargon." That Invention relates to certain arrangements
whereby metallic tubes or pipes are connected with each other by means
of a strip of rolled lead placed round the ends of the pipes to be joined,
the said lead being forced into hollows or channels formed in the outer
surface of the pipes and secured in position by a hoop of wrought iron
driven over the lead..
Now the present Invention consists, firstly, of the improved mode
herein-after described of forming the joints of pipes or tubes whereby
greater simplicity and economy are obtained. The ends of the pipes on
the outside are formed of rather greater diameter than the body of the
said pipes, tapering down so as to form a conical collar or projection.
round the ends of the said pipes.. A strip of lead is shaped by casting.
or rolling so as to fit the conical projections on the ends of, two pipes,
and the said strip. of lead is formed with a central rib underneath, which,
said rib projects into a space left between the ends of the pipes to
prevent them from touching each other, and to allow of their expanding..
The said strip of lead is placed round the respective ends of the pipes,.
and its two ends. are joined by a tenon formed on one end of the strip
taking into a channel or space cut in the other end of the said strip
to receive the said tenon. The said strip is held in position and pressed
on to the ends of the pipes by a band of iron rolled specially for the
purpose, its lower surface being shaped to fit the lead on the pipe ends,
and its upper surface being slightly conical, that is to say, thicker on one
side than on the other. The said band of iron is bent round to form a
ring or hoop, which can open to pass on to the lead, and its diameter
being rather smaller than that of the lead the said ring or hoop forms a
circular spring to press upon the said lead and hold it in position, and
the said iron hoop or circular spring is further pressed on to the
lead, and its ends are caused to meet or nearly so by a press collar of

page_text: the following construction:-A piece of iron is formed at its lower end
in shape like a crescent or a portion of a circle, to fit and rest upon the
circular spring on the pipe ends. On the upper surface of the said
crescent piece is a lug projecting upwards, to which is jointed one end
of a lever, and also one end of a belt of iron or steel, which said belt
passes round the circular spring on the pipe ends, and is jointed at its
other end to the said lever at a little distance from that end which is
jointed to the projecting lug of the crescent piece. By turning the lever
the belt is drawn tight round the pipe ends and closes the circular spring
upon the lead, compressing the said lead and forming a perfectly tight
joint. The circular spring being thus firmly fixed a ring or hoop, the
inner surface of which is conical to fit the outside conical surface of the
circular spring, is driven on to the said spring and firmly binds the whole
together. In some cases two binding hoops may be used, one on each
side of the joint. The protruding or superfluous portions of lead are then
punched up as is usual in such cases.
This Invention consists further of the improved mode herein-after
described of moulding the ends of the pipes to be joined together
according to this Invention, in order to the said ends and the conical
collars or projections upon them being cast perfectly smooth and regular.
A circular bottom plate is formed with a lug on each side, through
each of which lugs passes a key bolt. Upon the said bottom plate is
mounted an iron cylinder with lugs corresponding with the lugs on the
lower plate. The said cylinder is formed of two half cylinders, being
divided longitudinally through its axis or centre and through the said
lugs, so that the two half cylinders may be separated laterally, but
being keyed to the lower plate cannot rise. The said half cylinders
are secured together by a hoop of iron placed round them. The pattern
of the pipe end having the conical collar or projection upon it is divided
into five segmental pieces, each formed at the back with a dovetail
groove, into which takes a dovetail projection upon a conical centre
piece moved by a handle. The said pattern is placed in the centre of the
cylinder and bottom plate, and the space between the cylinder and pattern
is filled with moulding sand, which being suitably pressed and stamped
forms the mould for the outside of the pipe. In order to take the said
mould out of the frame without injuring it the iron hoop is taken off
the outside cylinder, which then separates into two pieces, which may
be easily removed. The centre piece is then removed from the segmental

page_text: pattern, and each of the segments may be taken out without injury to
the mould, which is then ready for use and may be added on to the
mould of the body of the pipe.
The Invention consists also in apparatus for giving back to the
circular springs above mentioned their exact sectional shape which may
have been injured during the process of bending them into a circular
form. For this purpose a cylindrical die, the inner surface of which
is conical to suit the required shape of the outside of the circular spring,
is mounted on an iron annular plate, and secured thereto by bolts or studs.
The circular spring having been driven into the said die three or more
segmental dies having on their outer surface the required shape for the
inner surface of the said circular spring are placed within the said
spring, and by means of a conical plug driven into the centre of the
segmental dies the said dies are forced against the inner surface of the
said spring and give it its required shape.
Having thus described the nature of the Invention I will proceed to
describe with reference to the accompanying Drawing the manner in
which the same is to be performed.
Figure 1 represents in elevation partly in section three pipes A, A, A,
and the apparatus by means of which they are joined together according
to this Invention. The ends of the pipes A, A, on the outside are
formed with conical projections or collars a, a, upon them. When the
said pipes are set, end to end so as nearly to touch each other a strip of
lead b (shown separately in plan at Figure 2) shaped by casting or
rolling so as to fit the collars a of the pipes, and having underneath a
central rib 6' to project into the space between the said pipes is placed
round the respective ends of the pipes, and its two ends are joined by a
tenon, Figure 2, on one end of the strip taking into a channel or
space 63 cut in the other end of the said strip b. The said strip b is held
in position and pressed onto the ends of the pipes A by a band c made
of iron rolled specially for the purpose, its inner surface being shaped to
fit the outside of the lead b, and its outer surface being slightly conical,
as shown at Figure 1, by referring to which Figure it will be seen that
the conical portion of the said band may be inclined in either direction
as shown at c', c', or it may form a continuous incline in one direction
only, as shown at c², c³. The said band of iron c is bent round to forni
a ring which can open to pass on the collars a, a, and on to the lead b,

