IMPROVEMENTS IN THE JOINTS OF PIPES OR TUBES
Year: 1872

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 THE JOINTS OF PIPES OR TUBES."-A communication
from abroad by Henri Alexandre Roche, of Wassy, in the Depart-
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Hunter Henry Murdoch
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 3rd December 1872.
I, HUNTER HENRY MURDOCH, of No. 7, Staple Inn, in the County of
Middlesex, Patent Agent, do hereby declare the nature of the said Inven-
tion for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE JOINTS OF PIPES OR TUBES," to be as
follows:-
This Invention consists of an improved joint for pipes or tubes, which
joint is capable of resisting any ordinary pressure within the said pipes
or tubes, and at the same time is sufficiently elastic and yielding to

page_text: allow of the expansion and contraction, and or slight movement of the
said pipes, without losing its perfectly impervious, or water, air, and
steam tight character, the said pipes being easily joined or disconnected
in any position.
According to this Invention the ends of the pipes or tubes are joined
together by a circular belt of vulcanized india-rubber passed over annular
ribs or projections and grooves formed around the ends of the pipes, a
metal collar made in two halves hinged together being placed upon the
said india-rubber belt, and secured thereon by means of a pin passing
through lugs on the free ends of the said halves. Upon each end of the
pipes to be joined according to this Invention are cast or otherwise
formed two annular projections or ribs separated one from the other by
an annular groove or channel so that the outside of the ends of the said
pipes present an undulating surface. The second projection or rib is of
a similar form to the first, being situated just behind the channel above
described. The india-rubber belt is made of suitable width and thick-
ness to cover the first of the annular projections or ribs on the ends of
each of the two adjoining pipes, and to rise to near the peripheries of
the second annular projections or ribs, and the edges or ends at each side
of the said india-rubber belt are turned up so as to form a flange round
each side of the said belt.
The interior of the metal collar placed round the said india-rubber
belt upon the ends of the pipes is formed so as to correspond in section
with the sectional figure of the annular ribs and grooves around the
pipe ends, i.e., annular projections and grooves formed around the said
collar correspond respectively with the grooves and projections around
the pipe ends (room being allowed for the belt) when the said pipe ends
are covered by the india-rubber belt as described.
When the pipes to be joined are placed end to end in the position
they are to occupy, the india-rubber belt is placed round the ends
of the said pipes so as to embrace those of the annular projections
around the said pipes which adjoin one another, and to fill the channels
between the first and second projections. The collar is then placed over
the said india-rubber belt and closed round the said pipe ends, and is
secured in position by the pin passed through the lugs aforesaid. The
said belt is thus compressed between the said pipes and the collar so, as
to make a tight joint.

page_text: The india-rubber of which the belt or band is made must be prepared
and manufactured so as to suit the peculiar purposes for which the pipes
are intended.
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 2nd June 1873.
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 Third day of December, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-two, in the
thirty-sixth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said Hunter Henry Murdoch, Her special
license that I, the said Hunter Henry Murdoch, my executors, adminis-
trators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Hunter Henry
Murdoch, my executors, 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 makė,
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 THE JOINTS OF PIPES OR TUBES," a communication to me
from abroad by Henri Alexandre Roche, of Wassy, in the Department of
Haute Marne, France, Engineer, upon the condition (amongst others)
that I, the said Hunter Henry Murdoch, my executors or administrators,
by an instrument in writing under my, or their, or one of their hands
and seals, 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
Patcut.
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 :—

