IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF INSULATED TELEGRAPHIC CONDUCTORS AND IN MACHINERY FOR THEIR MANUFACTURE, AND FOR THE PREPARATION OF THE MATERIALS THEREFOR PARTS OF WHICH MACHINERY ARE APPLICABLE TO OTHER PURPOSES
Year: 1874

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Edwin Thomas Truman, of Old Burlington Street,
in the County of Middlesex, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
THE MANUFACTURE OF INSULATED TELEGRAPHIC CONDUCTORS AND IN MACHINERY
FOR THEIR MANUFACTURE, AND FOR THE PREPARATION OF THE MATERIALS
THEREFOR PARTS OF WHICH MACHINERY ARE APPLICABLE TO OTHER PURPOSES."
Sealed the 24 March 1874, and dated the 9th January 1874.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Edwin Thomas Truman
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 9th January 1874.
I, EDWIN THOMAS TRUMAN, of Old Burlington Street, in the County
of Middlesex, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF INSULATED TELEGRAPHIC CONDUCTORS.
AND IN MACHINERY FOR THEIR MANUFACTURE, AND FOR THE PREPARATION OF THE
MATERIALS THEREFOR, PARTS OF WHICH MACHINERY ARE APPLICABLE TO OTHER.
PURPOSES," to be as follows:—

page_text: covering wire or other conductors with gutta percha or other insulating
material, one feature in which process and machinery was that the wire
was caused to rotate on its line of travel while a plastic coating of the
insulating material was being placed round it. This rotation of the wire
was produced by reason of rotation being imparted to the carrying and
receiving drums in planes at right angles to the line of travel of the
wire in addition to the ordinary rotation on their axes. Now it has been
found that as the diameter of the receiving drum practically increases as
the covered wire becomes wound round it the rotation imparted to the
wire is not uniform; and the first part of my present Invention consists
in imparting rotation to the wire without giving any rotation to the
receiving drum, except the ordinary rotation on its axis. For this
purpose I arrange in the line of travel of the wire at a point in front of
the receiving drum a crank motion formed by preference of friction
rollers fitted in a revolving frame in such manner that the wire on its
way to the receiving drum is led out of the straight line into the form of
a crank or bend; behind this frame of friction rollers I place a pair of
drawing rollers, which draw the wire through the crank apparatus and
deliver it to the receiving drum which simply rotates on its axis as is
well understood.
Machinery arranged in this manner may with slight obvious modi-
fications be also applied to twisting strands or wires together to form a
rope or cable, and also to untwisting or straightening the twisted strands
of a rope or cable.
Another part of my Invention consists in the formation of a perfectly
solid covering to those portions of the wire which form the union,
between the various lengths in which the covered wire is necessarily
made, and which must be joined together to form a continuous long
length. These unions have hitherto been generally made by joining the
wires themselves in various ways and in then soldering the ends
together, the united wires being sometimes bound by a thin wire before
soldering. Now according to my method I prefer to unite the ends of
the wire in the manner in which sailors splice a rope, which form of
union does not require soldering and is absolutely stronger than the
other portions of the wire; I then cover the joint with gutta percha or
other insulating material by placing the uncovered joined wire and
a portion of the covered ends in a mould (slightly heated) shaped
internally to correspond with the shape which I desire the gutta percha

page_text: to assume externally over the joint, while it fits the covered ends more or
less accurately; I form the mould in halves which I prefer to unite at
one part by a hinge while at another part there is an opening com-
municating with a machine (by preference the machine herein-after
described) which forces properly heated gutta percha into the mould, or
which compresses gutta percha previously placed in the mould. The.
mould is kept shut by screws or otherwise, but I prefer that the halves
should not fit closely, so that air and gas as well as some of the surplus
material may escape. Or the gutta percha may be compressed in the
mould by screwing down the two halves whilst the whole is kept hot; I
continue the operation until the gutta percha is firmly compressed in all
the parts of the mould around the joint; I then disconnect the mould
from the machine and allow it to cool gradually. On opening the
mould it will be found that perfect continuity between the old covered
ends and the new covered joint has been produced. If the insulated
wire or wires are protected externally by hemp or other strands, I com-
plete the joint over my insulated joint in the usual way, or I again splice
the outer covering over the insulated wire or wires by splicing the outer
wires as herein-before described for the conducting wires, and again
cover with plastic material if required.
Another part of my Invention relates to machines usually termed
covering machines for giving out a supply of the gutta percha or other
insulating material for covering wires or electric conductors, and which
may also be employed for filling the joint mould just described. I
employ a hopper in which the material is placed; in this hopper is a
screw which delivers the material to another screw working in a casing
or cylinder which is provided with a suitable outlet. The machine is
kept at a proper heat to render the material sufficiently soft or plastic.
The combined effect of the two screws is such as to cause the material
to issue in a regular and uniform manner by the outlet of the casing,
which outlet communicates with a tube or die through which the wire
to be covered travels, or with the mould before described, and to insure
greater solidity the material on leaving the casing may be caused to pass
through one or more cones before reaching the said tube or die or the
said mould.
Another part of my Invention relates to the machines for washing or
cleansing gutta percha, and other analogous materials to be used in
covering wire or for other purposes. These machines as at present con-

