IMPROVEMENTS IN STEAM AND WATER-TIGHT JOINTS FOR FIXING TUBES IN PLATES, SUCH AS ARE USED FOR SURFACE CONDENSERS, DISTILLERS' REFRIGERATORS, VESSELS FOR HEATING, FEED, WATER, OR TUBULAR BOILERS
Year: 1861

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William, Horn, of No. 3, Butler's Terrace, Ossory
Road, Old Kent Road, in, the County of Surrey, for the Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN STEAM AND WATER-TIGHT JOINTS FOR FIXING TUBES IN
PLATES, SUCH AS ARE USED FOR SURFACE CONDENSERS, DISTILLERS' REFRIGERATORS,
VESSELS FOR HEATING, FEED, WATER, OR TUBULAR BOILERS."-A communica-
tion from abroad by Horatio Allen, residing at New York, America.
Sealed the 24th October 1861, and dated the 1st May 1861.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Horn at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 1st
May 1861.
I, WILLIAM HORN, of No. 3, Butler's Terrace, Ossory Road, Old Kent
Road, in the County of Surrey, do hereby declare the nature of the said
Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN STEAM AND WATER-TIGHT JOINTS FOR FIXING
TUBES IN PLATES, SUCH AB ARE USED FOR SURFACE CONDENSERS, DISTILLERS'
REFRIGERATORS, VESSELS FOR HEATING FEED WATER, OR TUBULAR BOILERS," to be
as follows:-
This Invention consists in the application of rings or short tubes of com-
pressed pine or other wood for the formation of steam and water-tight connections
between tubes and plates, such as are used for surface condensers, and all such

page_text: apparatus in which tubes are employed for conveying water, steam, air, or
other fluids or gases through enclosed chambers, from which it is essential that
such water, steam, air, or other fluids or gases should be excluded. For this
purpose the circular holes in the plates into which the tubes are to be fitted
are made of a larger diameter than the outside diameter of the tubes, and into
the annular spaces thus formed are placed rings or short tubes of compressed
pine or other wood, the length of which rather exceeds the thickness of the plate,
and which in their compressed state fit easily into the above-mentioned annular
spaces. When steam, water, or any other fluid is afterwards admitted and
comes in contact with the rings or tubes of compressed wood, these endeavour
to swell out to their natural dimensions, and thus the portion that is between
the tube and the plate is caused to press tightly against the same, whilst the
portions projecting beyond the plate swell out to the full extent forming a
shoulder on either side of the plate, and constitute thus a perfectly water or
steam-tight joint. In cases where neither water nor steam are brought into
contact with the compressed wooden rings, these may be impregnated, when in
their place, with oil or any other substance that will cause them to expand.
The before-mentioned wooden ring or tubes are in the first instance turned to
a somewhat larger outside diameter than the diameter of the hole in the plate,
the internal diameter being the same as the external diameter of the tubes of
the condenser, &c. They are then placed upon a mandril the exact size of the
tube of the condenser, &c., which mandril passes through a gradually contracting
circular die, the smallest diameter of which corresponds with the diameter of
the hole in the plate of the condenser, &c.; the wooden ring or tube is then
forced forward on the mandril, and in passing through the above-named die it
becomes gradually compressed until, on issuing from the die, its exterior
diameter is equal to that of the hole in the plate of the condenser, &c. into
which it is to be placed, as herein-before described. These rings or tubes of
wood may be compressed by any other suitable contrivance.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said William Horn in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
30th October 1861..
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
HORN, of No. 3, Butler's Terrace, Ossory Road, Old Kent' Road, in the
County of Surrey, send greeting.
3
S

page_text: WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters.
Patent, bearing date the First day of May, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-one, in the twenty-fourth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said William Horn, Her special licence that I, the said William Horn, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said William.
Horn, 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 make, 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 STEAM AND
WATER-TIGHT JOINTS FOR FIXING TUBES IN PLATES, SUCH AS ARE USED FOR SURFACE
CONDENSERS, DISTILLERS' REFRIGERATORS, VESSELS FOR HEATING FEED WATER, OR.
TUBULAR BOILERS," a communication to me from abroad by Horatio Allen,
residing at New York, America, upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the
said William Horn, 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 Patent.
.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said William Horn, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement thereof, reference being had to the accompanying Drawing, and to
the letters and figures marked thereon, that is to say:
This Invention consists in the application of rings or short tubes of com-
pressed pine or other wood for the formation of steam and water-tight
connections between tubes and plates, such as are used for surface condensers,.
and all such apparatus in which tubes are employed for conveying water, steam,
air, or other fluids or gases through enclosed chambers, from which it is
essential that such water, steam, air, or other fluids or gases should be
excluded. For this purpose the circular holes in the plates into which the-
tubes are to be fitted are made of a larger diameter than: the outside diameter
of the tubes, and into the annular spaces thus formed are placed rings.
or short tubes of compressed pine, or other wood, the length of which rather
exceeds the thickness of the plate, and which in their compressed state fit:
easily into the above-mentioned annular spaces. When steam, water, or any

page_text: .
other fluid is afterwards admitted and comes in contact with the rings or
tubes of compressed wood, these endeavour to swell out to their natural
dimensions, and thus the portion that is between the tube and the plate is
caused to press tightly against the same, whilst the portions projecting beyond:
the plate swell out to the full extent, forming a shoulder on either side of the
plate, and constitute thus a perfectly water or steam-tight joint. In cases
where neither water nor steam are brought into contact with the compressed
wooden rings, these may be impregnated, when in their place, with oil or.any
other substance that will cause them to expand. The before-mentioned wooden
rings or tubes are in the first instance turned to a somewhat larger outside
diameter than the diameter of the hole in the plate, the internal diameter.
being the same as the external diameter of the tubes of the condenser or other
apparatus. They are then placed upon a mandril of the same.diameter as the
tube of the condenser or other apparatus, which mandril passes through à
gradually contracting circular die, the smallest diameter of which corresponds:
with the diameter of the holes in the plate of the condenser or other appa-
the wooden ring or tube is then forced forward on the mandril and in:
passing through the above-named die it becomes gradually compressed until, on:
issuing from the die, its exterior diameter is equal to that of the holes in the
plate of the condenser or other apparatus into which it is to be placed, as herein-
before described. These rings or tubes of wood may be compressed by any
other suitable contrivance.
ratus ;
On the accompanying Drawing is shown, at Figures 1 and 2, a side and end;
view of one of these rings or tubes of wood before having undergone com-
pression Figures 3 and 4 shew a side and end view of the tube after
compression; Figure 5 shews a section of the plate A and tube B of the
surface condenser or other apparatus with the compressed wooden ring or
tube C inserted; and Figure 6 shows the same with the ring or tube C
saturated with moisture or other suitable substance, whereby it is caused to
press tightly against both the plate A and tube B, and at the ends, where it is
not confined by the plate A, the ring or tube C swells out to its natural size,
thus forming shoulders c, c,-on either side of the plate by which the joint is
rendered perfectly water or steam-tight. Should such a ring or tube become
defective or leak, this is easily remedied by driving it in with a chisel and
replacing it with a new one.
:
Having now described the nature of this Invention, and in what manner the
same is to be performed, I wish it to be understood that what I. claim is, the
employment of rings or short tubes of compressed wood for making water

page_text: and steam-tight connections between tubes and plates, such as are used for
surface condensers, or such other apparatuses, in which tubes are fixed in the
sides of enclosed chambers for conveying water, steam, air, or other fluids or
gases into or through the same.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Horn, have hereunto set my
band and seal, this Twenty-sixth day of October, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-one.
WILLIAM HORN. (L.B.)