US418591A

US418591A - Pipe-coupling

Info

Publication number: US418591A
Authority: US
Publication date: 1889-12-31
Anticipated expiration: 1906-12-31

Description

(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 1.

-E. F. ROBERTS.

PIPE GOUPLING.

No. 418.5911.. Patented Deo. 3l, 1889.

.mnulllll n fv Bamm; d 1w. Rom-ans.

BWATT'YS (No Model.) 3 Sheets--Sheet 2.

' B. F. ROBERTS.

PIPE GOUPLING- Patented Deo. 31, 1889-.

. ATTYs,

(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 3. E. P. ROBERTS. PIPE GOUPLING.

1\T0. L118,591.v Patented Dec. 31, 1889.

all". /lllnr ATTYS NA PETERS, Photo-Lihogvipher. Washington. D4 C.

p UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EDVARD F. ROBERTS, O F ROCHESTER, ASSIGN OR OF ONE-HALF TO THOMAS R. SULLY, OF BUFFALO, NEV YORK.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 41.8,'591, dated December 31, 1889. Application filed July 16, 1881. Serial No. 244,470. (No model.)

.To all whom t may concern: assume when on the cars. Fig. 5 is asection Be it known that I, EDWARD F. ROBERTS, a through y, Fig. 4, when the connecting-pipes citizen of Great Britain, residing at Rochesare in the same line. Fig. 6 is a section 55 A ter, in the county of Monroe and State of vthrough y, Fig. 5, at right angles to that New York, have invented certain new and shown in said Fig. 5. Fig. 7 is afront elevausefulImprovements-in Pipe-Couplings; and tion of the end of one of the pivoted hold- Ido hereby declare the following to be a full, ing-rods. Fig. 8 is a section through Fig.

clear, and exact description of the invention, 7, and Figs. 9 and 10 are detail views illus- 6o such as will enable others skilled in the art trating the packing-rings. On Sheet 3, Fig.

1o to which it appertains to make and use the -ll is a plan View illustrating a construction same, reference being had tothe accompanydescribed hereinafter, and Fig. l2 is a secing drawings, and to letters of reference tional View illustrating a modified construcmarked thereon, which form a part of this tion of the ball-and-socket joint. 65 specification. Similar letters of reference are employed The purpose of this invention is to provide to indicate corresponding part-s in said abovea coupling of improved construction, which described figures. is designed especially to be used in connec- In said vieWsA indicates the plates or tion with heating systems in railway-cars, in disks which constitute the duplicate sections 7o which either air, steam, water, or any heator separable portions of the knee or elbow 2o ing medium is used, to connect the pipes joint. In each of said plates is a passage through which the steam, &c., is conducted a, which, when the plates are clamped tofrom car to car. f gether in their operative position,.lead into Y M The objects which my invention is further and from an inner chamber a', thus forming 75 intended to attain are to secure a coupling a continuous passage through the joint for which will automatically accommodate itself the steam or other fluid conveyed by the to the motion of the cars, to provide a coupcoupling. When the plates are formed without ling that is freely interchangeable, so that l the inner-chamber andare flat on the engagone of the separable portions of the coupling ing faces, the passages a unite at the center 8o may be attachedto any other of said separaof the disks and together preferably form an 3o ble portions, tov reduce the amount of wear S-shaped duct through the joint. On each by employing a fewer number of moving plate is formed a lug a2, which receives a parts, and also to prevent the condensation threaded rod a3, on which turns the holdingof the steam at the joints. bar b, that engages with the opposite plate, As above stated, the coupling is designed as shown in Fig. l. Said bar is provided 3 5 to accommodate itself automatically to the mowith a slotted end b', having slots b2 b3 therein, tion of the cars, both thelateral and swinging which unite at the vcenter of the end b', and, motion, and also the increase and decrease of while preferably arranged at right. angles the distance between the cars in stopping one to the other, still the angle may be varied 9o and starting. In addition to this, the coupaccording to the amount of movement of the 4o ling is so constructed that `should the coupknee -joint. One of said slots, as b2, is inling which connects the cars break and the clined upward toward the center of the end cars draw apart, the pipe-coupling separates b', being deeper at the outer edge of said automatically without any injury thereto. end than at the center, where it joins the slot In t-he accompanying drawings, inwhich is b3, which is preferably of the' same depth 45 illustrated my improvement, Figure l is a throughout. On each of the plates A, at top view of my improved coupling. Fig. 2 about the center thereof, is a pin d4, which is a section of the same through X. Fig. 3 engages with the slotted end of the holding- Y is a section through one of the connectingbar, as in Fig. 5. 10o

pipes, looking in the direction of the arrow As shown in Fig. l, the arms for holding 5c' Fig. 4' is a side elevation of the knee or elbow the plates A together project from one of the joint and a portion of the pipes connected said plates and engage with the pin a4 on the therewith shown in that position which they `other of said plates, the plates turning on the pins, which thus serve as journals, turning in the center of the slotted end b' of the holding arm or bar, which acts as a journalbox. y

