Underground Conductors and the like.
Year: 1885

page_text: Underground Conductors and the like.
I, WILLIAM PHILLIPS THOMPSON, Fel. Inst. P.A. of the Agency for Foreign
Patent Solicitors, 6 Lord Street, Liverpool in the County of Lancaster, and
323 High Holborn, in the County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer do hereby declare
the nature of this invention (a communication from abroad by John R. Burdick
and D. H. Dorsett, inventors, both of Chicago in the County of Cook, and State of
Illinois, United States of America) and in what manner the same is to be performed,
to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement :—
This invention relates to improvements in apparatus or machines for forming
conduit sections more particularly adapted for underground wire-service, and of
that class in which the sections are composed of some suitable insulating compound
or material which is moulded to form through each section from end to end thereof
a desirable number of straight bores serving as ducts or passages for the conductors,
the sections being usually made cylindric with their ends adapted for coupling in
order that when laid underground or elsewhere, they can be connected together so
as to provide a conduit having throughout a series of separate and distinct wire
receiving passages. The material which has been found best adapted for forming
these conduit sections has been filled into the mould while in a heated, plastic
condition, the cores for forming the ducts being introduced into the mould
preparatory to the filling in of the plastic material or composition to be moulded.
Patent No. 291,996 of the United States is selected as an illustration of a machine
heretofore employed for forming conduit sections for underground conductors of the
aforesaid character, and as showing the way in which the core rods for forming
ducts through the conduit sections have been introduced into and withdrawn from
the mould.
In said patented machine the core-rods are carried by a sliding head or carrier
which is arranged over the mould, and brought down preparatory to filling in the
material so as to cause the core rods to extend down through the mould and into
and through a perforated base for the same, the core rods being drawn upwardly
гр.... 6

page_text: and out of the mould after the material has been filled therein by raising the head
or carrier from which they depend. In machines of such character for forming
conduit sections of the character aforesaid, the plastic material, if compressed at all
within the mould has been compressed after the mould has been filled, to do which
the degree of force employed to affect a compression of the entire mass would of
necessity be so great as to seriously affect the constitution of the composition and
impair its usefulness for the purpose for which it is intended. This defect will be
especially noticeable where the compound contains sand and asphaltum as a base,
although the same objection will be found incident to the use of other insulating
compounds used in the manufacture of conduit sections for underground conductors.
The object of the present invention is to provide a construction whereby the
core-rods can be run up within and withdrawn from the mould from below and the
material conveniently introduced into the mould in successive lots, and each lot
packed or tamped as soon as it has been thus introduced, thereby properly and
uniformly compacting the entire mass and forming a conduit-section having the
required density throughout.
The core-rods are raised and lowered by a mechanism arranged below the mould
and the tamping head or device is operated by a mechanism arranged above the
mould, in which way the presence in a conduit-section moulding machine of two
separate mechanisms respectively adapted for the aforesaid purposes is rendered
practicable, and the operation of dumping the material into the mould facilitated, for
the reason that when the core-rods extend up through the bottom of the mould and
terminate at or near the top thereof, the material can be dumped into the mould
more readily than where a head provided with a set of depending core-rods is
arranged over the mould so as to permit the rods to extend down into the latter.
The sliding support for the core-rods is herein arranged below the mould, and is
automatically stopped at either end of its desired extent of up or down stroke; the
core-rods when extended up within the mould are steadied by devices which also
serve as guides for the tamping head; means are provided whereby the tamping
head can be permitted to drop into the mould and then alternately raised and
dropped to tamp the material at any height within the same by a rapid succession
of blows, and then run up to a proper elevation above the mould where it is auto-
matically stopped and held until such time as it is to be again dropped, and
provision is also made whereby when the tamping head is run up, it may lift the
devices employed for steadying the core-rods, so as to leave at a point directly over
the mould a clear space for dumping a fresh lot of material into the latter, or for
permitting the mould to be removed after the core rods have been drawn down.
When the core-rods are thus drawn down and out through the bottom of the mould,
any tendency which they may have to draw upon the material will be exerted in
the direction of the weight of the mass, whereby any tendency of the rods on
passing out to loosen up the material will be avoided.
