Tube Stoppers and otherwise for Making Tight Joints.
Year: 1887

page_text: Date of Application, 25th July. 1887
Complete Left, 24th Apr., 1888
Complete Accepted, 13th July, 1888
Tube Stoppers and otherwise for Making Tight Joints.
We, JOHN REED FOTHERGILL of No. 1, Bathgate Terrace, West Hartlepool, in the
county of Durham, Superintending Marine Engineer and CHARLES JOSEPH SEAMAN
of the Firm of Messrs. C. J. Seaman & Co. Cleveland Row, Stockton-on-Tees, India-
Rubber Merchants, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention has reference to washers and rings to be used for making tight joints,
as for example in stoppers for stopping boiler tubes that have burst, so that the boiler
may nevertheless be used: Also for making boiler door joints, pipe joints and for such
like purposes.
For stopping boiler tubes it is usual to employ apparatus comprising
two inner and two outer washers of iron, a tube for keeping the inner washers the
desired distance apart, and a through iron rod or bar screwed at both ends and on
which screwed nuts work.
At one end of this bar a square is formed. Between each inner washer and the
adjacent outer one an india-rubber washer is placed. When such a tube stopper is
placed in a burst boiler tube, a wrench is applied to the square end of the stopper rod
to prevent its turning, whilst one of the nuts is tightened up with a spanner or key.
Owing to the before mentioned tube keeping the inner washers a fixed distance
apart, the tightening of the nut squeezes the india-rubber washers forcing their
peripheries into close contact with the inner surface of the boiler tube, thus sealing
both ends thereof to prevent water and steam leaking out.
Now in practice and more particularly with the high pressures at which boilers are
being worked, it is found the india-rubber washers do not stand.
The heat softens the rubber and destroys its cohesiveness. Owing to the variations
and irregularities of the inner surface of the boiler tubes, the iron washers have to be
made somewhat smaller in diameter than the boiler tubes.
Furthermore to save expense the washers are rarely turned true on their edges.
Hence it will be understood they do not fit the boiler tube and from one or both of
these causes it results that the rubber is either squeezed or blown entirely out.

page_text: Now in order to obviate this difficulty according to our invention the washers which
may be made of india-rubber, asbestos or any pliable ductile material, or combination
of such materials, are each constructed with a metallic ring or rings embedded or
partially embedded in its periphery. These rings may be of any suitable metal such
as (for example) brass, copper, iron or lead. They may be formed as a solid ring, but
for the purpose of allowing them to expand in the direction of their diameters when
the washer is squeezed and thus press close against the inner surface of the boiler tube,
they may be variously formed; thus they may be in the form of the ordinary split
ring similar to the domestic key ring in common use; or their ends for a suitable
length may be reduced and overlap one another; or they may be hollow like a tube
and the ring joined by one end being inserted within the other end, or they may be
of helically coiled wire having a thread of woven asbestos or any suitable pliable or
ductile material running through the coil; or they may be formed of wire coiled
spirally around the periphery of the washer it may be for its full breadth.
Any convenient sectional form may be given to the rings or washers.
As will be ovident washers constructed in accordance with our invention as herein
set forth will prevent the india-rubber, asbestos or material of which the body of the
washer is made being squeezed or blown out.
For the purpose of preventing undue expansion or squeezing out of washers,
whether of india-rubber, asbestos or other materials which are used for making the
joints of boiler doors, pipes, or for other similar purposes (such expansions or squeezing
out being due to the tightening up of the joint, the heating of the article so jointed
thus softening the material of the washer, or the pressure at the joint forcing the
washer out), we apply to the periphery of such a washer rings constructed as already
described or a plain thin metallic band may be applied or thin metal having such a
sectional form as will allow the washer to be squeezed without lateral extension or
being forced out of the joint. By the use of such washers with metallic bands there
will be secured greater reliability in making joints particularly for use under high
pressures and the length of time such washers will last will be also increased.
In some cases it may be desirable to apply such a metallic band to the inner edge
of a washer in addition to that on the outer edge.
It will be evident washers and rings constructed in accordance with our invention
as set forth above may may be used in tube stoppers of various constructions. The
modes of applying such washers and rings for making boiler door joints pipe joints
and the like will be sufficiently obvious not to require further description here.
Dated this 95th day of July 1887
W. LLOYD WISE,
46, Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, W.C.,
Agent for the Applicant.