page_text: where it acts as a spring to press upon the lead and hold it in position,
and the circular band or spring c is further pressed on to the lead, and
its ends are caused to meet or nearly so by means of a press collar or
apparatus, which-may, be constructed as represented in front elevation at
Figure 3, and in plan at Figure 4. In these Figures 3 and 4. A, A,
represent part of the pipes, and a, Figure 3, represents the end of one of
the pipes. is the strip, of lead, and c the circular band or spring. The
press collar is composed of a belt of iron or steelf and a piece of iron d,
the lower end of which is curved so as, to fit and rest upon the circular
band or spring cat d', d. A lug d³ is formed on the upper part of the
said piece d, to which lug, is jointed at d' one end of a lever c, and also.
one end of the belt of iron or steel f, which passes round the circular
band or spring c, and at its other end f² is jointed to the lever e at e¹.
Near each end of the belt f is an opening or eye which hooks on to a
projection g, g, on the links or ends f, f, of the said belt so as to enable
the said belt to be readily connected to or disconnected from its ends f¹
and f. When the press collar is mounted as shown in the Drawing by
turning the lever e upwards on its fulcrum d, the belt fis drawn tight
round the pipe ends and closes the circular band or spring c on the
lead b. The press collar is then removed from the circular band or
spring c, and a ring or hoop. of iron D (sec Figure 1) the inner surface
of which is conical to fit the outer surface of the circular band or spring c
is driven on to the said circular band or spring c, and firmly binds the
whole together, as shown in elevation at Figure 1 which represents the
hoops D in position on the ends of the pipes A, A, A. In some cases
two binding hoops may be used, one on each side, as shown at D', D³,
Figure 1. The protruding ends of the lead bare then punched up in the
ordinary way. When it is required to disconnect pipes joined together
according to this Invention, the binding hoops are driven off the circular
bands or springs c, and the said springs are taken off from the lead b.
The lead is then removed, and the pipes may be placed in any other
position and again joined together if required with the same facility..
I will now proceed to describe the mode in which I prefer to mould
the ends of pipes to be joined together according to this Invention, in
order to the said ends with their conical collars being cast perfectly
smooth and regular.
Figure 5 represents a vertical section, and Figure 6 a plan of a
moulding frame constructed according to this part of the Invention.

page_text: a is a circular base plate formed with a lug a' on each side, through
which lugs pass the key bolts a², a²; b, b', are two half cylinders secured
together by a ring c placed round them. The two half cylinders b, b',
when secured together form one cylinder capable of being separated
laterally at its lugs b, b', which pass on to the key bolts a, a, and are
secured to the base plate a by keys a³, as; d is the pattern of the pipe end
with its conical collar or projection formed upon it at d. The said
pattern is divided into five segmental pieces c, e, e, e, e, each formed at
the back with a dovetail groove, into which takes one of the dovetail
projections ffff, f, on a conical centre piece y moved by a handle g';
the said pattern d is placed in the centre of the cylinder b, b, and the
space between the pattern and cylinder is filled with moulding sand,
which being suitably pressed and stamped and its upper surface having
been smoothed by a scraper i forms the mould for the outside of the pipe
end. In order to take the said mould out of the frame without injuring
it the hoop or ring c is taken off the outside of the cylinder b, b', which
then separates into two pieces, which may be removed laterally. The
centre piece g is then drawn out of the segmental pattern, and each of
the segments e, e, e, e, e, may be taken out of the mould, which is then
ready to be added on to the mould of the body of the pipe preparatory to
casting.
The apparatus for restoring to the circular bands or springs c,
Figure 1, their exact sectional shape which may have been injured during
the process of bending them is represented in vertical section at Figuro 7
and in plan at Figure 8. a is a cylindrical die, the inner surface of
which is conical to suit the required shape of the outside of the circular
band or spring. The said die a is mounted on an annular base plate b, to
which it is secured by studs or bolts b', b'. The circular band or spring c
having been driven into the die a, three or more segmental dies d, d, d,
having on their outer surface the required shape for the inner surface of
the circular band or spring c are placed within the said spring, and a
conical plug e is driven into the centre of the segmental dies d, d, d,
and forces the said dies against the inner surface of the circular band
or spring c, thus imparting to the said spring its required shape.
Having thus described the nature of this Invention as communicated
to me, and the manner in which the same is to be performed, I wish it
to be understood that I do not confine myself to the precise details
herein-before described and illustrated in the accompanying Drawing, as

page_text: the same may be varied without departing from the nature of the
Invention, but I claim, the improvements in forming and joining the
ends of iron and other tubes or pipes as herein-before described and
illustrated in the accompanying Drawing, that is to say, forming the pipes
as described with a conical collar or projection on each end, and placing
round the adjacent ends of the said pipes thus formed a strip of lead
upon which a circular band or spring of iron is placed and tightened so
as to compress the lead, and finally fixing the said iron band or circular
spring and strip of lead in position by means of a metallic ring, or of
several such rings driven over the said iron band or circular spring,
essentially as described and represented.
In witness whereof, I, the said Hunter Henry Murdoch, have
hereunto set my hand and seal, this Twenty-fifth day of April,
in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy.
Witness,
B. WILLCOX,
his Clerk.
H. H. MURDOCH. (L.S.)