IMPROVEMENTS IN COMBINING AND COATING INSULATED METAL CONDUCTORS FOR ELECTRIC TELEGRAPHS
Year: 1858

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Chatterton, of 7, Devonshire Street, Islington,
in the County of Middlesex, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
COMBINING AND COATING INSULATED METAL CONDUCTORS FOR ELECTRIC
TELEGRAPHS."
Sealed the 19th October 1858, and dated the 22nd April 1858.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Chatterton at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
22nd April 1858.
I, JOHN CHATTERTON, of 7, Devonshire Street, Islington, in the County of
Middlesex, do hereby declare the nature of the Invention for "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN COMBINING AND COATING INSULATED METAL CONDUCTORS FOR ELECTRIC
TELEGRAPHS," to be as follows:-
This Invention has for its object improvements in combining and coating
insulated metal conductors for electric telegraphs. For these purposes, when
combining two or more insulated wires or other metal conductors which have
been coated with insulating material, in the manner described in my former
Provisional Specification, 10th February 1858, or by any other convenient
means, such insulated wires or metal conductors are caused to be laid
together by ordinary laying machinery; and as the combined or laid insulated
wires or metal conductors pass from the laying machine, they are caused to
enter a vessel containing a composition of insulating materials kept heated, by
which means the combined product from the laying machinery is coated, and
then the same is caused to pass through an ordinary covering apparatus, by
which a coating of gutta percha, or a compound containing gutta percha is
applied, the several processes above mentioned being performed simultaneously.

page_text: When a central insulated wire or metal conductor is to be used, then the
previously insulated conductor is caused to pass through a composition of
insulating materials by which it gets a coating; thence it passes into the
laying machinery, and has the other insulated conductors laid around it; or
in this manner a core of other matter may be introduced. In like manner may
an insulated wire or wires, or other insulated metal conductor or conductors,
be laid round with a series of strands, yarns, or cords, of fibrous or other
materials, by laying machinery, and be then coated with gutta percha, or a
compound containing gutta percha, at one operation,
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said John Chatterton in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
22nd October 1858.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN
CHATTERTON, of 7, Devonshire Street, Islington, in the County of Middlesex,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-second day of April, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-eight, in the twenty-first year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs, and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said John Chatterton, Her special licence that I, the said John Chatterton, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said John
Chatterton, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree
with, and no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter during the
term therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and
vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel
Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN COMBINING AND
COATING INSULATED METAL CONDUCTORS FOR ELECTRIC TELEGRAPHS," upon the
condition (amongst others), that I, the said John Chatterton, my executors or
administrators, by an instrument in writing under my, or their, or one of their
hands and seals, should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the
said Invention, and in what manner the same was to be performed, and cause
the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar
months next and immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said John Chatterton, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed,
to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement
thereof, that is to say:

page_text: This Invention has for its object improvements in combining and coating
insulated metal conductors for electric telegraphs. For these purposes when
combining two or more insulated wires or other metal conductors which have
been coated with insulating material in the manner described in my former
Provisional Specification, or by any other convenient means, such insulated
wires or metal conductors are caused to be laid together by ordinary laying
machinery, and as the combined or laid insulated wires or metal conductors
pass from the laying machine they are caused to enter a vessel containing a
composition of insulating materials kept heated, by which means the com-
bined product from the laying machinery is coated, and then the same is
caused to pass through an ordinary covering apparatus, by which a coating
of gutta percha, or a compound containing gutta percha, is applied, the several
processes above mentioned being performed simultaneously. When a central
insulated wire or metal conductor is to be used, then the previously insulated
conductor is caused to pass through a composition of insulating materials, by
which it gets a coating; thence it passes into the laying machinery, and has
the other insulated conductors laid around it, or in this manner a core of other
matter may be introduced. In like manner may an insulated wire or wires
or other insulated metal conductor or conductors be laid round with a series
of strands, yarns, or cords of fibrous or other materials by laying machinery,
and be then coated with gutta percha, or a compound containing gutta percha,
at one operation.
The following is the manner in which I prefer to proceed in carrying out
my Invention. The wires or metal conductors insulated by means of one or more
coatings of gutta percha or of some other suitable insulating materials, either
in the ordinary manner, or, by preference, in the manner described in the
Specification of my Patent dated February 10th, 1858, are wound upon reels
or bobbins, and fixed upon the revolving disc or plate of an ordinary laying
machine. The insulated wires or conductors combined or laid together by
this machine are attached to the "taking-off" drum of the gutta percha
covering machine, and as they progress from one machine to the other they
are caused to pass through a vessel heated (by preference, by steam) con-
taining an insulating compound, the composition which I prefer being that
described in the Specification of the Patent granted to me, and dated
February 10th, 1858, and finally by passing through the covering machine
they receive a coating of gutta percha or other suitable insulating material.
The speed of the laying machine is adjusted to the "taking-off" motion of
the covering machine to regulate the "lay" of the combined wires or con-
ductors, and in laying insulated wires or conductors together it is desired

page_text: only to put such a number of turns into a given length as is requisite to hold
the wires or conductors together and to ensure sufficient flexibility. When
a central insulated wire or conductor is to be used it is wound upon a reel or
bobbin and fixed or placed at the rear of the laying machine; the wire or
conductor is caused to pass through a vessel containing insulating compound
before it reaches the hollow spindle of the laying machine, the insulated wires
or conductors upon the reels or bobbins on the revolving disc are embedded
in the compound upon the central wire or conductor, and the whole thus
combined passes through a second vessel of compound, and then through the
gutta percha covering machine, as before described. A core of other matter
may be substituted for the central insulated wire or conductor, and subjected
to the same process. For such purpose I prefer to use a strand of steel wire
in combination with hemp or other fibrous material.
In like manner may a single insulated wire or conductor or a number of
wires or conductors combined, as before described, be laid round with a series
of strands, yarns, or cords of fibrous material (either tarred or not), the fibrous
material which I prefer to employ being hempen yarn, or of other material,
as, for example, iron or steel wire covered with yarn or otherwise by laying
machinery, the laying machines being so fixed and arranged alternately with
heated vessels containing insulating compound that as the wire or conductor
or combined wires or conductors receive the covering of strands, yarns, or
cords, or other material from the laying machines, they shall have previously
received a coating of insulating compound by passing through the vessels
containing it. The wire or conductor or combined wires or conductors thus
coated may, if it be preferred, go through the covering machine, and have
a final coating of gutta percha or other suitable material; but a very efficient
cable is obtained when this final covering is omitted.
When two or more layers of strands, yarns, or cords, or other materials
are used, I prefer the laying machines to revolve alternately in opposite
directions.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Chatterton, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twenty-second day of October, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-eight.
Witness,
S. CARPMAEL.
JOHN CHATTERTON. (L.s.)