Improvements in Electrical Transformer Street Surface Boxes.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 15th Sept., 1893
Complete Specification Left, 15th June, 1894-Accepted, 21st July, 1894
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Electrical Transformer Street Surface Boxes.
HENRY WHITE BOWDEN of 46 Werter Road Putney Electrical Engineer and
WILLIAM BOBY of 16 Union Court London Engineer do hereby declare the
nature of this invention to be as follows:
:-
This invention relates to an improved form of street surface box for use in
connection with electric lighting cables and transformers and an improved method
of connecting the cables to such box. The surface box consists principally of two
chambers an outer and an inner chamber, preferably of cast iron of square oblong
or other suitable form.
The outer box may be made in the ordinary manner with the necessary holes in
its sides or bottom through which the cables may be passed in the required
The inner chamber to be
directions and to be provided with a suitable lid.
partially or entirely enclosed in the outer chamber preferably the outer chamber to
be made of the necessary depth to admit & contain the required portions of cable
and the inner chamber to project below the bottom of the outer chamber sufficiently
to give the necessary depth to enable a vertical transformer to be placed inside it.
The top of the inner chamber to be flanged to be some distance below the under
side of the lid of the outer chamber and to have a lid bolted to it so as to make a
water-tight joint. The lid to have holes formed in it to enable the required
number of cables to be passed through from the outer to the inner chamber for the
purpose of enabling the cables to be connected to the transformer. Besides these
holes another hole, or other holes may be formed in the lid for giving access to the
fuses.
For the purpose of closing watertight the holes in the lid through which the
cables pass there are formed on the cables extensions of the insulatious preferably
of rubber and preferably in the form of a flange round each cable the flange being
provided with a tubular boss or neck which may be slipped onto and vulcanised to
the cable, for convenience the rubber flange may be vulcanised to a short length of
cable which short length may be vulcanised to the distributing cable. These
flanges may be held to the lid by a plate or ring in each case bolted to the lid and
pressing the rubber flange tightly against the lid or a projecting ring or boss may
be cast or fixed in each case to the lid its bore being of sufficient size to admit the
rubber flange the boss to have a screw thread in its inner surface and a ring with
a screw thread on its edge to screw into the boss and press the flange tightly
against the lid and forming a water tight joint or any other suitable means may be
employed for pressing the flanges against the lid. The extensions of insulation
may if desired be made in the form of cups with flanges or they may be made so
that more than one cable may be fixed into flanges or cups combined together in
one piece. The hole or holes giving access to the fuses may be closed in each case
by a suitable lid of metal or other suitable material jointed watertight to the lid of
the surface box, by a solid rubber lid held as above described in the case of the
The surface box
flanges of the cable connections or by any other suitable means.
may be of any suitable form other than that described above and similarly the
transformer may be borizontal or of any formn desired to be employed.
Dated this 15th day of September 1893.
HENRY WHITE BOWDEN
WILLIAM BOBY.

page_text: potents in Electrical Transformer Street Surface Boxes.
HENRY WHITE BOWDEN of 46 Werter Road Putney Electrical Engineer and
WILLIAM BOBY of 16 Union Court London Engineer do hereby declare the
nature of this invention 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 an improved form of street surface box for use in
connection with electric lighting cables and transformers and an improved method
of connecting the cables to such box. The surface box consists principally of two
chambers an outer and an inner chamber preferably of cast iron of square oblong
or other suitable form.
The outer box may be made in the ordinary manner with the necessary holes in
its sides or bottom through which the cables may be passed in the required
direction and to be provided with a suitable lid.
The inner chamber to be partially or entirely enclosed in the outer chamber
preferably the outer chamber to be made of the necessary depth to admit &
contain the required portions of cable and the inner chamber to project below the
bottom of the outer chamber sufficiently to give the necessary depth to enable a
vertical transformer to be placed inside it.
The top of the inner chamber to be flanged to be some distance below the under
side of the lid of the outer chamber and to have a lid bolted to it so as to make a
watertight joint. The lid to have holes formed in it to enable the required
number of cables to be passed through from the outer to the inner chamber for the
purpose of enabling the cables to be connected to the transformer. Besides these
holes another hole, or other holes may be formed in the lid for giving access to the
fuses.