page_text: structed have openings in the outer case or cylinder through which the
water is admitted to the interior, and through which the dirt is allowed
to escape, with the water in the act of cleansing. These openings as at
present formed are permanently open except the lid through which the
machine is filled and emptied, and which lid is closed before the machine
is put in motion.
It is found that gutta percha in a raw state cannot be advantageously
cleansed by these machines, because it will not agglomerate with
sufficient rapidity to prevent the smaller particles escaping through the
permanent openings, and a previous process is therefore required to
prepare it for this washing process.
My Invention consists in providing means for closing or partly closing
all or any of the openings so as to render the escape of material in the
raw state or in any small pieces impossible, until the agglomeration has
taken place, and this I effect by placing doors or shutters before the
openings in the casing of the machine which can be opened or shut
partially or entirely during the action of the machine, or the entire
casing or cylinder or part thereof may be enclosed in another cylinder
which is also provided with openings, and which can be moved by
means of a lever or otherwise so as to make the openings in the two
cylinders correspond or not according as it is desired to open or close
them. And I find when this closure can be effected no previous process
except softening by beat is necessary as is well understood.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Edwin Thomas Truman in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 9th July 1874.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, EDWIN
THOMAS TRUMAN, of Old Burlington Street, in the County of Middlesex,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her 3
Letters Patent, bearing date the Ninth day of January, 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,

page_text: give and grant unto me, the said Edwin Thomas Truman, Her special
licence that I, the said Edwin Thomas Truman, my executors, admini-
strators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Edwin Thomas
Truman, 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 THE MANUFACTURE OF INSULATED TELEGRAPHIC CONDUCTORS
AND IN MACHINERY FOR THEIR MANUFACTURE, AND FOR THE PREPARATION OF THE
MATERIALS THEREFOR, PARTS OF WHICH MACHINERY ARE APPLICABLE TO OTHER
PURPOSES," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Edwin
Thomas Truman, 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 Edwin Thomas Truman, 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 thereof, that is to say:-
In the Specification of Letters Patent granted to me on the 15th
February 1872, No. 482, I described a process and machinery for covering
wire or other conductors with gutta percha or other insulating material,
one feature in which process and machinery was that the wire was
caused to rotate on its line of travel while a plastic coating of the insu-
lating material was being placed round it. This rotation of the wire
was produced by reason of rotation being imparted to the carrying and
receiving drums in planes at right angles to the line of travel of the
wire in addition to the ordinary rotation on their axes.
been found that as the diameter of the receiving drum practically increases
as the covered wire becomes wound round it the rotation imparted to
the wire is not uniform, and the first part of my present Invention
consists in imparting rotation to the wire without giving any rotation to
the receiving drum except the ordinary rotation on its axis. For this
purpose I arrange in the line of travel of the wire at a point in front of
the receiving drum and for the purpose of deflecting the wire from that
Now it has

page_text: line of travel a crank motion which I form by employing friction rollers
fitted in a revolving frame in such manner that the wire on its way to
the receiving drum is led or deflected out of the straight line into the
form of a crank or bend by being passed over and under the respective
rollers; behind or beyond this frame of friction rollers I place a pair of
drawing rollers which draw the wire through the crank or deflecting
apparatus and deliver it to the receiving drum which simply rotates on
its axis as is well understood.
Instead of employing friction rollers for the purpose of giving a crank
motion for deflecting the wire from the line of travel other equivalent
means of deflecting the wire and of causing the deflected part to rotate
round the line of travel may be used. It will be found that a small
amount of twist is given to the wire (or it may be a strand or thread)
between the crank or deflecting apparatus, and the drawing rollers or
equivalent apparatus that give the travel, this amount of twist will be
regulated by the distance between the deflecting apparatus and the
rollers which may casily be adjusted by a person of experience to meet
the requirements of the case, and so as to reduce the twist when
necessary to a minimum.
Machinery arranged in this manner may with slight obvious modifi-
cations be also applied to twisting strands or wires together to form a
strand, or thread, or a rope, or cable, and also to untwisting or
straightening the twisted strands of a rope or cable.
Another part of my Invention consists in the formation of a perfectly
solid covering applied to those portions of the wire which form the
union or joint between the various lengths in which the covered wire is
necessarily made, and which are joined together to form a continuous
long length. In forming these joints it is obvious that there must be
made first an union of the wire or core and then an union of the covering.
These unions of the wire have hitherto been generally made by joining:
the wires themselves in various ways, and in then soldering the ends
together; the united wires being sometimes bound by a thin wire before
soldering. Now according to my method I prefer to unite the ends of
the wire in the manner in which sailor's splice a rope, which form of
union does not require soldering, and is absolutely stronger than the
other portions of the wire; I then form an improved union of the
covering in the following way:-I cover the joint with gutta percha or
other insulating material by placing the uncovered joined wire and the
.