page_text: This Invention consists of an improved joint for pipes or tubes, which
joint is capable of resisting any ordinary pressure within the said pipes
or tubes, and at the same time is sufficiently elastic and yielding to
allow of the expansion and contraction, and of slight movement of the
said pipes without losing its perfectly impervious, or water, air, and
steam tight character, the said pipes being easily joined or disconnected
in any position.
According to this Invention the ends of the pipes or tubes are joined
together by a circular annular belt of vulcanized india-rubber passed
over annular ribs or projections and grooves formed around the ends of
the pipes, a metal collar made in two halves hinged together being
placed upon the said india-rubber belt, and secured thereon by means of
a pin passing through lugs on the free ends of the said halves. Upon
each end of the pipes to be joined according to this Invention are cast
or otherwise formed two annular projections or ribs "separated one from
the other by an annular groove or channel, so that the outside of the
ends of the said pipes presents an undulating surface. The second pro-
jection or rib is of similar form to the first, being situated just behind
the channel above described. The india-rubber belt is made of suitable
width and thickness to cover the first of the annular projections or ribs
on the ends of each of the two adjoining pipes, and to rise to near the
peripheries of the second annular projections or ribs, and the edges or
ends at each side of the said india-rubber belt are turned up so as to form
a flange round each side of the said belt.
The interior of the metal collar placed round the said india-rubber
belt upon the ends of the pipes is formed so as to correspond in section
with the sectional figure of the annular ribs and grooves around the
pipe ends.
The annular projections and grooves formed around the said
collar correspond respectively with the grooves and projections around
the pipe ends (room being allowed for the belt) when the said pipe ends
are covered by the india-rubber belt as described.
When the pipes to be joined are placed end to end in the position
they are to occupy the india-rubber belt is placed round the ends of the
said pipes so as to embrace those of the annular projections around the
said pipes, which adjoin one another, and so fill the channels between
the first and second projections. The collar is then placed over the said
india-rubber belt and closed round the said pipe ends, and is secured in

page_text: position by the pin passed through the lugs aforesaid. The said belt is
thus compressed between the said pipes and the collar so as to make a
tight joint.
Having now described the nature of this Invention, I will proceed to
describe the manner in which the same is to be performed, reference
being had to the accompanying Drawing and to the figures and letters
marked thereon.
Figure 1 is a side elevation of two pipes joined together according to
this Invention; Figure 2 is an end view of the same, partly in section;
Figure 3 is a longitudinal section of the same; Figure 4 is an elevation of
the two pipes with the india-rubber belt in position upon the pipes;
Figure 5 is a longitudinal section of the india-rubber belt. In all these
Figures like parts are indicated by the same letters of reference.
A, A', are the two pipes to be joined together. Upon each end of the
said pipes are formed two annular ribs or projections B, B, B¹, B',
between which are the grooves or channels C, C¹, as seen in section at
Figure 3. Round the ends of the two adjoining pipes A, A', thus formed
is placed the india-rubber belt D, shown in section at Figure 5, the ends
of which belt D are turned up so as to form the flanges D', D¹. Figure 4
represents in elevation the said india-rubber belt D in position upon the.
pipe ends; Figure 3 represents the same in longitudinal section with
the hinged cast or wrought iron collar E placed over the said india-
rubber belt D on the pipe ends. The inner surface of the said iron
collar E is formed with projections and depressions or hollows corre-
sponding respectively with the depressions and projections or ribs upon
the pipe ends as shown at Figure 3. The said collar E is hinged at E',
and at E it is provided with lugs which are secured and locked together
by the pin F passing through them.
It will be seen by reference to Figure 3 that the two pipe ends when
joined together do not touch each other, the space left between them
allowing a certain amount of flexibility to the pipes and providing for
the effects of expansion and contraction produced by the changes of
temperature.
If preferred, the projecting ribs marked i, i, upon the inner surface of
the collar E may be made separate from the said collar so as to form two
hinged rings of the same section as the said projections i, i, which rings
may be fastened round the india-rubber belt D in the position shown

page_text: by i, i, Figure 3. The collar E which in that case is formed without the
said projections i, i, may then be closed upon the belt D, and rings i, i,
in the manner herein-before described, and will secure the whole
together.
"
Having now described the nature of this Invention and the manner of
carrying the same into effect, I wish it to be understood that I do not
confine myself to the precise details herein-before described and illus-
trated in the accompanying Drawing, as the same may be varied without
departing from the nature of the said Invention, but I claim as of this
Invention the improved mode of connecting the ends of pipes or tubes
herein-before described and illustrated in the accompanying Drawing,
that is to say, forming upon each end of such pipes or tubes two annular
projections or ribs separated one from the other by an annular groove or
channel, and placing round the ends of the said pipes or tubes when in
position a circular belt of vulcanized india-rubber formed as described,
and fixing upon the said india-rubber belt a hinged metal collar, the
inside of which is formed with depressions and projections corresponding
respectively with the projections and depressions on the ends of the
pipes.
In witness whereof, I, the said Hunter Henry Murdoch, have
hereunto set my hand and seal, this Second day of June, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-three.
Witness,
B. WILLCOX,
His clerk.
H. H. MURDOCH (L.S.)