In the drawing Figure 1 represents in side elevation a machine constructed in
accordance with the principle of the invention, a portion of the mould being for
convenience of illustration broken away to expose the connected ends of one of the
core-rods and one of the upper rod sections or steadying rods, both of which are
shown partially in section. In this view a rotary gear-nut and the lower end of
a screw-stem belonging to the mechanism for raising and lowering the core-rods are
also shewn in section.
Figure 2 is a detail section on a vertical plane through a portion of the apparatus,
parts of which are illustrated in elevation. This view is on a somewhat larger
scale than the preceding Figure.
Figure 3 is a detail representing a section on the line 3-3, Figure 2, so as to
shew in plan a brake mechanism for the stem of the sliding tamping head.
Figure 4 is a detail section on a vertical plane through the brake, said brake-
mechanism with the brake-shoe off from the stem of the tamping-head.
Figure 5 is a view similar to Figure 4, but with the brake-shoe applied to the
said stem.

page_text: Figure 6 is a transverse section through the tamping-head and upper rod sections
or steadying rods on the line 6-6 Figure 2.
Figure 7 is a sectional plan taken on line 7-7 Figure 1 and showing the lower
driving mechanism and lower clutch shifting devices for operating and controlling
the movements of the core-rods.
Figure 8 is a top plan view of the perforated base upon which the mould is to
be placed.
Figure 9 is a side edge view of said perforated base.
Figure 10 is an enlarged sectioual detail showing the meeting ends of one of the
core-rods and one of the upper rod-sections.
Figure 11 is a detail section showing the perforated base with the core-rods
drawn below the top of the saine.
A indicates a two-part or separable mould adapted to the form of conduit section
to be produced its shape when closed being desirably a hollow cylinder having one
end made flaring or bell-mouthed as at a. The mould when in position to receive
the material, stands upright with its flaring end at the bottom, at which said end
the mould is closed by an inverted cup-shaped bottom A' made separate from and
removably fitted in any suitable way to close the lower expanded end of the mould.
In this way the annular space left between the wall of the mould and the inverted
cup-shaped bottom serves as a means for forming the flange or collar desirably
provided at one end of each conduit section.
The bottom piece A¹ is provided with a set of perforations corresponding in
number and position to the number and position of the core-rods B, which are
designed to enter and leave the mould through the apertures of the perforated
inould bottom. When in position to receive the material, the mould stands in an
upright position upon a base A' provided with perforations corresponding with the
perforations of the mould bottom, and secured to the main frame of the machine,
as for example to a pair of upright beams or standards which serve as the sides of
the frame. The core-rods, which can be made hollow or solid, but which are
desirably solid, are arranged to slide through the perforated base and bottom
aforesaid, and are secured at their lower ends to a vertically sliding head or
carrier C. This movable head or carrier for the core-rods is arranged to reciprocate
below the base-support for the mould, and is both steadied and guided in its move-
ment by a pair of upright guide-rods D, which at their upper ends are conveniently
tied to the base A2, and at their lower ends similarly or otherwise secured to any
suitable fixture, for example, to a cross bar D¹, which combines with a pair of
strong upright beams D' to form a substantial frame work designed to support at
appropriate places bearings and table for the several operative members of the
machine.
As a means for running the core-rods up into the mold preparatory to filling in
the material, the core-rod carrier C is provided with a pendant threaded stem C¹
forming a screw shaft rigid with the core-rod carrier.
This screw stem passes through and is raised and lowered by a rotary gear nut E
which may be operated alternately in opposite directions by one and the other of
the two bevel gears F F, arranged to engage the nut respectively at opposite sides
of the same.
The nut is conveniently provided with a hollow journal e having a bearing on
the cross-bar D¹, and serving as a passage for the screw stem, which latter works
either up or down through the nut, according to which one of the gears is called
into action.
The independently rotatable spindles G, G, upon which the bevel gears are
separately secured, may be connected with or disconnected from the driving power
in any desired or convenient way, a preferred means for separately operating said
spindles being to provide each spindle with a clutch H, of which the loosely running
member his geared to a rotary shaft I provided with a pulley I¹ for the driving belt.