page_text: two ends of the disconnected covering in a mould (which should be
slightly heated); the mould is shaped internally so as to correspond with
the shape which I desire the gutta percha to assume externally over the
joint, while it fits the covered ends more or less accurately. I form the
mould in halves which are united at one part by a hinge, while at
another part there is an opening communicating with a filling machine,
such as is herein-after described, and which forces a continuous supply
of the properly heated gutta percha into the mould. The stream of the
supplied gutta percha is divided by a partition or rib to prevent it from
impinging directly on the wire joint, and to insure its being delivered
above and below and so all round the joint. The mould is kept shut by
screws or otherwise but the halves should not fit closely, or escape
apertures should be provided so that in all cases the necessary excess of
the heated gutta percha may be pressed or forced into and through the
mould in such a manner that the heated gutta percha may act on the
cold gutta percha forming the ends of the disconnected covering, and be so
amalgamated with them as to form what I have termed a perfectly solid
union of the covering; the union being in fact so solid that it cannot be
detected even by close examination. Together with the excess of gutta
percha that is driven out, air or gas that may be present is expelled.
I continue the operation of forcing gutta percha into and through the
mould until the gutta percha is firmly compressed in all the parts of the
mould around the joint and the solid union is effected; I then disconnect
the mould from the machine and allow it to cool gradually. On opening
the mould it will be found that a perfect solid union between the old
covered ends and the new covered joint has been produced. If the
insulated wire or wires are protected externally by hemp or other strands
I complete the joint over my insulated joint in the usual way.
Although I prefer to unite the ends of the wire in the manner in which
sailors splice a rope, as herein-before stated, yet the old ways of uniting
them by soldering or otherwise may be followed, the joint being then
covered in the mould with gutta percha or other insulating material,
as herein-before explained.
The mould constructed as I have described I find to answer the
purpose successfully, but it is obvious that modifications may be made
in the construction of the mould which will attain like results.
Another part of my Invention relates to an improvement in what I
have termed the filling machine, which is similar in its general con-

page_text: struction to the machines described in the Specification of Letters Patent
granted to me, dated the 25th March 1870, No. 878. This improvement
relates to means for giving out a supply of the gutta percha or other
insulating material for covering wires or electric conductors, and which
may also be employed for filling the joint mould just described. I
employ a hopper in which the material is placed; in this hopper is a
screw which delivers the material to another screw working in a casing
or cylinder which is provided with a suitable outlet. The machine is
kept at a proper heat to render the material sufficiently soft or plastic.
The combined effect of the two screws is such as to cause the material:
to issue in a regular and uniform manner by the outlet of the casing,
which outlet communicates with a tube or die through which the wire
to be covered travels, or with the mould before described.
Another part of my Invention relates to a further improvement upon
the machines for washing or cleansing gutta percha and other analogous
materials to be used in covering wire, or for other purposes described in
the Specification of Letters Patent granted to me, dated the 5th day of
January 1870, No. 41. These machines as at present constructed have
openings in the outer case or cylinder through which the water is
admitted to the interior, and through which the dirt is allowed to escape
with the water in the act of cleansing. These openings as at present
formed are permanently open except the lid through which the machine
is filled and emptied, and which lid is closed before the machine is put
in motion.
It is found that gutta percha in a raw state cannot be advantageously
cleansed by these machines, because it will not agglomerate with
sufficient rapidity to prevent the smaller particles escaping through the
permanent openings, and a previous process is therefore required to
prepare it for this washing process.
My Invention consists in providing means for closing or partly closing
all or any of the openings so as to render the escape of material in the
raw state or in any small pieces impossible until the agglomeration has
taken place, and this I effect by placing doors or shutters before the
openings in the casing of the machine which can be opened or shut
partially or entirely during the action of the machine; or the entire
casing or cylinder or part thereof may be enclosed in another cylinder
which is also provided with openings, and which can be moved by means
of a lever or otherwise so as to make the openings in the two cylinders.

page_text: correspond or not, according as it is desired to open or close them; and I
find when this closure can be effected no previous process is necessary
except softening by heat as is well understood.
And having now described the nature of my said Invention, and in
what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that I claim,―
1. Constructing machines for covering wire or other conductors with
insulating material, or for twisting strands or wires together, or for
untwisting the twisted strands of a rope or cable in such manner that
the wire or conductor to be covered, or the thread, or rope, or strands,
or wires to be twisted together, or the thread, or rope, or cable to be
untwisted are on their way to the receiving drum deflected or led out of
the straight line into the form of a crank or bend, the deflected part
being made to rotate round the line of travel, substantially as and for
the purpose herein-before described.
2. The mode or manner of forming by means of a mould, substantially
as herein-before described, a perfectly solid covering and joint at the
ends of covered wires or conductors which require to be connected
together to form a continued length.
3. Constructing machinery for giving out a regular and uniform
supply of gutta percha or other insulating material with two screws, the
first of which delivers the material from a hopper to the second screw,
and the second of which delivers it to a tube or die or otherwise, sub-
stantially as herein-before described.
4. The use in the machines for washing or cleansing gutta percha or
other analogous material, of openings so provided with means of closing
them that they can be closed or partly closed as required, substantially
as and for the purpose herein-before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Edwin Thomas Truman, have
hereunto set my hand and seal, this Ninth day of July, One
thousand eight hundred and seventy-four.