The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1891-06-24
A SUCCESSFUL DrsCoNNECToR.
An Important Revolution in the Science OF
Electricity.

Among the numerous inventions OF recent
date which apply to the service OF electricity
there is hardly no one Of greater importance
than the invention of what Is called the Dis
connectOr." made by Mr A. Langstah john
ston a we'll known civil engineer OF tins clty
The invention has been taken hold of by the
Johnston Safe Automatic Electric Company,
who are DESTROYS If introducing this invention
in the different systems of electric wires III
use IN this country.
The dsconnector is, according 20 the ex-
plauation given by the inventor, mechanical
device put up on the lines Of electric wires III
the place Of one of the lnsulatOis at long IN
tervals and at points where the feed wires
come in.
The object OF the application Of the discon-
hector is % render the electric wires sale
when broken aud at the same time 10 enable
them 10 do the best possible service IN the air
IL is applicable 10 olectrlc-hght wires or 10
any heavily charged wire or 70 wires which
cross each other especially at points where
they are led of into other wires
ii these dlscOnnectOrs are placed on the
wires at certain intervals the current IS kept
ON bv the simple fact of the wire being held
in position. The very act OF the breaking OF
the wire cuts the feed ont IN that intersection
within the two nearest disconnectOrs, and II
the two ends Of the cut wire come 10 the
ground they are perfectly dead.
This new method greatly exemplites the
work IN repairing electric wires. Heretofore
il has been necessary 20 turn of the whole
circuit al the power house as soon as a break
age occurred With the new Improvement
the current can remain turned on all over the
line except the damaged intersection and
there the repairs can be made within few
minutes, even without the knowledge OF the
people at the power-house.
The importance of this Improvement is at
once apparent in case Of a fire. In that IN
stance the only thing necessary will be TO cut
the wires in front of the burning building and
all the electric cars can be keptrunning and
the electric lights kept burning except IN the
immediate proximity Of the fire. Al present
all traffic on the electric lines has 70 be
stopped in this city. as we'll as in Manchester,
if there happens to be big blaze IN any part
of the city near where electric wires are
stretched, and all the electric lights have to be
turned of.
The great advantages of the introduction
Of the dscOnnectOr IN the electric WIRE sys-
TEN of this city were very successfully
demonstrated Yesterday afternoon on Seventh
between Clay and Leigh streets. To avoid
the cutting OF the wire OF the Southsde Car
Company. the repairing Of which under ex-
listing circumstances would have necesstated
the complete stoppage of traffic over that line,
the people OF the JohnstOn's Safe Automatic
Electric Company had stretched wire OF their
own for a distance OF about two blocks along
side of the trolley wire # the car company. At
the ends Of this additional wire two breakers
were placed and connection made with the
feed wire of the car line. When the chr APP
proached from the south the trolley was
placed on the additional wire and received its
power from IT, The car continued 10 run
and the wire was cut as soon as the car passed
a given point between the two breakers. The
two ends dropped 10 the ground dead and
was Immediately lifted up with perfect safety
by Mr. A. Langstaf Johnston and some OF
the spectators.
The experiment which was successfully re-
heated a few minutes later after the cut wire
had been repaired. was witnessed by about
fifty prominent citizens. among them Mr.. =.
II. Mayo. Mr.. George b. McAdams. represen-
tatiyes Of the two interested companies, and
others.
Mr.. A. LangstaG Johnston, the inventor Of
the circuit breaker. is well-known civil
engineer and an associate member of the
American Institute Of Electrical Engineers.
The Johnston Safe Automatic Electric Com
pany has the following officers: John Ruther-
foord. PRESIDENT +. Is. Jacobs, secretary and
treasurer