The sliding glands or members h¹ are controlled by a clutch-shifting mechanism
which is placed under the control of an attendant standing near the mould, and

page_text: which is also automatically operated to arrest the motion of the devices for raising
and lowering the cores the instant the cores have attained either their highest or
lowest desired position. To such end each shifting gland is individually operated
by one of two clutch levers K, K, which latter are connected with and operated by
a shifting rod K¹ common to both levers. The connection between the shifting rod
and the clutch levers is such that the rod may be adjusted to a limited extent
either way to throw both of the shifting clutch members out of clutch so as to stop
the devices for raising and lowering the core-rods, or that it may be adjusted to
a further extent either way to throw one of said members out of clutch and to
bring the remaining member into clutch, so as to start up the core raising and
lowering devices for the purpose of either raising or lowering the cores, according
to which one of the clutches is thrown into action. The shifting rod K' is connected
with and controlled from a double armed lever K' through the medium of a bell
crank K³ and an extensible connecting rod K*. The bell crank is pivoted to one
of the standards with an end of one of its arms forked to straddle the shifting rod
at a point between a pair of shoulders upon the latter and the connecting rod is
pivoted at its lower end to the remaining arm of the bell-crank and at its upper
end pivotally attached to one of the arms of the lever K³. This double armed lever
is likewise conveniently pivoted to one of the standards, and is arranged with one
of its arms extending above the floor or within convenient reach of an attendant,
who can thus stop or start this portion of the machine at will. To provide for
automatically arresting the same at proper moments, the lower arm of the hand
lever K2 and the upper arm of the bell-crank K³ are arranged to lie alongside the
screw stem of the core carrier and to stand in the path of a stud or stop C which
projects from the stem at or near its upper end. The location of this stop and the
normal position of said arms are so timed. with reference to the required extent
stroke in either direction of the core carrier that the instant said core carrier has
reached a predetermined limit of motion either up or down, the action of the stop
against one or the other of the levers will operate the clutch-shifting mechanism to
au extent sufficient to throw both sliding clutch members out of clutch and thereby
immediately arrest the operation of the core raising and lowering device.
The connecting rod K, is made extensible or adjustable in length in any of the
ways common to connecting rods, so that the connected arms of the levers can be
adjusted toward or away from each other with reference to the moment at which
it is found necessary for the stops upon the stem to strike and operate either lever.
The means devised for holding and steadying the core-rods at their upper ends
when they are extended up through the mould and while the material is being
filled into and packed within the latter, consist of a series of rods L which depend
from a head or carrier L¹, arranged to be raised and lowered at a point over the
mould when the latter is in position to receive the core-rods.
The rods L, correspond in number and position to the core-rods, and are at all
times kept in accurate alignment therewith, for which said purpose the head or
carrier L¹ is rigidly appended to a pair of upright slide rods L' arranged to work
through appropriate guides in or upon the main frame. The rods L are intended
to connect with the upper ends of the core-rods when the latter are in their highest
or proximately highest position, for which purpose the lower ends of the core
steadying rods are recessed to receive the upper ends of the core-rods which are
somewhat tapered, as best illustrated in Figure 10, wherein the tapered and some-
what rounded top end b of one of the core-rods is shown received to some extent
within a correspondingly shaped socket formed in the lower end of one of the
steadying rods. It will be noticed that while the lower end of the steadying rod at
a point around its recess is squared the shoulder 61 around the base of the tapered
end portion b of the core rod is beveled so as to incline downwardly therefrom.
This construction is provided to permit the free escape of any of the material which
in filling the mould may have been left upon the upper ends of the core-rods, and
which during the act of closing the ends of the upper rods upon the core-rods will
be stripped off by the descending rods,

page_text: When the rods B and L are connected together as in Figure 2, the upper rods L
constitute in effect temporary upper sections or extensions of the cores which may
he said to practically consist of divided rods with their lower sections carried by a
head arranged to reciprocate below the mould and their upper and lower sections
carried by a head arranged to raise and full above the mould, in which way the
upper and lower sections can be temporarily united while the material is being
filled into the mould and then separated so as to permit the mould to be freed from
their presence and left ready for removal.
