Year: 1888

page_text: I, JOHN CHARLES LOVE, of No. 1314, North Broad Street, in the City of Phila-
delphia, State of Pennsylvania, in the United States of America, Mechanical Engineer,
do hereby declare the nature of the said 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 consists of an improved means of insulating electrical line conductors
more particularly in underground conduits, and of securing the conductors therein.
My invention is especially designed for mounting electrical conductors in conduits
for electrical railways, but my improvements may be applied to other uses.
In the accompanying drawings
Fig. 1 is a transverse section of an underground conduit in which electrical
conductors are secured or mounted and insulated in accordance with my invention;
Fig. 2 is a plan of part of a conduit section with the top plates removed;
Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the united ends of two conduit sections, one being
shown in sectional view;
Fig. 4 is a perspective view of my insulating and mounting devices shown
separately; and
.
Figs. 5, 6, 7 and 8 are views of modifications.
In the drawings I have shown the conduit as made in trough-shaped sections A,
with open tops, closed by cover pieces a resting on suitable end brackets b, and longi-
tudinal flanges & on the body of the conduit. These cover pieces are so mounted on
the trough sections as to leave a central continuous slot s between them for the passage
of the contact carriers on the cars of the railway. The adjacent edges of the covers a
preferably have pendent flanges a¹. The sections of the conduits may be united by
bolting together their flanged ends d.
I do not, however, wish to restrict myself to the special form of conduit shown and
described, as that may be varied without departing from the main feature of my inven-
tion, which relates more particularly, as I have said, to the means for mounting or
stringing and insulating the electrical conductors in the conduit.
In these drawings I have shown four of these electrical conductors E, two on each
side of the central slot, but I do not wish to restrict myself to any special number of

page_text: conductors, as they will vary with the requirements of the road. In the modifica-
tions, Figs. 5 and 6, for instance, I have shown how a single conductor may be mounted
in accordance with my invention, while in Fig. 7, three conductors are shown mounted
together.
Where conductors are to be mounted on both sides of the conduit, I form in one 5
piece with the conduit itself or affix thereto a series of projecting yokes or holding
jaws F, at suitable intervals on each side wall of the conduit. The simplest form of
the yoke or jaw F is illustrated in the plan view, Fig. 6, where it is shown with an
open end for the insertion of the insulating block K.
1 prefer, however, in practice, to extend the jaws to more than twice the length of
the insulating block K, as shown in Fig. 2, and to close the end f of the jaw, for
the purposes of strength and also to permit of the insertion of a retaining plug ¹, as
indicated in Fig. 3, when desired after the wires have been strung.
The outer edges of the block K are preferably grooved, as shown in Figs. 1, 4
and 6, for instance, to fit corresponding ribs on the jaws, in order to hold the block
in position vertically. In the modification, 'Fig. 6, the inner faces of the jaws
themselves form the holding ribs. In the modification, Fig. 5, I have shown the
ribs on the blocks and the jaws as grooved, but I do not prefer this construction.
The block K, which may be formed of glass or other suitable insulating material,
has formed in it an opening k, (Fig. 2) which in this instance I have shown as
rectangular, but which may be of any suitable shape. This opening is for the recep-
tion of a tongue e on each conductor E which is to be retained in this holding disk.
The tongue e may be brazed, riveted or otherwise secured to its conductor, and it is
formed at its free end with a hook or projection e, which engages with the upper
edge of one side of the opening in the block, as shown in Figs. 1, 4 and 5. The
tongue is then held in place by a key G of insulating material inserted in the opening
in the block behind the tongue. Where two conductors are to be secured in one
insulating block, their respective tongues are arranged at opposite sides of the opening k
and the key G is inserted between them.
Where three conductors are to be secured in one insulating block, as shown in
Fig. 7, for instance, first one tongue e is inserted in the block and an insulating or
filling piece inserted, and then two other tongues e of the two remaining conductors
are inserted and secured by an intermediate key G of insulating material. The tongue
of the central conductor in this case has a projection or hook 2 to engage with the
key first inserted.
Y
I preferably roughen or serrate the backs of the tongues e where the keys come in
contact with them, and these keys may be formed of rubber, vulcanized fibre or other
suitable material, which, by engagement with these teeth will be prevented from
working out.
After the conductor tongues have been secured in the blocks in the jaws the blocks
may be keyed up in the jaws if the latter have closed ends, by the insertion of
Where it is
wedges k, as shown in Fig. 3, but this I do not regard as essential.
desired to use one of the conductors as a common return wire for two or more of the
other conductors, and the return conductor has not capacity for the total return
current, the conduit or ground may be used to carry a portion of the return current
by connecting the return conductor therewith electrically. As a convenient means of
accomplishing this I form on or connect to the tongues of the conductor pins p, which
are passed through openings in the sides of the insulating blocks and make contact
with the conduit, as shown in Fig. 8.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven
tion, and in what, manner the same is to be performed,
-claim is-
declare that what
1. The combination of an insulating block having an opening through it, and
support for the block, with an electrical line conductor having a tongue to enter th
said opening and a key to secure the tongue.
2. The combination of an insulating block having an opening through it; and

page_text: support for the block, with an electrical line conductor having a tongue with a
hook to enter said opening and engage with the block, and a key to secure the
tongue.
3. The combination of a conduit having jaws, insulating blocks having openings
in them and held in the jaws, with electrical conductors having tongues to enter
the openings in the blocks, and keys to secure the tongues in place.
4. The combination of a conduit having jaws, insulating blocks having openings in
them and held in the jaws, with electrical conductors having tongues to enter the
openings in the blocks and engage therewith, and insulating keys to secure the
tongues in place.
5. The combination of an insulating block having an opening in it, and a support
for the block, with a pair of electrical conductors having tongues to enter said
openings and engage with the block, and an insulating key to enter between the
two tongues and secure them in place.
6. The combination of the conduit having ribbed jaws, with insulating block
grooved at the edges to fit the said jaws, and having central openings through
them, electrical conductors having tongues to enter said openings, and insulating
keys to secure the tongues in place.
7. The combination of a pair of jaws having a closed outer end, with an insulating
block to enter the jaws and having an opening through it, an electrical conductor
having a tongue to enter the said opening, a key to secure the tongue in place, and
wedges to enter between the closed end of the jaws and the insulating block.
8. The combination of a conduit, a number of outgoing conductors and insulating
supports therefor, with a common return wire electrically connected to the conduit.
9. The combination of a conduit, an insulating block having an opening
through it, and a support for the block, with an electrical conductor having a
tongue to secure it in the block, the said tongue being provided with a pin to
connect it electrically to the conduit.
1000
DAY, DAVIES & HUNT,
321, High Holborn, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicant.