AN IMPROVED EXPANSION JOINT FOR TUBULAR FIRE-BARS
Year: 1875

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Frederick Robert Ellis, Engineer, of the
S.S. "Jamaican," but at present of the Office for Patents, 15,
Water Street, Liverpool, in the County of Lancaster, for the
•
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Frederick Robert
Ellis at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his
Petition, on the 11th December 1875.
I, FREDERICK ROBERT ELLIS, Engineer, of the S.S. "Jamaican,"
but at present of the Office for Patents, 15, Water Street, Liverpool, in
the County of Lancaster, do hereby declare the nature of the said
Invention for "AN IMPROVED EXPANSION JOINT FOR TUBULAR FIRE-BARS," to
be as follows:-
My Invention relates to an expansion joint, being a link piece to be
used to collect tubular fire-bars to.their bearers, more particularly when

page_text: such tubular fire-bars are constructed upon the principles invented and
patented by Robert Joseph Ellis in the years 1872 and 1875, such
Patents being respectively numbered 611 and 3128.
Tubular fire-bars constructed according to the said Robert Joseph
Ellis's Inventions consist of a return metal tube which is cast or
embedded in the fire-bar. The ends of the tube project through the
front of the fire-bar and form nipples which take into holes formed in a
front bearer having a double waterway.
Now my Invention consists of a novel form of link piece which
connects the before-mentioned fire-bar to the front bearer so as to form
an expansion joint and to compensate for the expansion, and contraction,
and inequalities of the fire-bar in relation to the front bearer.
.
In carrying out my Invention I reduce the length of the fire-bar
proper by about three inches, and I make up the full length of the fire-
bar by the addition of a metal block or link piece of similar section to
the fire-bar. In constructing the fire-bar the ends of the tube are
allowed to project through the end of the fire-bar the length of the
metal block, and also sufficiently to allow the ends of the tube to project
through the metal block to form nipples to take into the front bearer.
The metal block has its front surface faced so as to make a joint with
the faced surface of the front bearer. The tube holes through the.
metal block are bored so as to ensure a perfect fit with the tube. The
block is also provided with a recess in one end to take on to a male
projection on the end of the fire-bar, and a tapped hole in the other end
into which takes the stud which secures the block and fire-bar to the
front bearer. The fire-bar and block are further secured together by
side or fish plates which are recessed into the metal of the bar and block
and secured by rivets or bolts. The ends of the tube which project
through the metal block are provided with copper ferrules so as to
ensure a perfect joint in the metal block.
In construction a slight clearance or space is left between the end of
the fire-bar and the metal block to allow for contraction and expansion,
and also to allow the metal block to be brought fair with the front
bearer and at the same time allow for compensation for any inequality
in the bar.

page_text: It will be seen by the use of my expansion joint or link piece that
the joint between the block and front bearer can be made and will
always remain sound and tight, and will not be affected by the expansion
or contraction of the bar, nor by any irregular strain caused by bringing
the face of the bar to the face of the bearer to form a joint or otherwise,
this being a great defect in tubular fire-bars now constructed.
filed by the said Frederick Robert Ellis in the Great Seal
Patent Office on the 10th June 1876.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, FREDERICK
ROBERT ELLIS, Engineer, of the S.S. "Jamaican," but at present of the
Office for Patents, 15, Water Street, Liverpool, in the County of
Lancaster, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Eleventh day of December, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-five, in the
thirty-ninth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and suc-
cessors, give and grant unto me, the said Frederick Robert Ellis,
Her special licence that I, the said Frederick Robert Ellis, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said
Frederick Robert Ellis, my executors, administrators, and assigns,
should at any time agree with, and no others, from time to time and
at all times thereafter during the term therein expressed, should
and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend, within the United
Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and
Isle of Man, an Invention for " AN IMPROVED EXPANSION JOINT FOR TUBULAR
FIRE-BARS," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Frederick
Robert Ellis, my executors or administrators, by an instrument in
writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals, should
particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said Invention,
and in what manner the same was to be performed, and cause
the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within six
L

page_text: calendar, months next and immediately after the date of the said
Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Frederick Robert Ellis, do
hereby declare the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner
the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascer-
tained in and by the following statement :-
My Invention relates to an expansion joint being a link piece to be
used to connect tubular fire-bars to their bearers, more particularly
when such tubular fire-bars are constructed upon the principles invented
and patented by Robert Joseph Ellis in the years 1872 and 1875, such
Patents being respectively numbered 611 and 3128.
Tubular fire-bars constructed according to the said Robert Joseph
Ellis's Inventions consist of a return metal tube which is cast or
embedded in the fire-bar. The ends of the tube project through the
front of the fire-bar and form nipples which take into holes formed in a
front bearer having a double waterway.
Now my Invention consists of a novel form of link piece which
connects the before-mentioned fire-bar to the front bearer so as to form
an expansion joint and to compensate for the expansion and contraction
and inequalities of the fire-bar in relation to the front bearer.
In carrying out my Invention I reduce the length of the fire-bar
proper by about three inches, and I make up the fuel length of the fire-
bar by the addition of a metal block or link piece of similar section to
the fire-bar. In constructing the fire-bar the ends of the tube are
allowed to project through the end of the fire-bar the metal block,
and also sufficiently to allow the ends of the tube to project through
the metal block to form nipples to take into the front bearer. The
metal block has its front surface faced so as to make a joint with
the faced surface of the front bearer. The tube holes through the metal
block are bored so as to ensure a perfect fit with the tube. The block is
also provided with a recess in one end to take on to a male projection
on one end of the fire-bar, and a tapped hole in the other end into which
takes the stud which secures the block and fire-bar to the front bearer.
The fire-bar and block are further secured together by side or fish plates
which are recessed into the metal of the bar and block and secured by

page_text: rivets or bolts. The ends of the tube which project through the metal
block are provided with copper ferrules so as to ensure a perfect joint in
the metal block.
In construction a slight clearance or space is left between the end of
the fire-bar and the metal block to allow for contraction and expansion,
and also to allow the metal block to be brought fair with the front
bearer and at the same time allow for compensation for any inequality
in the bar.
It will be seen by the use of my expansion joint or link piece that the
joint between the block and front bearer can be made and will always
remain sound and tight, and will not be affected by the contraction
or expansion of the bar, nor by any irregular strain caused by bringing
the face of the bar to the face of the bearer to form a joint or
otherwise, this being a great defect in tubular fire-bars now con-
structed.
The foregoing being the nature, object, and purposes of this my
Invention I will now proceed to describe more in detail how the same
may be carried out into practical effect, and for that purpose I have
hereunto attached a Sheet of Drawings marked with figures and letters
of reference corresponding with those in the following explanation.
In order that the application of my Invention may be more perfectly
explained I have in the Drawings illustrated my Invention fitted to and
in connection with a fire-bar constructed according to the Invention of
Robert Joseph Ellis, for which Letters Patent were granted in the
years 1872 and 1875, such Patents being respectively numbered 611
and 3128.
The Drawings are to the scale of three inches to the foot, and like
letters and figures marked thereon denote similar parts in the various
views.
Figure 1 is an outside elevation of a tubular water fire-bar and con-
necting bearer constructed according to the before-mentioned Robert
Joseph Ellis's Inventions with my improved expansion joint applied
thereto; Figure 2 is a sectional elevation of Figure 1; Figure 3 is a
plan of Figure 1; Figure 4 is a section through A, B, Figure 1; Figure 5
is a part sectional plan of Figure 1.

page_text: Figure 6 is a side sectional elevation of the expansion joint according
to my Invention; Figure 7 is a sectional plan of Figure 6; Figure 8
is an end view of Figure 6. Figure 9 is an end section of Figure 6.
A is a tubular water fire-bar constructed according to the said Robert
Joseph Ellis's Inventions; B, connecting bearer, constructed according
to the said Robert Joseph Ellis's Inventions; C, C, additional bearers
according to the said Robert Joseph Ellis's Inventions.
My Invention consists in the introduction of the link piece a between
the fire-bar A and the bearer B so as to form an expansion joint and
compensate for the contraction and expansion and inequalities of the
fire-bar A in relation to the front bearer B. In applying my improved
link piece a the side d is faced so as to make joint with the bearer B.
The link piece a is held to the bearer B by the bolt h. The fire-bar A
and the link piece a are secured together by the fish plates k. The
ends of the tubes are provided with copper ferrules to make joint in
the link piece a (see Figure 6).
By the use of my expansion joint or link piece a the joint at d
between the link piece a and the bearer B can be made and will always
remain sound and tight, and will not be affected by the expansion or
contraction of the bar A nor by any irregular strain caused by bringing
the face of the bar A to the face of the bearer B.
Having now described the construction and operation of my Inven-
tion, and shown a means by which it may be carried out, I would have it :
understood that I do not confine myself to the precise details and exact
dimensions of the relative parts as shown in the Drawings, as the same
may be varied; but what I claim as my Invention and secured to me
by Letters Patent as aforesaid is,-
Firstly. The construction and use of an expansion joint consisting of a
a link piece such as a for connecting tubular fire-bars to their bearer,
substantially in the manner and for the purposes set forth.
Secondly. The novel combination of the fire-bar such as A, link piece

page_text: such as a, and bearer such as B arranged in relation to each other,
substantially in the manner and for the
purposes described.
Thirdly. The link piece such as a, constructed, arranged, and operating
as and for the purposes set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said Frederick Robert Ellis, have
hereunto set my hand and seal, this Second day of May,
in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-
six.