In either or both of the engaging faces of the plates A is formed an annular recess a, to receive a packing ring or rings a, which renders the joint between the rotating faces of the plates air or steam tight. To prevent the friction of the rotating plates from wearing directly upon the packing-rings, said rings are inserted in a recessed or slotted ring di, formed of any suitable anti -friction metal, in the recess a in said plates, and owing to the pressure with which the rotating plates are held together the engaging faces of the packing-ring do not move, but the movement takes place between the inclosing metallic covering a? and the slots a5 in the faces of the rotating plates. By this construction the joint between the plates is kept perfectly tight, the wear being between the metallic surfaces and not between the packing-surfaces. In connecting the knee-joint the plates are placed face to face and the arms b are turned so that the inclined slot strikes the journal-pin on each plate, and as the pins ride up on the incline and reach the center of the end of the arm the plates are pressed together. By one method of connecting the joint the plates are turned until the arms A are parallel and in the same plane as in Fig. 4, when the pins will pass through the slots b3 by pulling the disks A in opposite directions. This mode of separating is intended to be used especially when the link-coupling breaks and the cars draw apart and the air or steam coupling is straightcned out.

The plates or disks may be separated at any time by drawing the arms l) otf from the pins d4 through the slot b2, which, as indicated in Fig. 7, is slightly curved.

As specified hereinbefore, each of the separable plates are alike, so that one plate on one car will couple with any other plate on another car. rlhe said plates may be covered with a covering of suitable material to prevent loss of heat and condensation when the coupling is used in connection with steamheating systems. On each side of the previously-described knee-joint are arranged balland-socketjoints, which are connected with said knee-joints by pipes c, as shown in Fig. l. As shown more particularly i n Fig. 2, said ball-and-socket joints consist of an inner spherical portion d, provided with a central duct d and a surrounding cavity d2, and which is rigidly secured to the end of a pipe e. Ou one side of said portion d is animmovable concave plate dwh ich incloses about one-half of the spherical portion and is threaded on the outer surface d'5. On the opposite side of said portion d is a second concave plated, corresponding to the plate di, which is also threaded on the outer surface (Z6, and connecting said portions d3 and d5 is a threaded ring di, which, when turned, draws the plate di toward the plate d3. Said ring d7 is provided with faces similar to an ordinary nut, or with a handle 71, or with both, as in Fig. l, by which said ring is turned. Between the inner spherical portion d and the concave plate (Z5 is a hemispherical portion di, which is secured to the end of the pipe c, that connects the ball-and-socket joints with the interposed knee or elbow joint. Between the outer surface of the hemispherical portion and the inner surface of the concave plates d" are preferably arranged globules or balls d" of antifriction metal, Fig. :2, so as to reduce the friction between said moving surfaces. The joint between the outer surface of the portion d and the inner surface of the movable hemispherical portion (Z8 is ground and perfectly steam -tiglitt A plugged opening dm is provided in the inner portion d to permit the insertion of mineral wool, asbestus, or any desired material, so as to pack the space around the steam-duct d and prevent any condensation therein.

Tolock the ring di ratchets f are provided in either of the threaded surfaces d d, and a pawl f is secured to said ring to .engage with said ratchets, as indicated in Fig. 3. A packing-ring g is interposed between the faces of the parts (Z3 d@ and around the portion (l, as shown in Fig. 2.

In a coupling constructed as above set forth there is provision for any degree of motion in a lateral plane at the ball-and socket joints, and also any degree of movement in a plane at right angles to said lateral plane in the knee-joint.

In the telescopic or sliding coupling which has been heretofore used the friction between the sliding portions is very great, and much difiiculty is experienced in keeping the joint steam-tight because of the wear of the sliding parts.

The construction of my coupling between the ball-and-socket joints permits of a much greater amount of playbetween the cars, and at the same time with much less friction and its consequent wear and opening of the joints. The cost of the coupling is further reduced, because of the less number of the parts thereof.

In Figs. l, 2, 5, dac., are illustrated angular fianges ai, which project from the annular rims a of each of the disks A land extend about half-way around each of said disks, as in Fig. 2, a-nd when the disks are brought together the annular tiange on each disk receives and projects over the rim a on the opposite disk, as indicated in Fig. 5. The object of this construction is to prevent any strain upon the arms and rods b and a and the separation of the disks.

Instead of the pivoted arms b and rod a3, I may use a continuous spring-arm am to accomplish the same purpose, as shown in Fig. 1l.

