Year: 1885

page_text: I, ARTHUR EDWARD GILBERT, of Roseneath Cottage, Greig Street, Inverness,
Invernessshire, Telegraph-Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of my said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement; reference being had
to the accompanying Sheet of Drawings, and to the letters and figures marked
thereon, that is to say :-
My invention has reference. to a new or improved insulator and its fittings
(which I term a "shackle insulator") for the terminating ends of electric aerial
line wires, (for telegraph, telephone, and electric lighting purposes), and which
being more convenient, simple, and inexpensive than the ordinary Bright's shackle,
will enable this to be greatly dispensed with, which with its iron straps and
through bolts is so defective in insulation.
My invention is illustrated by the accompanying Sheet of Drawings in which
Figure 1 is a side elevation and Figure 2 a corresponding plan, showing the
construction of my new or improved shackle insulator A, a, and one mode and
means of applying the same to the terminating ends b b of two spans of aerial or
overhead telegraph wires B, B1, at an intermediate terminal station or other
support e E and post. Figures 3 and 4 show an end view and a corresponding
transverse section of a ball and a cube form respectively of my shackle insulator A a,
as detached from the line and securing wires B and C, to show the new or improved
construction more clearly than in the general views Figures 1 and 2. Figure 5
shows an elevation of a different mode of securing the end of a telegraph line
wire B through my improved insulator A, a, to an ordinary strap shackle
insulator S8 to the support E e, as used at a terminal station for giving a more
perfect insulation than is obtained by the use of this ordinary shackle alone.
The nature of my invention or improvements consists in the construction of an
insulator in the form of a shackle ball A a, or other equivalent solid shape (as of
an egg, or a cube, or of other polygonal solid shape), preferably formed of porcelain
or other vitrified clay, glass, ebonite, vulcanite, wood, or other material which will
insulate the electric wire or current. This insulating shackle ball or cube A is
formed with two annular grooves a, a, round its circumference at right angles to
each other and of a convenient depth to receive the wires. The end 6 of the line
wire B would be looped round the one groove a, and the shackle or securing wire C,

page_text: for tightening up and receiving the strain of the line wire would be passed or
looped round the other groove a, quite separate and insulated from the line wire B.
Through the solid parts of the ball A between the grooves a, a, two holes o would
be formed at right angles to each other for the purpose of lightening and
facilitating the baking of the balls when made of clay or ebonite. The securing
wire C of this improved insulator A a, when made in the form of a wire shackle,
may be passed through and secured by a separate wire c, to a groove d of any
ordinary upright or other cup insulator D fixed on the support e E, as shown in
Figures 1 and 2. In some cases the securing wires C of the adjacent ends 6 of the
line wire spans B, B1, may be looped over or otherwise secured to the same upright
insulator D or to other separate securing fixtures upon the support or pole E, or it
might be to a Bright's shackle & S, when that is preferred, as shown in Figure 5.
The insulation of the line wire B, is so well effected with my improved shackle
ball or cube A a by crossing the securing wire C at right angles in their retaining
grooves a, a, that the securing wire C might be fixed to their supports e E, even
without the ordinary insulators (as D or 8) described and shown.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my Inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is
First. The improved construction of shackle insulators substantially as herein
described in reference to and shown in the accompanying Drawings.
Second. For electric line wires, the forming of the shackle insulators with
grooves at right angles to each other, round their outer surface, either with or
without the holes through them, substantially as herein described in reference to
and shown in the accompanying Drawings.
Third. The mode and means of fitting and securing these shackle insulators
substantially as herein described, and shown in the accompanying Drawings.
Dated this 21st day of December 1885.