The movable head carrying the steadying rods or upper rod section L can be
simply raised and lowered by hand, or lowered by hand and raised by a tamping
device bereinafter described, for which purpose it is counterbalanced by means of
weighted cords L³ attached to the top ends of the slide rods L' and trained over
pulleys L' appropriately arranged overhead, the weights for said cords being herein
iudicated at L³.
The composition for forming the conduit sections for underground conductors is
desirably introduced into the mould while in a heated plastic condition, and while
in such condition is susceptible of being compacted before it cools, so as to produce
an article having the required density, durability, and other qualities desirable in
an underground conduit.
To such end the said composition or material is introduced in successive lots, and
each lot packed down or tamped as soon as it has been placed within the mould.
The packing or tamping device M, herein provided for packing or tamping the
material within the mould consists of a reciprocating plunger constructed with a
vertically arranged sliding stem m provided at its lower end with a head m
desirably formed by a block or plate which is perforated in correspondence with
the number, size and position of the core-rods in order that it may enter the
mould at a time after the core-rods have been run up within the same.
This tamping device is operated by a mechanism adapted to permit it to drop
into the mould and to then alternately lift and release it so as to compact the
material by means of a rapid succession of uniform blows, after which the tamping
device can be run up out of the mould and automatically stopped at a proper height
above the same. On its way up the tamping head m¹, after leaving the mould and
the core-rods, slides upon the upper rods L until it strikes the upper rod-carrier L',
at which juncture it lifts the said carrier so as to draw the rods L up and away
from the core-rods.
The rods L under such arrangement subserve the additional function of guides
for directing the tamping head of the tamping device to and upon the core-rods
proper, and for maintaining the apertures of the tamping head in coincidence with
the core-rods at such times as the tamping head may have been drawn up out of
the way.
The tamping device is operated by a pair of rotary cans or segment wheels N,
arranged at opposite sides of the stem respectively, and provided with grooved
faces, which during their rotation engage and release the stem in rapid succession,
so as to alternately lift and permit the stem to drop and thus cause a rapid and
effective tamping action on the part of the tamping head. The lift will always
be to a uniform extent, in which way the force of impact upon the material within
the mould will at all times be the same, irrespective of the height of the material,
and hence a uniformity in density will be preserved through the entire mass within
the mould:
A device for engaging the stem of the tamping head in such a way that the same
can be held against dropping during the intervals in which it is released by the
rotary cams or segment wheels, but permitted to be raised by each engagement of
the rotary cams or segment wheels therewith, consists of a brake P, arranged to be
applied at will to the stem in a manner whereby the tendency of the stem to drop
will cause the brake shoe to take a bite or hold thereon, while an upward pull upon
the stem will loosen the hold of the brake shoe so as to allow the stem to be
drawn up.

page_text: To such end the brake comprises a shoe p disposed so as to be thrown against or
withdrawn from the tamping stem, and arranged to slide upon a plate Q, which is
attached to the main frame. The brake shoe is operated by means of a rock-shaft pl
carrying a suitable handle p² within reach of an attendant, and further provided
with an eccentric p³ which is connected with the shoe by a strap or link pt. This
link is pivoted to the shoe at a point above the level of the axis of the rock-shaft pl
in which way, when the shoe is against the stem, a tendency on the part of the
latter to rise will also tend to lift the shoe and link, which latter in its upward
swing will draw the shoe in a direction away from the stein, while, on the contrary,
a tendency on the part of the stem to drop will cause an opposite action on the
part of the shoe and link, and thus cause the shoe to bite or bind against the stem
to an extent sufficient to prevent a drop of the stem.
It will also be observed that by pivotally connecting the link to the shoe, the
bearing face of the latter will, when the shoe and link are raised, maintain a
proper parallelism with the stem, so that during the upward lifts of the stem it
will work freely and smoothly.
