IMPROVEMENTS IN SUBMARINE AND OTHER TELEGRAPHIC CABLES."
Year: 1874

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Geminiano Zanni, of Highbury, in the County
of Middlesex, Gentleman, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
SUBMARINE AND OTHER TELEGRAPHIC CABLES."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Geminiano Zanni at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 27th May 1874.
I, GEMINIANO ZANNI, of Highbury, in the County of Middlesex;
Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN SUBMARINE AND OTHER TELEGRAPHIC CABLES," to be as
follows:-
This Invention has for its object the manufacture of a submarine or
other telegraphic cable of great strength and cheapness compared with
its weight and diameter, and also in a great measure to avoid induction
currents of electricity, whereby the conductivity of the cable is increased
so as to transmit signals through it with great rapidity.
For this purpose, according to my improvements, the conductor (con-
sisting of one or more copper wires) is covered or enclosed within a series

page_text: of soft iron wires, which are united together to form a strand or core by
passing the combined series of wires through a bath of molten tin or
other comparatively soft metal. The strand or core thus combined into
one solid body is protected from corrosion, and is then coated or covered
with gutta percha or other insulating materials, over which tin or other
metal foil is wrapped to exclude moisture, and then a tape of hemp or
other material (immersed in tar or other preservative substance or
material) is wound around the core to protect the metal foil from injury
or corrosion.
Several of the core conductors thus made up may be combined
together in forming a submarine or other telegraphic cable in accordance
with my in
mavamonte
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Geminiano Zanni in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 27th November 1874..
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, GEMINIANO
ZANNI, of Highbury, in the County of Middlesex, Gentleman, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twenty-seventh day of May, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-four, in
the thirty-seventh year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs
and successors, give and grant unto me, the said Geminiano Zanni,
Her special license that I, the said Geminiano Zann, my executors,
administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Geminiano
Zanni, 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 SUBMARINE AND OTHER TELEGRAPHIC CABLES,"
upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Geminiano Zanni,
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

page_text: Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar months next and imme-
diately after the date of the said Letters Patent:
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Geminiano Zanni, 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 thereof, that is to say:
This Invention has for its object the manufacture of a submarine or
other telegraphic cable of great strength and cheapness compared with
its weight and diameter, and also in a great measure to avoid induction
currents of electricity, whereby the conductivity of the cable is increased
so as to transmit signals through it with great rapidity.
For this purpose, according to these improvements, tlie conductor
(consisting of one or more coppers) wires) is covered or enclosed within a
series of soft iron or steel wires, which are united together to form a
strand or core by passing the combined series of wires through a bath of
molten tin or other comparatively soft metal. The strand or core thus
combined into one solid body is of great strength compared with ordinary
core conductors, being effectually protected from corrosion. It is then
coated or covered with gutta percha or other insulating materials, over
which tin or other metal foil is wrapped to exclude moisture; or in place
of being protected with tin foil the core so far preparred is covered with
a cotton or other tape or material and is passed through a bath of molten
tin or other soft metal so as to cover or encase the corë therein. Thö
casing of tin or other soft metal protects the insulating material from
the injurious effects of the great pressure to which submarine cables are
subjected when very deeply submerged. A tape of hemp or other
material immersed in tar or other preservative substance or material is
then wound around the core to protect the metal foil or protecting metal
casing from injury or corrosion.
Several of the core conductors thus made up may be combined
together in forming a submarine or other telegraphic cable in accordance
with my improvements.
And in order that my Invention may be more clearly understood I
will proceed to describe the Drawings hereunto annexed.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Figure 1 shows part of a single core conductor for a telegraphic cable
constructed and arranged in accordance with my improvements.

page_text: having a protecting cover ƒ of steel wires covered with hemp, as is well
understood.
The shore end of a submarine cable constructed in accordance with
my Invention may be further protected by threading it through lengths
of gas tubing, the ends of the tubes being screwed together in succession
as they are placed in position upon the cable; or the cable may be
protected with a series of iron wires wound or laid upon the outer
surface, as is well understood in the construction of submarine cables.
Having thus described the nature of my Invention and the manner of
performing or carrying the same into practice, what I claim is,-
First. The improved construction of the metal conductors a of sub-
marine and other telegraphic cables, substantially in the manner and
for the purpose herein-before described and represented in Figure 1 of
the Drawings hereunto annexed.
Secondly. I claim the arrangement and combination of a series of
insulated metal conductors a in the construction of submarine and other
telegraphic cables, substantially in the manner herein-before described
and represented in Figures 2, 3, and 4 of the Drawings hereunto annexed.
Lastly. I claim the improved combination and method of constructing
submarine and other telegraphic cables, substantially in the manner
herein-before described and represented in the Drawings hereto
annexed.
In witness whercof, I, the said Geminiano Zanni, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Twenty-fifth day of November, in
the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-
four.
Witness,
J. G. TONGUE,
Patent Agent,
GEMINIANO ZANNI. (L.S.)
34, Southampton Buildings,
Chancery Lane, W.C.