Year: 1887

page_text: Date of Application, 4th June, 1887.
Complete Left, 27th Dec., 1887
Complete Accepted, 10th Feb., 1888
I, JAMES NOBLE, of 63 Ann Strect, Greenock, in the County of Renfrew, North
Britain, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this Invention to be as follows,
that is to say:-
My said Invention has for its object to improve the construction of stoppers for
boiler tubes, and to contrive them so that they can be applied with less danger to the
engineer or operator than some forms of tube stoppers heretofore in use.
In carrying out my Invention according to one modification the stopper is arranged
to plug or close the tube at two parts which are not far apart, the stopper being
placed when in use so as to enclose the leaking part of the tube between the two
plugging or closing parts.
In this first modification there is a central rod having on it a middle tubular piece
made with enlarged ends which have bevilled or conical end surfaces. Beyond each
end of the middle piece there is on the central rod a compressing ring with its inner
surface bevilled or conical; and, between each compressing ring and the end of the
middle piece there is an expansible part or combination of parts which is ma le to fit
tightly against the inside of the boiler tube by the compressing action of the ring.
One compressing ring is held on the central rod by a nut screwed on the central rod;
and when the stopper has been entered into a boiler tube another nut on the central
rod is screwed up against the other compressing ring so as to make the two rings
force out the expansible parts. The expansible parts may consist each of a ring of
rubber or other suitable compressible material, or of a pair of metallic rings each cut
through at one part; or, as I prefer, each expansible part may consist of a pair of
metallic rings having a ring of rubber or other suitable compressible material between
them and the central rod. When the combination of metallic and rubber rings is
used the compressing rings are arranged to act on the rubber rings and the rubber
rings distend the metallic rings. The central rod is extended either in one piece or
in two or more pieces coupled together so as to reach out across a boiler smoke box,
and a handle is fixed on the outer end for holding or turning it by. On the outer
part of the central rod there is placed a tube fitted at its outer end to receive a spanner
or hand lever, whilst its inner ond is made with or has fixed to it a box key for

page_text: turning the nut, by which the compressing rings are made to act. The tube and box
key are turned by means of the spanner whilst the central rod is held by means of
the handle on its end. The tube has placed on it a shield constructed for covering
the end of the boiler tube; and this can be adjusted and fixed on the tube to suit each
case so that when the instrument is inserted into a boiler tube with the shield bearing
against the end of the tube plate the leaking part will be between the two expansible
parts of the stopper.
In a second modification the stopper is made as long as the boiler tubes it is
designed for, that is with its expansible stopping parts placed so as to be at the ends
of the boiler tube. In this modification the middle part need not be in one long
piece but may consist of two short pieces each separately fixed on the central rod;
and the shield is made in one piece with a box key for screwing up the nut on the
central rod, and with a squared or hexagonal outer end to receive a spanner for
turning it by.
EDMUND HUNT,
Applicant's Agent,
Per pro David Ferguson.

