MENTS IN JOINTS OR COUPLINGS FOR UNITING AND SECURING TOGETHER THE ENDS OF PIPES OR TUBES
Year: 1885

page_text: I, THOMAS GOODE MESSENGER of Park Road Loughborough in the County of
Leicester Engineer do hereby declare the nature of my invention for IMPROVE-
MENTS IN JOINTS OR COUPLINGS FOR UNITING AND SECURING TOGETHER THE
ENDS OF PIPES OR TUBES to be as follows:-
The said Invention relates to novel means for uniting and securing together the
ends of pipes or tubes with their connections employed for conveying water, gas,
sewage and other liquids or fluids, the said Invention being applicable to pipes
made of metal, earthenware or other materials ordinarily employed for the purpose.
The coupling however is more especially designed to economise time, and generally,
to facilitate the operations required in the fixing, removal or re-fixing of any desired
section or portion of a system of cast iron pipes so that the same can be performed
without disturbing or damaging in any way either the section removed or fixed or
the adjoining pipes.
To make the joints or couplings according to my Invention I form a socket or
chamber divided longitudinally into two parts. Upon each of these parts I cast or
form two or more lugs, ears, tabs, hooks or their equivalent in such a way that
when brought together the lugs, tabs, ears or hooks of the one part shall dovetail
or work into the lugs, ears tabs or hooks of the other part, so that when a Screw
Bolt, Screw or their equivalent is passed through the lugs, ears, tabs hooks or their
equivalent the two parts of the socket become so locked together that they form
one chambered socket. Or instead of this the two parts of the coupling may be
made to abut up to each other and be locked and secured by lugs, clips, hooks,
screws, bolts or their equivalent. A small portion of this socket at one of its ends
is made slightly larger than the diameter of the pipes to be united and forms the
bottom of the chambered socket. The remaining portion of this socket, when only
one is used, is made of a sufficient length and diameter internally to admit, between
its interior surface and the exterior surface of the pipes to be united, one iron or other
loose metal ring or collar and two loose India-rubber or other elastic compressible
rings or collars. On one end of one of the pipes or tubes to be united and at a
proper distance therefrom I cast or secure a Flange, ring or collar with two or more
lugs, ears or tabs corresponding with those on the socket above described which
receive the same Screw Bolts, Screws or their equivalent that are used for locking
the two parts of the socket together. Instead of this Flange, ring or collar being
cast upon or secured to the pipe I sometimes (as when two spigot ends are required
D..

page_text: to be connected) use a loose flange ring or collar which is made to slide upon one of
the pipes or tubes to be united. In order to make the joints of the united pipes
perfectly air or liquid tight I place upon the end of the pipe which passes through
the bottom of chambered socket an India-rubber or other elastic packing ring which
rests upon the bottom of chamber and in like manner I place upon the end of the
other pipe an India-rubber or other elastic ring which rests upon or against the
fixed or loose metal ring before described. The two ends of the pipes protruding
through the elastic rings are brought nearly together inside the inuer metal ring or
collar placed in the centre of the chambered socket. When the various parts of the
Coupling and pipes or tubes are in these relative positions the nuts upon the Bolt
are screwed up to the Flange, lugs or tabs (or when Screws are used the Screws are
screwed into the Flange, lugs, tabs or their equivalent) whereupon the Collar or
ring upon one of the pipes to be united and the bottom of the chambered socket
sliding upon the other of the same pipes are drawn together and forced against the
elastic rings in such a way that the latter become compressed and are caused to
bind tightly against the interior of the chambered socket, the exterior of the pipes
united and the sides of the metal ring into which the ends of the two pipes enter.
By this means the two sections or pipes will be perfectly secured together and
prevented from separating until the nuts or screws have been slackened and the
bolts or screws removed, whereupon the two parts of the socket become unlocked
When this is done the elastic
and can be readily separated from each other.
packing rings and metal ring or collar can be removed and the pipe set at liberty in
a few minutes.
Instead of using one chambered socket of two parts long enough to contain the
one metal and two elastic rings and a fixed or loose compressing Flange, ring or
collar, I sometimes use two chambered sockets of equal length and each composed
of two parts each being long enough only to contain one clastic ring and a small
portion of the inner metal ring. One of these sockets is placed upon one end of
each of the pipes to be united the two ends meeting as before in the metal ring or
collar. The two sockets are then locked and secured together in the same way and
with the same result as when one socket and a fixed or loose ring is used as before
described.
When it is desired to use my Invention for uniting pipes of small diameter I
prefer to dispense with the Screw Bolts or Screws and instead of these in addition
to the lugs, hooks or their equivalent, form a screw upon the interior of the Flange
collar or its equivalent and a corresponding Screw upon the exterior of the
chambered socket. By screwing the Flange, collar or its equivalent upon the
chambered socket formed of two parts the India-rubber or other elastic packing
material therein contained is compressed and the joint made air or liquid tight.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
I, THOMAS GOODE MESSENGER, of Park Road Loughborough in the County of
Leicester Engineer do hereby declare the nature of my invention for IMPROVEMENTS
IN JOINTS FOR UNITING AND SECURING TOGETHER THE ENDS OF PIPES and in what
manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in
and by the following statement :—
The said Invention relates to novel means for uniting and securing together the
ends of lengths of pipes or tubes with their connections employed for conveying
water, gas, sewage and other liquids or fluids, the said Invention being applicable
to pipes made of metal, earthenware or other materials ordinarily employed for the
purpose. The coupling, however is more especially designed to economise time and
generally to facilitate the operations required in the fixing, removal, or re-fixing of
any desired section or portion of a-system of cast iron pipes so that the same can be
performed without disturbing or damaging in any way either the section removed
or fixed or the adjoining pipes.
In order that my Invention may be more fully understood, reference is made to
the accompanying sheet of Drawings illustrative thereof. Figures 1 and 2 are a
cross section and side clevation respectively of Hot-water or other pipes connectod
together by means of my Interlocking Coupling with the Flange or ring K not'
cast or secured to one of the pipes but, (as when two spigot ends are required to be
connected) sliding loosely thereon.
Figures 3 and 4 are a longitudinal section and side elevation respectively of Hot-
water or other pipes connected together by the same means but in this case tho.
Flange or ring G is cast upon or secured to one of the pipes and the joint made as
hereunder described.
Figures 5 and 6 are a longitudinal section and side elevation respectively of my'
Invention applied to pipes of small diameter in the way to be hereunder described.
To make the joints or couplings according to my invention I form a socket or
chamber A figures 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6 divided longitudinally into two parts. Upon
each of these parts I cast or form two or more lugs, ears, tabs, hooks or their
equivalent as at B in Figures 1, 2, 4 and 6 in such a way that when brought
together the lugs, ears, tabs or hooks of the one part shall dovetail or work into
the lugs, ears, tabs or hooks of the other part so that when a Screw-bolt C figures 1,
2, 4, screw or their equivalent is passed through the lugs ears, tabs, hooks or their
equivalent the two parts of the socket become so locked together that they form
one chambered socket. Or instead of this the two parts of the coupling may be
made to abut up to each other and be locked and secured by lugs, clips, hooks,
screws, bolts or their equivalent. A small portion of this socket at one of its ends D,
figures 3 and 5 is made slightly larger than the diameter of the pipes to be united
and forms the bottom of the chambered socket. The remaining portion of this
socket when only one is used, is made of a sufficient length and diameter internally
to admit, between its interior surface and the exterior surface of the pipes to be
united one loose iron or other metal ring or collar E figure 3 and two loose India-
rubber or other elastic compressible rings or collars F. figure 3. On one end of one
of the pipes or tubes to be united and at a proper distance therefrom I cast or secure
a Flange, ring or collar G, figures 3 and 4, with two or more lugs, ears or tabs H
corresponding with those on the socket above described which receive the same
screw-bolts, screws, or their equivalent that are used for locking the two parts of
the socket together. Instead of this Flange, ring or collar being cast upon or
secured to the pipe I sometimes (as when two spigot ends are required to be

