IMPROVED JOINTS FOR Water, Gas, Steam, and other Pipes
Year: 1873

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Augusto Pierre Potel, of Brussels, in the Kingdom
of Belgium, Engineer, for the Invention of "IMPROVED JOINTS FOR
Water, Gas, Steam, and other Pipes.”
Water, Gas, Steam, AND OTHER PIPES."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Auguste Pierre Potel
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 14th May 1873.
I, AUGUSTE PIERRE POTEL, of Brussels, in the Kingdom of Belgium,
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVED
JOINTS FOR WATER, GAB, STEAM, AND OTHER PIPES," to be as follows:
―
My Invention relates to improved joints applicable to water, gas, and
steam pipes or conduits, and to all other analogous uses.
The advantages offered by my improvements are the prevention of
leakages, reduction of frictions and consequently of wear by avoiding
the juxtaposition of metallic surfaces, simplification of the making and
unmaking of the joint, no lessening of the force of the jet of fluid

page_text: (liquid, gas, or steam), the joint having a diameter equal to that of the
body of the pipes; and in watering, irrigations, distributions of steam,
working the hose of fire engines, and all other analogous purposes they
permit the manoeuvering of the pipes or hose in every direction as well
vertically as horizontally.
Figure 1 of the accompanying Sheet of Drawing represents in elevation
a double joint, one nut being partially unscrewed; Figure 2, a section of
the same joint through its axis; Figure 3, sections of the various parts
of the joint detached; Figure 4, a section of a joint pivoting upon a
single axis; Figure 5, a section of a straight joint on the same system ;
and Figure 6 a straight joint in position and completely screwed up.
In the Figures 1, 2, 3, and 4 the same letters of reference indicato
corresponding parts; in Figures 5 and 6 letters of reference refer to these
Figures only.
A, A', are the ends of conduits or pipes, soldered or otherwise suitably
joined to the extreme parts B, B', of the joints. At a suitable distanco
from the extremity of these parts are formed collars, flanges, or rings
b, b, b¹, b', (preferably cast of one piece with them), which are sot on g, g,
g¹, g¹, in the part a, a, a¹, a¹, of the joints; on each face of these rings or
collars are placed washers c, c, c¹, c¹, of leather, india-rubber, felt, tow,
or other substance or material in ordinary use as a packing, and of a
thickness regulated by the diameter of the joints. The central part C is
provided at each end with a box, usually cast with it, a, a, a¹, a¹, the
outer sides of which are screw-threaded to correspond with the thread of
the nuts D, D¹; these boxes cast of one piece are intended to receive the
parts B, B¹, which aro provided with the aforesaid collars, rings, or
flanges b, b, furnished as aforesaid with the washers c, c, c', c¹. The
nuts D, D', made with angles, ribs, or otherwise, so that they may be
tightened up with a key or spanner of any kind aro then screwed up on
the screw-threaded part of the boxes a, a¹.
To prevent these nuts from unscrewing when the joints are moved
two small cramps or lugs are placed on the side of the boxes a, a', either
soldered to or cast with them; these cramps or lugs are pierced at their
upper end to give passage to a screw, which enters into tapped holes
bored in the face of the nuts D, D¹.
This mode of screwing or fixing the nuts is not the only one which I
may usc. I may also furnish the interior of the nuts D. D¹. with a

page_text: It will be at once understood that this joint may be made and unmade
almost instantaneously, thereby rendering the laying and removal of
conduits as well as the substitution of a pipe extremely simple and casy.
As there is but one box to screw up to make the joint there will be a
certainty that the conduits are always laid very straight even if unskilful
workmen be employed.
To permit the complete screwing up of these joints with the various
kinds of keys hitherto employed the box D is furnished exteriorly with
angles, or ribs, or beads. For joints of large size the box D' is furnished
with an outer boss, swelling, or projection, placed preferably on the back
lateral face, and as much as possible of one picco with it. Notches are
cut in this boss in the direction from the circumference to the centre;
these notches are made to permit the tightening up on the loosening of
the box D¹ by means of any kind of lever. This mode of tightening up
is a novelty, and forms part of my Invention.
To keep the box D' from turning around the pipes during the operation
of screwing up it is provided with a rib leading from the centre to the
circumference, which permits placing a stop or abutting picce either to
the right or to the left of the box, thereby compelling the box to remain
fixed while the joint is being made.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Pierre Augusto Potcl in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 11th November 1873.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I AUGUSTE
PIERRE POTEL, of Brussels, in the Kingdom of Belgium, Engineer, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Fourteenth day of May, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-three, in the thirty-
sixth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give
and grant unto me, the said Auguste Pierre Potel, Her special licence
that I, the said Auguste Pierre Potel, my executors, administrators,

page_text: and assigns, or such others as I, the said Augusto Pierro Potcl, 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, usc,
exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and
Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IM-
PROVED JOINTS FOR WATER, GAS, STEAM, AND OTHER PIPES," upon the condition
(amongst others) that I, the said Auguste Pierre Potel, my executors or
administrators, by an instrument in writing under my, or tlicir, 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 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 Auguste Pierre Potel, do hereby
declare the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same
is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement, reference being had to the accompanying
Sheet of Drawings and to the letters of reference marked thereon:-
My Invention relates to improved joints, applicable to water, gas, and
steam pipes or conduits, and to all other analagous uses.
The advantages offered by my improvements are the prevention of
leakage, reduction of frictions and consequently of wear by avoiding
the juxtaposition of metallic surfaces, simplification of the making and
unmaking of the joint, no lessening of the force of the jet of fluid (liquid,
gas, or steam), the joint having a diameter equal to that of the body of
the pipes; and in watering, irrigations, distributions of steam, working
the hose of fire engines, and all other analagous purposes they permit the
manoeuvering of the pipes or hose in every direction, as well vertically
as horizontally.
Figure 1 of the accompanying Sheet of Drawing represents in elevation
a double joint, one nut being partially unscrewed; Figure 2, a section
of the same joint through its axis; Figure 3, sections of the various
parts of the joint detached; Figure 4, a section of a joint pivoting upon
a single axis; Figure 5, a section of a straight joint on the same system;
and, Figure 6, a straight joint in position and completely screwed up.

