SANITATION 65 



must be able to resist the action of fluids from without and of fluids 

 and gases from within. To make a perfect joint, contiguous pipes 

 must be in true alignment and remain so when the jointing material 

 has set. The joint must be well filled and none of the filling must 

 be allowed to project into the lumen of the pipe; any such is 

 removed before the next pipe is laid with a special form of brush 

 or scraper called a badger. It is essential that the joint be durable 

 and able to withstand any gas or water pressure that might, under 

 exceptional circumstances, be put upon it. 



Clay, at one time used for making joints, is very unsuitable; 

 not only has it a short life, but the weight of the pipe and super- 

 imposed earth soon forces it out of position, and the joint then 

 becomes faulty. One part of Portland cement and one part of 

 sand makes the best jointing material for stone- ware or fireclay 

 pipes. The insertion of a rope gaskin prior to filling with cement 

 is sometimes advocated; sanitary engineers of experience, how- 

 ever, do not recommend its use as it is apt to protrude into the 

 lumen of the pipe and cannot be removed by the badger. If the 

 gaskin be of tarred rope it forms a permanent obstruction offering 

 every inducement for the lodgment of solids; if of untarred rope 

 it soon decays and the joint becomes faulty, sewage collects in 

 the space left by the decayed filling and there undergoes decom- 

 position with liberation of foul gases. For iron pipes and fittings 

 lead is used as a filling, the spigot of the pipe has cast on to it a slight 

 ridge which prevents the gaskin from entering the pipe; when the 

 gaskin is well rammed into place molten lead is run in and when cold 

 well caulked. 



There are many patent joints on the market, the principle of 

 nearly all of them being to cast on the spigot and in the faucet a 

 thin ring of bituminous material in accurate moulds, so that when 

 the spigot is inserted in the faucet the pipes are bound to be in true 

 alignment and practically water tight. This does away with the 

 use of gaskin and ensures that none of the filling protrudes inside 

 the pipe. Where pipes have to be cut such patent joints are 

 obviously a disadvantage. They are very useful in laying long 

 stretches of pipes in wet situations, but are much more expensive 

 than ordinary pipes. 



There is a new and excellent type of faucet for fireclay drains 

 made by Messrs. J. & R. Howie, Kilmarnock, and known as the 

 Hutchison faucet. It consists of an additional check or rebate at 

 the foot of the faucet into which the plain spigot enters. This 

 disposes of the use of gaskin in making the joint, and ensures the 

 true alignment of the bore of the pipe. 

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