Improvements in Armoured Electric Conductors and in Jointings for such Conductors.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 15th July, 1890
Complete Specification Left, 3rd Apr., 1891-Accepted, 9th May, 1891
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Armoured Electric Conductors and in Jointings
for such Conductors.
I, JOSEPH DEVONPORT FINNEY ANDREWS of No. 41 Parliament Street in
the County of London Electrical Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this
invention to be as follows:-
My invention relates to a construction of armoured electric conductors and to
means of jointing together lengths of armoured conductors or of jointing branches
of such conductors to mains. When it is desired to use the conductor as a return
wire as well as a lead, I first cover the insulated leading conductor with armouring
of copper or other good conducting metal, and then I may cover this with other
protective armouring.
In order to obtain conductive continuity of the inner armour and at the same
time to render it watertight I pass the conductor when it has its single armouring
on through a bath of metal fusible at a low temperature; or I deposit metal on it by
electrolysis, and I may then dispense with the second or outer armouring. When
a second or outer armouring is applied, I render it continuous and cause it to adhere
to the inner armouring by a layer of metal either melted on or electrolytically
deposited.
When such conductors are employed for electric distribution on the three wire
system, I use two of them parallel as separate leads and the armour of both of
them as combined return. For forming a straight joint connecting two lengths of
conductors which may have single armour, or compound armour as above described
I proceed as follows. I cut back a certain length of the armour and taper down
the insulating material till I expose portions of the conducting cores which I join
together and solder. I then wrap the joint with insulating material which may be
prepared for vulcanisation and over it put a sheath of thin sheet copper.
I wire
round the ends of the armouring and tin these wires and ends and then I place over
all a heated metal mould made in halves with a suitable git. I pour into this mould
molten metal fusible at a moderately low temperature by which the insulating
material is vulcanised, and when the fusible metal is set, I remove the mould.
For connecting a branch I proceed in a similar manner, the mould being of
suitable T form.
Dated this 15th day of Tu1 1900
ABEL & IMRAY,.
Agents for the Applicant..
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Armoured Electric Conductors and in Jointings
for such Conductors.
I, JOSEPH DEVONPORT FINNEY ANDREWs, of No. 41, Parliament: Street
in the County of London, Electrical 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 :-
My invention relates to a construction of armoured electric conductors and to
means of jointing together lengths of armoured conductors or of jointing branches
of such conductors to mains. When it is desired to use the conductor as a return
wire as well as a lead, I first cover the insulated leading conductor with armouring
of copper or other good conducting metal, and then I may cover this with other
protective armouring.

page_text: In order to obtain conductive continuity of the inner armour and at the same
time to render it watertight I pass the conductor, when it has its single armouring
on, through a bath of metal fusible at a low temperature, or I deposit metal on it
By electrolysis, and I may then dispense with the second or outer armouring.
When a second or outer armouring is applied, I render it continuous and cause it
to adhere to the inner armouring by a layer of metal either melted on or electro-
lytically deposited. Fig. 1 of the accompanying drawings shews parts of a
conductor according to my invention. A is the conducting wire, usually copper,
B is insulating material, which, when fusible metal is applied as will presently
be described, should be of a kind to sustain the heat, and preferably should be
prepared for becoming vulcanised by the heat, C is the helical taping with
copper ribbon which may be applied in a single thin layer for small cables, or
may be double as shewn for larger cables, two thin layers with spaces between
the convolutions being preferable to a single thick layer as giving greater
flexibility. D is the layer of fusible metal deposited on the taping by passing the
conductor through a bath of the molten metal. It is preferred to draw the conductor
through a die as it leaves the bath so as to smooth the surface of the metal coating.
E is an external armouring, preferably of steel ribbon, applied in two layers with
spaces between the convolutions as shewn.
The layer D instead of being deposited by drawing the conductor through a bath
of molten fusible metal, may be deposited electrolytically.
When such conductors are employed for electric distribution on the three wire
system, I use two of them parallel as separate leads, and the armour of both of
them as combined return. For forming a straight joint connecting two lengths of
conductors which may have single armour, or compound armour as above described,
I proceed as follows." I cut back a certain length of the armour and taper down
the insulating material till I expose portions of the conducting cores which I join
together and solder. I then wrap the joint with insulating material which may be
prepared for vulcanisation and over it I put a sheath of thin sheet copper. I wire round
the ends of the armouring, and tin these wires and ends, and then I place over all
a heated metal mould made in halves with a suitable git. I pour into this mould
molten metal fusible at a moderately low temperature by which the insulating
material is vulcanised, and when the fusible metal is set, I remove the mould. For
connecting a branch, I proceed in a similar manner, the mould being of suitable
T form, as shewn by Fig. 2 of the accompanying drawings. A is the main con-
ducting wire to which a branch conductor A¹ is to be connected. The armouring D
is removed for a certain length and the ends tied round with tinned wire E; the
insulating material F is cut to a taper both ways leaving a portion of the wire A
exposed. To this is attached, by twining round and soldering, the branch wire A¹,
which has the end part of its armour D₁ removed and tied with tinned wire E¹, and
has its insulating material F1 tapered.
Insulating material B, in sheet form, is wrapped round the junction in several
layers. By preference a split tube C of sheet copper tinned is then put on the
main line and another C₁ on the branch passing through a hole of C. Over the
whole a mould M is put on in halves, and molten fusible metal is poured through a
git N so as to fill all the cavities within and around the tubes C C¹; when the
metal has set the mould is removed. The junction of two lengths of conductor in
one line is effected in the same way suppressing the branch A₁ and parts connected
with it, and using a mould of suitable form.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. An armoured electrical conductor having its armour coated with metal by
drawing the conductor through a bath of molten metal or by electrolytic deposit ;
substantially as described.

page_text: 2. In jointing lengths of armoured conductors together or to branch conductors
covering the parts exposed for the joint with insulating material and preferably
with a copper tube within and around which molten fusible metal is cast, sub-
stantially as described.
D1
11001
ABEL & IMRAY,
Agents for the Applicant.