Improvements in Street Boxes used in the Underground Distribution of Electricity.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 10th Dec., 1892
Complete Specification Left, 7th Sept., 1893-Accepted, 28th Oct., 1893
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Street Boxes used in the Underground Distribution
of Electricity.
I, WILLIAM GEIPEL of 112 Belvedere Road Lambeth, Member of the
Institution of Electrical Engineers do hereby declare the nature of this invention
to be as follows :-
My invention has reference to improvements in street boxes used in underground
systems of electric mains whereby the construction of the same is improved so as
to make them more easily adapted to their purpose..
The invention refers more particularly to the top part of the so called houss
service boxes-the house service box being at the point where the junction takee
place between the main conductor in the street and branch conductors to the
house, the main object being to make a box which shall fit any required depth
between the level of the foot path or street and the conduit. To accomplish this I
make the top of the box separate from the bottom part, while it is made to fit on
to the bottom part somewhat like a spigot and socket joint, but the socket in one
of the parts preferably the bottom part is made as a cup running round the box
into which the other part fits.
The top part can thus be raised or telescoped out to suit the level of the
pavement or street so that when the cup is packed with some suitable material
such as cement, sulphur or yarn, it is firmly held in position. The top may
consist of one, two or more lengths which may be inserted one into the other to any
desired height if the conduit consists of cast iron troughs as is used in some
systems, then the bottom part of this box might form part of the cover of the
conduit, or if cast iron pipes be used it may form part of the pipe, or the bottom
part may form a complete box in itself with the openings in the sides for
receiving the conduits and an opening in the top to fit the top part. To cover in
the box a lid of any ordinary type is used and I prefer to arrange for the lid to fit
into the top part, so as to be watertight. Holes are made either in the top or
bottom part as may be most suitable for leading through the branch or other
connecting mains.
This improvement may also be applied to draw-in boxes or other street boxes.
Dated thin 10th 1...
mbo 1800
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Street Boxes used in the Underground Distribution
of Electricity.
I, WILLIAM GEIPEL, of 112, Belvedere Road, Lambeth, Member of the
Institute of Electrical Engineers, 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 :-
My invention has reference to improvements in street boxes used in underground
systems of electric mains, whereby the construction of the same is improved so as
to make them more easily adapted to their purpose.
The invention refers more particularly to the top part of the so called house
service boxes-the house service box being at the point where the junction takes
place between the main conductor in the street and branch conductors to the
house, the main object being to make a box which shall fit any required depth.

page_text: between the level of the foot path or street and the conduit. To accomplish this
I make the top of the box separate from the bottom part, while it is made to fit on
to the bottom part somewhat like a spigot and socket joint, but the socket in one
of the parts, preferably the bottom part, is made as a cup running round the box in
to which the other part fits.
The top part can thus be raised or telescoped out to suit the level of the
pavement or street, so that when the cup is packed with some suitable material
such as cement, sulphur, or yarn, it is firmly held in position. The top may consist
of one, two, or more lengths which may be inserted one into the other to any
desired height. If the conduit consists of cast iron troughs as is used in some
systems, then the bottom part of this box might form part of the cover of the
conduit, or if cast iron pipes be used it may form part of the pipe, or the bottom
part may form a complete box in itself with the openings in the sides for receiving
the conduits and an opening in the top to fit the top part. To cover in the box, a
lid of any ordinary type is used, and I prefer to arrange for the lid to fit into
the top part, so as to be watertight. Holes are made either in the top or bottom
part as may be most suitable for leading through the branch or other connecting
mains.
This improvement may also be applied to draw-in boxes or other street boxes.
Referring to the drawing, a, is the top part or parts of the box; b, is the
bottom part; c, is the cement or other packing; and d, is the cover; e, is the
hole, or holes, for leading through the branch or other connecting mains. In
Fig. 1. the improvement is shewn applied to a conduit consisting of a cast iron
trough; in Fig. II. it is shewn with a conduit of ordinary cast iron pipes; in
Fig. III. the bottom part 6, forms a complete box with openings in the sides for
receiving the conduits; and in Fig. IV. is shewn a larger street box having a
number of telescopic or top parts a. It will be observed that in some cases as in
Fig. III. I use only one side to form the cup for the cement c.
It will be easily seen that the bottom part, b, is first placed on the conduit, the
top part, a, is then set into the cup and adjusted to the required level of the
street when it is temporarily packed or fixed; the cement or other packing, c, is
now filled in and the box is formed. I prefer to use cast iron for the various parts
of the box.
Other methods of carrying out and utilising my improvement will readily
suggest themselves.
I prefer to make the inner lip of the cup slightly deeper than the outer so as to
reduce the possibility of water getting into the box.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is-
1. The herein described method of making a street box of two or more metal
parts telescoping into each other so as to be easily adjusted to suit the level
of the street and packed with cement or other substance substantially as desoribed.
Dated this 5th day of September 1893.