IMPROVEMENTS IN ELECTRIC TELEGRAPH CABLES FOR SUBMARINE PURPOSES, AND IN THE MACHINERY FOR MANUFACTURING SUCH CABLES, AND ALSO IN THE MACHINERY TO BE USED IN PAYING SUCH CABLES OUT OF SHIPS AT SEA
Year: 1858

page_text: City of London, and of Strangeways Ironworks, Manchester, in the County
of Lancashire, Engineer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN ELECTRIC
TELEGRAPH CABLES FOR SUBMARINE PURPOSES, AND IN THE MACHINERY FOR
MANUFACTURING SUCH CABLES, AND ALSO IN THE MACHINERY TO BE USED IN
PAYING SUCH CABLES OUT OF SHIPS AT SEA."
Sealed the 14th January 1859, and dated the 16th July 1858.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Charles de Bergue at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 16th
July 1858.
I, CHARLES DE BERGUE, of No. 9, Dowgate Hill, in the City of London, and
of Strangeways Ironworks, Manchester, in the County of Lancashire, Engineer,
do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
ELECTRIC TELEGRAPH CABLES FOR SUBMARINE PURPOSES, AND IN THE MACHINERY
FOR MANUFACTURING SUCH CABLES, AND ALSO IN THE MACHINERY TO BE USED IN
PAYING SUCH CABLES OUT OF SHIPS AT SEA," to be as follows:
The first part of my Invention consists in making a cable in such a
manner and of such materials that its specific gravity under water shall only
slightly exceed the gravity of water, and also in constructing it in such a way
that it shall have no tendency to form snarls or kinks.

page_text: The manner in which I propose to effect this is to take the gutta percha
core enclosing the copper wire or wires, same as in present use, and in
surrounding it with as many small cords as will envelope its circumference ;
these cords to be placed in straight parallel lines with the gutta percha core,
and to be held in such position by being paid round with suitable twine in one
direction, and then with a second layer of suitable twine in the contrary
direction. These small straight cords are intended to give the cable sufficient
strength lengthways, and may be made of metallic wire, or of hemp, flax, silk,
or any other fibrous materials, but I believe that hemp or flax will be found
to answer the purpose well; should the cable want more strength and more
specific gravity, a few fine metal wires might be inserted in combination with
the small cord.
The second part of my Invention consists in making suitable machinery for
covering the gutta percha core with the straight cords or wires, and in so
arranging the machinery that it shall at the same time pay over the cable with
the double layer of twine in the contrary directions at one and the same
time.
And the third part of the Invention consists in arranging suitable paying-
out machinery for this kind of cable. It will be seen from the nature of the
cable, that while being paid out of a ship there will be comparatively no strain
upon the cable as due to its own gravity, because this cable will weigh so very
little under water; but as it should be paid out very slack, in order that it
may accommodate itself to any under currents, or to any irregularities in the
bottom of the ocean, it will be desirable to pay out considerably more than
the actual straight distance; to effect this it will be simply necessary to have
a paying-out machine of the most simple description, just a few grooved pullies,
over which the cable will pass, and which will have to be driven by a steam
engine, or by any other suitable means, but so arranged that its speed can at
all times be regulated in proportion to the speed of the vessel through the
water, so as to be always paying out as fast as the ship is going; the last sheave
guiding the cable over the side or stern of the vessel into the sea should be
also connected to the engine and driven by it.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Charles de Bergue in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
15th January 1859.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, CHARLES
DE BERGUE, of No. 9, Dowgate Hill, in the City of London, and of Strange-
ways Ironworks, Manchester, in the County of Lancashire, Engineer, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Sixteenth day of July, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and fifty-eight, in the twenty-second year of Her reign,
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said
Charles de Bergue, Her special licence that I, the said Charles de Bergue, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Charles de
Bergue, 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 ELECTRIC
TELEGRAPH CABLES FOR SUBMARINE PURPOSES, AND IN THE MACHINERY FOR MANU-
FACTURING SUCH CABLES, AND ALSO IN THE MACHINERY TO BE USED IN PAYING SUCH
CABLES OUT OF SHIPS AT SEA," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the
said Charles de Bergue, 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 Charles de Bergue, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement thereof, that is to say :-
The first part of my Invention consists in making a cable in such a manner
and of such materials, that its specific gravity under water shall only slightly
exceed the gravity of water, and also in constructing it in such a way, that it
shall have no tendency to form snarls or kinks. The manner in which
to effect this is to take the gutta percha core enclosing the copper
propose
wire or wires, same as in present use, and in surrounding it with as many
small cords as will envelope its circumference, these cords to be placed in
I

