IMPROVEMENTS IN MEANS FOR SUPPORTING AND PROTECTING WIRES AND OTHER CONDUCTORS USED FOR ELECTRICAL PURPOSES
Year: 1881

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Henry Edward Newton, of the Office for Patents,
60, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, for an
Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN MEANS FOR SUPPORTING AND PROTECTING
WIRES AND OTHER CONDUCTORS USED FOR ELECTRICAL PURPOSES."
A communication from abroad by Charles Albert Hussey and Amzi Smith
Dodd, of the City and State of New York, United States of America.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Henry Edward Newton at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 14th June 1881.
HENRY EDWARD NEWTON, of the Office for Patents, 66, Chancery Lane, in
the County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer. "IMPROVEMENTS IN MEANS FOR
SUPPORTING AND PROTECTING WIRES AND OTHER CONDUCTORS USED FOR
ELECTRICAL PURPOSES." [A communication from abroad by Charles Albert
Hussey and Amzi Smith Dodd, of the City and State of New York, United States
of America.]
The object of these improvements is to provide a simple and cheap means for
supporting and protecting wires and other conductors used for electrical purposes,
and a means that shall be out of the way, while affording convenient access to the
wires or conductors.
The improvements consist in the combination with the curb of the side-walk of
a conduit affixed thereto, and receiving and protecting wires or other electric
conductors.
Let it be supposed there are three parallel streets, four cross streets, and ten
blocks of houses and other buildings. Around the face of the curb of each block
extends a conduit through which pass wires from generators of electricity.
On one block is a station or office where generators of electricity are arranged.
Preferably there is an electric generator for supplying electricity for the street
lamps, and another for supplying electricity for the lamps in houses and other
buildings. The street lamps and the course of the wires whereby electricity is
transmitted to them will first be described.

page_text: These lamps are suspended or otherwise supported from arches or cross pieces
elevated on poles, and extending obliquely across from one block to another at the
intersection of two streets. The wire whereby electricity is supplied to them
passes from the generator to the nearest street lamp, thence along the conduit of
the face of a block to the end, and under the surface of the street to the next
lamp. Thence it passes to the corner of another block under the surface of the
street again to the conduit of the face of a third block which is on the same street.
In this way it may extend for any desired distance, and thence to the ground
beyond the last lamp.
2
A second wire, whereby electricity is supplied to the lamps in the various
houses and buildings, extends from the generator to the conduit of the face of the
Dearest block. Thence it extends across the street, below the surface to the conduit
of the face of the block beyond, and thence to the ground. This wire may extend
any length along a street, and thence to the ground, or it may cross the street and
return through the conduits on the adjacent faces of the opposite blocks to the
generator. In like manner wires will extend from a third generator to the conduits
along the faces of blocks at right angles to those above referred to for the
purpose of sering those faces with electricity.
The entire or any suitable portion of the streets of a city may thus be supplied
with electricity for street lamps and lamps in the houses and other buildings, and
the wires may run in each direction from the generator, or in other words, both up
and down the street.
As a modification of the above each block may be served by a generator on that
particular block, in which case the necessity for extending wires across the streets
is obviated.
The conduits for receiving the wires are preferably of segmental form provided
with flat bucks bearing against the outer face of the curb. These conduits have
flanges along their top and bottom edges for the reception of screw bolts or other
devices, whereby the conduits may be secured to the curb. The conduits may be
made of cast iron or other suitable material, and may be composed of sections
fitted together with joints, which by by the aid of cement or otherwise shall be water
tight. This form of the conduits is advantageous, as it affords a good bearing on
the curb and projects but little beyond the curb, and hence is not liable to be in
the way of vehicles or to obstruct the gutter. The convex front or outer side
affords strength, and hence is desirable. The conduits may be secured by straps or
bands to the curb instead of by the flanges. A conduit of circular form partly
inserted in the face of the curb so as to project but little may also be employed.
In this case it will be secured to the curb by straps or bands overlapping it, and
fastened to the curb by bolts or other devices. This conduit will also be made in
sections secured together so as to be water tight.
If desirable a conduit may be
inserted entirely within the face of the curb.
In combination with these conduits are branch conduits extending through the
curb and under the side-walk, one to the cellar or basement of each of the adjacent
houses. They may be screwed into or otherwise secured to the conduits so as to
have a water tight connection therewith. The wires passing through these conduits
and branch conduits are insulated from the conduits and from each other.