page_text: improve wpptis auu
141
Tube Stoppers and otherwise for Making Tight Joints.
We, JOHN REED FOTHERGILL, of No. 1 Bathgate Terrace, West Hartlepool, in the
County of Durham, Superintending Marine Engineer, and CHARLES JOSEPH
SEAMAN of the firm of Messrs. C. J. Seaman & Co. Cleveland Row, Stockton-on-Tees,
India-rubber Merchants, do hereby declare the nature of this invention, and in what
manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in
and by the following statement :-
-
This Invention has reference to washers and rings to be used for making tight
joints, as for example in stoppers for stopping boiler tubes that have burst so that
the boiler may nevertheless be used; Also for making boiler door joints pipe joints
and for such like purposes. For stopping boiler tubes it is usual to employ apparatus
comprising two inner and two outer washers of iron, a tube for keeping the inner
washers the desired distance apart, and a through iron rod or bar screwed at both
ends and on which screwed nuts work.
At one end of this bar a square is formed. Between each inner washer and the
adjacent outer one an india-rubber washer is placed-When such a tube stopper is
placed in a burst boiler tube, a wrench is applied to the square end of the stopper rod
to prevent its turning, whilst one of the nuts is tightened up with a spanner or key.
Owing to the before mentioned tube keeping the inner washers a fixed distance
apart, the tightening of the nut squeezes the india-rubber washers forcing their
peripheries into close contact with the inner surface of the boiler tube, thus scaling
both ends thereof to prevent water and steam leaking out.
Now in practice and more particularly with the high pressures at which boilers
are being worked, it is found the india rubber washers do not stand. The heat
softens the rubber and destroys its cohesiveness. Owing to the variations and
irregularities of the inner surface of the boiler tubes, the iron washers have to be
made somewhat smaller in diameter tban the boiler tubes. Furthermore to save
expense the washers are rarely turned true on their edges. Hence it will be under-
stood they do not fit the boiler tube and from one or both of these causes it results
that the rubber is either squeezed or blown entirely out.
Now in order to obviate this difficulty according to our invention the washers
which may be made of india-rubber, asbestos or any pliable ductile material or com-
bination of such materials, are each constructed with a metallic ring or rings
embedded or partially embedded in its periphery. These rings may be of any suitablo
metal such as (for example) brass copper iron or lead. They may be formed as a
solid ring, but for the purpose of allowing them to expand in the direction of their
diameters when the washer is squeezed and thus press close against the inner surface
of the boiler tube, they may be variously formed; thus they may be in the form of
the ordinary split ring similar to the domestic key ring in common use; or their
ends for a suitable length may be reduced and overlap one another; or they may be
hollow like a tube and the ring joined by one end being inserted within the other end;
or they may be of helically coiled wire having a thread of woven asbestos or any
suitable pliable or ductile material running through the coil; or they may be formed
of wire coiled spirally around the periphery of the washer, it may be for its full
breadth.

page_text: Any convenient sectional form may be given to the rings or washers.
As will be evident washers constructed in accordance with our invention as herein
set forth will prevent the india-rubber, asbestos or material of which the body of the
washer is made being squeezed or blown out.
For the purpose of preventing undue expansion or squeezing out of the washers
whether of india-rubber, asbestos or other materials which are used for making the
joints of boiler doors, pipes or for other similar purposes (such expansions or squeezing
out being due to the tightening up of the joint, the heating of the article so jointed
thus softening the material of the washer, or the pressure at the joint forcing the
washer out,) we apply to the periphery of such a washer rings constructed as already
described or a plain thin metallic band may be applied or thin metal having such a
sectional form as will allow the washer to be squeezed without lateral extension or
being forced out of the joint. By the use of such washers with metallic bands there
will be secured greater reliability in making joints particularly for use under high
pressures and the length of time such washers will last will be also increased.
In some cases it may be desirable to apply such a metallic band to the inner edge
of a washer in addition to that on the outer edge.
It will be evident washers and rings constructed in accordance with our invention
as set forth above may be used in tube stoppers of various constructions. The modes
of applying such washers and rings for making boiler door joints, pipe joints and the
like are shown in the annexed sheet of illustrative drawings in which Figure 1, shows
a side view. Figure 2 in cross section and Figure 3 in edge view, one arrangement
of washer and rings for use in tube stoppers, a. is the body of the washer made of
india rubber, asbestos, or other suitable pliable or ductile material; in the periphery
of this washer are imbedded metallic rings made of brass copper iron lead or
other suitable metal.
In this example the ends of the rings are shown reduced for a suitable
length and overlap one another as shewn at c, or they may overlap one another
as illustrated at 2 figures 2 and 3.
In Figure 4 the rings are shewn in the form of, or similar to, the ordinary
domestic key-ring.
In Figure 5 the rings one of which is shown partly in section, are each
constructed in the form of a tube having its ends joined by a short piece of
wire e inserted within them as shown or one end of the tube may be inserted
within the other.
In Figure 6 the rings are each shown constructed of helically coiled wire with
a thread of woven asbestos or other suitable pliable ductile material running
through it.
In Figure 7 a wire is shown coiled spirally round the periphery of the washer
at each end thereof. This wire may be coiled the full length of the washer, a
space about the breadth of the wire being left between each convolution.
Figure 8 shows in longitudinal section the application to a boiler tube of a
tube stopper of ordinary construction provided with washers and rings constructed
and arranged in accordance with this Invention. ƒ ƒ ƒ³ are metal washers;
g an iron tube for keeping the inner washers f¹ and the desired fixed distance
apart a through metal rod or bar screw threaded at both ends and on which
work screw threaded nuts 2. At one end of the bar h a squared part k is
formed. Between each of the washers ff and f2f3 are placed washers a a¹ of
india rubber asbestos or other suitable pliable ductile material cach having
embedded or partially embedded therein metallic rings which may be of
either of the forms shown in Figures 1 to 6-In Figure 8 the washers are shown
provided with metallic rings of the form shown in Figures 2 and 3.
To apply a tube stopper of the kind described and illustrated in Figure 8 to
close a burst boiler tube it is placed within the tube in the position shewn and
the nut tightened up with a spanner or key a wrench being applied to the
squared part to prevent the rod or bar turning during the turning of the
nut-Owing to the tube g keeping the washers f¹f a fixed distance apart,

