An Improved Connection or Coupling for use in conjunction with Cylinders, Flasks, and Vessels containing Gases and Fluids under High Pressure.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 24th Dec., 1892
Complete Specification Left, 24th Oct., 1893-Accepted, 25th Nov., 1893
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Connection or Coupling for use in conjunction with
Cylinders, Flasks, and Vessels containing Gases and Fluids under
High Pressure.
We THE MANCHESTER OXYGEN (BRIN'S PATENT) COMPANY LIMITED of
Great Marlborough Street, Manchester, in the County of Lancaster, and
WILLIAM MORTON JACKSON of the said Company, Chemist, do hereby declare
the nature of this invention to be as follows
Our said invention relates to an improved coupling or connection suitable for
application to the valve outlet or other suitable part of cylinders, flasks or vessels
containing a gas such for example as oxygen or other fluid under high pressure.
At the valve outlet where the connection is to be applied we form a small
cylindrical thimble or nose standing up from a flat faced surface. On opposite
sides of the thimble we form undercut locking recesses to receive wings projecting
from the connection to be applied. The wings and recesses have preferably a
slight swell on their contact surfaces so as to tend to draw the connection down on
the seat and are so shaped or fitted as to lock themselves together when properly
engaged with each other.
This connection may consist of a short cylindrical length having its foot formed
with the aforesaid locking wings.
The
In the foot of the connection we form an undercut recess aad we place therein a
packing piece of vulcanised rubber or other suitable material having an upper
flange which is sprung or otherwise secured in the undercut portion of the recess.
Another annular surface of the rubber is intended to press on the top of the afore-
said nipple while a reduced prolongation of the rubber enters the interior of the
nipple for a short distance. The nipple is bored to communicate with the passage
or valve and the rubber and connection are also perforated so that when the
connection is effected the pressure from the cylinder will pass through the nipple,
rubber and connection to the desired point. As the pressure passes through the
rubber packing, it distends the rubber in all directions and presses it against the
nipple and also against the undercut recess of the connection with such force as to
pack tightly and close every way by which the pressure might escape.
connection is easily made by simply placing the wings opposite the undercut
recesses and giving the connection a quarter of a turn. A quarter of a turn
backward will also release the connection. The rubber packing might be
secured in any desired manner in the recess in the foot of the connection and
is preferably furnished with a brass face on the annular part which presses on
the end of the nipple. We might make suitable provision to prevent the
blowing away of the connection from the nipple when the connection is released
or otherwise to permit of the escape of the small volume of compressed gas
contained in the connection when it is removed. It will be evident that so long as
the requisite parts come opposite to and fit each other these parts might be
differently arranged from the combination set forth.
For example, the nipple and the locking recess might be on the connection and
the wings and packed recess on the valve outlet in connection with the cylinder.
Also instead of turning the connection itself, a loose box nut placed thereon or on
the opposite part might be used to jamb the packed connection together.
Dated this 23rd day of December 1892:

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Connection or Coupling for use in conjunction with
Cylinders, Flasks, and Vessels containing Gases and Fluids
under High Pressure.
We THE MANCHESTER OXYGEN (BRIN'S PATENT) COMPANY LIMITED Of
Great Marlborough Street, Manchester, in the County of Lancaster, and WILLIAM
MORTON JACKSON of the said Company, Chemist, 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 and accompanying
drawings :-
Our said invention relates to improved couplings or connections suitable for
application to the valve outlet or other suitable part of cylinders, flasks or vessels
containing a gas such for example as oxygen or other fluid under high pressure.
To render our invention clearly understood we will now proceed to describe the
Bame more particularly with reference to the annexed sheet of drawings.
In the Provisional Specification it will be noted that the gist of the invention
apart from the mere details of the readily applied connection (which details are
capable of many modifications) consists practically in the combination of such an
easily applied connection as we describe, with the self packing rubber joint. We
pointed out in the said Provisional Specification that the several meeting and inter-
locking parts might be arranged indifferently on the part containing the valve
outlet, or on the connection, and we also in the last paragraph pointed to
modifications in the parts for effecting more easy connection, indicating for example
that we might use a revolving ring or nut on the connection instead of turning the
connection itself to engage the wings and grooves. As a matter of fact experiment
has convinced us that to turn the connection itself when interlocking the wings and
grooves is undesirable and in some cases impracticable, so that we do not illustrate
such a connection but pass on at ouce to the loose revolvable ring or nut mounted
on the connection.