For the purpose of closing watertight the holes in the lid through which the
cables pass there are formed on the cables extensions of the insulation preferably
of rubber & preferably in the form of a flange round each cable the flange being
provided with a tubular boss or neck which may be slipped onto and vulcanised to
the cable, for convenience the rubber flange may be vulcanised to a short length of
cable which short length may be vulcanised to the distributing cable. These
flanges may be held to the lid by a plate or ring in each case bolted to the lid &
pressing the rubber flange tightly against the lid or a projecting ring or boss may
be cast or fixed in each case to the lid its bore being of sufficient size to admit the
rubber flange the boss to have a screw thread in its inner surface and a ring with a
screw thread on its edge to screw into the boss and press the flange tightly against
the lid and forming a water tight joint or any other suitable means may be employed
for pressing the flanges against the lid.
The extensions of insulation may if desired be made in the form of cups with
flanges or they may be made so that more than one cable may be fixed into Hanges
or cups combined together in one piece.
The above described connections may be similar in their construction to those
described in Heury White Bowden's Patent No. 22,404 of 1891. The hole or
holes giving access to the fuses may be closed in each case by a suitable lid of
metal or other suitable material jointed watertight to the lid of the surface box, by
a solid rubber lid held as above described in the case of the flanges of the cable
connections or by any other suitable means. The surface box may be of any
suitable for other than that described above and similarly the transformer may be
horizontal or of any form desired to be employed.
On the 5 accompanying drawings.
Fig. 1 Sheet 1 shews a section on the longitudinal axis of a box, for holding a
transformer placed vertically in it, the position of the transformer being indicated

page_text: Fig. 2 shews an end view of the shelf above the transformer.
Fig. 3 Sheet 2 shews a plan of the box with the loose upper portion of the surface
box removed as also the fuses & connections except the metal clamps hereinafter
described.
On Sheet 3, Fig. 4 shews a section through the centre of the high tension fuse
with the joints & connections attached to it.
Fig. 5 is a plan of base of same, with the outer guiding and protecting tube & the
inetal connection which fits the said base,
Fig. 6 is a side view of the said metal connection.
Fig. 7 is a plan of the rubber flanged connection formed on the cable.
Fig. 8 is an end view of the screwed sleeve at the top of the high tension
fuse,
Fig. 9 is an end view of the corresponding sleeve at the bottom of the fuse,
Fig. 10 is a half plan of the metal outer ring of the clamp for holding the rubber
flanged connection above named.
Fig. 11 is a half plan of the inner screwed ring of the said clamp.
Fig. 12 is a plan of the outer guiding & protecting tube of the fuse;
On Sheet 4 Fig. 13 is a section through the clamp forming part of the low
tension connections, & a view partly in section of the remainder of the said
connections.
Fig. 14 is a plan of the rubber Hange forming part of the said connections,
Fig. 15 is a half plan of the outer ring of the clamp forming part of the said
connections.
Fig. 16 is a half plan of the inner ring of the clamp forming part of the said.
connections,
Fig. 17 is a side view of the lower portion of the joint forming part of the low.
tension connections. Fig. 18 is an end view of same.
Fig. 19 Sheet 5 is a section on the longitudinal axis of a box for holding a
transformer placed horizontally in it.
A (Sheets 1 & 5) is the upper portion of an outer or surface box which is made
separately from B the lower portion of the same; C is the lid of the box, D is a
layer of Portland cement, plaster of Paris, rubber or other non-conducting
material; placed between A and B to prevent or impede any passage of electrical
current from B to AE is an inner box forming a chamber for holding the
transformer, the position of which is indicated by dotted lines. F is the lid of the
inner box which is bolted to the flange G of the inner box, the upper surface of G
& under surface of F are preferably machined, & a watertight joint is made
between the two surfaces. H & II are 3 holes in the lid F which serve for giving
access to the interior of the box, & for admitting the high & low tension fuses and
connections & to which are bolted respectively the 3 clamps J, & K K. On
Sheet 4 the clamp J is shewn in detail, is a ring screwed on its inside surface, &
having lugs L L L cast on its outside, holes M for screws are formed in the lugs
& corresponding holes N in the lid F which holes N may be tapped to receive the
lower ends of the bolding screws 0 (see Sheet 3) the holes N are not drilled
through the entire thickness of the cover F. A ring P is screwed on its edge
& fits the screw cut in the ring J. the ring P is provided with pins Q which enable
it to be turned by means of a suitable key. S. is a washer placed under P
& between it & the rubber R. The above description applies also to the
clamps K K shewn in detail on Sheet 3, except that the letter K is applied to the
outer ring instead of the letter J.
