AN IMPROVED INSULATED ELECTRIC CONDUCTOR FOR UNDERGROUND AND OTHER PURPOSES
Year: 1885

page_text: EDWARD WILLIAM LANCASTER Poland Villas Pellatt Road East Dulwich, in
the County of Surrey Electrical Engineer do hereby declare the nature of my
invention for AN IMPROVED INSULATED ELECTRIC CONDUCTOR FOR UNDERGROUND
AND OTHER PURPOSES to be as follows:-
My invention consists of an improvement in insulated conductors for the
transmission of Electric Energy for Lighting, motive power, Telegraph and other
purposes underground and through damp places.
The construction is particularly described by the following statement in which
for brevity I will mention as with only one wire or rod inserted whereas any
number of wires or rods can be inserted in the one casing and in different grooves
well insulated from each other.
I take a suitable length of wire or rod of copper or other metal of good con-
ductibility and insert it either bare or covered with a coating of shelac, paraffin,
gutta percha, india rubber or any other good non conducting material into a length
of dried wood or prepared fibre provided with a groove or slot cut to a suitable
size throughout its entire length to receive it. The groove or slot is then filled in
flush or covered with a slip of wood which is fixed or glued making the section of
the whole length square angular or any other shape. The whole is then well dried
an soaked in an insulating solution prepared for rendering it perfectly free from
dampness or moisture and so that no such dampness or moisture can penetrate it
afterwards. The whole being again dried and tested is then inserted into a
prepared well dried pipe or tube usually of cast or wrought iron either plain or
coated with paint or enamel inside the wood being of square or angular section
touches the pipe or tube at the apex of the angles only and this only at different
intervals along the whole length, thus minimising the chance of contracting the
copper core with the outer piping. This then leaves segments of unoccupied space
throughout the entire length of the pipes or tubes. These are filled under pressure
with an insulating and damproof preparation forcing out all air or moisture that
might be in the pipes or tubes and providing against any such entering after-
wards, or a vacuum may be formed only.
The jointing of the different lengths are as follows:
1st The ends of the wires or rods are well cleaned then a small socket is fitted
tightly over one end the wires or rods are then butted together and the socket
drawn half way over the end of the butts. This is then well soldered or brazed.

page_text: 2nd For large wires and rods the ends are provided with a screwed thread and
a tight running socket, the wires are then dovetailed together and the socket
screwed over the dovetailing binding the two firmly together making a good solid
joint. The joint is then covered with india rubber or gutta percha in sheet or
tube and then further covered with the insulating and damproof preparation up
to the size of the outside of the pipes, just allowing a long running or bolting
socket provided to fit tightly over which is again protected by additional bolts and
nuts or back nuts.
At required places testing repairing and branching boxes of suitable size are
fitted and exhausted of air and a drying preparation left in to absorb, any moisture
or condensation that might remain or enter. The joints are easily undone for
repairs and inserting of new lengths if required.

page_text: An Improved Insulated Electric Conductor for Underground and
other Purposes.
I EDWARD WILLIAM LANCASTER of 5 Hanover Street, Rye Lane, Peckham in the
County of Surrey, late of 3 Poland Villas, Pellatt Road, East Dulwich in the
said County, Electrical Engineer do hereby declare the nature of my invention for
AN IMPROVED INSULATED ELECTRIC CONDUCTOR, FOR UNDERGROUND AND OTHER
PURPOSES, and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement:-
I procure two lengths of dried wood or prepared fibre of square angular or other
external shape; I make a circular or other suitable groove or slot along the entire
longitudinal surface of one length.-Into this groove I insert a metal wire, bar,
rod, or stranded conductor, either bare or covered with a coating of good non-
conducting material or substance.-I then fix, glue, or otherwise connect the
second length with the first (the second length being prepared to fit into the groove,
or, as a covering to the whole face of the first length in which the groove is made),
so that the wire, bar, rod, or conductor is enclosed in the two lengths of wood or
fibre and forms a core, with the exception of a small piece of metal at each end,
which is left bare for jointing.
The groove or slot (in cross-section) may also be square, angular, or any other
shape. It may be made in both lengths of the wood or fibre, if considered
necessary or advisable.
The whole is then well-dried and effectually soaked in an insulating solution for
rendering it perfectly free from moisture and damp, and for preventing the same
from penetrating it from the outside.-It may be silicated.
After being tested,-this, for protection, may be inserted into a well-dried
circular pipe or tube of cast or wrought iron, earthenware, or any other material,
either plain, or coated with paint, or enamelled inside.-At one end a long
running or bolting socket (fitting tightly) is provided.
As before stated, the wood or fibre has a square or angular section.-This being
so, its apices only come into contact with the pipe or tube (See figs 1 to 8,
13 and 19).-In order to minimise this contact, portions of the said apices may be
chamfered or caved out, leaving small projections (as shewn in fig. 15,-) and,
therefore, only touch the pipe or tube at intervals. Further, the wood or fibre
may be prevented from coming into contact with the pipe or tube at all by means
of ebonite or other insulating pins or spikes being inserted at intervals along the
entire length of the wood or fibre as shewn in figs 9, 11, 12, 14 & 16-The
unoccupied space in the pipe or tube is filled up, under pressure, with an
insulating and damp-proof preparation, forcing out all moisture, and providing
against the same entering afterwards.
This, then, completes a length of my improved insulated electric conductor.
In order that I might be explicit, I have above referred to a single conductor
only.

page_text: A number of wires, rods, or stranded conductors may be inserted into separate
grooves (care being taken that the insulation of each conductor is effective) and
put into one pipe or tube (See figs 1 to 14).
Two lengths of my conductor may be joined in the following way:
After the two ends of the lengths to be joined have been well cleaned, a small
socket is fitted tightly over one end;-the two ends are butted together and the
socket drawn over the butts (See fig. 17,-);-this is then well soldered or brazed.
In joining large conductors a screwed thread and a tight running socket may be
employed; the conductors are dove-tailed together and the socket screwed over
the dovetailed joint.-(See fig. 18). The joint is then covered (1) with vulcanite
or gutta percha (2) with a covering of the insulating and damp proof preparation
(mixing with that originally forced into the piping) flush up with the outside of
the pipe or tube, but so as to allow the long running or bolting socket to fit
tightly over, which is protected and strengthened by the necessary additional
bolts and nuts or back-nuts.
The joints are easily undone for repairs and the insertion of new lengths,-if
necessary.
At required places, testing, repairing and branching boxes of suitable size are
fitted, the air exhausted and a drying preparation left inside to absorb any
moisture or condensation that may remain or be admitted.
-
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed,-I declare that what
I claim is
1. The utilisation of wood or fibre in the insulation of Electric Conductors.
2. Modes of utilising the same, as above described.
of Tann 1906