Year: 1892

page_text: 1th lan 1892—Accepted, 19th mar, 1992
4th lan 1892-Accepted, 19th man, sove
Designed for Use in by
1, THOMAS WILLIAM MORAN, a citizen of the United States or
siding at No. 2211 Third Avenue, in the City of Louisville, County of Jefferson,
d State of Kentucky, one of the United States of America, Inventor, do hereby
clare the nature of this invention, and in what manner the same is to be
rformed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
atement:-
This invention has relation to certain improvements in couplings for steam pipes,
esigned for use in systems of steam heating on railway cars; and it consists in
he novel combination and construction of parts as will appear from the following
escription and the accompanying drawings..
In these drawings:
Figure 1 is a side elevation.
Fig. 2 is a vertical section through one half of the coupling.
Fig. 3 is a section on the line y-y, Fig. 2.
Fig. 4 is a section on the line to-w, Fig. 3, through the coupling sections.
Fig. 5 is a vertical section.
Fig. 6 is a face view of one of the coupling sections.
In carrying out my invention, I provide the ends of each train pipe section,
which are designated by the letters A, A', in the accompanying drawings, with a
relief valve B, suitably secured to the car frame, and by means of a brace or
bracket, held between arms a, a, on the relief valve casing. Said relief valves are
The casing has at one end a threaded
usually of the construction shown.
cylindrical opening or aperture a', for communication with the train pipe, said
In this partition is a
opening leading into a chamber B in one side of the casing, and separated by a
partition wall B³ from a chamber C in the opposite side.
Leading outwardly from
port c, communicating with both chambers, and having formed therein on the side
of the chamber C, a spherically beveled valve seat c
the chamber C, is a threaded aperture D, in which is held a stuffing box D'.
Leading outwardly from the chamber B is a port b', communicating with a
threaded aperture E, to which may be connected a pipe section or elbow E¹.
In the forward wall of the chamber C is a port F, which communicates with an
elbow portion F, to which is connected a vertical section F2 of the coupling.
Said stem has a
G is a valve stem, which projects outwardly from the stuffing box D', and provided
at its outer end with a hand wheel, or other operating means.
male threaded portion g, engaging a corresponding female threaded portion gl of
the aperture D in the stuffing box through which it passes.
Above said threaded
portion y, said stem carries a valve H, which consists of the segment of a sphere,
grooved or cut away at its central portion. One end of this valve is adapted to
fit the seat e', while the other end fits a concave or spherically beveled seat h. in
O the lower end of the stuffing box.
The inner end of the stem carries a second but smaller valve 1, adapted to seat
in and close the port b', leading into the aperture or chamber E.
Extending outwardly from the seat in the stuffing box are the grooves or
channels, which communicate with an enlarged portion i of the aperture d', from
When the stem is screwed outwardly to open
45 which leads the relief aperture i¹.
the port and permit the passage of steam into the casing and through the pipe
sections, the upper end of the valve H will seat in the stuffing box, preventing
At the same time, the valve I will seat in and
the entrance of any steam thereto.
close the port b'. When, however, the valve H is screwed down to close the