page_text: connected) use a loose Flange, ring or collar K, figure 2 which is made to slide upon
one of the pipes or tubes J to be connected. In order to make the joints of the
united pipes perfectly air or liquid tight I place upon the end of the pipe M
figures 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 which passes through the bottom of chambered socket an
India rubber or other elastic packing ring F which rests upon or against the bottom
of the chamber and in like manner I place upon the end of the other pipe J an
India-rubber or other elastic ring F which rests upon or against the fixed or loose
metal Flange or ring G or K before described. The two ends of the pipes
protruding through the elastic rings are brought nearly together inside the metal
ring or collar E placed in the centre of the chambered socket A. When the various
parts of the coupling and pipes or tubes are in these relative positions the nuts
upon the bolt Care screwed up to the Flange, lugs or tabs (or when Screws are used
the screws are screwed into the Flange, lugs, ears, or tabs G or K or their equivalent.)
whereupon the collar or ring G or K upon one of the pipes to be united and the
bottom D of the chambered socket upon the other of the same pipes are drawn
together and forced against the elastic rings F in such a way that the latter become
compressed and are caused to bind tightly against the interior of the chambered
socket A the exterior of the pipes J, and M united and the sides of the metal ring E
into which the ends of the two pipes enter. By this means the two sections or
pipes will be perfectly secured together and prevented from separating until the
nuts or screws have been slackened and the bolts or screws C. removed, whereupon
the two parts of the socket become unlocked and can be readily separated from each
other. When this is done the elastic packing rings F and metal ring or collar E
can be removed and the pipes set at liberty in a few minutes.
Instead of using one chambered socket of two parts long enough to contain the
one metal and two elastic rings and a fixed or loose compressing Flange, ring or
collar I sometimes use two chambered sockets of equal length, each composed of
two parts and each long enough only to contain one elastic ring F and a small
portion of the metal ring E. One of these sockets is placed upon one end of each of
the pipes to be united, the two ends meeting as before in the metal ring or collar E.
The two sockets are then locked and secured together in the same way and with
the same result as when one Socket and a fixed or loose ring is used as before
described.
When it is desired to use my Invention for uniting pipes of small diameter
I prefer to dispense with the Screw-bolts or screws and instead of these, in addition
to the lugs, hooks or their equivalent B figure 6, form a screw upon the exterior of
the chambered socket A and a corresponding screw upon the interior of the Flange,
collar K figure 6 or its equivalent. By screwing the Flange, collar or its equivalent
upon the chambered socket A made of two parts, the India-rubber or other clastic
packing material therein contained is compressed and the joint made air or liquid
tight.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
Invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is
1. The division of the Socket or Coupling into two or more longitudinal parts
and the dovetailing and interlocking of the same in such a way that when put
together these parts form one complete chambered socket or sockets by means of
which a perfectly sound joint is secured and which at the same time can be readily
removed for the purpose substantially as shewn and described.