Improvements in Connecting Tubes to Tube Plates for Use in Feed Water Heaters and the like.
Year: 1898

page_text: Improvements in Connecting Tubes to Tube Plates for Use in Feed
Water Heaters and the like.
I, OLIVER MATTHEWS Row, of Dalham Works, 131, Great Bridgewater Street,
Manchester, in the County of Lancaster, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature
of my said invention to be as follows:-
This invention has relation to the more effective attaching of tubes to the tube
plates of feed water heaters and similar appliances. Heretofore, the tubes have
been connected to the tube plates, either by expanding them into the plates, or
by brazing a preparation on the end of each tube, into which a nipple is screwed
and said nipple passed through the tube plate, and secured on the opposite side
by a nut.
According to my invention, I provide a bush or plug of a size about equal to
the internal diameter of the copper tube to be connected. Into such bush I screw
a copper nipple and into the copper tube I knock or drive the bush for a short
distance. I then roll a groove behind the bush to prevent its moving inwards,
and finally roll the projecting end of the tube over the end of the bush.
In such way the bush with its nipple projecting out of the tube end is firmly
secured in the tube with an extension of the copper tube surface spread over the
outer end of the bush, and in fixing the tube the nipple of the bush is passed
through the hole in the tube plate, and secured by a nut on the opposite side. The
resulting effect is that the metal of the tube and consequently the tube itself is
nipped between the bush and the tube plate, and an effective joint is maintained.
The soft metal of the tube is in most cases quite sufficient to form a joint without
any packing material and the result is a cheaper, more secure and effective attach-
ment than has hitherto been obtained.
A modified torm of the joint may consist of a bush screwed on to the nipple
before mentioned, and formed with a screw thread on its outer surface on which
a union or cap travels with an internal projection or collar. This cap is slipped
over the end of the tube, and the said tube is then flared outwardly, so that on
screwing up the cap the flared surface of the tube is nipped between the cap and
the bush. The general effect is the same as the previous modification.
The foregoing modifications have reference more particularly to copper and
brass tubes, but it is obvious that if necessary the bush and the nipple may be
formed in one piece, and in the case of steel tubes the bush and the nipple may
either he formed separately, or in one piece, from wrought iron or steel.
further modification the bush may be provided with grooves and the tube be
rolled into such grooves, but for ordinary purposes a single groove in the tube
below the bush is sufficient.
As a
This method of fixing is intended more particularly for that class of tube in
which the surface is indented according to Letters Patent No. 15192 granted to
me on the 8th September 1891, but is equally applicable to corrugated tubes with

page_text: either annular corrugations, or corrugations formed spirally and might with
advantage under certain circumstances be used for plain tubes.
Dated this 22nd day of June 1898.
OLIVER MATTHEWS ROW,
By J. G. Wilson, & Co.,
Agents.
Improvements in Connecting Tubes to Tube Plates for Use in Feed
Water Heaters and the like.
I, OLIVER MATTHEWS Row, of Dalham Works, 131, Great Bridgewater Street,
Manchester, in the County of Lancaster, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature
of this invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particu-
larly described and ascertained in and by the following statement:-
This invention has relation to the more effective attaching of tubes to the tube
plates of feed water heaters and similar appliances. Heretofore, the tubes have
been connected to the tube plates either by expanding them into the plates, or
by brazing a preparation on the end of each tube, into which a nipple is screwed
and said nipple passed through the tube plate, and secured on the opposite side
by a nut.
According to my invention, I provide a bush or plug of a size about equal to
the internal diameter of the copper tube to be connected. Into such bush I screw
a copper nipple and into the copper tube I knock or drive the bush for a short
distance. I then roll a groove behind the bush to prevent its moving inwards,
and finally roll the projecting end of the tube over the end of the bush.
In such way the bush with its nipple projecting out of the tube end is firmly
secured in the tube with an extension of the copper tube surface spread over the
outer end of the bush, and in fixing the tube the nipple of the bush is passed
through the hole in the tube plate, and secured by a nut on the opposite side. The
resulting effect is that the metal of the tube and consequently the tube itself is
nipped between the bush and the tube plate, and an effective joint is maintained.
The soft metal of the tube is in most cases quite sufficient to form a joint without
any packing material and the result is a cheaper, more secure and effective attach-
ment than has hitherto been obtained.
A modified form of the joint may consist of a bush screwed on to the nippie
before mentioned, and formed with a screw thread on its outer surface on which
a union or cap travels with an internal projection or collar. This cap is slipped
over the end of the tube, and the said tube is then flared outwardly, so that on
screwing up the cap the flared surface of the tube is nipped between the cap and
the bush. The general effect is the same as the previous modification.
The foregoing modifications have reference more particularly to copper and
brass tubes, but it is obvious that if necessary the bush and the nipple may be
formed in one piece, and in the case of steel tubes the bush and the nipple may
either be formed separately, or in one piece, from wrought iron or steel. As a
further modification the bush may be provided with grooves and the tube be
rolled into such grooves, but for ordinary purposes a single groove in the tube
below the bush is sufficient.
This method of fixing is intended more particularly for that class of tube in
which the surface is indented according to Letters Patent No. 15192 granted to
me on the 8th day of September 1891, but is equally applicable to corrugated

page_text: tubes with either annular corrugations, or corrugations formed spirally and might
with advantage under certain circumstances be used for plain tubes.
On the annexed drawings, Fig. 1 represents in section and elevation a metal
tube connected to a tube plate in accordance with the preferred form of my inven-
tion. Fig. 2 represents a modification.
In each view (A) is the tube and (B) the tube plates. In Fig. 1 (C) is the bush,
fitting tightly in the tube and provided with screw thread (D) to receive the
nipple (E). (F) is the tightening nut.
As illustrated the tube has a groove (G) immediately below the bush (C) to keep
the bush in position and the end of the tube is rolled or flanged inwards on the
top side of the bush by preference and into a recess (H).
Un passing the nipple (E) through the tube plate (B) and applying the nut (!),
the tube end is nipped between the bush and plate and a most effective joint
is obtained.
In Fig. 2 the bush (C) is made in one piece with the nipple (E).
In Fig. 3 the joint is made by a bush (I) and union or cap (J) with internal
projection (K) between which the tube end is nipped against the abutment of the
bush. The bush is provided with nipple (L) and nut (M).
To fix the nut after tightening the nipple end has a saw cut (E) into which
a tool may fit and readily expand the nipple.
Having thus 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―
1: A tube joint for feed water heaters and the like of apparatus consisting
of a tube with inward flanged end, a bush fitting within the tube end, a groove in
the tube below the bush a nipple connected to or in one piece with the bush and
a nut screwing on to said nipple, as herein set forth.
2: A tube joint for feed water heaters and the like apparatus consisting of
a bush and nipple a union with curved internal projection a tube screwing on to
the nipple end nipped between said bush and union, and a nut screwing on to the
nipple as set forth.
1 1100 d of March 1800