Iron pipe

“ Investigation justified the assumption that wood pipe under a pressure of 130 lb. would give satisfactory service for 25 years, on which basis it would be less expensive than cast iron, and therefore it was used. Cast iron was considered preferable to steel for pressures not exceeding 310 lb. on account of its greater durability.
Wood Pipe.—Machine-made, spirally-wound, wood-stave pipe, made in sections from 8 to 12 ft. long, with the exterior surface covered with a heavy coat of asphalt, was selected in preference to unprotected, continuous, stave pipe. ”

“ Tin the end about 2 in. up, make a hole with a small plumbing-iron in some sand, and place the tinned end of the iron pipe, B, into this hole; fill the hole up with good hot lead, and the dummy, after it has been rasped up a little, is ready for use. It will be found handy to have three or four different lengths, and bent to different angles, to suit your work. A straight one (Fig. 38b.) made to screw into an iron socket or length of gas-pipe, will be found very handy for getting dents out of long lengths of soil-pipe. ”

“ Iron pipes are either laid in trenches filled in with earth or are laid in cement. Iron pipe will of course rust out in time, and if absolute permanence in construction is desired, should be laid in cement, for after the pipe rusts out, the duct of cement is still left. However, if we are going to the expense of laying in cement, it would be much preferable to use cement lined pipe, which is not only cheaper than iron pipe, but makes the most perfect cable conduit, as it affords a perfectly smooth surface to draw the cable over and give a good duct edge. ”

“ The life of screw pipe is not as long as extra heavy cast-iron pipe. This is the only serious objection to screw pipe, which must be renewed after a term of years, while extra heavy cast iron lasts indefinitely. Screw pipe is never used underground. When piping is required underground, extra heavy cast-iron pipe is used. ”

“ Pipe and Fittings.—The pipe used in gas fitting is wrought iron or steel. In special places, rubber hose is used. Brass pipe is occasionally used to advantage. The fittings used in iron pipe gas work should be galvanized. No plain fittings should be allowed. The plain fittings very often have sand holes in them and a leak will result. Sometimes this leak does not appear until after the piping has been in use some time and the expense of replacing the fitting can only be guessed at. By using galvanized fittings, this trouble will be eliminated. All fittings used should be of the beaded type. ”

“ Another arrangement is to employ, instead of a cast or wrought-iron pipe, a number of round or flat-iron bars, fastened together at the top and bottom by rivetting to metal hoops in such a manner that intervals are left between each bar, through which the water can pass. Sometimes a solid pipe without the openings is used, but it is not found to be so satisfactory as the perforated pipe, because the latter allows a greater amount of water to pass through it into the soil, thereby furnishing a larger area of moist earth. ”

“ Iron expands when heated to the temperature of boiling water (212° F.) about 1 part in 900, that is to say, a pipe 100 ft. long would expand or increase in length when heated to this temperature about 11⁄2 in., an amount Joints for pipes. which seems small but which would be quite sufficient to destroy one or more of the joints if provision were not made to prevent damage. The amount of expansion increases as the temperature is raised; at 340° F. it is 21⁄2 in. in 100 ft. With wrought iron pipes bends may be arranged, as shown in fig. 8, to take up this expansion. ”

“ All joints in the iron drain-pipes, soil-pipes, and waste-pipes must be so calked with oakum and lead, or with cement made of iron filings and sal-ammoniac, as to make them impermeable to gas.
27. All connections of lead with iron pipes must be made with a brass sleeve or ferrule, of the same size as the lead pipe, put in the hub of the branch of the iron pipe, and calked in with lead. The lead pipe must be attached to the ferrule by a wiped joint. ”

“ Sheet Metal and Galvanized Iron are used for rain leaders, refrigerator pipes, etc.
Wrought Iron is used in the so-called Durham system of plumbing. Wrought iron is very strong; the sections of pipe are twenty feet long, the connections are made by screw joints, and a system of house plumbing made of this material is very durable, unyielding, strong, and perfectly gas-tight. The objections to wrought iron for plumbing pipes are that the pipes cannot be readily repaired and that it is too expensive. ”

