IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANU- FACTURE OF PIPES FOR CONVEYING WATER, GAS, OR OTHER FLUIDS
Year: 1881

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Frederic Des Voeux, of Southampton Buildings, in the
County of Middlesex, for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANU-
FACTURE OF PIPES FOR CONVEYING WATER, GAS, OR OTHER FLUIDS." A
communication from abroad by Marcus Marx, of the City, County, and State
T
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Frederic Des Voeux at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 4th October 1881.
FREDERIC DES VEUX, of Southampton Buildings, in the County of Middlesex.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF PIPES FOR CONVEYING WATER, GAS,
OR OTHER FLUIDS." A communication from abroad by Marcus Marx, of the City,
County, and State of New York, United States of America.
This Invention relates to certain improvements in the construction of pipes for
conveying water, gas, and other fluids with a view of obtaining not only pipes of
less weight than cast iron pipes, but pipes which can be furnished cheaper, which
are of equal durability, and which can be manufactured at the place of use so as to
be easier handled when laying the same.
Heretofore it has been customary to make composite pipes of veneer or sheet
metal cylinders and cover the same with various kinds of substances. In pipes of
this class the sheet metal cylinders have been perforated for causing the asphaltum
or other substance to adhere to it, but this has been found objectionable for the
reason that it caused the coating to be of unequal thickness in its parts and to
increase its liability to crack when it became cold, and especially when the coating
is subjected to strain when in use.
To avoid this the sheet metal cylinders have been made corrugated, which
however was objectionable on account of the fact that when under pressure too
much strain is put upon the coating, which is then rendered liable to crack and
break.
The object of this Invention is to produce a pipe which is free from the above
recited objections, and for this reason it consists of a sheet metal body, preferably

page_text: rolled in volute form with intervening and covering layers of asphaltum or similar
material, and of an interior layer of asphaltum or cement. In place of the volute
shaped body of sheet metal a cylindrical body of sheet metal may be used. The
ends of the pipe section are provided with male and female end portions of cast
metal for facilitating the jointing of the pipe sections.
In constructing these pipes a cylinder of cement or other suitable material is
moulded on a core or mandril by pressure. It is then placed in a machine fitted
with an endless belt or band passing over four rollers, three preferably large and
placed in a triangular manner, and the fourth or smaller roller placed nearly
intermediately. The cylinder is placed just above the lower rollers, the small
roller being to one side above. The dry sheet metal is then fed through a trough
filled with melted asphaltum or like material kept at a suitable heat, and whereby
it becomes coated therewith. The belt or band is kept moist so as not to be
injured by the hot substance. The machine being started, the coated metal, one
end of which is secured to the cylinder, is rolled round it in volute form until a
sufficient number of convolutions are obtained.
Around the formed pipe a coating of asphaltum mixed with sand or other
suitable material is formed.
I prefer to use a mixture of 1% of rock or Swiss and 3 of Trinidad asphaltum,
giving good results for making pipes. For large mains the stiffening tube may
be made of cylindrical in place of volute form with rivetted edges and the sections
connected by expanding one end and fiting the other into it and then expanding-
the joint. To thic_ends-of-a-pipe-section are secured cast metal male and female
ends for connecting the adjoining pipes. _ In-the-case-of-water-pipes the sheet
-metal-pipe is preferably lined with cement on its inner and covered on the outer
side with asphaltum.
These pipes may be made on the ground where they are to be laid by
transporting the machines and materials thereto, and then laying and joining them.
The pipes are much lighter and cheaper than cast iron pipes and not liable to
discolour water.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Frederic Des Voeux in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
3rd April 1882.
FREDERIC DES VEUX, of Southampton Buildings, in the County of Middlesex.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF PIPES FOR CONVEYING WATER, GAS,
OR OTHER FLUIDS." (A communication from abroad by Marcus Marx, of the
City, County, and State of New York, United States of America.)
This Invention relates to certain improvements in the construction of pipes for
conveying water, gas, and other fluids, with a view of obtaining not only pipes of
Jess weight than cast iron pipes, but pipes which can be furnished cheaper, which
are of equal durability, and which can be manufactured at the place of use so as
to be easier handled when laying the same.
Heretofore it has been customary to make composite pipes of veneer or sheet
metal cylinders and cover the same with various kinds of substances. In pipes of
this class the sheet metal cylinders have been perforated for causing the asphaltum
or other substance to adhere to it, but this has been found objectionable for the
reason that it caused the coating to be of unequal thickness in its parts, and to
increase its liability to crack when it became cold, and especially when the coating
is subjected to strain when in use. To avoid this the sheet metal cylinders have
been made corrugated, which however was objectionable on account of the fact
that, when under pressure too much strain is put upon the coating, which is then,
rendered liable to crack and break.
The object of this Invention is to produce a pipe which is free from the above
recited objections, and for this reason it consists of a sheet metal body preferably
rolled in volute form with intervening and covering layers of asphaltum or similar
material, and of an interior layer of asphaltum or cement. In place of the volute-
shaped body of sheet metal a cylindrical body of sheet metal may be used. The
ends of the pipe section are provided with male and female end portions of cast
metal for facilitating the jointing of the pipe sections.
In the accompanying Drawings,
Fig. 1 represents a section of my improved asphaltum pipe.
Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the sheet metal stiffening tube rolled in volute
form.
Fig. 3 is a vertical longitudinal section of the machine for laying on the
asphaltum covering, and
Fig. 4 is a side view, partly in longitudinal section of my improved asphaltum
pipe with a cylindrical sheet metal stiffening tube and cast iron ends.
Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.
In constructing asphaltum pipes in accordance with my improved method, there
is first formed upon a cylindrical core of iron a cylinder of some suitable solid
substance that will give it the required solidity and strength. If the pipes are
used for conducting water, the cylinder which forms the interior layer of the pipe
is preferably made of a suitable cement. The interior cylinder A is formed under
pressure and is then placed in the machine shown in Fig. 3, in which a loose
endless belt F conducted around four rollers, laps around the cylinder and serves to
lay a sheet iron covering B, the end of which is secured to the interior cylinder in
a suitable manner. The sheet metal is fed to the cylinder in the manner shown
in Fig. 3, and passed first through a trough with melted asphaltum and coated
therewith.
The belt F is kept moist so as not to be injured by the heat of the asphaltum, the
trough or pan being kept at such a distance from the same that no water can be
thrown upon the sheet metal as it is absolutely essential that the metal should be