The wire for conducting electricity to the houses and other buildings on a block
extends through each of the branch conduits and back again, to the main conduit,
thus forming a loop at each house or building. Where the tenants of a house or
building do not desire electricity the wire merely extends to the end of the branch
conduit and back, and a cap is secured to the inner end of the branch conduit over
the wire. Thus tampering with the wire will be prevented and the wire will be
protected. When electricity is required it is only necessary to remove the cap and
make connection with the ends of a wire running through the house.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Henry Edward Newton in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
13th December 1881.
HENRY EDWARD NEWTON, of the Office for Patents, 66, Chancery Lane, in
the County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer. "IMPROVEMENTS IN MEANS FOR
SUPPORTING AND PROTECTING WIRES AND OTHER CONDUCTORS USED FOR
ELECTRICAL PURPOSES." A communication from abroad by Charles Albert
Hussey and Amzi Smith Dode, of the City and State of New York, United States
of America.
The object of these improvements is to provide a simple and cheap means for
supporting and protecting wires and other conductors used for electrical purposes,
and a means that shall be out of the way, while affording convenient access to the
wires or conductors.
The improvements consist in the combination with the curb of the side walk of
a conduit affixed thereto, receiving and protecting wires or other electric
conductors.
In the accompanying Drawing, Fig. 1 illustrates a number of blocks of houses
and other buildings and streets baving wires for electric street lamps and houses
conducted to them according to the improvements; Fig. 2 is a similar view repre-
senting a modification of the improvements; Fig. 3 is a horizontal section of a side
walk, the curb thereof, a conduit for wires applied to the curb, and branch conduits
leading to two houses, all on a larger scale; Fig. 4 is a transverse vertical section
of a side walk, its curb and said conduits, all on a slightly smaller scale; and Fig. 5
is a transverse section of a curb and conduit on a larger scale.
Referring first to Fig. 1, A, B, and C designate three parallel streets, and D, E, F,
and G designate four cross streets. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, and 10 designato
blocks of houses and other buildings. Around the face of the curb of each
block extends a conduit H through which passes wires from generators of
electricity.
On the block 9 is a station or office I, where generators of electricity (here shown
as consisting of dynamo electric machines) are arranged. Preferably there is a
dynamo electric machine J for supplying electricity for the street lamps, and
another dynamo electric macbine K for supplying electricity for the lamps in
houses and other buildings. The street lamps and the course of the wires whereby
electricity is transmitted to them will first be described.
These lamps are lettered L, and are suspended or otherwise supported from
arches or cross pieces M elevated on poles N and extending obliquely across from
one block to another at the intersection of two streets. The wire a, whereby.
electricity is supplied to them, passes from the dynamo-electric machine J to the
nearest street lamp L, thence along the conduit H of the face of block 6, which is
on street F, to the end, and under the surface of street F to 'the next lamp L.
Thence it passes to the corner of block 5 under the surface of the street B again
to the conduit H of the face of block 2 which is on street F.
In this way it
may extend for any desired distance, and thence to the ground
lamp.
beyond the last
The wire b, whereby electricity is supplied to the lamps in the various houses
and buildings, extends from the dynamo electric machine K to the conduit H of
the face of block 5 which is on street E. Thence it extends across street B
below the surface of the conduit H of that face of the block 2 which is on street E,
and thence to the ground. This wire may extend any length along a street, and
thence to the ground, or it may cross the street and return through the
conduits H on the adjacent faces of the opposite blocks to the dynamo-electric
machine K.

page_text: O designates & station or office on block 7, where there is a dynamo-electric
machine P serving as a generator of electricity for the lamps in houses and other
buildings on those faces of blocks 6, 5, and 4 which are on street C. A wire c
extends from this dynamo-electric machine across and under the surface of street G
to that conduit H which extends along the face of block 6 which is on street C.
Thence it extends through this conduit to and across street F under its surface.
Thence it enters and extends through the conduit H which is on the face of
block 5 on street C to and across street E below its surface. Thence it enters
and passes through the conduit H of the face of the block 4 which is on street C,
and thence to the ground. This wire may thus extend any desired distance along
street C and pass to the ground, or it may cross the street and extend back to
the dynamo electric machine P along the conduits H of adjacent faces of the
opposite blocks 8, 9, and 10.
The entire or any suitable portion of the streets of a city may this be supplied
with electricity for street lamps, and lamps in the houses and other buildings, and
the wires may run in each direction from the dynamo-electric machines, or in
other words, both up and down the street. It is not necessary when the street
lamps are arranged as described that they should be supplied with electricity by
wires extending along but one series of parallel streets, as the lamps are so placed
as to shed light down both series of streets.