“ For this reason, ventilating-pipes should never be made of thin iron (galvanized iron) , and should always be protected by a tar-coating. The crowns of lead traps (especially of water-closets) are often bitten into by rats in search of water. In all cases when the crown of a trap is perforated, there is rarely any leakage of fluid to indicate it, but offensive gases escape. All corroded traps and pipes [Pg 60] should be replaced by new ones, and not patched up. Holes in iron pipes may be closed by iron bands surrounding the pipe, and fastened with red-lead putty and screw-bolts (Fig. 32) . ”

“ A 'circulation-pipe' might be attached to a boiler on the kitchen range for this purpose, but in the present case such a contrivance would cost more than the iron pipe carried from the bath-room to the flue that is warmed by the kitchen fire. A good way to build this ventilating flue is to inclose the smoke-pipe from the range, which may be of iron or glazed earthen pipe, in a larger brick flue or chamber (Fig. 1) , keeping it in place by bars of iron laid into the masonry. The rising current of warm air around the heated smoke-pipe will be as constant and reliable as the trade winds. ”

“ If it be of cast-iron, a large hammer may effect the purpose: on the water-pipe being broken, the suction-pipe of the engine is placed in the opening so made. If the pipe be of lead, the opening in the street should be made of sufficient length to admit of one end of it, when cut, being turned into the engine. If the supply of water by this means be so great as to occasion waste, it may be regulated by the nearest stopcock on the water-pipe, by driving a wooden plug into the end of a cast-iron pipe, or compressing the end of a leaden one. ”

“ Across a small iron table-furnace is placed about eighteen inches of 1-inch gas-pipe containing iron borings, the whole being red-hot; and attached to one end is a pipe conveying steam from a boiler, or flask, or retort, whilst another pipe is fitted to the opposite end, and passes to the pneumatic trough. Directly the steam passes over the red hot iron borings it is deprived of oxygen, which remains with the iron, forming the rust or oxide of iron, whilst the hydrogen, called in this case water gas, escapes with great rapidity. ”

“ However, the use of lead pipe where exposed to view and where in contact with the earth, and iron pipe galvanized for other places, makes most excellent and beautiful work for dwelling-houses. The connections between iron and lead pipe should be of brass. ”

“ There are many different kinds of dies and different kinds of pipe to contend with. Steel pipe threads very hard and the adjustable dies should be used on it. These dies cut more easily and leave a cleaner thread than other dies when used on steel pipe. When threads are cut on wrought-iron pipe the adjustable dies should be used as they cut a better and cleaner thread than other dies. To preserve the life of the dies and the quality of the thread, oil is used freely while the dies are cutting.
Threads.—The standard thread on pipe and fittings is a right-handed thread. ”

“ Iron pipe may be used instead of brass if desired.
To make the blow pipe, take the remaining piece of tubing and cut a thread on one end. As the other end slips into the hose, it does not need a thread. The thread end must then be bent at right angles to the tubing, as c, Fig. 16. This can be done by boring a hole in a block of hard wood just large enough for the tubing to enter, and 11⁄2 inches deep. Trim off the sharp edge of this hole so as not to kink the pipe in bending. The end of the tube can then be inserted in this hole and bent to the desired shape, as shown. ”

“ This was a mistake, for bored pipe has a rough interior and a reduced capacity. The inspection and culling are difficult and unsatisfactory, and imperfections readily apparent in a stave frequently escape detection in bored pipe.
Pipe Joints.—The chamber and tenon of this pipe is an all-wood joint, 4 in. deep. An iron sleeve makes a better and stronger joint. It compensates for any lack of initial tension in the banding over the chamber of the wood joint, and secures full advantage of the swelling of the wood. Cast iron is better than steel ”

