IMPROVEMENTS IN AIR, STEAM, AND WATERTIGHT CONNECTIONS
Year: 1885

page_text: I, OLIVER JOHN WILLIAMS, Junior, of 38 York Road, Lambeth, in the County
of Surrey, Electrical Engineer do. hereby declare the nature of my invention for
IMPROVEMENTS IN AIR, STEAM, AND WATERTIGHT CONNECTIONS to be as follows:―
To make a safe and inexpensive fitting or gland by means of which Electrical
or other wires, cords, and rod chain and other connections-Voice pipes, Steam
pipes, Pneumatic tubes, and the like appliances can be passed through the water
tight compartments of ships, bulk heads, decks, boilers, and the like places or from
adjoining chambers in which it is desirable to exclude the external from the
internal elements as well as the making of similar connections between pipe mains,
in streets and other places, to branches; whether these be, for the passage of
electrical wires, steam, water, air, or of any of the before mentioned connections,
and further, to be used in the hoods and other parts of lamps, lamp posts, roofs,
floors, and other parts of buildings: ships, engines, carriages and all other cases in
which such a connection is desirable.
I will now proceed to describe generally the manner in which I carry out my
invention as applied for instance to an emigrant steamer, man of war, street main
&c.: but it must be always understood I do not by any means limit myself to these
applications.
In one method of carrying out my invention, I take a tube of suitable material,
say a steam or gas pipe on which a thread has been tapped, this pipe I screw into
the partition through which it is desired to obtain a passage or connection. On
one or both sides of this partition I place a washer made of, India rubber,
Asbestos, or other suitable material, which is squeezed home to the partition by a
nut or other suitable means thus making a strong water, or air tight fastening.
On one or both ends of the hereinbefore mentioned pipe I screw a "cap nut" with
a large hole in the centre of its top-This "cap nut" overlaps the internal edge of
the pipe,-Inside it I place a thick washer of India rubber, or other suitable
material which as the cap nut is screwed down, squeezes round the wire, rod, or
whatever may be passing through the aperture thus causing the pipe or tube to
become perfectly air, water, or steam tight at one or both ends, yet giving the
desired connection through it.
In the above described arrangement I employ a pipe of any convenient length
and shape to suit the circumstances of each case.

page_text: In cases where it is preferable not to tap the partition through which the con-
necting tube or fitting passes I take a small length of pipe, tube, or suitable
material, tap it externally and pass it through the partition where it is desired to
obtain the passage and make the connection. On one or both sides of this
partition I then place as before a washer of "India rubber" or suitable material
round the pipe on each side of and close to the partition, this I squeeze home in
the manner before described by means of a nut or other suitable fastening thus
making a strong water, air, or steam tight connection: placing on one or both ends
of this pipe or fitting the "
cap nut
and packing in the manner and for the
purpose herein before described.
"
In passing through, the iron and wood decks of a ship where water would be
constantly flowing over the surface, or standing, I take a pipe, or other suitable
material about three feet long (which if it is desired to keep the fitting particularly
snug underneath may have an elbow at right angles on the lower end or indeed
made any desired size and shape) bore, drill, and tap the decks, place first, a
washer, then a nut, or other suitable fastening close to the elbow of this pipe
screwing the long end through the deck so that it protrudes about two feet above
the upper side of the deck.
As the long end of this pipe is screwed through: the washer and nut, or other
suitable fastening come home to the under side of the deck all external surfaces
being thus made watertight below. I then place another washer on the upper side
of the deck and screw this home with a second nut or other suitable fastening..
At one or both ends of the fitting I place a "cap nut" and packing as before
described making all perfectly tight-this description of my fitting is equally
applicable to roofs or other similar places-For connections to main pipes in streets
or elsewhere and any other places where the workmen can only get on one side
of the partition through which the connection is desired I drill and tap from the
outside: screwing "home" my fitting and then place the "washer," "nut," "cap
nut," and "packing" on the extreme end as before described..
For pipe and tube connections I drill and tap the partition through which they
have to pass, tap the pipes at both ends, place a washer and nut, or other suitable
fastening on. one pipe about three or four inches from the end, then screw this
end of this pipe into, and for about two inches through the partition. On to this
side of the partition I put another washer: I then take a second pipe-also
tapped at the end-and having on it a flanged coupling. Placing these pipes
together I screw the flanged coupling over the first pipe which protrudes through
the partition; this coupling squeezes the washer home to the partition and makes
a perfectly tight fastening and connection.
In carrying out my invention as applied to the fastening of electrical lamp fittings
etc., I take a casting, which may be of various forms and sizes to suit individual
cases. For the purpose of this specification however I will describe. a casting which
I have found very convenient in practice, It is, say-eight inches long and one
inch in diameter; at three or four, inches from, one end my casting is formed into
a ring, there is a shoulder on the outside of this ring where it will abutt to the
partition, the second. end or tube on, the other side of the ring being also about
three inches long it is tapped from both ends close up to the outer sides of the ring.
I place a rubber or other washer close to the shoulder of the ring and as the fitting
is screwed through the partition-which has previously been drilled and tapped-
the washer is jammed between the shoulder of the ring and partition in such a
manner as to make the apertures through the partition water, air, or steam tight.
A main electrical wire running. parallel with the partition is passed through the
centre of the ring of my fitting.. At this point, two comparatively small branch
wires are taken off and passed inside and through the two ends of my fitting―i.e.-
at right angles to the main wire-The wires are in the case I am describing passed
thence into a bracket or electrical lamp fitting, the base of which is placed over
the casting, and butts; on the partition, a nut or other suitable, fastening is then
screwed from the end of my fitting on to the upper side of this base for the purpose