page_text: perfectly dry when it enters the pan, as otherwise the asphaltum will not adhere
thereto. By revolving the machine, the requisite number of layers or rings of
sheet metal are wound in volute form around the central cylinder, the sheet metal
being covered at both sides with asphaltum.
When the requisite number of convolutions required for the strength of the pipe
have been formed, the machine is stopped, care being taken that the outer end of
the sheet metal is as near as possible to that portion of the cylinder which is
diametrically opposite to the inner end.
Around the pipe thus formed an exterior coating D of asphaltum mixed with
sand or other suitable material is formed.
The asphaltum used in my process is preferably made of a mixture of 1/6th of
rock asphaltum or Swiss asphaltum, and 3/ths of Trinidad asphaltum, by which
the covering becomes more elastic and less brittle, being also less liable to be
affected by change of temperature. As the asphaltum covers the sheet metal
at both sides it fills up all joints, flaws, or cracks completely, and makes the pipe
strong, compact, and waterproof. Another advantage is that the asphaltum forms
a cementing layer between the convolutions of the sheet metal body or tube of the
pipe. It is evident that by varying the temperature and consequently the fluidity
of the asphaltum the thickness of the intervening layer may be increased or
diminished at pleasure. For large mains, especially for water mains, the stiffening
tube B is made of cylindrical shape and proper thickness, as shown in Fig.-4-in-
place of the volute form shown in Fig. 3. In-this case the edges are rivetted and_
the-sections of tubing connected by expanding one-end-of-the pipe for a distance
of some two.or-three-inches and admitting the other section into it.
The joint is then expanded so that the parts are held together without the
necessity of rivetting. To the ends of a pipe section are secured cast metal portions
respectively of male and female shape, so as to be connected to the ends of the
adjoining sections. In this case the sheet metal pipe is lined with cement on the
inner side and covered on the outside with asphaltum or like material.
The advantages of the use of the combined asphaltum and sheet metal pipe are
that the machines and materials used in making the pipes are transported directly
to the place where the pipes are to be laid in the ground. They are made on the
ground and joined in the trenches in any approved manner.
The finished pipe
weighs about of cast metal pipes of the same size and has furthermore the
advantage that water passing through the same is not liable to discoloration by
iron rust, while the pipes can be made at considerably less cost than cast iron
pipes.
Having thus described the nature of the said Invention, as communicated to me
from abroad, I claim on behalf of the said Marcus Marx,—
1. The manufacture of pipes for conveying gas, water, and other fluids, by rolling
smooth sheet metal into volute or cylindrical form and providing the same with an
interior layer of asphaltum, cement, or other suitable material substantially as set
forth.
2. A pipe for conveying gas, water, and other fluids, made of an intermediate
stiffening tube of sheet-metal, covered at both sides with a layer of asphaltum,
cement, or other suitable material, and provided with male and female cast metal
end portions, substantially as set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said Frederic Des Voeux, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Thirteenth day of March, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and eighty two