Improvements in Union Joints for Hose or other Pipes.
Year: 1887

page_text: Date of Application, 25th July, 1837
Complete Left, 25th Apr., 1888
Complete Accepted, 8th June, 1888
Improvements in Union Joints for Hose or other Pipes.
L, JOHN WOLSTENHOLME of Albert Works, Radcliffe, in the County of Lancaster,
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
Heretofore in union joints, the two parts have been made to screw, or thrust into
each other by means of a thread, or by spring bolts, respectively.
In each case the formation of lugs or projections on the exterior of the union, and
the use of both hands is required in order to facilitate the connection and disconnection
of the two parts, which is very objectionable, on account of taking up too much time,
and the lugs or projections, being, in most cases, obstructive.
The object of this invention is to remedy these defects by dispensing with the said
lugs or projections, and employing on the exterior of the faucet part of the union, in
a groove, a lever working on a fulcrum.
One end of this lever is under the action of a spring, while the other end is curved
inwardly so as to form a projection or catch, passing through a slot formed in the
first part of the union.
When the two parts of the union are disconnected the said projection or catch, by
reason of the said spring is caused to project into the exterior of the faucet part, and,
on the spigot part of the union, the end of which is formed with a recess, being thrust
into the faucet part & against the said projection or catch, the latter is forced back and
caused to enter the said recess, thus locking itself into the same & forming the joint.
Instead of employing only one of the levers described, two may be employed,
and the ends thereof, which are under the action of a spring, arranged to bear against
each other, so as to be operated simultaneously.
It will be understood that the described construction of union joint will be equally
applicable for joining stand pipes to sluice-valves or hydrants.
D
30
TL 1007
F. BOSSHARDT & Co.,
Agents to Applicant.

page_text: 1, JOHN WOLSTENHOLME, of Radcliffe, in the County of Lancaster, Engineer, 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 the following statement,
that is to say :-
Heretofore in union joints, the two parts have been made to screw, or thrust into
each other, by means of a thread or spring bolts, respectively.
'
In each case the formation of lugs or projections on the exterior of the union, and
the use of both hands. is required in order to facilitate the connection and disconnection
of the two parts, which is very objectionable on account of taking up too much time,
and the lugs or projections being, in most cases, obstructive.
The object of this invention is to remedy these defects by dispensing with the said
lugs or projections, and employing in lieu thereof, on the exterior or interior of the
faucet part of the Union, preferably interior, one or more levers fitted in an annular
groove, preferably two, and working on fulcrums.
When two levers are employed, one end of each lever is under the action of a
spring fixed in the groove on the opposite side, with its ends bearing against the outer
ends of the levers, which are curved inwardly so as to form catches, the other ends of
levers folding one over the other, and the outermost provided with thumb piece or
push working through slot formed on the exterior of faucet end of the union, and
fulerum pins are fixed in the faucet end of union, passing through the middle of each
lever, on which they work.
When the two parts of the Union are disconnected, the said catches are caused, by
reason of the said 'springs, to project internally out of the groove of the faucet, and
on the spigot end of the Union, the end of which is formed with an annular lip or
recess, being thrust into the faucet part and against the catches, the latter are forced
back into the annular groove, until the lip of the spigot has passed the groove with its
catches, when the spring bearing on the catches forces same against the reduced part
of spigot end, and the front part of same pressing against an india-rubber annular
joint ring provided at end of the faucet part, locks the two parts and forms the
joint.
In the case of one lever only being employed, the annular groove would only be
required for about half the circumference in the faucet part, and a solid projection or
catch would be provided on the interior of faucet to replace the other lever with its
catch, allowance being made in the diameter of spigot end for it to pass the projection,
and the spring catch bearing against reduced part of spigot, the two parts lock in the
manner before described.
It will be understood that the described construction of union joint will be equally
applicable for Stand pipes, Valves, Hydrants &c., and for air, gas, and other pipes.
And in order that my said Invention and the manner of performing the same may be

page_text: properly understood I hereunto append a sheet of explanatory drawings to be herein-
after referred to, and representing a convenient form of my improved hose union
with two levers and catches.
Figure 1 on the accompanying drawings shows the Union in section. Figure 2 is
a plan through section A B, shewing lever catches and spring.
In Figure 1, a, is the faucet part of the improved union, turned out sufficiently
large to allow the spigot part, b, to push into same having annular lip, c, held by
catches, d, d, against india rubber joint ring, e, and thereby making the joint, the
catches being fitted in the annular groove, f. f.
In Figure 2 the catches d d are shewn on plan with annular groove, f. f. and
spring, g, which is of an elliptical forn bearing on the outer ends of catches d, d,
with fulcrum pins h h; a, being sectional plan of the faucet end, and i, the thumb
piece or push.
Having now more 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 :-
The combination of one or more lever catches, having contact with an elliptical or
other form of Spring, fitted in an annular groove, and working on fulcrum pins to
lock upon a spigot provided with annular lip by the two parts being pushed together,
substantially as herein before described.