The clamps may be constructed in the form of rings screwed onto the lid &
pressing directly onto the rubber flanges R, or of any other suitable form, which
will enable the rubber Hanges to be held by them to the lid F so as to form a
water tight joint between the flanges & the lid. The flanges may be formed of
insulating material other than rubber. T is the high tension fuse which is shewn
in detail ou Sheet 3 on which T is an outer or guiding and protecting tube made

page_text: of vulcanite, fibre, or any suitable material, preferably as poor a conductor of
electricity as possible; U is an inner tube of similar material to that of which T
is composed, V is plaster of Paris, or other suitable non-conducting material, which
fills the inner tube U as shewn. At the upper & lower ends of U are fixed metal
tubular attachments W, & W 1. Z is a ring fitted to the end of the cable Y
& preferably soldered to it, the outer periphery of Z has a screw cut upon it, &
fitting into the screw cut in the bore of W as shewn; W. 1. fits onto a projecting
split stud a. Pieces of sheet metal 1 are suitably attached to W and W 1 and
to them is soldered or otherwise suitably attached the fuse c. A slot at d in the
tube U admits the fuse e to the interior of the said tube U, where it is surrounded
by and embedded in the composition V. The projecting stud a forms part of the
fitting shewn in elevation at Fig. 6, provided with a hole e and binding screw, or
other suitable means for securely holding the end of the high tension connecting
wire to the transformer.
The above named fitting is shewn on plan at Fig. 5, it fits a stand made of
porcelain or other suitable insulating material. The guiding & protecting tube T
is attached to the shelf (Figs. 1 and 19) by screws which pass through its
flanges i. i. & also through the base g in holes j.j. is a rubber sheath covering
the tube U, rings W and W 1. and the strips and 61, and the ends of fuse e as
shewn. When therefore the ring P is unscrewed, the flange R, together with the
tube U and its attachments can all be lifted out through the hole I in the lid F,
the ring W1 sliding off the stud a, the tube T is left fixed to the base
and acts
as a guide when U and its attachments are replaced & guides the ring at W 1 back
to its position on stud a. R Sheet 3 & 4 are rubber flanges forming enlargements
of the insulation of the main cables as shewn, the flanges are made in the case of
the high tension connections Sheet 3 with one tubular neck piece and in the case
of the low tension connections Sheet 4 with 2 such necks 1 and 2, these necks,
or bosses fit onto the wire portion of the cable and are vulcanised to the insulation
of the cable. Referring to Sheet 4 m, m 1 are sockets fitted to the cables Y 1 and Y 2
and preferably soldered to them, their lower ends are bell mouthed as shewn for
giving greater ease in placing them in position on the 2 split studs a 1 and a 2 and
the two said studs are fixed into bases n n of copper or other suitable material.
The bases n n 1 are attached to the wooden block p (Figs. 1 & 19) and the low
tension wires connecting to the transformer and shewn broken a qq 1 (Sheets 1 & 5)
are soldered or otherwise suitably connected to them.
When the ring P of the low tension connection is removed the rubber flange R
with the sockets m m 1 can be withdrawn, the sockets sliding off the studs a 1 and a 2
and passing out through the hole H in the lid F. r is a housing or covering made
of wood, vulcanite, fibre, or other suitable insulating material forming an enclosed
chamber round those portions of the cables which project above the lid F of the
inner box, the cables passing through holes or slots in the sides of the housing,
where they pass to a lower level than the said lid F. is a partition placed between
the high & low tension connections, dividing the chamber formed by the housing r
into 2 portions t being fixed to the lid F of the inner box, by attachments vr,
(Sheet 2) or any other suitable means but always in such manner that no hole or
holes shall be pierced entirely through the lid F, t is not attached to the housing r,
so that the latter may be removed while leaving in position undisturbed. The
partition may be employed without the housing .
