IMPROVEMENTS IN TELEGRAPH CABLES, CHAINS OR CONDUCTORS FOR SUB- MARINE AND OTHER PURPOSES AND IN MEANS FOR CONNECTING SUCH CABLES, CHAINS OR CONDUCTORS TOGETHER, AND TO MOVEABLE OBJECTS
Year: 1885

page_text: I ROBERT MANN LOWNE of Leicester House, East End, Finchley in the County
of Middlesex, Electrical Engineer do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention
for IMPROVEMENTS IN TELEGRAPH CABLES, CHAINS OR CONDUCTORS FOR SUB-
MARINE AND OTHER PURPOSES AND IN MEANS FOR CONNECTING SUCH CABLES,
CHAINS OR CONDUCTORS TOGETHER, AND TO MOVEABLE OBJECTS, to be as follows:-
My invention has for its object the construction of cables chains or conductors
and their connections in such a manner that they shall form or contain electrical
conductors that may or will complete or form part of an electrical circuit and also
have great strength and freedom of motion or elasticity.
In carrying my invention into effect I employ a cable containing a core of any
convenient number of insulated conductors, over this core I employ a sheathing of
any convenient number of metallic wires laid around the core so as to form a
twist which preferably should entirely cover the core, around this sheathing I fix
at intervals preferably by solder metallic bands formed preferably of wire, the
object of the bands is to prevent the wire sheathing from untwisting and
lengthening when the cable is subjected to strain. Where a cable or conductor is
required to be attached to a moveable object I employ a universal joint constructed
in such a manner as to take all strain off the electrical conductor or conductors at
the moveable part or parts of the joint; the mode in which I carry this into effect,
I will immediately explain. I attach to the end of the cable or conductor a kind
of half link or frame made of any strong material preferably metal; arranged
within this half link or frame is a joint capable of moving say backwards and
forwards through an arc of 180° more or less as may be desirable; attached at
right angles or thereabouts to this joint is another joint capable of moving in
another frame at right angles or thereabout to the first frame and the movement
of the second joint is at right angle or thereabout to the first through an arc of
about 180°, say sideways, so that the combined joints will move in any direction
through an arc of about 90°

page_text: These joints and frames are constructed with hollow passages which run right
through the joints and the two frames; arranged in these passages are the
insulated electrical conductors which are arranged in such a manner that they do
not have to bear any strain, or the insulated conductor or conductors may be
laid around the joint, the joints and frames bearing all strain and weight. I pre-
ferably make these insulated conductors of bundles of fine wires which may be
twisted in any suitable manner so as to give them freedom. It is not necessary
to employ two insulated conductors, as the universal joint itself may form one
conductor in sea water or a non-insulated conductor may run through it. In
forming a chain by the aid of these universal joints or links I employ such joints
to connect together lengths of the cable already described or of any other cable
or of any convenient rigid material such as iron, or metal tubes or rods.
Where tubes are used, the conductor or conductors would run through the tubes;
where rods are used, they would be laid on or around the rods.
For sea water one conductor may be formed by the universal joints and their
connections or the circuit may be completed through the sea water, as will be
readily understood.
The universal joint or link according to my invention may be employed for
suspending electroliers and generally whereever it is required to give an object
freedom of motion whilst it is fixed or connected to an electrical conductor or
conductors.

page_text: I ROBERT MANN LOWNE of Leicester House, East End, Finchley in the County
of Middlesex, 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 has for its object the construction of cables, chains or conductors
and their connections in such a manner that they shall form or contain electrical
conductors that may or will complete or form part of an electrical circuit and also
have great strength and freedom of motion or elasticity.
My invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which Figure 1
represents a portion of an electrical cable and Figure 2 a portion of an electrical
chain constructed according to my invention.
Figures 3 and 4 are elevations drawn at right angles to each other: Figures 5
and 6 are longitudinal sections also drawn at right angles to each other and
Figure 7 is a cross section of a universal joint constructed according to my.
invention for the purpose of connecting electrical cables, chains or conductors
together and to moveable objects.
In carrying my invention into effect I employ a cable containing a core of any
convenient number of insulated conductors, over this core I employ a sheathing a
see Figure 1 of any convenient number of metallic wires laid around the core so as
to form a twist which preferably should entirely cover the core. Around this
sheathing a I fix at intervals by solder, metallic bands b formed preferably of wire,
the object of the bands b is to prevent the wire sheathing from untwisting and
lengthening when the cable is subjected to strain.
When a cable or conductor is required to be attached to a moveable object
I employ a universal joint constructed in the manner shown at Figures 3 to 7 80
as to take all strain off the electrical conductor or conductors at the movable part
or parts of the joint; the mode in which I carry this part of my invention into
effect is as follows:-
I attach to the end of the cable or conductor a kind of half link or frame c made
of any material strong enough for the purpose but preferably of metal; arranged
within this half link or frame c is a joint consisting of a cross shaped bearing
piece & formed with bearings d to receive axes c¹ carried by the frame c c* which
are capable of moving say backwards and forwards through an arc of 180° more
or less as may be desirable; attached at right angles or thereabouts to this cross
shaped bearing piece d are other bearings d² which are capable of receiving axes c¹
and of moving in another frame c* at right angles or thereabouts to the first
frame c and the movement of the second joint is at right angles or thereabouts to
the first through an arc of about 180° say sideways, so that the combined joints will

page_text: move in any direction through an arc of about 90°. These parts d d¹ d³ and
frames c c* are constructed with hollow passages which run right through the
parts dad and the two frames c c*; arranged in these passages are the insulated
electrical conductors e which are arranged in such a manner as shown at Figures 5, 6
and 7 that they do not have to bear any strain, the parts d d' d² and frames c c*
bearing all the strain and weight. I preferably make these insulated conductors
of bundles of fine wires which may be twisted in any suitable manner so as to give
them freedom. It is not necessary to employ two insulated conductors as the
circuit may be completed by the universal joint itself and its connections or by a
non-insulated conductor running through it and them.
In forming a chain by the aid of these universal joints or links I employ such
joints as shown at Figure 2 to connect together lengths f of the cable already
described or of any other cable or of any convenient rigid material such as iron or
other metal tubes or rods.
Where tubes are used the conductor or conductors would run through the tubes;
where rods are used they would be laid on or around the rods.
For sea water the circuit may be completed through the universal joints and
their connections or it may be completed through. the sea water as will be readily
understood. The universal joint or link according to my invention may be
employed for suspending electroliers and generally wherever it is required to give
an object freedom of motion whilst it is fixed or connected to an electrical conductor
or conductors.
:
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is
1. In electrical cables or conductors formed with a core of insulated conductors
covered with a sheathing of metallic wires forming a twist around the same the
employment of metallic bands soldered to the sheathing substantially as herein
shown and described and for the purpose stated.
2. In electrical cables, chains or conductors the employment of universal joints
through which the conductors are led substantially as herein shown and described
and for the purpose stated.
3. The manufacture of electrical chains or conductors substantially as herein
shown and described with respect to Figure 2.