It is desirable that separate dynamo-electric machines should be employed for
supplying electricity to the street lamps, and the lamps in houses and other
buildings, so that neither system of lamps will affect the other. The street lamps
may be voltaic are lamps, and the lamps in the houses and other buildings may
be incandescent lamps provided with carbons or other suitable devices in vacuo.
Preferably extra dynamo electric machines will be kept in each station or office,
so that in case anything happens to one in use it may be immediately replaced
by another, and the light continued without material interruption. Of course the
wires might extend along the conduits H differently, as, for instance, one wire may
extend around all the faces of a number of blocks.
In Fig. 2 is shewn a block 5 provided with a station or office Q where are
located dynamo electric machines R and S for a street lamp, and for lamps in the
houses and other buildings of that block. Here a wire d extends from the dynamo-
electric machine R through the conduit H of all faces of the block. The said wire
therefore passes entirely around the block and back to the said dynamo electric
machine. A wire e passes from the dynamo electric machine Salong the conduit H
of that face of the block 5 which is on street C to an electric street lamp L, and
back in the same way to said dynamo electric machine, or else to the ground. All
the other blocks 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 7, 8, and 9 may be supplied with electricity in the
same way from a similar central station on each bluck.
In this modification of the improvements the necessity for extending wires across
the streets is obviated.
Preferably the stations or offices of the blocks will be furnished with extra
dynamo-electric machines as before.
The conduits H, shewn in Figures 3 and 4, are of segmental form provided with
flat backs bearing against the outer face of the curbs f of stone or other suitable
material, and of the usual form. These conduits are shewn as having flanges along
their top and bottom edges for the reception of screw bolts or other devices g
whereby the conduits may be secured to the curb. The conduits may be made of
cast iron or other suitable material, and may be composed of sections fitted
together with joints, which by the aid of cement or otherwise shall be watertight.
This form of the conduits is advantageous, as it affords a good bearing on the
curb and projects but little beyond the curb, and hence is not liable to be in the
way of vehicles or to obstruct the gutter h. The convex front or outer side
affords strength, and hence is desirable. The conduits may be secured by straps
or bands to the curb instead of by the flanges. In Fig. 5 is shewn a conduit of
circular form, partly inserted in the face of the curb so as to project but little.

page_text: It is shewn as secured to the curb by straps or bands i overlapping it, and fastened
to the curb by bolts or other devices g. This conduit will also be made in sections
secured together so as to be watertight. If desirable a conduit may be inserted
entirely within the face of the curb.
H designates branch conduits extending from the conduits H through the curb,
and under the side walk one to the cellar or basement of each of the houses adjacent
to which the conduits H extend. They may be screwed into or otherwise secured
to the conduits H so as to have a water tight connection therewith. The wires
passing through these conduits and brunch conduits are insulated from the conduits
and from each other. Wires for conveying electricity for other purposes than
lighting may pass through the conduits H, as, for instance, telegraph or telephone
wires. All the wires may be comprised in a cable if desirable. The wire for
conducting electricity to the houses and other buildings on a block extends through
each of the branch conduits H' and back again to the main conduit, thus forming
a loop at each house or building. Where the tenants of a house or building do
not desire electricity, the wire merely extends to the end of the branch conduit H¹
and back, and a cap H2 is secured to the inner end of the branch conduit over tho
wire, as shewn in Fig. 4, and on the branch conduit which is uppermost in Fig. 3.
Thus tampering with the wire will be prevented and the wire will be protected.
When however the tenants of a house desire electricity the cap H' will be taken
off the branch conduit, and the wire will have its ends disconnected and
connected with the ends of a wire running through the house. A tenant
desiring electricity may thus have the necessary connections made very
expeditiously.
Having now described the nature of this Invention for "Improvements in
Means for Supporting and Protecting Wires and other Conductors Used for
Electrical Purposes," as communicated to me from abroad, and explained the
manner of carrying the same into effect, I wish it to be understood that I
claim,
First. The combination with a sido walk curb of wires or electrical conductors
and a conduit receiving the wires or electrical conductors and affixed to the curb.
Second. The combination with a side walk curb of wires or electrical conductors.
and a conduit receiving the-wires or conductors affixed to the curb, and having a
flat back bearing on the curb and a convex front.
Third. The combination with a side walk curb of wires or electrical conductors,
a conduit receiving the wires or conductors, and affixed to or in the curb and
branch conduits extending through the curb and under the sidewalk to houses or
other buildings.
Fourth. The combination with a side walk curb of wires or electrical conductors,
the conduits H, branch conduits H¹, and caps H³.
In witness whereof, I, the said Henry Edward Newton, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, the Twelfth day of December, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and eighty one.
H. E. NEWTON. (L.S.)