IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF WATER PIPES FOR THE PURPOSE OF PREVENTING INJURY TO THE SAME BY THE ACTION OF FROST
Year: 1880

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Thomas Glover Lyon, of 85, Asylum Road, Peckham,
in the County of Surrey, for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE
CONSTRUCTION OF WATER PIPES FOR THE PURPOSE OF PREVENTING INJURY TO
THE SAME BY THE ACTION OF FROST."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Thomas Glover Lyon at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 30th January 1880.
THOMAS GLOVER LYON, of 85, Asylum Road, Peckham, in the County of Surrey.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF WATER PIPES FOR THE PURPOSE OF
PREVENTING INJURY TO THE SAME BY THE ACTION OF FROST."
This Invention relates to improvements in the construction of pipes employed
for conveying water, whereby the same are protected from injury by the freezing
of the water contained therein.
It is well known that water when frozen occupies a greater space than when in
the liquid state, and since in metallic water pipes, as ordinarily constructed and
arranged, no provision is made for such expansion, it frequently occurs that the
pipe is fractured on the freezing of the water contained therein; and in order to
avoid this disadvantage I provide certain spaces containing air, the compressibility
of which allows such expansion to take place without in any way affecting the
pipe.
"One end of a length of pipe is connected to the ordinary pipe in such a manner
that water may flow from the latter into the former; but before allowing it to do
so I close the other end of the said length of pipe, and thus enclose therein a
certain amount of atmospheric air, which acts as a buffer against which the water
bears. On the temperature of the water contained in the pipe being reduced to
such an extent as to cause the same to freeze, the consequent expansion is accom-
modated by the said length of pipe into which the water is forced, thereby
compressing the air contained therein, and on the water being thawed and the

page_text: extra pressure thereby removed the air will expand and again occupy the space
permitted by the ordinary pressure of the water. In order to retain the air in the
said length of pipe the closed end thereof should always be arranged in a higher
position than the end which communicates with the water pipe; for instance, if
the latter be arranged horizontally the length of pipe should be connected to the
upper side thereof and fixed at right angles thereto, and in cases where the water
pipe is arranged in a vertical position the open end of the length of pipe is con-
nected at right angles to the side of the water pipe, the remainder of the length of
pipe being turned up parallel to the latter. Where any great length of the water
pipe is exposed to the frost several lengths of pipe, each constructed and arranged
as above described, should be connected thereto at intervals.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Thomas Glover Lyon in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 29th
July 1880.
THOMAS GLOVER LYON, of 85, Asylum Road, Peckham, in the County of Surrey.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF WATER PIPES FOR THE PURPOSE OF
PREVENTING INJURY TO THE SAME BY THE ACTION OF FROST."
My said Invention relates to improvements in the construction of pipes employed
for conveying water, whereby the same are protected from injury by the freezing
of the water contained therein.
It is well known that water when frozen occupies a greater space than when in
the liquid state, and I have ascertained by experiment that water contained in
pipes, as ordinarily constructed and arranged, freezes in the first instance next to
the pipe all round, thereby enclosing a core of water, the thickness of the ring of
ice gradually increasing until the whole of the water in the pipe is frozen; if the
water freezes equally throughout the whole length of the pipe the expansion of the
same will force the superfluous water through the open end of the pipe which is
thereby preserved, but it frequently occurs that the water freezes irregularly, that
is to say, freezes right through in certain places before others, thereby creating
obstruction, so that on the freezing of any water confined between two of
such obstructions, owing to the water being unable to escape as the expansion takes
place, the pipe is fractured. In order to avoid this disadvantage I provide in such
places, where the water is likely to freeze last, certain spaces containing air, the
compressibility of which allows such expansion to take place without in any way
affecting the pipe.
The said air spaces are contained within short lengths of pipe attached to the
water pipe or in enlargements formed on or around the latter. În the former case
one end of a short length of pipe is connected to the water pipe in such a manner
that the water may flow from the latter into the former, but before allowing it to
do so I close the other end of the said short length of pipe, and thus enclose therein
a certain amount of atmospheric air which acts as a buffer against which the water
bears. On the temperature of the water contained in the pipe being reduced to
such an extent as to cause the same to freeze the consequent expansion is accom-
modated by the said length of pipe into which the water is forced, thereby com-
pressing the air contained therein, and on the ice being thawed and the extra pressure
thereby removed the air will expand and again occupy the space permitted by
the ordinary pressure of the water. In order to retain the air in the said length
of pipe the closed end thereof should always be arranged in a higher position than
the end which communicates with the water pipe; for instance, if the latter be
arranged horizontally the length of pipe should be connected to the upper side
thereof and fixed at right angles thereto, and in cases where the water pipe is
arranged in a vertical position the open end of the length of pipe is connected at
right angles to the side of the water pipe, the remainder of the length of pipe being
turned up parallel to the latter. Where the water pipe is exposed for a considerable
distance to the action of frost several lengths of pipe, each constructed and arranged
as hereinbefore described, should be connected thereto at intervals.
I will now proceed to refer to the accompanying Drawings from which the
nature of my said Invention will be more clearly understood. Figure 1 is a longi-
tudinal section of a water pipe A arranged horizontally; in this view the short
length of pipe B, enclosing the air space b, is shown connected to a short length of
pipe C fitting over the ends of the pipe A; but it will readily be understood that
the pipe B can be connected directly to the latter. It is preferred to make the
internal diameter of B greater than that of A. When an enlargement is employed

page_text: for pipes fixed horizontally, instead of the length of 'pipe B, it is arranged in a
aimilar manner to the latter, as will be well understood. Figure 2 is a section of
a pipe A fixed vertically with an enlargement B, containing the air space 6 formed
round the same. The pipe A has a small portion cut away, thus leaving the
ends a, a¹. The lower part of the enlargement is connected to the end a and the
upper part to the pipe A a short distance above the end a¹, thereby enclosing a
space b from which the air cannot escape.
Having thus described and ascertained the nature of my said Invention, and the
manner in which it is to be performed, I would observe in conclusion that what
I consider novel and original, and therefore claim as constituting the Invention
secured to me by the said hereinbefore in part recited Letters Patent are,-
The improvements in the construction of water pipes, substantially as and for
the purposes hereinbefore described and set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said Thomas Glover Lyon, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twenty ninth day of July, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and eighty.