IMPROVEMENTS IN COUPLINGS FOR PIPES OR TUBES
Year: 1883

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Robert Lake, of the firm of Haseltine, Lake
and Co. Patent Agents Southampton Buildings, London for an Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN COUPLINGS FOR PIPES OR TUBES' communicated to him
from abroad by Enos Roger Williams of Cape May New Jersey, United States
of America
"
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Robert Lake at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 4th May 1883.
WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE, of the firm of Haseltine, Lako, and Co, Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings London, "IMPROVEMENTS IN COUPLINGS FOR PIPES OR
TUBES [A communication to him from abroad by Enos Roger Williams of Cape
May New Jersey, United States of America]
"
This invention relates to improvements in couplings for hose or other pipes
The said invention consists essentially of a coupling provided with means whereby
the parts thereof may be disconnected, and when the parts or objects to which
the opposite pipes or lengths of hose may be attached separate or are uncoupled, as
in the case of railway vehicles the clamps of the coupling are automatically released
and the coupling is thereby disconnected
In carrying the said invention into practice I provide the opposite collars of the
coupling with studs which project from the exterior of the said collars for the
engagement of the coupling clamps, each of the latter being hinged or pivotted to
the respective collar on the side opposite the stud, and having an opening for the
reception of the stud of the opposite collar. When the collars are brought together
and one clamp and the opposite stud are engaged, the other clamp is forced against
its stud and engaged therewith after the manner of a snap, the effect whereof
is to force the collars firmly against each other; the gasket or packing being
powerfully compressed, a close and tight joint is produced and the parts are reliably
coupled. When the pipe or hose is to be uncoupled either clamp is forced away
from the engaging stud and as the other clamp loses its hold on its stud, the
collars, are immediately disengaged. The sides of the clamp are extended to form
guards which prevent exposure of the side edges of the said clamps and the
contiguous edges of the collars,

page_text: I also provide horns which are formed on the ends of the clamps opposite to the
hinged or pivotal ends thereof, the same being of curved form, so that the extreme
ends point inwardly towards the collars or extensions thereof. The horns provide
means for taking hold of the clamps for manipulation thereof in locking and
unlocking the coupling and also form guards which prevent accidental displacement
of the clamps, as the extreme end of the horns are relieved of liability to be struck
by blows either directly applied or occasioned when the connected pipe or hose is
being dragged from place to place.
Levers are pivotted to the sides of the collars and so disposed that when the
clamps are in locking position, the ends of the levers opposite to their pivots are
beneath or behind the horns of the clamps. The said levers have, properly
connected with them, springs, which hold them in locking position, and restore
them to their normal positions when moved or disturbed; the said springs
may encircle the journals of the levers and be connected with the said journals and
the collars of the couplings.
.
By moving the levers from the collars they press against the inner faces of the
outer ends of the horns and thus force out the clamps, whereby the latter are
disengaged from the studs and the collars are uncoupled.
In lieu of the said levers I may employ rotary cams which are pivotted to the
collars and adapted to press against the horns with results similar to the employment
of the said levers.
For purposes of air brakes, heat conveyers or the like for railway vehicles the
levers are connected with the trucks of adjacent vehicles, the connections being
cords, chains, links, or the like sufficiently long so as not to disturb the said levers
under ordinary circumstances. Should however the vehicles be uncoupled either
purposely or from accident, the connections are drawn out, thus operating the levers
and automatically disconnecting the coupling; or uncoupling the connected lengths
of pipe or hose.

page_text: Figure 3 is an elevation at right angles to Figure 2.
Figure 4 is an end view.
Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the several Figures.
A, A indicate the opposite collars of the coupling and B studs which project
from the exterior of the said collars for the engagement of the coupling clamps C,
each of the latter being hinged or pivotted to the collar on the side opposite the
stud, and having an opening a for the reception of the stud of the opposite collar.
When the collars are brought together and one clamp and the opposite stud are
engaged, the other clamp is forced against its stud and engaged therewith after
the manner of a snap, the effect whereof is to force the collars firmly against each
other, the gasket or packing being powerfully compressed, a close and tight joint is
thus produced and the parts are reliably coupled.
When the pipe or hose is to be uncoupled either clamp is forced away from the
engaging stud and as the other clamp loses its hold on its stud, the collars are
immediately disengaged.
The sides of the clamp are extended to form guards C¹ which prevent exposure
of the side edges of said clamps and the contiguous edges of the collars.
D, D indicate horns or hooks which are formed on the ends of the clamps
opposite to the hinged or pivotal ends thereof, the same being of curved form, so
that the extreme ends point inwardly towards the collars or extensions thereof.
The horns afford means for taking hold of the clamps for manipulation thereof in
locking and unlocking the coupling, and also form guards which prevent accidental
displacement of the clamps, as the extreme ends of the horns are relieved of liability
to be struck by blows either directly applied or occasioned when the connected pipe
or hose is being dragged from place to place.
E, E indicate levers which are pivotted to the sides of the collars and so arranged
that when the clamps are in locking position, the ends of the levers opposite to
their pivots are beneath or behind the horns of the clamps. The said levers have
properly connected with them springs which hold them in locking position and
restore them to their normal positions when moved or disturbed, the said springs
in the present case encircling the journals of the levers and being connected with
the said journals and the collars of the coupling.
It will be seen that by moving the levers away from the collars, they press

page_text: against the inner faces of the outer ends of the horns and thus force out the clamps,
whereby the latter are disengaged from the studs and the collars are uncoupled.
In lieu of the said levers E, I may employ rotary cams which are pivotted to
the collars and adapted to press against the horns with resulta similar to those
attained by the employment of the said levers.
For purposes of air-brakes, heat-conveyers or the like for vehicles, the levers E
are connected with. the trucks of adjacent vehicles, the connections being cords,
chains, links or the. like as at c sufficiently long not to disturb the said levers
under ordinary circumstances. Should, however, the vehicles be uncoupled. either
purposely or by accident, the connections are drawn out, thus operating the
levers E and automatically disconnecting the coupling, or uncoupling the connected
lengths of pipe or hose.
Having thus fully described the said Invention as communicated to me by my
foreign correspondent and the manner of performing the same I wish it understood
that I claim-
First. In a pipe or hose coupling, the collars, each having a stud, in combination
with hinged or pivotted clamps each having an opening and a horn or hook, the
latter pointing inwardly towards the collar, substantially as, and for the purpose,
set forth..
Second. A pipe or hose coupling provided with a clamp and a disengaging
device therefor, substantially as, and for the purpose, set forth.
Third. A pipe or hose coupling provided with collars having clamping devices
and levers adapted to disengage the same, substantially as, and for the purpose,
set forth.
In witness whereof I the said William Robert Lake have hereunto set my hand
and seal this Third day of November in the year of our Lord One thousand eight
hundred and eighty three.