page_text: In the Figures 1, 2, 3, and 4 the same letters of reference indicate
corresponding parts; in Figures 5 and 6 letters of reference refer to
those two Figures only.
A, A', are the ends of conduits or pipes soldered or otherwise suitably
joined to the extreme parts B, B¹, of the joints. At a suitable distance
from the extremity of these parts are formed collars, or flanges, or rings
b, b, b¹, b', (preferably cast of one piece with them), which are set on
9, 9, 9, 9, in the part a, a, a¹, a¹, of the joints; on each face of these
rings or collars are placed washers c, c, c', c¹, of leather, india-rubber,
felt, tow, or other substance or matorial in ordinary use as a packing,
and of a thickness regulated by the diameter of the joints. The central
part C is provided at each end with a box, usually cast with it, a, a, a¹, a¹,
the outer sides of which are screw-threaded to correspond with the thread
of the nuts D, D¹%; these boxes cast of one piece are intended to receive
the parts B, B', which are provided with the aforesaid collars, rings, or
flanges b, b, furnished as aforesaid with the washers c, c, c², c¹. The
nuts D, D', made with angles, ribs, or otherwise, so that they may be
tightened up with a key or spanner of any kind, are then screwed up on
the screw-threaded part of the boxes a, a¹.
To prevent these nuts from unscrewing when the joints are moved two
small cramps or lugs are placed on the side of the boxes a, a¹, cither
soldered to or cast with them. These cramps or lugs are pierced at their
upper end to give passage to a screw, which enters into tapped holes
bored in the face of the nuts D, D¹.
This mode of screwing or fixing the nuts is not the only one which I
may use.
I may also furnish the interior of the nuts D, D', with a
movcable pieco set in dovetail, and made of iron, steel, or any other metal;
I provide this piece with a small screw bolt, which passes through the
upper part of the nuts and tightens upon the moveable piece, which in
its turn tightens the screw thread on the boxes a, a¹.
I may also fix the nuts by means of a spring or an analagous method.
On examining the Drawings it will be seen that there is no angle pro-
jecting in the interior of these joints, but on the contrary that the
junctions or unions are made so as to preservo in all their parts a
diameter always equal to that of the pipes or conduits.

page_text: These joints may have any desired shape and dimensions, but I prefer
giving them the curved form shown in the Drawing at Figures 1, 2, 3,
and 4, so that thore may be no right angle in the interior but only parts
of a circle, so that the water may follow its usual course and undergoe
no rotation consequent upon striking against the side of the joints.
My joints may be made of copper, brass, cast iron, steel, pewter,
hardened india-rubber, or any other suitable metal or material.
It will be evident that these joints may be modified so as to be applied
to pipes having to work in one plane only. This case is represented in
Figure 4.
Figure 5 represents a joint on the same system, but specially made for
straight conduits. This joint contrary to the preceding is fixed. It is
applied by placing a heated washer or metal collar on one of the
ends of any kind of conduit (or on both if required), so that in accordanco
with the law of dilatation of bodies these washers simply by cooling
adhere to the pipes (see Figure 5, A, A¹, on B, B',); a washer O of leather,
india-rubber, felt, or any other substance or body generally used as
packing is then placed between the two collars A and A¹ to render the
joint perfectly tight.
The conduits to be joined are provided with two boxes D, D¹, of cast
iron or any other metal, nut D being screw-threaded interiorly and D'
exteriorly, and hollowed or cast so as to receive the collars A, A'. The
pipes being then placed near cach other and the washer or packing
placed between the two the two boxes D, D', are screwed the one on the
other until stopped, and the joint is made.
It will be at once understood that this joint may be made and unmade
almost instantaneously, thereby rendering the laying and removal of
conduits, as well as the substitution of a pipe, extremely simple and
easy.
As there is but one box to screw up to make the joint there will be a
certainty that the conduits are always laid very straight, even if unskilful
workmen be employed.
To permit the complete screwing up of these joints with the various
kinds of keys hitherto employed the box D is furnished exteriorly with
angles, or ribs, or beads. In joints of large size the box D' is furnished
with an outer boss, swelling, or projection, placed preferably on the

page_text: back lateral face, and as much as possible of one piece with it. Notches
are cut in the boss in the direction from the circumference to the
centre; these notches are mado to permit the tightening up or the
loosening of the box D' by means of any kind of lever. This modo of
tightening up is a novelty and forms part of my Invention.
To keep the box D' from turning around the pipes during the operation
of screwing up it is provided with a rib leading from the centre to the
circumference, which permits placing a stop or butting piece either to
the right or to the left of the box, thereby compelling the box to remain
fixed while the joint is being made.
Figure 6 shows the straight joint completely made.
Having now described the nature of my said Invention, and the means
by which I carry it into practical effect, I desire it to be distinctly under-
stood that I lay no claim to any of the parts mentioned and shewn in
the Drawing taken as parts and separately; but what I do claim is, the
combination of these divers parts for forming or making joints of various
patterns or forms, substantially as herein described and shown.
In witness whereof, I, the said Auguste Pierre Potel, have here-
unto set my hand and scal, this Twentieth day of October, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-three.
CELESTIN GROENENDAELS.
J. PEETERS JOSEPH.
AUGUSTE PIERRE POTEL. (L.S.)