The shelf is attached to the lid F of the inner box by means of metal rods ww
which at their upper ends are screwed into bosses y y on the lid F of the inner
chamber or otherwise in such manner that no hole or holes shall be pierced through
the whole thickness of F the lower ends of the rods are formed into flanges 6, 6
and bolted to the shelf or the shelf may be attached by non-metallic connections
to the lid F, or by connections of any other suitable material or form.
The electrical transformer street surface box may be made of different forms
from those shewn and described above to suit various circumstances or forms of

page_text: transformers, its essential features remaining as aud suitable for the purposes.
described.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what
we claim is:-
1. In an electrical transformer street box having an outer surface box and a
inner box forming a chamber for a transformer; closing the inner box absolutely
water tight by means of a bolted joint between the lid of the box & the box itself
and by means of extensions of the insulation of the cables where they enter the
box, such extensions of the insulation being clamped or otherwise securely held to
the lid so as to close the holes through which the cables pass in such lid watertight,
substantially as berein shewn and described and for the purposes set forth.
2. In an electrical transformer street box having an outer surface box and an
inner box forming a chamber for a transformer; a shelf or the like attachment
suspended from the lid of the said inner chamber and attached to it substantially
as herein shewn and described, and for the purposes set forth.
3. In an electrical transformer street box a high tension fuse or fuses having.
an outer protecting or guiding tube, fixed to a base in which is fitted an attachment
for holding the connecting wire to the transformer, and having a projecting split
stud, an inner tube fitted with a metallic ring at each of its ends for connecting
respectively to the supply cable and the transformer connecting wire, a fuse wire
attached as shewn and described, the inside of the inner tube filled with non-
conducting composition, the whole constructed substantially as herein shewn and
described and for the purposes set forth.
4. In an electrical transformer street box low tension removable connections
consisting of bell mouthed sockets fixed to the cables and fitting onto projecting
studs fixed in bases constructed substantially as herein shewn and described and for
the purposes set forth.
5. In an electrical transformer street box having an outer surface box, and an
inner box forming a chamber for a transformer a lid to the inner box constructed
with holes in it for giving access to the interior of the box, and for admitting the
high & low tension fuses & connections substantially as herein shewn and described
& for the purposes set forth.
6. In an electrical transformer street box, metal clamps holding extensions of
the insulation of the cables to the lid of the inner box substantially as herein.
shewn & described and for the purposes set forth.
7. In an electrical transformer street box, extensions or enlargements of the
insulation of the cables substantially as herein shewn and described and for the
purposes set forth.
8. In an electrical transformer street box a housing or covering of insulating
material substantially as herein shewn and described and for the purposes set
forth.
9. In an electrical transformer street box a partition t of insulating material
placed between the high & low tension connections substantially as herein shewn:
and described, and for the purposes set forth.
10. In an electrical transformer street box having an outer surface box
constructed with an upper portion separate from the lower portion, a layer of
insulating material between the said portions substantially as herein shewn and
described and for the purposes set forth.
11. In an electrical transformer street box having an outer surface box and
an inner box forming a chamber for a transformer; the combination of closing the
inner chamber water tight, a shelf suspended from the lid of the inner box, a high
tension fuse or fuses and connections, low tension connections, a lid with holes in it,.
metal clamps attached to the said lid, enlargements of the insulation of the cables,.
a housing or covering of insulating material, a partition of insulating material, a.
layer of insulating material between the upper & lower portions of the upper

page_text: surface box, all substantially as herein shewn & described, and forming a transformer
street box substantially as herein shewn and described & for the purposes set forth.
Dated this 15th day of June 1894.
HENRY WHITE BOWDEN.
WILLIAM BOBY.