Improvements in or relating to Stoppers for Drains.
Year: 1893

page_text: The decision of the Comptroller-General, of the 23rd day of May 1895, allowed,
under Section 18 of the Patents, &c. Act, 1883, an Amendment of this
Specification.
Date of Application, 23rd Oct., 1893
Complete Specification Left, 23rd July, 1894-Accepted, 25th Aug., 1894
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to Stoppers for Drains.
1, JOHN JONES of 40 Sydney Street, Chelsea, in the County of Middlesex,
Builder, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
These stoppers are of the kind now well known, the special object of which is to
temporarily stop a drain in order that it may be filled with water for the purpose
of testing its soundness. The stopper consists substantially of two metal plates
with an indiarubber ring between, the whole so arranged that when the plates are
drawn together by screw pressure the indiarubber ring is forced out and tightly fits
inside the inner surface of the pipe. The improvements relate to the means for
ensuring the extension of the rubber ring, to prevent the turning of the plates when
being screwed up and to the means for testing the leakage in the pipes.
Regarding the expansion of the ring I prefer to effect this in the following
manner-The ring as at present made has a curved periphery and two cylindrical
extensions fitting into grooves in the plates which when screwed together force out
the ring so as to increase its diameter and make it tightly fit inside the pipe. In the
present invention I seek to ensure the more rapid and certain expansion of the ring
by providing at or near each edge of it an inwardly projecting collar or flange
adapted to engage with a flange or face upon the cover so that when these flanges are
drawn together as the plates approach each other the largest diameter of the ring
is by the side compression of the flanges forced outwards in addition to or inde-
pendently of the necessary expansion due to the compression of the plates. To
further assist this movement 1 bevel the outer faces of the cylindrical extensions
of the ring so that at their inner diameter they are wider across than at their
outer diameter; the result upon the ring is similar to that already described with
reference to the flanges.
To make more certain the adhesion between the ring and the pipe and if
possible to obtain suction between them I prefer to corrugate the outer face or
periphery of the ring by forming a number of peripheral beads or rings each
extending entirely around the rubber ring.
The means I prefer to adopt for facilitating the detection of leakage consist in
providing an opening through the plug preferably through the central screwed
stem or bolt by which I draw the plates together and connecting to this a rigid
or flexible pipe upon the other end of which I place a graduated glass tube
which when the water is applied to 'the drain is filled, but should the drain
leak the water will run out of the gauge and indicate the extent of the leakage.
It will be readily understood that instead of the previously described glass
graduated pipe other devices of a similar nature, if desired in conjunction with
a time indicator may be employed; for example a cylinder and loaded piston

page_text: with an external indicator alone or working in conjunction with a cylinder or
similar device revolved by clockwork for the purpose of taking an indicator
diagram. The end of the tube or indicator into which the water flows when
the drain pipe is charged may be open to the atmosphere or not as desired.
To prevent the turning of the plates of the stopper while they are being
screwed up I may provide one or both of the plates with a lug or lugs or
equivalent by which they can be grasped and prevented from turning.
Dated this 21st day of October 1893.
same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement :-
These stoppers are of the kind now well known, the special object of which is to
temporarily stop a drain in order that it may be filled with water for the purpose
of testing its soundness.
The invention will be best understood by reference to the accompanying drawings
in which
Figure 1 is a section of a pipe and stopper,
Figure 2 is a section of the stopper, and
Figure 3 a face view of one of the plates.
Like letters indicate like parts throughout the drawings.
The stopper consists substantially of two metal plates A and B with an indiarubber
ring C between, the whole so arranged that when the plates are drawn together by
screw pressure the indiarubber ring is forced out and tightly fits inside the inner
surface of the pipe D. The improvements relate to the means for ensuring the
extension of the rubber ring C to prevent the turning of the plates A and B when
being screwed up and to the ineans for testing the leakage in the pipes.
Regarding the expansion of the ring I prefer to effect this in the following
manner-The ring C as at present made has a curved periphery and two cylindrical
extensions fitting into grooves in the plates which when screwed together force out
the ring so as to increase its diameter and make it tightly fit inside the pipe. In
the present invention I seek to ensure the more rapid and certain expansion of the
ring by providing at or near each edge of it an inwardly projecting collar or flange E
cach adapted to engage with a flange or face F upon the covers A and B so that
when these flanges are drawn together as the plates approach each other the largest
diameter of the ring is by the side compression of the flanges forced outwards in
addition to or independently of the necessary expansion due to the compression of
the plates. In Figure 1 where the ring C is compressed the flanges E are
shown pressed in towards cach other thus pressing the ring firmly against the
pipe, while in Figure 2 where the ring is not compressed the flanges lie naturally
and are not turned towards each other. To further assist this movement I bevel
the outer faces G₁ of the cylindrical extensions G of the ring C so that at their
inner diameter G they are wider across than at their outer diameter G'; the
result upon the ring is similar to that already described with reference to the
..flanges.
To make more certain the adhesion between the ring and the pipe and if possible
to obtain suction between them I prefer to corrugate the outer face or periphery of