Fig. 1 is an outside view of the valve outlet fitting A of a cylinder B, intended
to contain a gas or fluid under high pressure.
Fig. 2 is a sectional view of the fitting and the connection.
The detachable
connection is marked C. The face of the valve outlet in the fitting A, is recessed
out and the recess is filled in with a rubber packing ring a. The recess is undercut
at a¹ and a flange formed on the foot of the rubber occupies this undercut and so
helps to prevent the rubber from becoming disturbed. To keep the rubber more
effectually in the recess.we may thread the recess and screw in an annular ring b
which holds the rubber down. A reduced prolongation a² of the rubber at the
upper end, enters the foot of a thimble c which is screwed upon the lower end of
the connection C. This screwed or brazed on thimble e also serves as a stop to
keep in its place the revolvable shell d which can be slipped upon the attachment
before securing the thimble o in position.
The locking ring or shell d is shown apart and mounted upon the connection C in
Fig. 3. The shell d consists simply of a ring, a part of the side being cut out as shown
on the left side of Fig. 3 to suffer the stop e to pass when the shell is being slipped
upon the connection. The gap is not carried quite to the foot of the shell but stops
short by the depth of the locking rings ff. These rings project from the foot of the
shell on each side as shown plainly in the plan view of the shell Fig. 4. The wings
are rounded or inclined at the leading ends or noses so as to slip more readily into
locking engagement with the undercut stops g g¹ on the top of the valve outlet
fitting A which is shown in plan at Fig. 5. The shell d is formed with capstan
studs hh whereby the shell is turned to engage with or become freed from the
fitting A.
The stop e projects from the side of the connection and a slit is cut in the
shell dat right angles to the aforesaid gap into which the stop e slips when the

page_text: shell is turned. The upper edge of the slit carries a slight protuberance i which
snaps in front of the stop e when the connection C has been applied and connected
to the fitting. The connection is applied and locked in position as follows.
The shell on the connection C is turned until the stop e on the connection is
covered by the wing f. The connection is then inserted into the fitting, the wings
passing down through the spaces jj in the top of the fitting A and which are shown
dark in Fig. 5.
The foot of the connection goes over the prolongation a² of the rubber packing a,
and the connection is pressed down upon the rubber ring till the wings f, can be
turned to slip beneath the undercut stops g, g¹ on the top of the fitting A. The
shell is then turned by means of the capstan studs h, h, the wings f, f¹ slipping
beneath the stops 9 g' and the protuberance i riding upon the upper edge of the
stop e. As the sleeve is being turned, a slight swell on the wings causes the
connection to be more tightly drawn down upon the rubber packing, and the pro-
tuberance i riding upon the upper edge of the stop e at last snaps in front of the
stop as shown in Fig. 3. This locks the connection in position and holds it, so that
it cannot readily be turned back without pressing the connection downwards
against the rubber which acts as a sort of locking spring. Any other suitable
locking means might be used. The stop e occupies one of the spaces jj' in the
fitting, and the connection is thus prevented from turning round on its seat.
the connection has been applied in the described manner, the outlet valve which is
contained in the branch A of the fitting A may be turned so as to allow the gas or
fluid from the cylinder B to flow through the connection. The pressure while
passing through the rubber packing a, tends to burst it outward and the
prolongation a is pressed so tightly against the inner side of the thimble c that no
gas can possibly pass downward or escape at this point.
When
The pressure also tends to jamb the connection C so tightly in position that
accidental or even intentional removal of the connection, before the pressure has
been cut off is almost impossible. But when the pressure is cut off and the residue
of high pressure in the connection itself released, the shell d may be turned-back
and the connection removed with the greatest ease and readiness.
A modification of the method of coupling is shown in Figs. 6, 7 and 8 of the
drawings. In this instance a revolvable ring d (shown separately in Fig. 7) is
held between shoulders on the foot of the connection C which is of a slightly
different type from that shown in the preceding views. The valve outlet fitting A
is identical with that already shown and described. A lever projects upward
from the ring. When the connection is applied to the outlet fitting as in Fig. 7
this lever projects upward through one of the openings jj in the top of the
fitting so that it may be laid hold of to turn the ring d and thus engage or
disengage the connection to or from the fitting. Instead of having the lever
curving upwards through the space ; as shown it might extend straight to the
outside of the fitting, a gap and slot being cut to allow it to pass through the side
of the fitting; but we prefer the arrangement shown. It will be seen that this
method of effecting the coupling of the connection to the fitting does not materially
differ from the mode described with reference to Figs. 1 to 5.
Figs. 9, 10 and 11 illustrate another method of quickly applying the con-
nection C to the valve outlet fitting A. Here, instead of using the revolvable
connection or shell or ring with interlocking wings as described, we make use of
spring pivotted catches. The top of the fitting A is formed so as to present an
undercut recess as clearly shown in Fig. 9, which undercut recess may be formed
as shown in Fig. 9 by screwing in an annular ring k, so as to leave a space between
the under side of the ring and the bottom of the recess. Grooves kk' are cut in
the sides of the ring k (see Fig. 10) to allow of the entry of the spring catches /
which are recessed into opposite sides of the connection C and pivotted upon
studs m m.
The lower ends of the catches are kept out by flat springs which
appear in dotted lines behind the catches in Fig. 9. In Fig. 11 the connection C
is shown separately at right angles to Fig. 9. In effecting the coupling of the

page_text: connection C to the fitting A the foot of the connection is simply pushed into the
recess in the fitting; the catches 1, 1 yield inward and pass down through the
grooves k¹k and then snap outwards beneath the ring so as to be held in position
thereby. The tails of the spring catches remain in the grooves and thus
prevent the connection from being turned round in its seat when the valve spindle
is operated.
It will be observed that all of these modifications are used in combination with
the self packing rubber joint a the employment of this packing for the specific
purpose or purposes referred to being the essential feature and gist of our
invention.
The jamb ring for holding the rubber packing securely in its seating might in
some cases be dispensed with. The rubber might be cemented in its recess or it
might be retained by screwing it into the recess or by forming the recess into a
vee rib o as shown in Fig. 12, which rib would engage with a similarly shaped
groove in the rubber and so serve to hold it in situ.
Although we have throughout instanced rubber as the material from which the
packing is made, any other suitable material possessing the requisite pliability and
elasticity might be used. Also we wish it to be understood that we do not consider
that the revolvable connections, or shells or rings or the spring catches described
are to be considered as exhaustive of the means we might use to effect a ready
connection or in combination with the improved self packing rubber or other joint.
For example by forming the end of the connection with a screw thread to engage
with a similarly threaded recess in the outlet valve fitting, the same result would
be attained as that reached by the employment of the interlocking wings and
undercut recesses. It is also evident that the interlocking wings and undercut
recesses and also the spring catches might be arranged to engage with the outside
instead of with the inside of the fitting, the result being the same.
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. As an adjunct to means for coupling the connections with the outlet valve
fittings of cylinders and flasks containing gases under high pressure, the self closing
packing a of rubber or other suitable or equivalent material, formed, applied and
acting substantially as described and shown.
2. As a coupling for readily and effectually uniting the usual connections of
high pressure gas cylinders and flasks to the outlet valve fittings of the same, the
combination of the rubber or other packing a forming the subject matter of
Claim 1 with mechanical means such as those described and illustrated in the
drawings or any mere modification thereof, the said mechanical means being
intended to quickly secure the parts together, and to act in unison with the afore-
said automatic rubber packing.
3. The coupling as and for the indicated purposes constituted by a combination
of the aforesaid automatic rubber packing a and the revolvable connection, shell
or ring having wings which engage with undercut recesses or stops, and provided
preferably with a snap lock arrangement to prevent the too easy disengagement of
the parts substantially as described and as illustrated in Figs. 1 to 8 of the
drawings.
4. A coupling for effecting the speedy and secure engagement of the con-
nections of high pressure gas cylinders with the valve outlet fittings, said coupling
consisting of the combination of a rubber packing a with spring catch connection
substantially as described and as is illustrated in Figs. 9 to 11 of the drawings.
Dad : 09-1 1- of Ontah- 1009
E. K. DUTTON & Co.,
5, John Dalton Street, Manchester, Agents.