Improved Water Joint Apparatus for Controlling the Supply of Gas to Distributing Pipes.
Year: 1887

page_text: Date of Application, 15th June, 1887.
Specification Accepted, 8th July, 1887.
Improved Water Joint Apparatus for Controlling the Supply of Gas
to Distributing Pipes.
We THOMAS WILLIAM VAUGHAN and JOSEPH BROWN Gas Engineers of 16 & 17
Kirby Street and 19 Farringdon Road, both in the County of Middlesex, 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 :-
This invention relates to an improvement on the water joint apparatus at present
used in the lighting of theatrical scenery, the object being to ensure the turning off
of the gas by the act of disengaging the coupling pipe from the apparatus.
In the accompanying drawing,
Fig. 1 shews in side elevation, partly in section, our improved water joint
apparatus; and
Fig. 2 is a detached view of the coupling pipe to which the flexible tubing is
connected.
A is the water tube pendent from a plate A', which is let in flush with the floor of
the stage or building to which the apparatus is applied.
This water tube is secured to a T piece B, to which the gas supply pipe C is
screwed.
D is a central gas tube screwed into a seat provided for it in the T piece, and
reaching up to the suspension plate A¹.
E is a cock fitted into the gas pipe C, and carrying on its stem a pair of arms E¹.
These arms are jointed to a yoke F forming the lower extremity of a rod F, which
is jointed to the tail end of a sector rack G, carried in a bracket bearing cast on'the
underside of the plate A¹.
A vertical slot is cut in the upper end of the pendent tube A to allow of the teeth
of the rack G projecting into the tube, for the purpose to be presently explained.
H is the coupling pipe, which, when dropped over the gas tube D, completes the
water tight joint.
which
This coupling pipe we form at its upper end with a rack of annular teeth H¹,
are intended to gear into the teeth of the sector rack G, when it is dropped into place,
as shown in Fig. 1.

page_text: A connection is thus established between the pipe H and the cock E of the gas
supply pipe, which connection however presents no obstruction to the withdrawal of
the coupling pipe from the apparatus when such movement is desired.
The dotted position of this pipe, in Fig. 1, indicates the position of the parts when
the apparatus is ready for use.
to
Supposing a scene to be set, and ready for exhibition, it will only be necessary
force down the pipe H into its drawn position, when the gas will be ready for
lighting.
This depression of the pipe H will, by reason of its teeth H¹ gearing into the teeth
of the sector rack G, cause that rack to take the drawn position of Fig. 1, and thereby,
through the rod and yoke F F¹ and the arms E2, turn the cock E, and admit gas
to
the central tube D.
When the supply of gas is no longer required, the coupling pipe H is raised. This
movement, by reason of the interlocking of the teeth of the pipe and the sector rack,
gives a quarter turn to the cock E, and turns off the gas from the tube D.
By this means the danger arising from the carelessness of an attendant in omitting
to turn off the gas at the time of removing the coupling pipe from the water tube A,
is effectually avoided.
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:
Connecting the coupling pipe with the gas supply cock in such a manner that
the raising and lowering of the coupling pipe will actuate the gas supply cock, as and
for the purpose above set forth.
Dated this 15th dose of June 1887