Improvements in Couplings for Pipes or Conduits.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 16th Aug., 1898-Accepted, 14th Jan., 1899
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Couplings for Pipes or Conduits.
We, NELSON HERBERT MEDBERY, of 86, Weybosset Street, Inventor, BYRON
THOMAS POTTER, of 8, Stimson Avenue, Broker, and CHARLES ALFRED POTTER, of
161, Fountain Street, Chemist, all of Providence, Rhode Island, United States of
America, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the
same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by
the following statement:-
The invention has reference to an improvement in the construction of couplings
used to connect two or more conduits together. In railway trains, and par-
ticularly in trains made up of passenger coaches, pipes or conduits are used to
carry steam to the several vehicles, and for conveying air to the brakes of the
several vehicles, and frequently, for connecting the several vehicles with a
pneumatic signal. In other arts, air, gas, and liquid conveying pipes or conduits
have to be connected with and disconnected from apparatus in which they are
used, in the attachments used to carbonate and force beer from the barrel to
the tap, the carbonic acid pipe and the beer pipe have to be each separately
coupled or connected.
The object of the present invention is to provide a coupling by which two or
more conduits may be connected simultaneously.
Another object of the invention is to provide a coupling in which the conduits
or passages are closed by the act of uncoupling and opened by the act of coupling
the parts together; and to this end the invention consists in the peculiar and
novel construction of the coupling, as will be hereinafter more fully set forth..
In the accompanying drawings:
Figure 1 is a sectional view of my improved valve coupling, showing the same
connected in solid lines, and in the disconnected position in broken lines.
Figure 2, is a sectional view at right angles to the view in Figure 1, and
taken through the centre of the coupling of the valve.
Figure 3 is an end view.
Figure 4 is a transverse sectional view through the ports, showing the valve
in the closed position.
Figure 5, is a sectional view through the ports, showing the valve in the open
position.
Figure 6 is a sectional view of a coupling, and a view of the two part valve
connected by means of a bayonet attachment in place of the screw threaded
attachment shown in Figures 1 and 2.
Figure 7 is a sectional view of the two part coupling and the two part valve
shown in Figure 6.
Figure 8 is a cross sectional view showing a modified form of the coupling,
having four ports and the central valve provided with four ducts so that con-
nections may be made between four ducts by connecting the coupling.
Similar reference letters refer to corresponding parts in all the figures.
A A indicate the two. couplings, and B B the valves in the couplings, the

page_text: couplings are provided with two or more ducts as shown in the drawings, they
have the ducts A1 and A2 in, all the figures but has in addition thereto the
ducts A3 and A. The valves BB have a corresponding number of ducts, in all
the figures except Figure 8, they have the ducts B1 and B2, while in Figure 8,
there are in addition thereto the ducts 133, and Beach one of the ducts in the 5
valves BB is provided with a. port C, which, when opposite the ducts in the
couplings, forms a passage through the coupling between the ducts connected
with the opposite ends of the coupling.
Referring now to Figures 1 and 2, the valves B, have the cylindrical, slightly
conical ends B fitting in corresponding sockets A formed in each of the two 1
coupling parts A A, the split spring-ring B placed in a conical groove in the
coupling bears on the closed end of the valve Band keeps the same in place when
the coupling is disconnected. The two valves BB overlap each other on the
diagonal line 17, and a suitable packing-ring may be placed, in the joint pre-
ferably secured to one of the inclined faces of the diagonal extensions B.
The end portions of the valves BB are provided with screw threads B8 and
the couplings with screw threads on part of the interior surface so that the screw
threaded ends of the valves enter the unthreaded portion of the socket of the
coupling and, by a partial rotation of the valves, the screw-threaded portions of
the valves will enter the screw-threads formed in the sockets of the coupling, and
thus secure the valves and couplings together. The closed ends of the valves are
each provided with a projecting boss B9, and the couplings with the stops A6 A6.
The ducts A2 A2 connect, when the coupling is secured, with the ports C2, C3 and
the duct B2 while the ducts A'A' connect through the chambers aa shown in
Figure 2, with the ducts C¹C₁ and the duct 131 extending through the valve B
in connecting the coupling the two parts are held so that the screw threaded
ends of the valves BB enter the opposite sockets of the two parts of the
coupling, on the unthreaded portions of the sockets, until the diagonal faces B7
are in close contact, the two parts of the coupling are now partially turned in
opposite directions, the stops Aº come in contact with the bosses B9 on the
valves B and turn the valves so that the screw-threaded ends of the valves enter
the partial screw-threaded portion A of the sockets and draw the valves and
couplings together, and also bring the ports C, in the valves opposite the ducts,
in the coupling.