page_text: straight parallel lines with the gutta percha core, and to be held in such
position by being paid round with suitable twine in one direction, and then
with a second layer of suitable twine in the contrary direction. These small
straight cords are intended to give the cable sufficient strength lengthways, and
may be made of metallic wire, or of hemp, flax, silk, or any other fibrous
materials, but I believe that hemp or flax will be found to answer the purpose
well; should the cable want more strength and more specific gravity, a few
fine metal wires might be inserted in combination with the small cords.
The Figures 1 to 4 of the accompanying Drawing will serve the more
explicitly to illustrate the manner of performing this part of my Invention.
Figure 1 is a transverse section of one of my improved cables; and Figure 2,
a side elevation of a short length of the cable, the several parts of which it is
constructed being shewn as exposed to view, by removal of the parts overlying
each other along successive portions of the length represented. a is the
copper-wire conductor or actual telegraph, and 6 the gutta percha covering or
core enclosing the wire a; c, c, are the longitudinal strengthening cords
enveloping the circumference of the core, any convenient number. being
employed, and among them a few metallic cords or wires may be introduced,
as denoted by the four cords darkly shaded in the Figure 1; d is an inner
layer or covering of twine paid or bound upon, across, or round the outside of
the longitudinal cords in one direction; and e is a second or external layer or
covering of twine paid or bound upon, across, or round the outside of the inner
covering d, but in the opposite direction, as shewn clearly in both the above
mentioned Figures. The Figures 3 and 4 are transverse sections, similar to
Figure 1, but representing the core as enclosing three and seven telegraphic
wires respectively instead of one only. And it is to be understood, that any
convenient number (that may be desired) whether arranged in a cluster as
shewn, or separately insulated, may form the actual telegraph or telegraphs to
be covered with longitudinal cords and double layer of binding twine, in the
manner above particularly described with reference to the Figures 1 and 2.
All the Figures above referred to are drawn to a scale of about three times the
actual dimensions of the cables represented.
The second part of my Invention consists in making suitable machinery for
covering the gutta percha core with the straight cords or wires, and in so
arranging the machinery that it shall at the same time pay over the cable
with the double layer of twine in the contrary directions at one and the same
time.
The Figure 5 is a sketch or diagram illustrating the manner of performing
this part of my Invention; that is to say, so far as respects the laying,

page_text: It consists
arranging, and placing the longitudinal cords upon the core.
simply in providing suitable guiding tubes or apparatus for directing the cords
evenly upon and around the core as both are received from the reels from
which they are drawn or separately delivered whilst the cable is being
gradually formed. Two guides are shewn in the sketch, one of them m being
shewn in plan, and drawn to a larger scale in the Figure 6, from which it will
be seen that a separate channel is provided for each of the longitudinal cords,
and also a central guide n for the core, the latter being supported by a bridge
piece n* across the piece m. The cords and core, after passing through the
guide m, n, also pass through the second guides, which presents an orifice
corresponding in size with the actual external dimensions of the cable pre-
viously to binding, and presenting a series of notches or grooves corresponding
with the number and size of the cords employed. Figure 7 is a plan view of
the guide s, drawn to a scale corresponding with the Figure 6.
A vertical arrangement of the machine is preferred, as represented in the
sketch (Figure 5), which does not, however, show the reels (from which the
cords and core are delivered); but these, it should be remarked, ought to be
provided with friction straps, or other suitable substitute should be adopted for
delivering the cords and core at a moderate degree of tension, so as to ensure
uniformity in arrangement and disposition. The paying over or binding with
twine is effected by machinery or apparatus similar to that ordinarily employed
for similar purposes, except that two revolving shuttles or binders are
employed instead of one, and that they revolve in opposite directions at the
same time, one following upon or closely after the other, and laying the outer
covering e (Figures 1 to 4) directly upon the inner covering d, payed out or
laid immediately before; and here, as before, it is also necessary that by means
of a friction strap, or other suitable arrangement, the requisite degree of tension
should be put upon both layers of the binding twine whilst they are being
delivered from their respective shuttles or binders.
And the third and last part of my Invention consists in arranging suitable
paying-out machinery for this kind of cable. It will be seen from the nature
of the cable, that while being paid out of a ship, there will be comparatively
no strain upon the cable as due to its own gravity, because this cable will weigh
so very little under water; but as it should be payed out very slack, in order
that it may accommodate itself to any under currents, or to any irregularities
in the bottom of the ocean, it will be desirable to pay out considerably
more than the actual straight distance; to effect this, it will be simply
necessary to have a paying-out machine of the most simple description, just a
few grooved pullies, over which the cable will pass, and which will have to be

page_text: driven by a steam engine, or by any other suitable means, but so arranged
that its speed can at all times be regulated in proportion to the speed of the
vessel through the water, so as to be always paying out as fast as the ship is
going; the last sheave guiding the cable over the side or stern of the vessel
into the sea should be also connected to the engine and driven by it.
In witness whereof, I, the said Charles de Bergue, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Fifteenth day of January, One thousand eight
hundred and fifty-nine.
C. DE BERGUE. (L.S.)