Improvements in or relating to Tubes suitable for Grain Elevators and for other purposes,
Year: 1895

page_text: *Date of Application, 18th Oct., 1895-Accepted, 23rd Nov., 1895
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to Tubes suitable for Grain Elevators
and for other purposes,
I, CHRISTIAN HAMILTON GRAY of The Indiarubber, Guttapercha aud
Telegraph Works Company Limited, of Silvertown, in the County of Essex,
Indiarubber Manufacturer do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in
what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascer-
tained in and by the following Specification :-
This invention relates to tubes which may be employed for various purposes,
but are particularly suitable for use in grain elevators, sand dredgers, and the
like, where the tube which is usually of a flexible description is liable to damage
by the impact of the materials operated upon. Tubes of this nature are frequently
made of rubber lined with wire or the like, the wire serving partly to keep the
tube from collapsing and partly to protect it from the action of the materials.
The draw-back of tubes of this description is that under certain oircunstances,
and particularly where the tube is bont at an angle the coils of the wire upon
the outside of the bend are more or less widely separated from each other, thus
exposing the rubber tube to the dainaging action of the materials passing through
the tube, usually at a high speed. With a tube of this nature it is inevitable that
the coils should be stratched at the outer curve of the beud, and the object of
my present invention is to so arrange the coils, that, notwithstanding their
separation, the tubo will still be protected. This I accomplish in the following
manner-
Instead of lining the tube with wire of a circular cross section I employ flattened
wire with the longer axis perpendicular to the axis of the tube when straight.
The result of this is that when the coils are separated instead of that separation
allowing a clear course for the grain to strike upon the rubber or other flexible
material of which the tube is primarily composed, the depth of each coil of wire
is such that a straight course for the grain straight on to the unprotected tube is
never open, the space between any two coils being always protected by that one
of the two coils which is nearest to the point from which the grain starts. I have
used the term "wiro" but I wish it to be understood that although the material
employed should be capable of being wound round in the same way that the
wire lining of an ordinary tube ie, yet the cross section of what I will in the
Specification and claims for convenience call the "wire" may vary very materially
indeed. For instance, it may be as previously described of a cross section
resembling a circle cut in two, and a plain piece inserted between them so that
one axis would be much longer than the other or it may be made of a T shape,
the stem or flange of the T sorving the protective purpose already described. Or
again, it may be in channel shape or angular, or conical with a rounded exterior,
though it is always desirable that the portion abutting against the flexible tube
should be more or less rounded so as to prevent damage to the tube.
The accompanying drawings represent partial sections of tubes showing the
improved "wires" of various sections, like letters representing like parts throughout
the drawings.
In Figure 1A is a portion of the tube and B the coils of "wire" which in this
instance is simply a Hattened "wire" with the longer axis perpendicular to the
axis of the tube, the depth from D to E being greater than the width from F to G;
the coils are shown bearing closely one against the other. In Figure 2 the same
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page_text: section of wire is employed, but at the outer bend of the curveſtlie wires are shown
separated, the distance between the coils being however insufficient to allow of the
direct impact of the materials passing through the tube upon the inner face of the
flexible tube. The coils are shown very wide apart at C but it is merely, a.question
of proportioning the depth of the coils to the spaed or distance between any two
coils which may be necessary to allow of the maximum curve for which the tube is
adapted. In Figure 2 it will be seen that notirithstanding the comparatively
large spaces between the coils the material passing through the pipe in the
direction of the arrows would not impinge upon the tube because their direction
would necessarily alter as they proceeded' round the curve and an long as the
direct impact is prevented the chief object of the invention will be attained..
Either of the faces of the "wire" inay be placed at a particular anglo so as to
direct the impinging grains away from the tube as for example in Figures 3,
4, or 7.
In Figure 5 a T section is adopted for the "wiro" and the same in Figure 6,
where however the Danges or stems of the T's are placed at an angle instead of
being perpendicular to the heads.
In Figure 8 the "wire" is shown of channel section. These will serve as
examples of some forms which may be adopted, but I do not restrict myself to
these forms.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is
1. Protecting the interior of a flexible tube by deep "wires" substantially as
desoribed.
2 Protecting a flexible tube from damage by the materials passing through it
by so arranging, shaping or proportioning the coils of the "wire" forming its
internal support that any grain or portion of the material passing one cuil would
impinge upon the succeeding coils and not directly upon the flexible tube.
3. In a flexible tube the employment of "wire." the coils of which are of such a
depth that when separated to the maximum extent for which the tube is adapted
they still protect the internal surface of the tube from the direct impingement of
the materials passing through.
4. In a flexible tube the employment of "wire" whose depth is greater than its
width for the purpose of protecting the interior of the tube from damage when the
coils are separated.
5. A flexible tube in which the inner surface is protected when the coils are
separated substantially in the manner described.
6. A supporting "wire" for a flexible tube the depth of the "wire" being
greater than its width for the purpose described.
Dated this 17th day of October 1895.
BOULT & WADE,
Agents for the Applicant..