In separating the coupling, the other stops A6 come in contact with the
bosses B9 on the closed ends of the valves and turn the valves to close the
ports C, C, while the ends of the valves turn out of the screw threaded portion
of the coupling; thereby closing the ports in the act of uncoupling and opening
the ports in the act of coupling, and dispensing with the use of auxiliary valves
for controlling the several ducts.
In the modified form shown in Figures 6, 7, and 8, the two parts of the valves
are secured together by means of a bayonet joint and are turned so as to open
and close the ports by a pin projecting from one of the two parts of the coupling
into a slot on the part of the valve connected with the coupling. In this construc-
tion one of the couplings is provided with a socket A8 and in this socket is formed
the annular groove A, the other coupling has a sleeve which enters the socket As
and is provided with the pin A0 which enters the groove A9 by the longitudinal
groove Athis part of the coupling is also provided with the pin A12 which
extends into the slot A13 in the valve B, the part of the coupling A provided with
the socket A8 has the pin A4 which enters the cam slot A5, formed in the surface
of the valve B, the two parts of the valve B, are in the act of connecting the
coupling, secured together by means of two or more dowel pins A16.
Figure 6, shows the two parts of the coupling brought together, the valves
may be separated by moving the two parts of the coupling longitudinally, the
coupling may be connected by turning one part so that the pin A0 enters the
annular groove A³, this is usually done by turning the part of the coupling
on
1

page_text: the right hand of the figure and this movement brings the pin A¹ to the oppo-
site end of the slot A¹³, and also brings the ducts of that end of the coupling
opposite the ports C, C, in one end of the valve, the two parts of the valve now
turn together with the right hand end of the coupling, the pin A14 enters the
cam slot A5 and the ports on the opposite end of the valve B are brought oppo-
site the ducts in the coupling. In coupling, the pin A12 moves the length of
the slot A3. This closes the ports on the right hand end of the coupling, a
further turn closes the ports on the left hand end of the coupling, and moves the
pin A into the position in the slot A5 shown in Figure 6, when the two parts
of the coupling may be drawn apart with all the ducts closed one-eighth of a
turn of one end of the coupling, connects the coupling and opens all the ports so
that two or more ducts can thus be simultaneously connected. One-eighth of a
turn also disconnects the coupling and closes all the ports so that no auxiliary
valves are required, and two or more ducts may be thus connected or disconnected
at one simple operation.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
invention. and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what
we claim is:-
1. The combination with the two parts of a coupling, each provided with the
two or more ducts, of a two part valve, longitudinally divided into two or more
ducts closed at the opposite ends and provided with two or more ports, the said
two part valves being connected by the two parts of the coupling, and the ducts
connected by the partial rotation of the valve; whereby two or more ducts may
be simultaneously, connected or disconnected, as described.
2. In combination, the two parts of a coupling, and connections for securing
the coupling together, ducts connecting with the coupling, a two-part rotatable,
cylindrical valve, one part in each of the two parts of the coupling, and ports in
ends of the valve; whereby, on partially turning the valve, the ports in the valve
and ducts in the coupling are connected, and the two parts of the coupling are
locked together, as described.
3. In combination, the two parts of a coupling, two or more ducts connecting
with the two parts of the coupling, connections for securing the two parts of the
coupling together, a two part cylindrical valve, one part connected with each of
the two parts of the coupling, two or more ducts in the valve and ports in the
valve for connecting the ducts in the valve with the ducts in the coupling,
whereby, by the partial rotation of the valve, two or more passages are opened
through the coupling, as described.
4. In a coupling, the combination with one part of the coupling provided with
two or more ducts near one end, a socket A8 and the annular groove A³ connect-
ing with the groove All on the other end, and the pin A4, of the other part of
the coupling. provided also with two or more ducts, and with the pins A¹º,
and A2, the two part cylindrical valve B having two or more ducts and the
dowel A connecting the two parts of the valve, the ports C, C, near the closed
ends of the valve, the slot A13 and the cam slot A15; whereby the coupling parts
are secured together and the valve is operated to open the ports in coupling and
close the ports in uncoupling, as described.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicants.