Improvements relating to the Manufacture and Packing of Flange Joints.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 9th Apr., 1894-Accepted, 7th July, 1894
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements relating to the Manufacture and Packing of
Flange Joints.
I, FERNANDO ALSINA, commonly called Fernando Alsina Parellada, of Rue
Codols 16, Barcelona, in the Kingdom of Spain, Manufacturer, 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 object of this invention is to produce an improved method of making
hermetic and resistent joints for flanges and similar meeting surfaces.
The method-generally heretofore adopted in all countries for producing such
joints in apparatus where steam is produced or used in pipes, tubes or vessels and
generally wherever gases or liquids are confined under pressure-consists in
turning the surface of the flanges to be united, interposing between the two
turned faces of the flanges-before they are connected-a sufficient quantity of
a compressible substance such as asbestos, mastic, rubber,. leather, etc., the
purpose being, that when the two plates are brought together by the aid of
bolts etc., the interposed substance may extend over the surface between the two
flanges of the plates, to oppose the passage of liquid or gas.
The process which forms the object of this invention consists first in providing
on one or both meeting surfaces of the flanges, a groove of angular section of which
the one side or wall, namely that lying nearer the centre from which the pressure
to be withstood will arrive, is steeper than the other. This steeper side may be
called the base. This groove is hollowed out at that part of the flange which
lies as near as possible to the inner edge of the tube, cylinder, etc., where the
pressure will be felt, and its breadth should be from about five to twenty
millimetres.
The improved method further consists in turning up the surface of the flange for
a width of from 5 to 20 millimetres on both sides of the said groove, while the rest
of the surface is turned or otherwise set back in order that it may not meet the
opposing face.
Mastic or sheathing-hair or other substance for producing the joint, is inserted
in the said groove only, while the set back parts are covered with a layer of softer
material or more fluid mastic; but where asbestos, rubber, or leather are employed
it is only applied in the space comprising the groove and its turned up borders.
Thereupon the flanges are brought together by the aid of bolts, etc., as usual.
Fig. 1 of the annexed drawing illustrates a flange joint as generally heretofore
made, and
Figs. 23 and 4 indicate the same flange joint provided with the new system of
jointing, forming the object of this invention.
The flanges A and B of the pipes D and E in Fig. 1 are turned true all over
their surfaces and the mastic, sheathing hair or the like F, forming the junction or
connection, extends over the whole surface of the flanges.
On the contrary the flange A of the pipe D in Figs. 2 and 3, is provided
on its surface with a groove G, forming a corner the base of which, as previously
explained, directed towards the inner edge of the flange and the vertex toward
the exterior edge. It is necessary that this groove be placed as near as possible
to the inner border of the flange in order that the surface under the action of

page_text: the liquid or gas enclosed, be as small as possible and that the leverage at the
supporting point of the bolts be as far from the point of junction as possible.
It may be mentioned here that the arrangement shown in Fig. 2 is preferable
to that shown in Fig. 3.
At each side of the groove G is a raised border of smooth surface H and H¹ and
the remainder J is set back so as not to form part of the joint.
From this arrangement it results that the junction is restricted to the
portion HG H₁ of the plate, and nearly all of the mastic is lodged in the
groove G only the portions H and H' only receive a very thin coating layer.
In cases where caout-chouc or leather or asbestos is used, this substance is applied
after being cut out in a strip or collar of about an equal width with that
of H G H
Lastly by pressing together the flanges by the aid of the bolts C, the cavity J
permits a most efficient junction to be attained at the border H', and the excess of
mastic, caout-chouc, asbestos, etc., will penetrate the groove G and the surface H,
thus completing the junction. The construction of the groove G in angular form
has for its purpose, that the effort made by the liquid or gas, tending to escape
through the junction is directed against the base of the corner G, formed by
the packing, thus helping to drive the packing into the acute apex between the
further side of the groove and the opposite surface thus tightening the junction at
the part H'.
This new joint constructed according to this invention has several advantages, of
which may be mentioned the following:
The turned surfaces of the flanges are very narrow, whereas those of the present
time occupy the whole extent of the flange. Consequently as the action of the
bolts, which compress the interposed substance and counterbalance the pressure of
the liquids or gases in the interior remains the same, this action effects a much
superior effect inasmuch as said action is exerted on a smaller surface. It is therefore
evident that the result obtained is much taore effective in comparison to that
attained hitherto.
It also follows from the above statement that in the joints produced by the new
method, the number of bolts necessary for maintaining a good joint is less or these
bolts may be of a smaller diameter whereby effecting a saving in first cost and
repairs; lastly the flange itself is not weakened so much owing to the less number
of holes or their smaller diameter respectively.
The quantity of asbestos or other substance interposed in these improved joints
is less than that used at present for making the ordinary joints, giving a further
saving in cost.
Disconnecting is done very readily owing to the small space occupied by the
packing used, and to the facility given by the set-back J. Whereas joints in
present use are often very difficult to disconnect and at times attempts even at
disconnection result in breaking the flanges.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, 1 declare that what I
claim is :-
:-
1. An improved method of producing flange joints, or meeting surface joints by
working out upon the one or both of the meeting surfaces a groove of angular
sectional form having a steeper side or base nearer to the edge from which
pressure is expected and a flatter side to form an acute apex with the opposite
surface further from the said edge.
2. A flange or meeting surface having a groove as aforesaid and a raised border
on both sides of the groove, while the remaining surface is set back so as not to
form part of the joint with the neighbouring flange.
3. The combination with flanges or meeting surfaces having grooves, raised
borders thereto and set back portions as described, of a packing applied in the
groove and between the raised borders only; the plates then being forced and held

page_text: against one another in the usual way by the aid of bolts or otherwise substantially
as and for the purpose set forth.
Dated this 9th day of April 1894
R. HADDAN,
Of the Firm of Herbert Haddan & Co.,
18, Buckingham Street, Strand, London, Agent for Applicant.