AN IMPROVED METHOD OF LAYING GAS, WATER, AND OTHER PIPES, AND IN THE MEANS OR APPARATUS EMPLOYED FOR DETECTING ESCAPE OF THE GAS, WATER, OR OTHER FLUIDS FROM THE SAME."
Year: 1881

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to David Nichols, of Leeds, in the County of York, for an
"
Invention of AN IMPROVED METHOD OF LAYING GAS, WATER, AND OTHER
PIPES, AND IN THE MEANS OR APPARATUS EMPLOYED FOR DETECTING ESCAPE
OF THE GAS, WATER, OR OTHER FLUIDS FROM THE SAME."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said David Nichols at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 25th May 1881.
DAVID NICHOLS, of Leeds, in the County of York. "AN IMPROVED METHOD
OF LAYING GAS, WATER, AND OTHER PIPES, AND IN THE MEANS OR APPARATUS
EMPLOYED FOR DETECTING ESCAPE OF THE GAS, WATER, OR OTHER FLUIDS FROM
THE SAME.'
am enabled
The first part of my Invention has reference to the laying of gas, water, and
other pipes from the mains to houses and other places, and whereby
to dispense with breaking up pavement and surface of streets in the laying or
putting in new pipes or repairing old ones. For this purpose I place the service
pipes in a cavity or tube made preferably by the building of a number of courses
of bricks, hollow from the junction with the main to the house or other place to
which the gas, water, or other pipes are to be laid. This arrangment isolates the
service pipes and protects them when the pavement is being renewed or the
streets repaired. Instead of forming the cavity or tube of hollow bricks, in some
cases strong pipes may be used. The end of the tube or cavity where the gas,
water, or other pipe enters the house or other building is built or made tightly up,
so that nothing can escape at that point into the building.
Secondly. At the point where the service pipe is connected with the main gas,
water, or other pipe, an opening or chamber is made up to the surface of the street,
such opening or chamber being by preference covered with a concrete block when
the main is under the foot path or pavement, or when the main is under the road
or street I provide an iron cover. By the above arrangements on removing the
concrete block or iron cover the connection of service pipe with the main is laid
bare, so that any escape may be detected, and such service pipe or main can be
readily repaired or taken out without pulling up the foot path or roadway.
Openings are made through the concrete block or iron cover into which small
perforated blocks or grates are fitted, and below these a passage is provided
through into the chamber, over which a thin gauze or network may be applied, so
that should any gas escape from the pipes into the chamber it cannot be exploded
by a light applied on the surface of the grate.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said David Nichols in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 25th
November 1881.
DAVID NICHOLS, of Leeds, in the County of York. "AN IMPROVED METHOD
OF LAYING. GAS, WATER, AND OTHER PIPES, AND IN THE MEANS OR APPARATUS
EMPLOYED FOR DETECTING ESCAPE OF THE GAS, WATER, OR OTHER FLUIDS FROM
THE SAME."
The first part of my Invention has reference to the laying of gas, water, and
other pipes from the mains to houses and other places, and whereby
ain enabled
to dispense with breaking up pavement and surface of streets in the laying or
putting in new pipes or repairing old ones.
For this purpose I place the service pipes in a cavity or tube made preferably
by the building of a number of courses of bricks, hollow from the junction with
the main to the house or other place to which the gas, water, or other pipes are to
be laid. This arrangement isolates the service pipes and protects them when the
pavement is being renewed or the streets repaired. Instead of forming the cavity
or tube of hollow bricks, in some cases strong pipes may be used.
tube or cavity where the gas, water, or other pipe enters the
building is built or made tightly up, so that nothing can escape at
the building.
The end of the
house or other
that point into
Secondly. At the point where the service pipe is connected with the main gas,
water, or other pipe, an opening or chamber is made up to the surface of the street,
such opening or chamber being by preference covered with a concrete block when
the main is under the foot path or pavement, or when the main is under the road or
street I provide an iron cover. By the above arrangements, on removing the
concrete block or iron cover, the connection of service pipe with the main is laid
bare, so that any escape may be detected, and such service pipe or main can be
readily repaired or taken out without pulling up the footpath or roadway.
Openings are made through the concrete block or iron cover into which small
perforated blocks or grates are fitted, and below these a passage is provided through
into the chamber, over which a thin gauze or network may be applied, so that
should any gas escape from the pipes into the chamber it cannot be exploded by a
light applied on the surface of the grate.
And in order that my Invention may be more completely understood, reference
is given to the accompanying Drawings, and to the letters and marks thereon.
DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS.
Fig. 1 is a longitudinal section; Fig. 2, a part sectional plan; Figs. 3 and 4 are
an enlarged sectional plan and transverse section of part of my improvements;
Fig. 5, a modification in the construction of tube for receiving service pipe; Fig. 6,
a longitudinal section shewing an arrangement of pipe joint.
Firstly. a is the gas, water, or other pipe which is connected to the main band
passes into the house or other place at c. This service pipe a is placed within the
tube d, preferably made by building a number of courses of bricks hollow, as shown
at Fig. 1, from the junction of the main to the house or other place to which the
gas, water, or other pipes are to be laid. Instead of forming the tube d of bricks,
in some cases strong pipes formed of concrete or other material, as shewn at Fig. 5,
may be employed. That part of the tube where the gas, water, or other pipes
enter the building is built or made tightly up, as shown at e, so that nothing can
escape at that part into the building.

page_text: In order to ensure perfect tightness of the gas, water, or other pipe joints, I
employ the arrangement shewn at Fig. 6, in which one pipe is screwed into the
other at f, and the packing g placed between them as shewn. It will be noticed
that the two ends and i are of such an angular form that the packing is forced
outwards by screwing the pipes together; by this means a perfectly air tight joint
is secured.
Secondly. At the point where the service pipe a is connected to the main b, an
opening or chamber j is made up to the street, such chamber ; being by preference
covered with a concrete block k when the main is under the foot path or pavement,
or when it is under the road or street I provide an iron cover or block. By the
above arrangement on removing the iron block or concrete cover k the connection
of service pipe a with the main b is laid bare, so that any escape may be detected,
and such service pipe or main can be readily repaired or taken out without pulling
up the foot path or roadway. Openings are made through the concrete block
or iron cover into which small perforated blocks or grates m are fitted, and
below is a passage n through into the chamber j, over which a thin gauze or
network o may be applied, so that should any gas escape from the pipes into the
chamber j it cannot be exploded by a light applied upon the surface of the
grate m.
Having now described the nature of my said Invention, and particularized the
same by details, which answer well in practice, I would have it understood that I
do not confine myself to the exact details set forth, what I do claim is,-
First. The method employed for laying gas, water, and other pipes, substantially
as and for purposes herein set forth.
Second. The arrangement, construction, and combination of the various parts
forming the metal or concrete block, substantially as and for purposes herein set
forth.
Third. The arrangement and application of gauze or network o, aubstantially as
and for purposes herein set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said David Nichols, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Twenty fourth day of November, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and eighty one.
DAVID NICHOLS
(10)
DAVID NICHOLS
(IS)