“ Cutting Cast-iron Pipe.—To cut cast-iron pipe, a sharp cold chisel and hammer are needed. The pipe is marked all around, just where it is to be cut. Then it is laid with the part of the pipe that is to be cut resting on a block of wood. A groove is cut with the hammer and chisel around the pipe. One person can turn the pipe while the other does the cutting. After a little experience one man can [94] cut and roll the pipe alone. This groove is cut deeper and deeper until the pipe breaks apart. If standard pipe is being cut, a file is generally resorted to for cutting the groove. ”

“ Some expedient of this kind became inevitable, as they had no iron pipes large or strong enough. In modern times a similar device, called the stand-pipe, is occasionally employed to relieve the pumping engines; but such is not necessary along the line of the conduit, because the material of the conduit is made of cast iron of such dimensions that it is strong enough to more than amply resist the pressure of the highest column of water which it may be necessary to employ. ”

“ A fire pressure is much greater. Therefore, all direct-pressure pipes of lead should be extra strong. Tank-pressure pipes, those which connect with a tank in the attic or above a water-closet, may be medium strong. The terms “extra strong” and “medium strong,” as here used, are definite in their meaning, and apply to regular grades of pipe. The interior fixtures of an ordinary dwelling-house are supplied with lead pipe five-eighths of an inch in diameter, or iron pipe three-quarters of an inch in diameter. ”

“ The crown of the jaw d may be made to fit to the pipe or to be clear of it; for thin pipe, as solid drawn brass pipe, it should fit so that the pressure will not indent the pipe, but for strong iron pipe it is better to let it clear, which will not only afford a firmer grip, but will also better fit the tongs to take in different diameters of pipe. ”

“ Water-pipes are made by lead being cast in moulds with a steel rod passing through their middles, according to the size required. The lead is poured into the space between the rod and the mould. After it is cool the rod is drawn out by machinery, and the mould which is made in halves is opened and the pipe taken out. The pipe is then much thicker and shorter than is required for use, but it is afterwards drawn between powerful iron rollers with grooves cut in their surfaces, an iron rod being again placed inside it. ”

“ Fig. 643 represents a male and female flange joint metal to metal combined with and forming a part of the pipe; it is used for special work and conditions. Fig. 644 is the usual screwed sleeve threaded connection with right hand coupling. Fig. 645 is a much used male and female flange union screwed for the reception of standard wrought iron pipe. Fig. 646 illustrates the common threaded malleable iron union and Fig. 647 the plain light malleable iron tee. ”

“ Probably, however, the simplest plan is the best, as—if the soil be suitable—a138 plain round wrought-iron pipe can be driven into the earth. If a cast-iron pipe is used, a hole of a convenient size is excavated for it. In this case, great care has to be taken that the earth is thoroughly well rammed down all round the pipe. ”

“ Lead pipe is either formed by bending thin sheet lead round a cylindrical mould, and soldering the joint; or when the pipe is less than four or five inches in diameter, it is formed by casting a thick cylinder of lead with a small bore, and about five or six feet long. A long smooth iron rod, a little larger than the bore of the cylinder, is forced into this, and then the cylinder is gradually drawn through a succession of circular holes, decreasing in diameter, in a steel plate, by means of a powerful draw-mill, worked by a steam-engine. ”

“ At 5 is a man pouring metal from a hand-ladle into the "gate," Z, of a mold that is buried in the floor of the "foundry" while a second man (6) keeps him supplied with metal from another ladle which is skimmed by a boy (7) . At 8 is a man cleaning a cast-iron pipe. Pipes made at this period were rarely over three feet in length, and were provided with polygonal flanges at each end for fastening them together with bolts. ”

“ The container is then forced by the pump against an elongated die of the size of the pipe required. A pressure from one to two tons per square inch is exerted, the lead is forced up through the die, and the pipe comes out completed. Wrought iron and cold steel can be forced like wax into different forms, and a rod of steel may be drawn through a die to form a piano wire.
By another modification of the hydraulic press pipes and cables are covered with a coating of lead to prevent deterioration from rust and other causes. ”