page_text: :
port c', said valve is carried away from its seat in the stuffing box. At the same
time, the valve I is carried through into the aperture E and the port is opened.
In this position, any steam remaining in the coupling when the valves are
closed is permitted to escape, relieving the pipe or hose sections of unnecessary
pressure.
The aperture E and the elbow E' are provided in case it is desired to effect a
coupling with a car fitted with a different system not adapted for connection with
the elbow F¹. In this case, the port c' is closed by the valve H, the port being
open. Said elbow may be closed with a plug when not in use to make the
connection. On the lower end of each pipe section F connected to the respective
relief valves, is a hollow ball or sphere J which works loosely in a socket J', on
the upper end of a vertical pipe section J³, and held therein by an annular ring J',
having an inner, spherically beveled surface fitting said ball section steam tight,
and having an internal screw-threaded connection with said socket section. Said
socket section also has a spherically beveled interior portion fitting said ball section
steam tight. the parts being so arranged as to permit a universal movement, and
yet maintain a perfectly steam tight joint under direct or vacuum pressure in the
pipe sections. The upper portion of the ball-carrying section F" has a wrench
seat d thereon, in which are formed a series of vertical grooves, or it may be a
series of projections d, which are engaged by pins or bolts d', carried by the elbow
portion of the relief valve casing, thereby serving as a lock to prevent the parts
from unscrewing. The section J' carries a hollow ball or sphere K at its lower
end, similar to the ball or sphere J on the section F, and which has a universal
movement in a socket and ring K' similar to the socket J' and the ring J' above
described. This socket K' is formed in the upper end of an angle or elbow joint
section K2 having a threaded socket at its other end to receive the end of a
horizontal pipe section K³. In the lower angular portion of the joint section K is
a small steam trap 4. This trap comprises the ball serving as a valve and
closing the opening j, when pressure is on in the pipes. When however, pressure
is cut off, the ball is lifted from its seat by the action of a spring, thus permitting
the escape of the water of condensation through said aperture j.
It will be understood, as clearly shown in Fig. 1, that each car is provided with
the parts above described, the horizontal pipe sections K³ of any two cars at their
meeting ends having each one half of a coupling, shown at L.
These half couplings L are each constructed as follows:-In the cylindrical
casing or box held a hollow cylindrical piston l. This piston is of less diameter
than the box or casing of the chamber or shell in which it is held, and is provided
with an external circular flange P. In the said box or casing is annular ring L'
arranged to move therein, and between this and the ring flange of the piston is
held an annular packing ring L³. The outer portion of the piston turns in a ring 1,
having a screw-threaded connection with the walls of the box or chamber, and
between the inner surface of this ring, and the outer surface of the flange
annular chamber is formed. The outer ends of the chambers or boxes of each
coupling half or section terminate in the broad facing rings ground to come in
close contact with each other, as are also the meeting faces of the pistons. When
pressure is admitted to the pipes, the packing rings L'are expanded against the ring
Hanges of the pistons forcing the latter together to form a tight joint. Said
pistons may be ground at both ends to form a joint, and be used reversably, end
for end.
an
When pressure is cut off, the packing rings contract and fall back, and any
water of condensation which may collect in the chambers 13, is permitted to escape
through the drain apertures m formed in the casings.
The ends of these casings at their lower portions are provided with the lugs or
books M and eyes or sockets M' which hold said casings together. On the upper
portion of each case is also provided a lug or projection N, to which is pivoted a
latch or catch N', the forward end of which engages a lug n on the opposite casing.
The opposite end of each of these latches bears against a spring O which is seated

page_text: n the casings. When the sections L come together, the lugs M enter the eyes
r sockets M', and the latches N' automatically lock, and are held from disengage-
ment by the springs O.
To the upper portion of each of these latches is secured a clevis ring or link ()',
he pin of which passes through an oblong slot o in the lugs N, limiting the throw
of the latch, and protecting the spring O from too great compression.
To each of these clevises or links is secured one end of a slack or tripping
chain P, P, the opposite ends of which are usually connected to the respective
relief valve casings. When the cars are uncoupled, the slack of these chains will
This permits
be taken up, tripping the latches from engagement with the lugs n.
the coupling sections to fall away from each other, and cause the disengagement
of the interlocking hooks and eyes, in which position, the pipe sections K will be
held by said chains.
The various pipe sections, as above described, may be provided with wrench
seats, as shown, to permit their ready connection and disconnection.
By the construction and combination of parts as above described, a flexible
connection for steam pipes between cars is provided, which will readily adapt itself
to the varying positions of the moving cars.
The various joints are air or steam tight under pressure, but arranged to permit
The relief valves
the escape of all water of condensation when the pressure is off.
might be of other construction than that described, their object being to prevent
unnecessary pressure in the pipes when the valves are closed.
The provision of the interlocking hooks and eyes, the latches, and the tripping
chains, render the action of uncoupling entirely automatic.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is
1. The herein described coupling for steam or other similar pipes, comprising
the relief valves, the ball sections connected thereto, the socket and ball pipe
connections, the angular joints or elbows, the horizontal pipe sections, and the
double piston couplings carried by said horizontal pipe sections, substantially as
specified.
2. The herein described coupling for steam or other similar pipes, comprising
the relief valves constructed as described, the ball carrying sections connected
thereto, the angular joints or elbows provided with the steam traps therein, and
having a spherical socket, the sections uniting said ball sectious and said elbows
and provided each with a ball and a spherical socket, the horizontal pipe
sections, the double piston couplings and their tripping chains, substantially as
specified.
0 3. The coupling apparatus for steam and other pipes, having the universal joints
steam tight under pressure, and arranged to permit the escape of the water of
condensation when the pressure is off, the double piston couplings and the slack or
tripping chains, substantially as specified.
4. The coupling apparatus having the double piston joints forming a tight joint
6 under pressure, their casings and locks, and the tripping chains for said locks,
substantially as specified.
لي
10000
JENSEN & SON,
77, Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Patent Agents.