CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF PIPES. AND IN THE MODE OF JOINING THE SAME
Year: 1854

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Thomas Cooper, of the Isle of Wight, in the County
of Hants, Brickmaker, for the Invention of "CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN
THE CONSTRUCTION OF PIPES. AND IN THE MODE OF JOINING THE SAME."
Sealed the 5th April 1855, and dated the 5th December 1854.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Thomas Cooper at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
5th December 1854.
I, THOMAS COOPER, of the Isle of Wight, in the County of Hampshire,
Brickmaker, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for." CERTAIN
IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF PIPES, AND IN THE MODE OF JOINING THE
SAME," consists in forming plain cylindrical pipes with one or more indents
or hollows at or near their ends, for the reception of a suitable cement, or
a band of some elastic material. To join the pipes together, I employ a
coupling piece in two halves, united by an inclined dovetail joint. The two
ends of the pipes being brought together, with the lower half of the coupling
in its place, the upper half is slid on to it, the inclined dovetail joint causing
the two parts of the coupling when driven home tightly to embrace the pipe,
and by means of the interposed cement or other material to form a sound
joint.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Thomas Cooper in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
5th June 1855.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, THOMAS
COOPER, of the Isle of Wight, in the County of Hampshire, Brickmaker, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Fifth day of December, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-four, in the eighteenth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said Thomas Cooper, Her special licence that I, the said Thomas Cooper,
my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said
Thomas Cooper, 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 "CERTAIN IMPROVE-
MENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF PIPES, AND IN THE MODE OF JOINING THE SAME,"
upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Thomas Cooper, by an
instrument in writing under my hand and seal, 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 Scal Patent
Office within six calendar months next-and immediately after the date of the
said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Thomas Cooper, 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):
These improvements consist in forming plain cylindrical-pipes-with-one-or-
more indents or hollows at or near their ends, for the reception of a suitable
cement, or a band of some elastic material. To join the pipes together, I
employ a coupling piece in two halves, united by an inclined dovetail joint.
The two ends of the pipes being brought together, with the lower half of the
coupling in its place, the upper half is slid on to it, the inclined dovetail joint
causing the two parts of the coupling when driven home tightly to embrace
-the-pipe,-and-by means of the interposed cement or other material to form a
sound joint.
And in order that the nature of these my improvements may be more fully

page_text: understood, reference is had to the Drawings hereunto annexed, and to the
following description thereof, that is to say :-
Figure 1 is a section of the ends of two pipes, A and B, constructed agree-
ably to my improvement; these pipes are cylindrical, and near-each of the
ends there is an indented ring or recess c, for the reception of some suitable
material for making an air-tight or water-tight joint. d represents a band of
cement, clay, tarred paper, cloth, felt, caoutchouc, or other elastic material,
inserted in the recess c, but of such a thickness as to stand up or project
beyond the exterior surface of the pipe.
Figure 2 is an external view of the two pipe ends, A and B, with the joint
completed, by means of a coupling piece made in two halves, E and F;
Figure 3 is a section of the same. When making the joint, the two ends of
the pipes A and B, with the bands of packing material d, in each of the indents
or hollows, are brought together and laid in the lower half of the coupling F;
the
upper half E is then slid on to it, by means of an inclined dovetail joint
formed on the edges of each, as is clearly shewn by the end view of the pipe
and couplings, Figure 4. In consequence of the inclined form of the joint,
when the upper half of the coupling E first engages with the lower half F,
it does not press down upon the joint-making material d, but as it is driven
forward it passes downward, until it takes a bearing upon the bands d, which
by this means become compressed between the two halves of the coupling. If
a firm and rigid joint is required, the upper half of the coupling may be driven
on until the couplings take a bearing upon and tightly embrace both the pipes
A and B. But if a rigid joint is undesirable, the upper coupling is only
driven so far as to compress the packing material sufficiently to make an air-
tight or water-tight joint, and contact with the pipes themselves is avoided,
whereby a slightly flexible joint is obtained. In cases where the pipes have
to stand great pressure, and there might be a liability to draw them asunder,
I modify the foregoing arrangement so as to lock the pipes together, as well
as to make an air-tight or water-tight joint.
Figure 5 is a section of the ends of two pipes A', B', with an indented ring
or hollow c near the ends of each, in which is placed a band of tarred paper,
cloth, felt, or any other suitable packing, so as not quite to fill the hollow.
The joint is made by means of a coupling piece in two halves E', F', united
by inclined keys or wedges H, which, as they are driven further in, draw the
upper and lower parts of the couplings more closely together.
In Figure 6, which is a section of the completed joint, it will be seen
that there are two projecting rings or ribs g on the-interior surfaces of the
couplings; these projections enter the indents or hollows of the pipes, and

page_text: by compressing the packing material contained therein, make an air-tight or
water-tight joint, and at the same-time secure the two pipes, so as to prevent
their being drawn asunder.
Figure 7 is an external view of the pipes and coupling complete; and
Figure 8 is an end view of the same.
Although in the annexed Drawings I have shown the indents or hollows
around the ends of the pipes as being square in their section, they may be
semicircular; or of any other approved form; or in some cases plain cylindrical
pipes without indents may be used, a broad band or bands of some suitable
packing being compressed between the couplings around the joint.. And
although I have named some of the substances which may be advantageously
used as a packing material, I do not confine myself thereto, as many other
well-known substances will answer the purpose, and may be selected, according
to the particular purpose for which the pipes are to be employed.
Having thus described the nature of my Invention, and the manner of.
performing the same, I would have it understood that what I claim is,-
Firstly, the construction of plain cylindrical pipes with indents or hollows
for the reception of a suitable packing or joint-making material, as .herein-
before described and shown.
Secondly, the mode of joining pipes together by means of a coupling.formed
in two parts, and drawn together by inclined planes formed on their edges, or
by inclined keys or wedges, as herein-before described and shewn.
Thirdly, the use of couplings made in two parts with internal ribs or pro-
jections, which, by pressure upon a suitable packing, make an air-tight or
water-tight joint, and also secure the pipes together, as herein-before described
and shewn...
In witness whereof, I; the said Thomas Cooper, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Fifth day of June, in the year of our Lord One
THOMAS COOPER.
(L.S.)
3
Witness,
W. BADDELEY.