Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1891-06-24
HARMLESS ELECTRIC WIRES.
A Successful Test of the Johnston Current
Breaker.

breaker.
Quite q number of citizens. including
CITY officials, railroad-men, businessmen
mechanics, electricians, and others, gathered at
the corner OF Seventh and Leigh streets yester-
day afternoon to witness a test OF the "current
breaker" Of the Johnston Safe Automatic Elec-
trio Company" This is an invention Of A. Lang
staff Johnston, and Is designed 70 render electric
wires-light. telephone, street-car, and fire.
alarm-safe when bresk occurs In them; also,
10 facilitate the repairing Of wires within given
distances without necessitating the cutting of OF
the current from the end Of the line.
VERY INTERESTING.
The test was made on a special trolley-wire
running parallel with the trolley-wire Of the
Southsde road the current being shifted from
the latter TO the former for the purpose. The
device consists OF two springs enclosed In boat
shaped receptacle, which are placed at Intervals
along the trOlley-wlre and at points where the
feed-wires come In. These divide the wire
into sections. When the line Is intact the
springs are expanded. the contact between
the twin springs perfect, and the current contnu-
Gus. Cut the wire at any point on any section,
however, and the inside springs OF that Sec
ton-thRt is the springs TO which tho ends OF this
division Of the wire are attached-lmmedi-
ately contract, disconnecting them from the
other two sections as well as from the feed-wire
and rendering the trolley-wtro perfectly dead
and harmless. At the same time the sections 20
the right and left Of the cut wire remain fully
charged.
When all was ready Southside Electric Line
car shifted its troley-wheel from the regular
wire TO the special wire and while the car was In
motion one Of the linemen cut the wire immedi-
ately behind it. The car stopped almost In
stantly and Mr.. Johnston picked up the ends OF
| the cut wire, thus showing that the section was
absolutely dead. A second experiment was had
With the same result.
The Instrument (or device) Is perfectly simple
and self-actIng. II wire breaks In storm or
from any other cause, the ends OF IL may be
picked up without the slightest fear OF receiving
a shock and In the case OF electric cars, trayel
Is not interfered with on any portion OF the line
except that section Of some two or three hun
dred yards In length.
RoBs THEM or DANGER.
This is the second occasion on which the test
has been made, the lrst having boen over two
months ago, and although the INSTRUMENT has
been exposed 20 the weather ever since IL .worked
| beautifully. Every part OF yesterday evening
experiment went to show that hr. Johnston's In
| yention win not only prove OF gEsat yalne 10
| street-car companies In the matter OF saving
time In repairing their lines, but, what y more
important, win rob all overhead wires OF danger
| No matter under what conditions wire goes
down Il IL harmless 20 nfict injury 10 persons on
property This device, as stated, applies 70 tele,
| phone. electric fire-aarm. and other wires, and
| prevents burning out from crosses.
The officers OF the company are John hutEef-
fOord president. and ). b. Jacobs, secretary and
| treasurer. Mr.. Johnston, the inventor, Is well.
known CIVIL engineer Of tIlio ctty ohu aSroNi0et
member OF the American Institute OF Electrical
i Engineers. From all appearances the currens
/ breaker can be manufactured az comparative
ly small cost, and it viii require but little atfen
| ton 20 keep it IN working order. One OF tnt
great dangers OF electric wires Is that persons are
/ liable at any tim3 10 come upon a broken wire
unawares. An examination OF the heeurrens-DEeak
er shows that after tho wire 10 once broken AMI the
contact with the feed supply dislocated u ls I'm.
| possible for the wire to became rechsrged until
/ Il has been mended and the spring reset In
| short, the accident that renders The wire dead 4
| one that win not work both wayG NJ. johnston
/ was heartily congratulated upon his SUCCESS
and the verdict OF all WHO Witnessed The test was
/ that the invention was most valuable one
| Tho best inventions are always the simplest
/ and In this case as Is usual thu wonder was why
aome one had not thought Of it before. The onll
i explanation OF that Is that some one didn't
/ Another important point about tho invention
is fhaf when q break occurs II does not establish
short csreult thus throwing back ths eTercharg'
upon the power-houso and burning ous tho ma
chinery. A break may occur and wiz nos % fei
IN the DoHer-house.