IMPROVEMENTS IN JOINTS FOR PIPES OR TUBES
Year: 1878

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Alphonse Bodart, of No. 23, Rue Neuve, Huy (Belgium),
for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN JOINTS FOR PIPES OR TUBES."
Sealed the 11th October 1878, and dated the 23rd August 1878.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION filed by the said Alphonse Bodart at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 23rd August 1878.
ALPHONSE BODART, of No. 23, Rue Neuve, Huy (Belgium).
JOINTS FOR PIPES OR TUBES."
"
IMPROVEMENTS IN
This Invention consists in improvements in joints for pipes or tubes whereby the
said pipes are united together end to end without having sockets or flanges by
means of a flexible joint composed of metal and cement, as herein-after described.
The new joint is composed of a leaden ring of peculiar construction, two cast-
iron coupling rings, cement for solidifying the joint, and a hoop for covering the
coupling rings.
In the accompanying Drawing, Figure 1 is a section, shewing the ends of two
pipes connected together by means of my improved joint.
A is the ring of peculiar construction formed of a band or strip of milled or rolled
sheet lead with a groove in the centre. To form the ring the band or strip is cut
to the length corresponding with the outer circumference of the pipes to bo laid.
the band is then bent into the form of a ring, and the two ends are soldered
together by means of a blow pipe. On the ring A are placed the two cast-iron
coupling rings B, B', having an internal flange against which the lead will be
bedded
The free space in the coupling rings is for receiving mastic or cement C, which
hardens quickly; a hoop D surrounds the coupling rings and prevents one of the
pipes sinking below the other if the pipes are placed in soft ground. It also serves
for preventing foreign substances getting into the groove in the ring A.
The pipes may be laid in the following manner :-The coupling rings B, B', are
placed at some distance from the end of each pipe, and the same with the hoop or
ring D. The ring A is then placed on the first pipe E, and the other pipe E' is then

page_text: introduced into the ring A; the leaden ring A is then pressed tightly by means of
light blows from a hammer, or by means of a metallic band with pincers or a cramp
in such a manner that the lead shall be thoroughly embedded on each pipe. In the
groove in the leaden ring I then place a sheet-iron disc formed in two parts (one
part being shewn at F, Figure 2), and held together by means of hooks. The two
coupling rings are then pushed against the disc, which, by resisting, allows of and
facilitates the junction, at the same time preventing the groove from being flattened
or closed. The junction being completed the disc is removed, and all that now
requires to be done is to place the hoop D on the coupling rings B, B¹, and the
cement C in the space between the ends of the coupling rings and the tubes.
The cement produces a double effect, it strengthens the ligature on each pipe and
prevents the filtration of gas or liquid, even when the lead shall not have been
properly embedded. The cement solidifying quickly renders the joint thoroughly
sound and tight, and the ligature adhering firmly on each pipe separately. The only
flexible part is in the middle of the leaden ring. This is what is sought to be
obtained, because by these means the slight movements which may take place either
through change of temperature or the vibration or sinking of the earth will in no
way alter the joint, for if from the effect of heat the pipes expand, the groove of the
leaden ring contracts, while on the contrary if the pipes contract from the effect of
cold the groove expands; in either case the joint remains intact, which would not
be the case if the leaden ring had no groove, or if the pipes fitting one into the
other were luted or run with molten lead.
·
Experience has shewn that joints made under these last-named conditions are
always altered in their length because the constantly varying temperature causes,
particularly on cast-iron pipes, a movement in the direction of their length of about
two millimetres, and seven-tenths on a length of about ten metres when the
temperature varies from twenty-four degrees centigrade only, which frequently
happens in the ground even at a depth of one metre only.
The improved joint, herein-before described, yielding to all the herein-before
described movements, will not be subject to any alterations in length even when
the pipes are employed for conveying steam or hot liquids.
The dimensions of the parts shewn in the Drawings have been calculated as
sufficient to resist a pressure of about twenty atmospheres, but it will be understood
that such dimensions may be varied.
Having thus described my Invention I wish it to be understood that what I
claim is,-
The improvements in joints for pipes or tubes, herein-before described, such
improvements consisting mainly in the construction and employment of loaden rings
of peculiar construction, in combination with cast-iron coupling rings and cement for
the purpose of forming a flexible joint for firmly uniting (end to end) pipes which
have neither sockets nor flanges, as herein-before described, and represented in
Figure 1 of the accompanying Drawing.
I also claim the construction and employment of the inetal disc in two parts to
be used in fixing my improved joint, as and for the purposes herein-before described
and represented in Figuro 2 of the accompanying Drawing.
In witness whereof, I, the said Alphonse Bodart, have hereto set my hand
and seal, this Twentieth day of August, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and seventy-eight.