As a modified construction of the ball-and- IIO socket joint, the concave portions cl3 and d5 may screw one into the other, as in Fig. 12, instead of taking up the wear by the ring d?, as previously described as the preferred form. The shell-or portion dsis provided with an enlarged chamber or recess d, which is considerably larger than the end of the duct d', to prevent the closing of the end of said duct as the shell d8 turns. rlhe concave plate d5 is cut away at 0312 to permit the desired movement of the said portion d8.

I-am aware of English patent, No. 4,175 of 1883, and hereby disclaim anything herein anticipated by said patent.

Having described my invention, I do not claim, simply and broadly, a pipe-coupling composed of separate members united by universal joints. Neither do I claim, broadly, a coupling-joint having packings inserted in grooves; but l What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. A pipe-coupling having ball-and-socketV t or universal joints and an intermediately-arranged oscillating .joint composed of automatically separable sections having meeting faces oscillating or turning in opposite directions one upon the other when in operative engagement and provided with air or steam ducts therethrough, and means on each section adapted to engage with the other of said sections to hold said sections in their oscillatory engagement and to cause the automatic separation of said sections when the oscillating joint and universal joints are in a straight line, or .approximately so, for the purpose specilied. n

2. In a pipe-coupling, the combination of end members provided with universal joints, and an intermediate member consisting of two sections in elbow form, the outer ends jointed directly to the end members and the inner ends connected by an articulating-joint fitted to allow the parts of the intermediate member to turn in parallel planes when coupled, spring-actuated locking-arms adapted to engage with said sections and exercise pressure in opposite directions and to hold said sections in operative engagement, and means on said spring-arms adapted to cause the automatic separation of the sections when said elbows and universal joints are in aI straight line, as and for the purpose specified.

3. In a pipe-coupling, the combination, with end members provided with universal joints, of an intermediate member jointed to the end members andtogether at the center, the two iiat coupling-heads of the central joint being provided with circular grooves of loose rings fitting in said grooves and turning freely, and packings fitted in grooves of the loose rings, as shown and described, and for the purpose specified.

4. A pipe-coupling having ball-and-socket or universal joints, and an elbow-joint arrangedbetween and connected with said universal joints by suitable pipes, said elbowlouter surface thereof, and

having slots therein to cause the disengagement ot the said arms with the sections when said elbow and universal joints are in a j straight line, substantially as and for the purpose specied.

5. A pipe-coupling having ball-and-socket joints, and an elbow-joint arranged between and connected with said ball-and socket joints by suitable pipes, said elbow-joint being composed of like sections, spring-arms on each of said sections, turning with the same, adapted toexercise their pressure in opposite directions and pivotally holding the sections together, and means on said arms for causing the locked engagement of the sections as long as the elbow and the ball-and-socket joints are not in a straight line and the automatic separation of the said sections when said joints are in a straight line, substantially as described. 1

6. A coupling device consisting of a'spherical shell having a duct therethrough and a packing-chamber within said shell and around said duct, a pipe to which said spherical shell is rigidly attached, a semi-spherical shell moving around said spherical shell and having a pipe attached thereto, a divided inclosingshell consisting of the portions cl3 and d5, provided with threads and ratchets on the a threaded ring connecting said portions d3 and d5 and provided vvith-a detent or pawl thereon which engages with the ratchets and locks said rings,

IOO

substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

7. A coupling device consisting of a spherical shell having a duct therethrough, a pipe to which said shell is rigidly attached, a semisphericalshell moving around said spherical shell and having a pipe attached thereto, a divided inclosing-shell consisting ot the portions ds and d5, threaded on the outer surface, asset forth, and a threaded ring connecting said portions d3 and d5, all of said parts being arranged and operated for the purpose set forth.

8. A pipe-coupling having a ball-and-socket or universal joints and an elbow-joint arranged between and connected with said universal joints by suitable pipes, said elbowjoint being composed of automatically-separable plates or sections having pins projecting therefrom and pivotally held together by arms projecting from one section and engaging with the vpin on the opposite section, the end of said arm which engages with the pin being provided with grooves which meet at an angle and into which Isaid pin projects, substantially as and for the purpose set forth. device, the combination,

9. In a coupling IIO with automatically-separable plates or sections A, having ducts therethrough, each of said sections being provided with a journalpin thereon, as set forth, of j ournal-arms projecting from each of said sections and engaging with the pin on the opposite section, the end of said arm which engages with the pin being provided with grooves which meet at an angle and into which said pin projects, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

l0. A pipe-couplin g having ball-and-socket or universal joints and an elbow-joint arranged between them and connected with said universal joints by suitable pipes, said elbowjoint being composed of automatically-separable sections pivotally and automatically EDWARD F. ROBERTS.

Witnesses:

FREDK. F. CAMPBELL, L. S. COOK.