The bearings P¹ for the rock-shaft of the brake mechanism are adjustably sup-
ported upon a horizontally arranged frame or plate Q, which is secured between
the standards of the main frame and provided with guide passages suitable for
both the stein m of the tamping. device, and the stems or slide-rods L' of the head
or carrier for the upper rod sections.
The said plate is desirably provided with hollow bosses q at the points where it
is apertured for the passage of the sliding rods L³, so as to effectively guide and
steady the same, but at the point where it is apertured for the passage of the
tamping device stem, a half cylindric boss q¹ is desirably formed to stand against
the stem in opposition to any pressure of the brake shoe against the latter, in which
way, when the brake is applied, the said half boss constitutes a bearing at one side
of the stem in opposition to the brake pressure against the opposite side of the
same, so as to cause the stem to work true.
The bearings P₁ for the rock-shaft of the brake device are adjustable in a direction
parallel with the line of force or action of the brake shoe, for which purpose they
may consist of eye-bolts adjustably secured in blocks P2, arranged upon the frame
or plate Q.
The rotary cam or segment wheels may be driven from power overhead, but are
herein shown as conveniently operated from the low-down driving shaft I, for which
purpose this shaft is connected by a link belt R, with an upper horizontally arranged
shaft N¹, upon which latter one of the cam or segment wheels is secured.
Each shaft is provided with a sprocket appropriate for the link-belt, and the
upper shaft is provided with a suitable clutch R", which is actuated by a lever R¹
arranged within reach of an attendant. This clutch lever extends over the
carrier L for the upper rod sections, in which way, when said carrier has been
raised by the ascending tamping device to the proper height, the carrier will strike
against and actuate the clutch lever, which will in turn operate the clutch, so as to
disconnect shaft N' from the driving power and thereby automatically arrest the
cams or segment wheels, one of which is mounted upon said shaft N¹, and the other
similarly applied upon a rotary shaft N' which latter will be geared with and
driven from the shaft N¹ in any desired way.
At the top of the main frame is a cross-bar D³ provided with guides appropriate
for the several sliding stems or rods L' and m, it being observed that while the
construction of main frame herein shown may be considerably modified, that shown
is simple and convenient and serves as a substantial support for the bearings necessary
for the several operative members of the machine.
Preferably, the standards of the main frame of the machine are arranged to
extend up through the floor of a building, so as to bring the perforated base for
the mould about on a level with the floor, so that an attendant standing thereon
may conveniently control the machine and attend to the mould. In Figure 1 the
floor is indicated by a dotted line, as will be readily understood without further

page_text: illustration or description. In operating this machine the mould is placed upon
the perforated base, the mechanism for raising and lowering the core-rods started
up, and the core-rods run up into the mould to the proper height, at which juncture
the mechanism by which they are raised will be automatically arrested. A suitable
quantity of the material is then dumped into the mould in some suitable way,
preferably by placing on the mould a tray having a sliding bottom, which can be
removed so as to let the material contained therein drop into the mould.
The steadying rods L are then moved down to connect with the core-rods, and
the tamping device let down by releasing the brake from the stem thereof which,
being released, will drop, and in case the cams or segment wheels are in engagement
therewith will pull them around sufficiently to effect its release therefrom.
Power is then applied to drive the cams or segment wheels so as to cause the
tamping head to strike the material within the mould with a few rapid uniform
blows, after which, by applying the brake, the tamping device and consequently
the rods L can be raised until automatically arrested as herein before stated.
The foregoing operation can be repeated as many times as may be necessary to
fill the mould, after which the mould can be taken off to cool and another mould
substituted in its place.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, as communicated to
me by my foreign correspondent, I declare that what I claim is
1. In an apparatus for forming conduit-sections for underground conductors, the
combination with the mould provided with a perforated bottom, of the core rods
arranged to enter and leave the mould from below and means for raising and
lowering the core rods to an extent whereby they can be run up into the mould
or drawn down and out from the same, substantially as described.
2. The combination with the mould provided with a perforated bottom, of a
reciprocating carrier provided with a set of upright core rods arranged to enter and
leave the mould through its perforated bottom, and a screw and nut substantially
as described for raising and lowering the core rod carrier.