page_text: of holding it securely in position. A "cap nut" with packing, as before described,
is then screwed on to the end of my fitting making it all water, air, or steam
tight, the bracket for the electrical lamp (which is sufficiently concave to cover the
'cap nut" &c.) is then fastened to its base whilst the wires allow the current to
pass through to the lamps.
On the other side of the partition a washer is placed and a nut or other suitable
fastening is screwed on to my fitting and "home" to the partition making all tight.
-as described in the case of the pipes etc: before alluded to thus forming a double
security against any leakage between the external surface of my fitting and the
partition; the protruding end of my casting having the usual "
cap nut" and
packing. This end can be shortened or bent to suit circumstances if the wire is
to be carried in any special direction or may have an electrical lamp fitting
fastened with it, similar to, and in the manner of the one I have described as
fastened on the other end of this my fitting.
In cases where the partition is wood, or it is not desirable to have the fitting
screwed into it; the shoulder of the ring on one side with its washer, and the
washer and nut or other suitable fastening on the other side of the partition being
tightly screwed home are sufficient to make all water, air, or steam tight outside,
whilst a perfectly water, air, or steam tight connection will be obtained through
the fitting on which is the usual "cap nut etc as before described.
"
Although I have for the purpose of this specification described in detail one or
two cases to which my invention is applicable and the manner in which these are
carried out; it must be clearly understood that I by no means limit myself to
these various applications of my inventions nor to the particular manner herein-
before described in which the same are carried out as, the various forms of my
fittings and their several applications as well as the method of carrying them out
may be greatly modified or varied without departing from the principle features of
my invention.

