[See FLANCH sb.2]
1. A widening or branching out; the part that widens out: † a. in a pan; b. in a metallic vein.
1688. R. Holme, Armoury, III. vii. 320/2. The top that goes out wider than the bottom, is called the Flang of the Pan.
1747. Hooson, Miner’s Dict., I j b. Flange [is] a Place where a Vein takes a run out of Course into one, and sometimes both Sides, insomuch that the Ore lies more scattered.
1881. Raymond, Mining Gloss., Flange. Applied to a vein widening.
2. A projecting flat rim, collar, or rib, used to strengthen an object, to guide it, to keep it in place, to facilitate its attachment to another object, or for other purposes.
1735. Dyche & Pardon, Dict., Flange, those Side Pieces that are cast on to Iron Pipes or Barrels to screw ’em fast, or to hang ’em by.
1833. J. Holland, Manuf. Metal, II. 247. At each end of this cylinder there is a deep flange or margin.
1838. Simms, Public Wks. Gt. Brit., 70. The flange or rib on the tire shall not project more than one inch.
1879. Cassell’s Techn. Educ., IV. 207/1. The whole was firmly secured by two metal flanges, one at the back, and one at the front of the centre of the wheel, which were tightly screwed up, by which means the greatest possible amount of solidity was obtained for the entire structure of the wheel.
3. Hence a. Any rim or projecting surface. b. A flattened-out disc. Also, blank-flange.
1876. Voyle, Milit. Dict. (ed. 3), s.v., The rim of metal round the mouth of gun caps used with percussion muskets is called a flange.
1877. Holderness Gloss., Flange, the brim of a hat.
1884. Knight, Dict. Mech., 334/2. Flange. A plate for covering, or partly closing, the end of a pipe or cylinder.
4. attrib. and Comb., as flange-coupling, -joint; flange-maker; flange-bushing (see quot.); flange-pipe (U.S.), pipe in sections with flanges for fixing together; flange-pulley, a flanged pulley; flange-rail, (a) a rail with a flanged base; (b) U.S. (see quot. 1864); flange-wheel, a flanged wheel.
1884. Knight, Dict. Mech., 344/2. *Flange Bushing. A flange carrying a shell which acts as a bushing to a hole. Ibid. *Flange Coupling. A device for connecting pipes at any angle from 0° to 90°.
1864. Webster, *Flange-joint, a joint in pipes etc. made by two flanges bolted together.
1884. Knight, Dict. Mech., 344/2. *Flange Pipe. One having at the end (or ends) an annular projection with holes for bolts, by which it is fastened to a similarly-provided pipe or other object. Ibid. *Flange Pulley. One with rims to keep the belt from running off.
1864. Webster, *Flange-rail, a rail having on one side a flange to keep wheels, etc., from running off.
1888. Lockwood’s Dict. Terms Mech. Engin., Flange Rail, a flat-bottomed or flat rail, as distinguished from a double-headed rail.