3. The combination with the mould provided with a perforated bottom, of the
reciprocating core rod carrier provided with a set of upright core rods arranged
to enter and leave the mould through. its perforated bottom, a threaded stem
appended to the carrier, a rotary gear nut applied to raise and lower the threaded
stem, and a system of gearing and clutch devices such as described for operating
the nut in opposite directions and arresting the motion thereof when the core rod
carrier has reached the proper extent of its stroke in either direction, substantially
as described.
4. The combination with the mould of the reciprocating core rod carrier provided
with a series of core rods arranged to enter and leave the mould, a mechanism
for reciprocating the core rod carrier, and an automatic stop mechanism for auto-
matically arresting the motion of the core rod carrier at the desired extent of stroke
in either direction, substantially as described..
5. The combination with the mould of the reciprocating core rod carrier provided
with a set of core rods arranged to enter and leave the mould, a mechanism for
reciprocating the core rod carrier, clutch devices for controlling said reciprocating
mechanism, a stop projection carried with the core rod carrier and a pair of con-
nected levers applied to control the clutch devices and standing in the path of the
stop projection of the core rod carrier, respectively at one and the other of the two
points proper for the limitation of the up and down stroke of the cora rod carrier
and core rods, substantially as described.
6. The combination with the mould provided with a perforated bottom, of the
core rods supported upon a reciprocating carrier which is operative below the
mould, a tamping device for tamping the material within the mould, and means
for operating the tamping device, substantially as described.

page_text: 7. The combination with the mould of the reciprocating core rods arranged to
enter and leave the mould from below, a tamping device, means suitable for
operating the tamping device to tamp the material at any height within the
mould, and means suitable for raising and holding the tamping device above the
mould when not in use, substantially as described.
8. The combination with the mould, and the reciprocating core rods arranged to
enter and leave the mould from below, of a set of upper rod sections arranged to
descend and connect with the upper ends of the core rods when the latter are
extended up through the mould, and to be raised from their connection with the
core rods at will, substantially as and for the purpose described.
9. The combination with the mould and the reciprocating core rods arranged to
enter and leave the mould from below, of the sliding carrier provided with a set of
depending rods adapted to be connected with, and disconnected from, the upper
ends of the core rods, substantially as described.
10. The combination with the mould and the reciprocating core rods, of the
tamping device constructed with a perforated head having an upright sliding stem
and a pair of rotary cams or segment wheels applied to alternately engage and
release the stem of the tamping head, substantially as described.
11. The combination with the mould and the reciprocating core rods, of the
tamping device, the rotary cams or segment wheels for alternately engaging and
releasing the same, and a brake, arranged to be applied to check the drop, but to
permit the ascent of the tamping device, substantially as described.
12. The combination with the mould of the tamping device, the rotary cams or
segment wheels for operating the same, and a brake P having its shoe pivotally
connected with a swinging link lever, substantially as and for the purpose
described.
13. The combination with the mou'd and the reciprocating core rods arranged to
enter and leave the mould from below, of an upper sliding carrier provided with a
set of pendant rods L to connect with and steady the core rods when the latter are
extended up within the mould, a perforated tamping head fitted to slide upon said
connected rods, means for operating the tamping head, and means for raising it
out from the mould, substantially as described.
14. The combination with the mould, the reciprocating core rods, the upper
sliding carrier provided with a set of pendant. rods L, the tamping device,
mechanism suitable for raising the tamping device above the mould, and a clutch
device adapted for controlling said mechanism and provided with a lever normally
standing over and on the path of the carrier for rods L, substantially as and for
the purpose described.
15. The combination with the main frame of a perforated base A* for the mould,
the reciprocating core rod carrier arranged to operate below Baid base and provided
with a set of upright core rods and means substantially as described for reciprocating
the core rod carrier, for the purpose set forth.
16. The combination with the mould, of the reciprocating core rods arranged to
enter and leave the mould from below, the vertically operating tamping device and
means substantially as described for operating the same, and the sliding carrier
provided with one or more depending rods L and suspended by means whereby it
is counterbalanced, for the purpose set forth.
A