page_text: the ring by forming a number of peripheral beads or rings C¹ each extending
entirely around the rubber ring C. The shape, number and arrangement of these
may greatly vary and I do not bind myself to any particular form.
The means I prefer to adopt for facilitating the detection of leakage consist in
providing an opening H₁ through the plug preferably through the central screwed
stem or bolt H by which and the nut Mf draw the plates together and connecting
to this a rigid or flexible pipe I upon the other end of which I place a graduated
glass tube which when the water is applied to the drain is filled, but should the drain
Teak the water will run out of the gauge and indicate the extent of the leakage. In
Figure 1 only a funnel J for filling purposes is shown but the glass tube may be
placed below the funnel or in its place or otherwise as found most convenient. It
will be readily understood that instead of the previously described glass graduated
pipe other devices of a similar nature, if desired in conjunction with a time indicator
may be employed; for example a cylinder and loaded piston with an external
indicator alone or working in conjunction with a cylinder or similar device revolved
by clockwork for the purpose of taking an indicator diagram. The end of the tube
or indicator into which the water flows when the drain pipe is charged may be
open to the atmosphere or not as desired.
To prevent the turning of the outer plate A of the stopper while it is being
screwed up I inay provide it with a lug or lugs or equivalent A' Figures 2 and 3
by which it can be grasped and prevented from turning.
For the purpose of getting rid of the air or gas in the drain while the water is
being poured in I find it desirable to provide a special vent at the upper portion so
as to allow of the escape of the whole of the air; this vent may be arranged in
various ways as for example a small pipe passing through the hollow spindle H
with its inner end turned up so as to reach the upper part of the drain. I have
however obtained satisfactory results with a pipe K screwed into the inner
plate B and turned up as shown in Figures 1 and 2; this introduces the air
to the interior of the stopper and a second pipe L in the plate A serves to
allow of the escape of the air or gas from the interior of the stopper a flexible
or other pipe L' preferably carried up to about the height of the filling funnel J
serving to prevent the escape of the water after the air has been driven out.
The stopper is inserted into the drain in its relaxed condition as shown in
Figure 2 and the nut M is then screwed up the plate A being kept from
turning by the wings A' and the ring C being pressed against the interior of
the drain pipe D as will be well understood, the flanges F upon the plates A and B
bearing upon the flanges E of the ring C and the inner faces of the plates A and B
bearing upon the bevelled faces G' of the cylindrical extensions G of the ring and
pressing the two sides of the ring together and thus giving an extra tendency
to the central portion of the periphery of the ring to expand against the drain D.
The tube I may then be connected to the hollow bolt H in any convenient manner
say by a coupling 1' and the drain filled by water through the funnel J and pipe
the air escaping by the pipes K, L and L' as already explained; if the gauge or
indicator be not already on the tube it can then be applied either in addition to J
or independently of J and filled with water so as to indicate the leakage. The
open end of the pipe I and funnel J can be raised to any desired height so as to
obtain the requisite pressure in the drain.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. A plug or stopper for drains having means for the passage of the water
through it into the drain.
2. In a drain stopper such as described the combination with a ring such as C
and plates such as A and B of a hollow screwed bolt or spindle such as H'H
substantially as and for the purpose described and illustrated in the accompanying
drawings.

page_text: 3. 1. In a drain stopper such as described the combination with a compressible ring
such as C having internal collars such as E of plates such as A and B having
internal collars, such as F for the purpose of bearing upon the collars E substantially
as and for the purpose described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
42. In a drain stopper such as described a compressible ring such as C having
cylindrical extensions such as G with bevelled outer faces G¹ substantially as and
for the purpose described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
53. The combination with a drain stopper of an indicator to show the leakage
of the drain while being tested.
6. 4. In a drain stopper such as described the combination with the filling pipe or
orifice of the stopper of a glass tube or transparent portion whereby the falling of
the water due to leakage can be seen.
7. 5. The combination and arrangement of parts constituting the complete drain
stopper substantially as described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
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•
1804
Dated way of my
JOHN JONES.
W. P. Thompson & Boult,
Agents for the Applicant.
JOHN JONES.
W. P. Thompson & Boult,
Agents for the Applicant.