page_text: the tightening up of the nut j2 squeezes or compresses the washers a a¹ forcing
their peripheries into close contact with the inner surface of the boiler tube. As
the squeezing continues the washers are forced outwards or sideways as shown
until the metallic rings which owing to their formation expand in the direction
of their diameters are forced into the positions shewn in Figure S thus effectively
closing the space between the iron washers f¹ƒ ƒ³ and consequently the boiler
tube and preventing the material of the washers a a¹ being blown or forced out.
The tighter the nut is screwed up the closer will be the contact of the periphery of
the washers a a¹ with the boiler tube thus sealing both ends of the tube and preventing
water or steam or both leaking out.
.1
Figures 9. 10. 11 and 12 show in section some of the various forms in which
continuous metallic bands m m m may be applied to the outer and inner edges or
peripheries of washers of india rubber asbestos or other suitable material which are
used for making the joints of boiler doors steam, hydraulic or other pipe joints. It
will be seen that the form of these metallic bands is such as will allow of the washer
being squeezed without being laterally extended or of being forced out of the joint,
the form of the ring being such as to yield to the pressure exerted.
Figures 13 and 14 show respectively in section and in edge view the application of
rings similar to those shown in Figures 2. 3. 4 and 5 to washers for making joints.
By the use of such rings the washers may be laterally extended by pressure until the
rings come in contact with the bolts employed for securing the joint-Such lateral
extension of the washer compensates for the uneven squeezing of the washer due to
irregularities and inequalities of the surface of the joint. This compensation is not
permitted by a solid metal ring.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said Invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that we do not claim
broadly or otherwise than as hereinafter stated the use of solid continuous rings
applied to the inner or outer edges of washers for making joints but what we do
claim is.
First. The use for making a joint of a washer of pliable or ductile material with a
metallic ring or rings such as described that can expand under pressure in the
direction of its or their diameters embedded or partially embedded in the periphery
thereof substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figures 1 to 7
inclusive of the drawings annexed for the purposes specified.
Second. A boiler-tube stopper provided with washers and rings constructed and
arranged substantially as herein before described with reference to figures 1 to 8 of
the drawings annexed.
Third. The combination with washers of pliable or ductile material for making
boiler door joints, pipe joints and the like of our peculiar continuous metallic rings or
bands either external or internal or both the forms or configurations of which in
cross section are such as to permit of their being bent or altered by the compression
exerted on the washer when a joint is being made but such as to prevent lateral
extension of such washer during compression substantially as hereinbefore described
with reference respectively to figures 9. 10. 11 and 12 of the drawings annexed.
Fourth. The application to the inner and outer edges or peripheries of washers for
making boiler door joints pipe joints and the like of metallic rings of forms such as
respectively shown in Figures 2. 3. 4. 5. 13. and 14 of the drawings annexed whereby
sufficient lateral extension is allowed to the washer to compensate for the uneven
squeezing thereof due to the irregularities and inequalities of untrue joints.
W. LLOYD WISE,
Per F. J. Brougham.