page_text: Improvements in Stoppers for Boiler Tubes.
I, JAMES NOBLE, of 63 Ann Street, Greenock, in the County of Renfrew, North
Britain, Engineer, 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, that is to say:-
My said Invention has for its object to improve the construction of stoppers for
boiler tubes, and to contrive them so that they can be applied with less danger to the
engineer or operator than some forms of tube stoppers heretofore in use.
One modification of my improved stopper is arranged to plug or close the tube at
two parts which are not far apart, the stopper being placed when in use so as to
enclose the leaking part of the tube between two plugging or closing parts. A second
modification is arranged for plugging a tube at two points further apart; and a third
modification is arranged for plugging a tube at or near its extreme ends.
And in order that my said Invention and the manner of performing the same may
be properly understood I hereunto append a sheet of explanatory drawings to be
hereinafter referred to and representing three modifications of my improved tube
stopper.
Figure, 1, of the drawings is a longitudinal section of a tube stopper for a short
leak; figure, 2, is a section of a modification for a longer leak; and figure, 3, is a
section of a stopper for closing the ends of a tube, a part of the tubo being supposed
to be broken away. Figures, 4, and 5, are face views of details. In these drawings
the same reference numerals are. used to mark the same or like parts wherever they
are repeated.
In the tube stopper shown in figure, 1, there is a central rod, 6, having on it a
middle tubular piece, 7, made with enlarged ends, 8, which have bevilled or conical
end surfaces. Beyond each end of the middle piece, 7, there is on the central rod, 6,
a compressing ring, 9, with its inner surface bevilled or conical; and between each
compressing ring, 9, and the end, 8, of the middle piece, 7, there is an expansible part
or combination of parts which is made to fit tightly against the inside of the boiler
tube, 10, by the compressing action of the rings, 9. One compressing ring, 9, is held
on the central rod, 6, by a nut, 11, which is prevented from turning relatively to the
ring by being entered into a shallow recess formed for it in the ring as shown in
figure, 1, and in face view in figure, 4. When the stopper has been entered into a
boiler tube, 10, another nut, 12, on the central rod, 6, is screwed up against the other
compressing ring, 9, so as to make the two rings, 9, force out the expansible parts.
The expansible parts may consist each of a ring of rubber or other suitable com-
pressible material; or of a pair of rings, 13, of lead or other_suitable metal each ring
being cut through at one part as shown in figure, 5; or, as I prefer, each expansible
part may consist, as shown in figure, 1, of a pair of metallic rings, 13, having a
ring, 14, of rubber or other suitable compressible material between them and the
central rod, 6. Or a volute spring, 15, as shown in figure, 2, may be substituted for

page_text: the rubber ring, 14.
When the combination of metallic and rubber rings is used, the
compressing rings, 9, are arranged to act on the rubber rings, 14, and the rubber
rings distend the metallic rings; 13.
The central rod, 6, is extended (either in one piece or in two or more pieces coupled
together) so as to reach out across a boiler smoke box, and a handle (not shown) can
be set on its outer squared end for turning it by. On the outer part of the central
rod, 6, there is placed a tube, 16, fitted at its outer end to receive a spanner or hand
lever, whilst its inner end is made with or has fixed to it a box key, 17, for turning
the nut, 12, by which the compressing rings, 9, are made to act. The tube, 16, and
box key, 17, are turned by means of the spanner (not shown) whilst the central
rod, 6, is held by means of a handle set on its outer end. The tube, 16, has placed
on it a shield, 18, constructed for covering the end of the boiler tube, 10; and this
can be adjusted and fixed on the tube, 16; to suit each case, so that when the instru-
ment is inserted into a boiler tube, 10, with the shield, 18, bearing against the tube
plate, 19, the leaking part will be between the two expansible parts of the stopper.
The middle tubular piece, 7, of the stopper, may be made of various lengths; or it
may be made in two pieces as shown in figure, 2, the abutting ends being by
preference made with engaging projections and notches so that one will not turn
without the other. One or more similarly engaging pieces of tube may be inserted
between the two parts, 7, shown in figure, 2.
The
In the modification shown in figure, 3, and which is designed for plugging a boiler
tube at its extreme ends, the two tubular parts, 7, are quite separate, and have their
positions on the contral rod, 6, determined by nuts, 20, screwed on that rod.
shield, 18, is made in one piece with the box key, 17, for screwing up the nut, 12, on
the contral rod, 6, and with a (squared or) hoxagonal end to receive a spanner for
turning it by, or for holding it whilst the central rod, 6, is turned. At the other end
of the boiler tube, 10, that is at the right-hand end in figure, 3, the nut, 11, and
compressing ring, 9, with which the nut is locked may be prevented from turning
whilst turning the central rod, 6, to screw the compressing ring, 9, and the part, 7,
together, by canting the central rod in a manner to make the compressing ring, 9,
bind in the boiler tube, 10.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said Invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I claim is:-
The combination of parts forming the improved stopper for boiler tubes sub-
stantially as herein before described and shown in the accompanying drawings.
Lis Tate wirth Joy of Dearmbar 1887
EDMUND HUNT,
Applicant's Agent.