page_text: I, OLIVER JOHN WILLIAMS, Junior of 38, York Road, Lambeth in the County
of Surrey, Electrical Engineer do hereby declare the nature of my invention for
IMPROVEMENTS IN AIR STEAM & WATER TIGHT CONNECTIONS and in what manner
the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement:-
The object of my Invention is to make a safe and inexpensive fitting or gland,
by means of which electrical or other wires, cords, and rod, chain & other
connections voice pipes, steam pipes, pneumatic tubes and the like appliances can
be passed through the water tight compartments of ships, bulk heads, decks, boilers,
and the like places or from adjoining chambers in which it is desireable to exclude
the internal from the external elements as well as the making of similar connections
between pipe mains in streets and other places to branches, whether these be for
the passage of electrical wires, steam, water, air, gas or any of the before mentioned
connections, and further to be used in the hoods and other parts of lamps, lamp
posts, roofs, floors and other parts of buildings, ships, engines, carriages and all
other cases in which such a connection is desireable.
In order that my said Invention may be more clearly understood I will now
proceed to describe some of the best methods of carrying the same into effect and
in so doing shall refer to the several figures on the accompanying sheets of
drawings, the same letters of reference, indicating corresponding parts in all the
figures,
It must be always understood, however, that I do not in any way confine myself
to the special devices, hereinafter described, and illustrated in the accompanying
drawings, as there are many ways in which these can be modified, but only to the
general construction & principles therein set forth.
Figs. 1. 2. & 3 of the accompanying drawings, illustrate my Invention as applied
to a steam or gas pipe, as fixed into a partition, deck, roof, floor, wall etc, through
which it is desired to make a water tight connection: these illustrate broadly the
principle of my Invention but details in form and construction may be obviously
varied.
In some cases a washer or ring may be advantageously placed between the
nut "f" and packing "g."
Fig. 4 shews a casting used in a similar way but also having a hole "k" through
which one or more main electrical wires "h" can pass & from which "h¹" branch
wires can be taken off in one or both directions for further electrical connections:
(i" represents a wooden base for the bracket "j," the base being held in place by
the nut "f" & brass washer "g," the electrical fitting or bracket "j" being fastened
to this base with ordinary wood screws.
Fig. 5 illustrates an important application of my Invention used in connection
with pipes, tubes or cylinders or other like receivers of electrical conductors-say
along streets for house lighting-with a branch conductor or conductors taken off
from the mains, to which my Invention is applied.

page_text: In this case, again, I do not limit myself to any specific form or construction as
there are various ways of applying my Invention, without departing from its
general principles.
Fig. 6 represents a steam, gas, air, water or voice pipe passing through a water-
tight partition and connected to a further length of pipe with an ordinary
coupling "L"
Fig. 7 represents a short fitting for confined space, having a flange on one end
and packing "g" between it & the partition this being pressed home and made
water air, gas or steam tight by the screwing up of the usual cap nut “e” which
is placed on the other side of the partition and which also serves for the purpose of
the nut "f" in the other figures. I sometimes employ with this the packing
ring "g" & washer "c" especially in the case of double decks or partitions but
this packing and washer is not an essential feature of my Invention.
In these drawings "a" is the pipe fitting or tube which is of any convenient
form & size or material for the required application and may have an external
thread on all or part of it, to suit requirements; the fitting being screwed into the
partition, through which it passes, or not as is convenient, this mainly depending
upon the substance of the said partition. In some cases the fitting may have an
internal thread for the cap nut. The partition through which the fitting passes is
denoted by "b"; "c" is a metal or other washer for squeezing home the packing;
"d" is the packing which closes the aperture and makes all water, steam, air or
gas tight; "e" is the cap nut which brings these into position; "f" is the nut
which keeps the fitting or pipe, in place, and also squeezes the packing "g," thus
making the connection externally water, gas or steam tight, one or more of these
may be used, as desired, being placed on one or both sides of the partition as
circumstances suit and having, in some cases, a metal or other washer between the
nut "f" & the packing "g." The electrical conductors are shewn at "h" & "h³,"
passing through the fitting: "1" is an ordinary coupling for "a," which may be
a steam, water, gas or voice tube.
Having now particularly described & ascertained the nature of my said Inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is
(1.) The apparatus as hereinbefore described for the making of an air, steam,
water or gas tight connection.
(2.) The combination of parts constituting an air, steam, water or gas tight
fitting for the purpose of permitting a passage between two or more chambers
or conductors whilst excluding the surrounding medium.
(3.) The apparatus, as and for the purpose described which may be modified or
varied in detail and form without departing from the principle of the Invention.
(4.) The apparatus, as herein before described, for use in connection with
electrical conductors, some applications of which are shewn in Figs. 1 to 4 of the
accompanying drawings.
Dated this 1st day of February 1986.